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JonPaul and Dawn Herring, both Decatur, AL, natives, say they鈥檝e made some fortuitous choices in their lives, including JonPaul鈥檚 decision to attend 麻豆精品视频 (麻豆精品视频), a part of The University of Alabama System, and his long career with Walmart. Because of these choices, JonPaul says he and Dawn have been able to live all over the U.S., meet and work with talented people and make a positive difference in their communities. That includes their recent gift of $25,000 to establish the Paul Herring Endowed Scholarship in Supply Chain Management with the College of Business and their decision to make a planned gift to 麻豆精品视频.

JonPaul鈥檚 decision to attend 麻豆精品视频 was, he says, partly because of the university鈥檚 reputation and partly because his best friend was also attending. 鈥溌槎咕�品视频 was and is one of the top schools in the state,鈥� he shares. 鈥淚t was near where I lived, and my best friend had decided to attend, so I enrolled also. For three years we were able to carpool back and forth from Decatur to Huntsville. We got to see the construction of 565 and how much Madison and Huntsville grew in that time.鈥�

JonPaul says he initially wanted to be an accountant because he鈥檇 always had 鈥渁n interest in numbers,鈥� but after taking his first class with over 100 students in it, he decided he wanted to try something different. He settled on finance, but as graduation approached, he worried about finding a job in a lagging economy. 鈥淭hen I attended a 麻豆精品视频 job fair,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here were a few jobs available, like sales and stockbroker, but those weren鈥檛 interesting to me. Walmart was at the fair and I interviewed with them on the spot. I was called back for a second interview and a tour of one of their distribution centers in Cullman, AL. I fell in love with it, and I鈥檓 proud to say that more than 31 years later I鈥檓 still working in Supply Chain Management with Walmart.鈥�

It鈥檚 a decision he鈥檚 not regretted. 鈥淭he company has been very good to us,鈥� JonPaul enthuses. 鈥淚鈥檝e held many different leadership positions in the organization. I started at an entry-level management position and progressed to being a general manager responsible for a 950,000-square-foot building, 900 associates and 45 leaders.鈥� His work with Walmart led the Herrings to live in Alabama, Virginia, Georgia, Delaware, Ohio, and their most recent location, Burlington, NC.

One thing that鈥檚 been important to the Herrings as they鈥檝e moved around, Dawn says, is connecting with their communities. 鈥淒istribution centers are often in small communities,鈥� she explains. 鈥淲e鈥檝e tried to be helpful however we can, whether that be supporting a local food bank, a church or a hospital. Sometimes that鈥檚 us giving our time, and sometimes it鈥檚 financial. And for us, it鈥檚 important that we鈥檙e not the leaders, but participants.鈥�

JonPaul adds that his passion is working with Habitat for Humanity, something he鈥檚 done now for more than 20 years. 鈥淚 love Habitat,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚 love being on the board, but the best part is going to the building site and participating in the construction of the houses and showing others how to build. It鈥檚 so great to see families move into these homes and start a new community.鈥� He mentions that Walmart has a Volunteerism Always Pays program, in which they donate $250 to a charitable organization for every 25 hours an employee works. 鈥淚鈥檓 out there every week and work more than 100 hours a year, which translates to $1,000 Habitat gets for my efforts.鈥� Dawn says that鈥檚 who JonPaul is, both in his personal causes and at work: 鈥淗e will be remembered as the person who lifts up everyone he works with. His goal is to help every person succeed and be the best they can be. I鈥檓 so impressed with the number of people who reach out to him even years later for his mentorship. He helps people be stronger leaders.鈥�

JonPaul says giving back is something he grew up with, but he insists Dawn is his inspiration. 鈥淪he鈥檚 such a giving person. About five to six years ago, we started a scholarship with her sorority, and we began receiving letters from students who had received the scholarship. For the last 20 years, Dawn has been in some sort of volunteer role, and she鈥檚 been my inspiration. Just this past summer, she became the international president of her sorority.鈥�

