Edward L'Engle Baker '57
(Awarded 2012)

Edward L'Engle Baker, Class of 1957, stands tall in the center of a long and treasured family history with Davidson College.

As a freshman, Ted arrived on campus as the son, the grandson, the nephew and the great-nephew of Davidson alumni. Today, he is also the father, father-in-law and uncle of Davidson graduates, and the grandfather of a current student.

Ted has filled many roles of leadership and service-in his family life, in his professional life, and in the life of his college. Much of Davidson College today proudly reflects the Baker Family's legacy.

A Spanish major, Ted was a member of the Sigma Delta Pi Spanish honor society, Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity, the YMCA, and the cross country and track teams. He went on from college to serve his country as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

He dedicated his working life to the mining, aggregates, concrete products, and transportation industries, culminating in his position as chair of Florida Rock Industries, Inc., and Patriot Transportation Holding, Inc. Over many years, he has given of his time, talent and treasure to countless business associations and civic groups in Florida and beyond, as businessman, outdoorsman, conservationist and philanthropist.

At Davidson, Ted has served with distinction as a leader in the fundraising efforts for the Baker Sports Complex and the Life Sciences Building, a leader in the Campaign for Davidson, a member of the Board of Visitors, and an at-large member of the Board of Trustees. He served on the trustee's Campus and Facilities Planning and Executive Committees, on the Presidential Search Committee that hired Davidson's sixteenth president, Robert F. Vagt, and as chair of the Let Learning Be Cherished Campaign Cabinet. The college honored his leadership in that campaign by naming the north wing of Chambers Building for him and his beloved late wife Ann.

Over many years, Ted and Ann supported Davidson through their gifts to the Baker Sports Complex, the Missy and John W. Kuykendall Scholarship, the Knobloch Campus Center, the Davidson Athletic Foundation and the Annual Fund. He continues to engage, encourage, and support former and current recipients of the Thompson S. and Sarah S. Baker Scholarship, as well as of the need-based Baker-Vagt Scholarship.

Last spring, Ted's transformative gift to The Davidson Trust made national headlines as the second-largest gift in the history of the college. More importantly, he said at the time, it represents "an investment in the future."

For the future you represented as a freshman in the 1950s and the fruition you brought to that promise; for the long view you have long brought to the meaning of a Davidson education in a fast-changing world; and for your perennial generosity in both spirit and in fact to alma mater, the Davidson College Alumni Association is proud to honor you, Edward L'Engle Baker, Class of 1957, with the Distinguished Alumni Award on the occasion of your 55th Class Reunion.