DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD
Honoring
SEDDON (“RUSTY”) GOODE, JR.
June 6, 2014
When friends think back on Rusty’s long distinguished career in banking, they might chuckle to learn what
Rusty was thinking just before his tenth reunion. On the reunion questionnaire, he reported that the course
he wished he had paid more attention in was… accounting.
Rusty seemed to do just fine for himself. Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and raised in Lakeland,
Florida Rusty had heard about Davidson College from his uncle and cousin. Once on campus, he thrived as
a business major with a minor in history. He served as the house manager and assistant treasurer of the Beta
Theta Pi fraternity; on the business staff of Scripts ‘n Pranks and on the publications board. He was a
member of the baseball team, the Business and Economics Association, the Elections board and student
government.
After graduation, Rusty proudly served our country, in the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry division—the “Rock of
the Marne” division—as a communications officer. He married a Davidson woman before coeds existed at
Davidson. His wife of 55 years, Jane, could have continued the long legacy of Davidsonians in her family
had they accepted women in 1950. He then earned his MBA from the University of North Carolina. From
there, Rusty’s banking and investments career thrived, starting with his days at Southeastern Financial
Corporation. He later held executive positions with North Carolina National Bank, Interstate Securities
Corporation and First Charlotte Corporation. He has served on numerous corporate boards and has often
been called on to provide management assistance to companies throughout the southeastern United States.
In 2006, he retired as president and director of University Research Park, in Charlotte, but remains Vice
Chairman.
In terms of community servant-leadership, there isn’t much that Rusty hasn’t done. To name only a few
positions, he served on the board of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, as a trustee of the UNC
Charlotte Foundation and Charlotte Latin School and as a board member of the Carolinas Healthcare
System. In honor of his work for the North Carolina Highway Contract Oversight Commission and the
North Carolina Legislative Highway Study Commission, a section of Interstate Highway 485 was named for
him. Rusty has also been honored by the Governor and awarded as a member of The Order of the Long
Leaf Pine. In addition, he Rusty also was treasurer of the Carolinas’ NFL Committee, which worked to
bring the Panthers football team to North Carolina.
Still, Rusty always found time for Davidson. He has been a Fund for Davidson class agent, a member of the
Davidson Athletic Fund board, a member of the Leadership Gifts committee during The Campaign for
Davidson, a member of the 35th Reunion planning committee, a member of the Parents Council, and a
member and past chair of the Board of Visitors. Rusty served as a Trustee of the college, in various
capacities, from 1978 to 2000. He also has ensured that a Davidson College education remain a possibility
for talented scholars, first by helping to create the Stuart Scholarship in memory of his Davidson roommate,
and by supporting the Edward S. Goode Scholarship in memory of his late son, also a prominent Wildcat
who left us too soon.
Rusty, at your 25th reunion, you indicated on your questionnaire that receiving your Davidson College
Alumni Service Award was the greatest single honor bestowed upon you since 1954. Now we raise the bar.
For your illustrious career in which you continuously sought to enhance the community of Charlotte, the
state of North Carolina, and the world of business—and for the recognition you have received from your
peers, friends and Davidson family—we honor you, Rusty Goode, with the Distinguished Alumnus Award
on the occasion of the 60th Reunion of the Class of 1954, this 6th day of June, 2014.