APSU Board of Trustees Awards

At the summer meeting, the Board of Trustees approve the recipients of three awards to deserving alumni/friends/organizations. The awards are: APSU Philanthropist of the Year, Board of Trustees Military Service Award, and Board of Trustees Service Award.

2023 Recipients


	APSU Philanthropist of the Year Google American Multinational Technology Company Google LLC is an American multinational technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence and consumer electronics. In 2018, Google broke ground on its data center near Clarksville, Tennessee. Since becoming part of the local community, the company has made generous contributions to many programs at Austin Peay State University. Google was part of the crisis response for students during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing internet networking systems in seven locations in the region, giving APSU students internet access in parking lots during the national shutdown. Also during the COVID-19 crisis, they provided a generous gift to the APSU Food Pantry in response to food insecurity experienced by students who had recently lost jobs. Google has since partnered with APSU's Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI), a collaboration of leaders in international biodiversity conservation in the APSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) to restore a 50-acre area around the data center to its original biodiversity. In December 2022, Google announced a second phase of this project to extend it an additional 50 acres, allowing SGI to leverage federal grant dollars to help provide research, consultation and education to address the most imperiled ecosystem in eastern North America. Google partnered with the APSU College of STEM to launch the "Innovation Games," a community event to encourage K-12 STEM education through APSU GIS-supervised drone events. Google has also supported the APSU Center for Rural Education, the Candlelight Ball and various camps and projects hosted by the APSU College of STEM. Read more
Bill Harpel Phil Harpel	Board of Trustees Military Service Award Bill and Phil Harpel Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army Bill Harpel is a 1974 graduate of Austin Peay State University. Over the years, he and his twin brother Phil have given back to his alma mater by supporting the Candlelight Ball and scholarships benefiting military-affiliated students. Bill is a past president of the Tennessee-Kentucky Chapter of the Association of the United States Army, member of the board of directors of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Tennessee-Kentucky Chapter, honora1y member of the 101st Airborne Division, Life Club Member of the 101st Airborne Division Association, honorary distinguished member of the 502nd Infantry Regiment and honorary distinguished member of the 527th Infantry Regiment and Department of the Army Commander's Award for Public Service. Bill is a past chairman of the Clarksville Historical Museum Board of Trustees, past president of the Tennessee Cable Television Association, past chairman of United Way of Montgomery County, past chairman of the Gateway Hospital Board of Trustees, past member of the Clarksville Housing Authority Board of Trustees, volunteer of the year for the Clarksville Area YMCA and past chairman of the Montgomery County District Hospital Board of Trustees. Bill was inducted as a Champion of Fort Campbell in 2010. Phil Harpel was appointed as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Tennessee North in August 2020. He became the military and government relations coordinator for the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce in October 2018. He was previously acting board chairman for Soldiers and Families Embraced as well as board president and treasurer for the AUSA. He sits on the board of AUSA and also serves as the Community Action Agency Board chairman. He is a charter member, past treasurer and past president of the Clarksville Sunrise Rotary. He is also past campaign chairman, president and treasurer of the United Way of Clarksville and is on the board of directors for Greater Clarksville Region United Way. Professionally, he has been the vice president and community market president for Bank of America, the chief of administration for Montgomery County and the acting vice president and senior community banking officer for U.S. Bank. He is a graduate of Leadership Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, Leadership Clarksville and Leadership Middle Tennessee. His honors include the Department of the Army Public Service Award, Commanders Award for Public Service and the 2010 Champion of Fort Campbell. Read more
	Board of Trustees Service Award Jim Durrett Former Mayor of Montgomery County, Tennessee Jim Durrett is the former mayor of Montgomery County, Tennessee. He was previously the director of streets for the city of Clarksville, where he served for 20 years. He then served as chief of staff for the city of Clarksville. From 2014 to 2022, he completed two terms as mayor, and in that time, his administration completed several projects that have benefited to the local community and Austin Peay State University. In 2017, Montgomery County was one of only seven Army communities worldwide to be recognized in Washington, D.C., with an Army Community Partnership Award. By August 2016, the Durrett administration broke ground for the Downtown Commons, an outdoor gathering space in the heart of Clarksville. In November 2020, the county broke ground on F&M Bank Arena, a state-of-the-art multi-purpose event center located at 101 Main St. in Clarksville. The 250,000-square-foot facility is home to the Austin Peay men's and women's basketball teams, and will begin hosting events for the University and its surrounding communities in July 2023. Over the years, Jim and his wife Mary have personally supported Austin Peay through the Candlelight Ball and various other athletic and academic funds. Read more

APSU Philanthropist of the Year

Google
American Multinational Technology Company

Google LLC is an American multinational technology company focusing on online advertising, search engine technology, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence and consumer electronics.
In 2018, Google broke ground on its data center near Clarksville, Tennessee. Since becoming part of the local community, the company has made generous contributions to many programs at Austin Peay State University. Google was part of the crisis response for students during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing internet networking systems in seven locations in the region, giving APSU students internet access in parking lots during the national shutdown. Also during the COVID-19 crisis, they provided a generous gift to the APSU Food Pantry in response to food insecurity experienced by students who had recently lost jobs.

