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Dr. Wally and Geraldine Montgomery along with Kenneth and Jean Wheeler, all of Paducah, were recently honored during the Kentucky Community and Technical College System’s annual President’s Gala Benefactors Awards Dinner in Lexington.
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Geraldine Montgomery, Dr. Barbara Veazey and Dr. Wally Montgomery |
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Kenneth and Jean Wheeler, and
Dr. Barbara Veazey |
The Montgomerys and the Wheelers were among more than 30 individuals, corporations, and organizations honored for their contributions, partnerships, and support of KCTCS colleges.
More than 700 KCTCS faculty, staff and benefactors attended the event November 1 sponsored by Cisco, four underwriters, and 30 corporate sponsors.
In addition, KCTCS celebrated its 10th anniversary with a special recognition of former Kentucky Governor Paul E. Patton, who is credited with the creation of the two-year college system. Gov. Patton was the mastermind who in 1997 engineered the Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act, House Bill 1, which called for 13 two-year community colleges and 15 technical schools to be governed by one board of regents.
“We will have a system of higher education which is more responsive, more efficient, and more relevant to today’s realities and tomorrow’s needs. We can afford to do no less,” Gov. Patton said. In recognition of the success of this 10-year metamorphosis of Kentucky higher education, KCTCS founding President Michael B. McCall presented Governor Patton with the first President’s Medallion for Distinguished Service.
In recognizing the 10-year history of the System, KCTCS President McCall also recognized those benefactors who continue to support the colleges.
The Montgomerys have both served on the Paducah Junior College, Inc. Board of Trustees. Dr. Montgomery has been a member of the Board since 1980. He was instrumental in securing private funding for the College’s Crounse  Hall in the 1990s. The Montgomerys recently pledged $100,000 in support of WKCTC’s emerging Paducah School of Art in the historic Lower Town District.
Evidence of the generous nature of Kenneth and Jean Wheeler is witnessed throughout the Paducah community. Kenneth Wheeler has been a member of the PJC, Inc. Board of Trustees since 1990, and served as board chair from 2005 to 2008. In addition to supporting previous capital campaigns, the Wheelers were the first donors to take advantage of the charitable provisions in the 2006 Pension Act by establishing a scholarship endowment for WKCTC students. The couple recently pledged $100,000 to support the construction of an engineering wing on the WKCTC campus.
Highlights of the evening included the announcement of a $100 million goal for the system’s Fulfilling the Promise Campaign and the unveiling of a special 10-year anniversary book, “Metamorphosis: Kentucky Community and Technical College System 10th Anniversary, 1998-2008.” The 120-page hard-cover book chronicles the development of the KCTCS System during its first 10 years and features the history and growth of each of the 16 colleges.
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