Given to those exceptionally active and inspiring individuals who have dedicated their careers to the help and support of others in our field.
NBOA has given out the Ken White Award since 1999. Learn more about the award's past recipients.
A person who has made an outstanding contribution over several years in the field of independent school finance and operations, including service to other schools, business officers, and groups, may be considered for this award. Membership in NBOA is preferred but not a mandatory requirement.
Nominations are closed at this time.
The award recipient is announced in January, and the award is presented the following month at the Annual Dinner during NBOA's Symposium.
Assistant Headmaster for Finance & Management
Providence Day School
Paul has been at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC since 1996. Prior to PDS, he was the CFO at Pace Academy in Atlanta for four years. Paul earned his BS at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and his MSIA at Purdue University. After thirteen years active duty as an officer in the Coast Guard, Paul served thirteen years in the reserves and retired as Captain. He spent ten years in the life and health insurance business. Paul has served on the board of MISBO and has been on the MISBO Insurance Committee since 1996. He was on the Student Financial Aid Services Committee and on the faculty of the Financing Schools Institute of NAIS. Paul was a founding member of NBOA where he served as treasurer and on two strategic planning committees. He currently serves as Chair of ABOIS.
Those who were lucky enough to know Ken White knew he had a passion for this field and an incurable desire to help others. He would (and could) discuss business matters anywhere and at any moment, and always had extra time for your problems and questions. Whether it was his immediate family or the extended families of his school and church, Ken pushed himself to find ways to do things better (and of course less expensively!), to be able to spread the savings to other needs.
Ken was a visionary, not just for his school, but for all schools. He was always ahead of the rest of us. Upon his death in 1996, speakers at his memorial services recognized him as “a man of deep faith,” a “mentor,” an “inspiration,” and a “blessing,” as well as a valued colleague, neighbor, and friend.
Ken held a top financial position at Davison-Elkin College, then served for 21 years at Westminster School in Atlanta. He was a founding member of the association now known as MISBO (Mid-South Independent School Business Officers), where he started the purchasing consortium, and later helped form a liability insurance policy for schools. He was active for several years in many other organizations, especially ABOIS (Association of Business Officers of Independent Schools), and also served a term on the NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) Business Service Committee.
He will not be forgotten, and we honor his legacy with this award.