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John W. Folsom '73 Receives the Tom Richardson Award

Last year, we blogged about John W. Folsom, a trustee emeritus of Washington and Lee University and president and CEO of Colliers International South Carolina, who was honored by the United Way for his humanitarian work.

He has received yet another important award—the 2014 Tom Richardson Award, the highest honor that Colliers bestows and a testament to Folsom’s character and commitment to helping others.

As the Columbia Business Monthly reports, “The award is named after the late Tom Richardson, former vice chairman of Colliers Americas, who was revered not only for his business acumen but also his goodness of character and dedication to the people around him. The award, given annually, honors an individual who maintains a balanced perspective of business, family, friends and community, as well as impeccable integrity, a passion for sharing and extraordinary spirit.”

Folsom is actively engaged in leadership roles in numerous community and statewide civic organizations, including serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the Midlands Business Leadership Group and a former board member and chair of Providence Hospital. He is a founder and board member of Salute from the Shore, a patriotic initiative to honor America’s military. He previously served as chair of the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities and the South Carolina Independent Schools Association. Folsom is a former member of the boards of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, as well as chairman of the board of the United Way of the Midlands. He was also a member of Young Presidents Organization.

Folsom, who graduated from W&L in 1973, received the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1991 and was inducted into ODK in 1998. In 2008, an award in his name was created by the South Carolina Independent Schools Association to recognize volunteer leadership.

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