Junior Achievement of Southwest Virginia will honor two laureates at its 22nd annual Southwest Virginia Business Hall of Fame – W. Heywood Fralin and Dr. Raymond Smoot.
Established in 1990, the Southwest Virginia Business Hall of Fame honors leaders of the free enterprise system who serve as business role models for our region’s youth. Laureates inducted into the Southwest Virginia Business Hall of Fame are based on their outstanding leadership in the free enterprise system and business success as well as contributions and involvement in the community.
Both of these esteemed laureates created avenues for people to sustain a successfullifestyle in the New River and Roanoke Valleys by promoting education, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship.
A committee of distinguished regional business leaders gather annually to select the laureates. This year’s committee chaired by Charles Robbins, included Lucy Ellett, Leon Harris, Ken Lanford and Wayne Strickland.
Heywood Fralin is a Roanoke-born leader who modestly says his accomplishments are because of his stellar family. Mr. Fralin graduated high school at the age of 17, earned his bachelor’s degree in three years at the University of Virginia and completed his education with a law degree from American University.
Mr. Fralin spent a few years perfecting his legal skills under the mentorship of Tracy Lloyd and with several area law firms – at the same time reviewing housing and construction contracts for his brother’s firm, Fralin and Waldron.
Upon the sudden death of his brother Horace, Heywood was convinced by Mr. Waldron that he would be the best partner to carry on the work of Horace. Since 1995 Heywood has been in partnership with a Waldron family member and has seen the company flourish to an operation that has become three distinct businesses including 40 skilled nursing facilities with 7,000 employees throughout Virginia and North Carolina
Mr. Fralin’s success has afforded him time and capital to support the arts, education and multiple non-profits through the Horace C. Fralin Charitable Trust. Recently Heywood and his wife Cynthia Fralin bequeathed their American artists collection to the University of Virginia, which resulted in the board of visitors naming the campus museum the Fralin Art Museum. He also serves as vice chair of Roanoke’s Taubman Museum of Art.
Raymond Smoot is a “lifetime Hokie” who had an illustrious start in Lynchburg. Mr. Smoot was a sports editor for the school paper, his high school’s representative to Boy’s State, and managed the boys’ basketball team. He is an accomplished pianist who will sit in for an absentee organ player when necessary.
Smoot’s college success was no different. He enjoyed his academic career at Virginia Tech, earning a bachelor’s degree in English. Elected class president his senior year, Raymond enjoyed access to then Tech President T. Marshal Hahn. The time spent with President Hahn was the avenue to success and vision. Raymond went on to pursue his master’s and Ph.D. in educational administration.
In 1975 Raymond returned to the Tech campus as the VP of Administration, reporting to Stuart Cassell. After a year in the job Mr. Cassell passed away suddenly, thrusting young Smoot into the reins of business manager and a series of leadership roles in the Virginia Tech administration.
By 2003 Dr. Smoot became CEO of the Virginia Tech Foundation. This made him responsible for managing investments, acquiring and managing real estate and large gifts. Dr. Smoot has overseen the growth in funded research, broadened the campus offerings from the Hotel Roanoke, WVTF radio, Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, VT Seafood Research Center and the VT/Carilion Research Institute. Dr. Smoot has been a driver for economic development throughout Western Virginia.
This year’s laureates will be recognized Nov. 12 at the Business Hall of Fame dinner at Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center. Reception begins at 6 p.m., with dinner at 6:30pm. For ticket information please contact [email protected] or call Junior Achievement at 989-6392.
