2016 Alumni of the Year

9/21/2016

York College will recognize two alumni for their lives of service and success with 2016 Alumni of the Year awards at Homecoming. The awards will be presented to Wayne White and Lanny Gridley during alumni chapel at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 22.

Alumnus of the Year

Dr. R. Wayne White has had a long career of distinguished service in education, coaching and ministry.
He graduated from York College in 1963, then went on to earn degrees at Oklahoma Christian University, Harding University, and the Theological University of America. He worked as a teacher and basketball coach at Dallas Christian School and Ohio Valley Christian College during the 60s and 70s, while working in ministry part-time with the Hawn Freeway and Saturn Road Churches of Christ. Later he served as a couples minister at the Highland Oaks Church of Christ.

White spent two successful years working in the real estate industry with Century 21, then went on to serve as dean for university services and instructor of history, religion, and ethics at Amber University.

For the past 30 years, White has worked full time in ministry. He has served in many ministry capacities with the Preston Road and Webb Chapel Churches of Christ in the Dallas area, including work with singles, congregational care, pulpit ministry, and international missions. Today he is the interim pulpit minister for the Mesquite Church of Christ.

White has been married for 51 years to Karen (Anderson). The couple has been blessed with two children, 13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They live in Carrollton, Texas. White has served on the York College Board of Trustees for 13 years.

Young Alumnus of the Year

Lanny Gridley has worked for Sherwood Construction Co., Inc. since graduating from York College in 1998. He started as a staff accountant and network technician. Today he is the vice president and CFO of the civil construction outfit, which employs over 900 people in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. In this position, he is responsible for the financial and information technology areas of the Sherwood group of companies. He facilitates mergers and acquisitions and provides financial management support to operating divisions.

Gridley earned a B.S. in accounting at York College then went on to earn an M.B.A. at Newman University.

Gridley and his wife Jenny have two children, daughter Maeve and son Harrison. Gridley has been a member of the York College President’s Council since 2011. He is also a member of many professional organizations, including the American Institute of CPAs and the Associated General Contractors of America. He serves on the board of the Eastern Oklahoma chapter of the March of Dimes and the advisory board of UMB Bank Tulsa.

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