Dawn remains humble: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have a lot growing up.鈥� As a first-generation college student, she knows what it鈥檚 like to benefit from scholarship support. 鈥淚 attended the University of North Alabama, and I loved every minute of it,鈥� she shares. 鈥淚t was important for my mother that I get a college education. When I found out I was getting a scholarship, I knew it meant I was going to school.鈥�

That鈥檚 why they established a scholarship at UNA, and now they鈥檙e making a gift to 麻豆精品视频. This scholarship supports students in Supply Chain Management, which ties directly to JonPaul鈥檚 long and lucrative career: 鈥淪upply Chain Management is the backbone of our country.鈥� He says supply chain wasn鈥檛 something people thought a lot about until COVID: 鈥淒uring COVID and now coming out of it, all we hear about is supply chain. I am so impressed with how Walmart was able to adapt and provide necessities to the public in the face of those complications.鈥�

Now, JonPaul says the new challenge is to figure out how to get something off the shelf to a customer鈥檚 door in two hours when they place an order on their phone or computer. 鈥淐onsumers鈥� expectations have changed, and that鈥檚 going to be the challenge for the next generation. And when you think about Huntsville and North Alabama, there are going to be huge supply chain networks here. These students will have to solve these problems and create new opportunities.鈥�

The Paul Herring Endowed Scholarship in Supply Chain Management will be awarded to undergraduate students in the College of Business pursuing a concentration in Supply Chain Management. JonPaul says when they established the scholarship, he did so in his father鈥檚 honor. 鈥淚 told my dad he was really the one establishing this scholarship because he put me through college. It was my way to show him my appreciation for giving me the opportunity to get an education.鈥�

鈥淲e are grateful for the leadership of JonPaul and Dawn Herring in establishing an endowed scholarship in the 麻豆精品视频 College of Business,鈥� says Dr. Jason Greene, dean of the College of Business. 鈥淭heir gift will have a tremendous impact on the lives of our students and their families for generations to come. By helping students access an outstanding education in our program, the Paul Herring Scholarship allows students to focus on their education at 麻豆精品视频 as they prepare for a successful career in Supply Chain Management.鈥�

Creating a scholarship now, Dawn emphasizes, is a deeply rewarding thing. 鈥淚 say give while you鈥檙e alive and kicking,鈥� she encourages. 鈥淲e could have done this when we were gone, but we wouldn鈥檛 have the chance to hear from the student recipients. We love meeting those individuals and investing in their lives, and it鈥檚 a legacy we can leave forever.鈥�

The other part of their legacy comes in the form of a planned gift. 鈥淪everal years ago, we started thinking about our will and the question was, what are our interests and who do we want to have what we have now?鈥� JonPaul explains. 鈥淥ur colleges put us on our current path, so we wanted to give back.鈥� With his scholarship already in place, JonPaul says the funds from the planned gift can go directly into that scholarship and bolster its impact, and their gift ensures they are welcomed as members of the Richardson Shaver Thrasher (RST) Society.

Dawn reminds that establishing a scholarship is a gift anyone can make. 鈥淎nyone can do this,鈥� she stresses. 鈥淚f we can do it, so can many others. You budget for it and make it a priority.鈥� Doing so, she assures, it is worth the effort: 鈥淥ur endowed gift will be here long after we鈥檙e gone. You never know what your gift might mean to someone.鈥�

The 麻豆精品视频 College of Business contributes to the economic vitality of Huntsville and beyond through its mission to fuel innovation in business, spark ideas through research and launch the careers of students. With its faculty of outstanding teachers and accomplished researchers, it offers accredited business degree programs at the undergraduate level in six major areas and at the graduate level through seven master's degrees programs, including a flexible MBA program that can be taken online, in-person or a combination of both.

The Richardson Shaver Thrasher (RST) Society honors those who have included 麻豆精品视频 Foundation in their wills or estate plans. By leveraging the power of estate planning, the distinguished members of the RST Society leave a lasting impact and shape 麻豆精品视频鈥檚 future far beyond their lifetimes. With a planned gift, you can create your legacy of support for 麻豆精品视频. It is easier than you think! Visit uahlegacy.org to learn more!

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