As part of the Homecoming 2025 celebrations, Averett University honored two distinguished individuals with special awards. The Averett Alumni Association, in collaboration with President Dr. Thomas Powell, hosted a reception on the morning of Saturday, October 18, at the President’s Office to recognize the honorees. Later that afternoon, the pair was also acknowledged during the halftime ceremony at the Homecoming football game held at Frank R. Campbell Stadium.

This year, the Alumni Association bestowed a Distinguished Alumni Award and the Fugate-Davis Women’s Leadership Award.

Averett’s Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes graduates for their service or accomplishments in their personal or professional lives. This year’s recipient is Rob Laskowski ’00. Laskowski graduated from Averett in 2000 with a degree in Business Administration/Aviation Management.  Rob has been a flight instructor and pilot and currently works as a captain for NetJets, Inc.  During his career, Rob has built a flight department from the ground up which included operational and managerial duties including risk and safety management, trip scheduling, international operations, maintenance scheduling, passenger accommodations, and financial accountability. Rob has over 4,100 hours of flight experience.  He also is serving his second term on the Alumni Board and has been heavily involved in Aviation Alumni Day.

This year’s Fugate-Davis Women’s Leadership Award recipient is Mary Riddle. Riddle grew up in Java, Virginia, just east of Chatham and graduated from VCU in 1970.  Riddle eventually went to Atlanta and started a 45-year career with Coca-Cola and retired as the vice-president and director of the flavor ingredient supply division.

In her role with Coca-Cola, Riddle traveled the world working with suppliers to purchase the ingredients that go into Coke products.  She was a marathon runner and now a walker of half marathons and 10k’s. Riddle served faithfully on the Averett Board of Trustee’s for 20 years, 2005-2025 and devotes much of her time to non-profits.

The Fugate-Davis award is given in recognition of strong women leaders in the tradition of Averett’s beginnings as a women’s college. For a full list of Fugate Davis Women’s Leadership Award recipients, please click HERE. For a full list of Distinguished Alumni Award recipients, please click HERE.