Google has since partnered with APSU's Southeastern Grasslands Institute (SGI), a collaboration of leaders in international biodiversity conservation in the APSU College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) to restore a 50-acre area around the data center to its original biodiversity. In December 2022, Google announced a second phase of this project to extend it an additional 50 acres, allowing SGI to leverage federal grant dollars to help provide research, consultation and education to address the most imperiled ecosystem in eastern North America. Google partnered with the APSU College of STEM to launch the "Innovation Games," a community event to encourage K-12 STEM education through APSU GIS-supervised drone events. Google has also supported the APSU Center for Rural Education, the Candlelight Ball and various camps and projects hosted by the APSU College of STEM.

Bill Harpel

Phil Harpel

Board of Trustees Military Service Award

Bill and Phil Harpel
Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army

Bill Harpel is a 1974 graduate of Austin Peay State University. Over the years, he and his twin brother Phil have given back to his alma mater by supporting the Candlelight Ball and scholarships benefiting military-affiliated students. Bill is a past president of the Tennessee-Kentucky Chapter of the Association of the United States Army, member of the board of directors of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Tennessee-Kentucky Chapter, honora1y member of the 101st Airborne Division, Life Club Member of the 101st Airborne Division Association, honorary distinguished member of the 502nd Infantry Regiment and honorary distinguished member of the 527th Infantry Regiment and Department of the Army Commander's Award for Public Service. Bill is a past chairman of the Clarksville Historical Museum Board of Trustees, past president of the Tennessee Cable Television Association, past chairman of United Way of Montgomery County, past chairman of the Gateway Hospital Board of Trustees, past member of the Clarksville Housing Authority Board of Trustees, volunteer of the year for the Clarksville Area YMCA and past chairman of the Montgomery County District Hospital Board of Trustees. Bill was inducted as a Champion of Fort Campbell in 2010.

Phil Harpel was appointed as the Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Tennessee North in August 2020. He became the military and government relations coordinator for the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce in October 2018. He was previously acting board chairman for Soldiers and Families Embraced as well as board president and treasurer for the AUSA. He sits on the board of AUSA and also serves as the Community Action Agency Board chairman. He is a charter member, past treasurer and past president of the Clarksville Sunrise Rotary. He is also past campaign chairman, president and treasurer of the United Way of Clarksville and is on the board of directors for Greater Clarksville Region United Way. Professionally, he has been the vice president and community market president for Bank of America, the chief of administration for Montgomery County and the acting vice president and senior community banking officer for U.S. Bank. He is a graduate of Leadership Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, Leadership Clarksville and Leadership Middle Tennessee. His honors include the Department of the Army Public Service Award, Commanders Award for Public Service and the 2010 Champion of Fort Campbell.

Board of Trustees Service Award

Jim Durrett
Former Mayor of Montgomery County, Tennessee

Jim Durrett is the former mayor of Montgomery County, Tennessee. He was previously the director of streets for the city of Clarksville, where he served for 20 years. He then served as chief of staff for the city of Clarksville. From 2014 to 2022, he completed two terms as mayor, and in that time, his administration completed several projects that have benefited to the local community and Austin Peay State University. In 2017, Montgomery County was one of only seven Army communities worldwide to be recognized in Washington, D.C., with an Army Community Partnership Award. By August 2016, the Durrett administration broke ground for the Downtown Commons, an outdoor gathering space in the heart of Clarksville. In November 2020, the county broke ground on F&M Bank Arena, a state-of-the-art multi-purpose event center located at 101 Main St. in Clarksville. The 250,000-square-foot facility is home to the Austin Peay men's and women's basketball teams, and will begin hosting events for the University and its surrounding communities in July 2023. Over the years, Jim and his wife Mary have personally supported Austin Peay through the Candlelight Ball and various other athletic and academic funds.

Criteria and past recipients

This award recognizes an individual or organization that has given a large amount of resources to Austin Peay State University. More than one individual or organization may receive the award dependent on the merit of nominations received, which will be given on an annual basis. A minimum of the criteria for the award must be met for the award to be given out.

Criteria:

Generous giving of resources to Austin Peay State University.
Significant influence on others to become involved in fundraising or supporting APSU.
Exceptional civic responsibility and integrity.
A continued commitment and philanthropic effort that has improved the quality of life for Austin Peay State University.

Past Recipients:

2022 - Tom Kane

2021 - The Band Foundation

2020 - Joe and Cathi Maynard

2019 - Wilma Newton

2018 - Doug and Linda Downey

Austin Peay State University established the Board of Trustees Military Service Award award to give special recognition to an individual or organization who demonstrates support of APSU through leadership, service and advocacy. His/her efforts have provided honor and distinction to APSU. More than one individual or organization may receive the award dependent on the merit of nominations received, which will be given on an annual basis. A minimum of the criteria for the award must be met for the award to be given out.

Criteria:

Service, leadership, or advocacy to Austin Peay State University.
Exceptional civic responsibility and integrity.
This individual must fall into one these three categories: is a veteran, active duty, or significantly supports the APSU military community.

Past Recipients:

2022 - Yolonda M. Williams

2021 - Retired CW4 Joe Shakeenab

2020 - Retired Lt. Col. Thomas E. Mercer Sr.

2019 - Jack Turner

2018 - Lt. Gen. Ron Bailey

Austin Peay State University established the Board of Trustees Service Award to give special recognition to an individual who demonstrates support through leadership, service and advocacy. His/her efforts have provided honor and distinction to APSU. More than one individual or organization may receive the award dependent on the merit of nominations received, which will be given on an annual basis. A minimum of the criteria for the award must be met for the award to be given out.