Honoring three dreamers: Entrepreneur, artist, civic leader to receive top accolades at St. Jude Spirit of the Dream
May 07 2024 - 9:47AM
Business Wire
Trailblazing businesswoman, master potter and
community leader to be recognized for Memphis impact and embodying
lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
The annual St. Jude Spirit of the Dream presented by W&T
Contracting Corporation announced today the recipients of its two
highest accolades: the Legacy Award and the St. Jude Spirit of the
Dream award. The awards will be presented on Sept. 21, 2024 at The
Guesthouse at Graceland during this annual event celebrating
African Americans who embody the mission of St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital® and help advance its efforts to research and
treat childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
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A C Wharton, 2024 St. Jude Legacy Award
honoree. (Photo: Business Wire)
LEGACY AWARD
Recognizes the work of a St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
or ALSAC team member who demonstrates exemplary commitment to the
legacy of St. Jude by encompassing the true spirit of caring for
people.
- A C Wharton, Jr., Lifelong Public Leader and Advocate:
Wharton is the Executive Director of Development at ALSAC, the
fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital and is the Lead Principal of The A C Wharton
Group, LLC consulting firm. He has served as the Mayor of Shelby
County and Memphis as well as Chief Public Defender for Shelby
County and was a professor of law at the University of Mississippi.
During his time in public service and higher education, Wharton
focused on legal systems, child welfare, healthcare, fiscal
soundness and crime prevention. His clients in the consulting firm
include numerous not-for-profit agencies. Wharton has contributed
to the mission of St. Jude by cultivating relationships with groups
and organizations such as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Jack &
Jill of America, The Links, Inc., Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and
the National Medical Association. He is a native of Lebanon,
Tennessee and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
SPIRIT OF THE DREAM AWARD
Honors a person or institution embodying the lifesaving mission
of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and its founder Danny
Thomas.
- Peter Woods, Artist with a Cause: Born and raised in
Mound Bayou, Mississippi, Woods is an artist of humble beginnings
whose work is now well-known throughout the U.S. He started making
pottery when he was just 13 – forming the basis of a lifelong
passion. In 1998, Woods and his brothers started Peter's Pottery, a
family business creating art that has attracted people from all
over the world to Mound Bayou. Family is also at the core of Woods’
connection to St. Jude. His great-nephew has sickle cell disease
and is a St. Jude patient. In 2023, Woods committed to raise
$100,000 for St. Jude and in December of 2023 he presented a check
to St. Jude for the full amount. To date, Woods has raised more
than $250,000 for the families of St. Jude hosting his annual
holiday open house since 2017. A dedicated community member, Woods
was the Past Vice-President of Bolivar Medical Center and currently
serves as treasurer and on the Trustee Board of his church,
President of St. Gabriel Mercy Center Board, a member of the
Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce, a Life Member of the
Delta State Alumni Association and a Delta State Foundation Board
Member.
- Carolyn Chism Hardy, Champion of Business and the Written
Word: Memphis native Hardy is the CEO of Chism Hardy
Investments, LLC. She has been the first woman and African American
in several positions including a plant manager at J.M. Smucker
Company, Vice President at Honeywell POMS, and VP of Operations at
Coors Brewing Company. Her storied career includes starting Hardy
Bottling, the largest African American contract packer in the U.S.,
and Henderson Transloading Services, servicing the largest grain
companies and commodity traders in the U.S. Hardy is also a
published author of three books who shares her invaluable insights
with her fellow members of the African American Engagement Council
of ALSAC. A Memphian through and through, Hardy by way of her
family of companies, has invested more than $15 million in the
Hickory Hill neighborhood since 2011 to revitalize this majority
African American community and provide employment. In 2022,
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee appointed her to the Regional Megasite
Advisory Board for the Ford Blue Oval project. She has also served
her community as current chair of Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
and past chair of Methodist Le Bonheur Hospital Systems, Society of
Entrepreneurs, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis - Memphis
Branch board, New Memphis Institute, Greater Memphis Chamber, and
Memphis Chairman’s Circle and Soulsville/Stax Foundation.
To learn more and donate, visit stjude.org/spiritofthedream.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the
world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other
life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures.
Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer
Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to
children. When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was
largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push
the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and it won't
stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude shares the
breakthroughs it makes to help doctors and researchers at local
hospitals and cancer centers around the world improve the quality
of treatment and care for even more children. Because of generous
donors, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment,
travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child
live. Visit St. Jude Inspire to discover powerful St. Jude stories
of hope, strength, love and kindness. Support the St. Jude mission
by donating at stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook, following
St. Jude on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and subscribing to
its YouTube channel.
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Lillie Flenorl, Media Relations Advisor (901) 930-7993
lillie.flenorl@alsac.stjude.org