UWA honors Howard R. Vaughan

LIVINGSTON, AL— With a formal ceremony and a ribbon cutting Saturday afternoon, the University of West Alabama dedicated the new Howard R. Vaughan Tennis Complex, built in memory of the former Trustee at the complex.

“He was a mainstay in this institution and straight forward,” University of West Alabama President Dr. Richard D. Holland said. “This complex will serve the needs of the students, faculty and others in this region. I hope we continue to do what Howard would want us to do.”

Vaughan, who served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 19967 to 1998, was a tennis lover and longtime supporter of the institution. After his death in 2004, his family established an endowment to build and maintain the Howard R. Vaughan Tennis Complex, which is used by the UWA men's and women's tennis teams and student body.

“Howard was a very unique individual,” longtime friend Bill Cobb said. “I was lucky to watch him at work and lucky to have him as a friend. He was a critic and a supporter, but most of all, he was a very good friend.”

In 1967, Vaughan was appointed a member of the UWA Board of Trustees and was reappointed to a second term in 1978. During his tenure on the Boad, he served as Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee. On Sept. 12, 2005, the Board of Trustees officially designated the University's tennis courts the Howard R. Vaughan Tennis Complex in honor of the avid tennis player and fan.

“I appreciate all of you being here,” Ray Vaughan, son of Howard, said. “Being his son and in his shadow, I am always Howard’s boy. He loved tennis and loved politics. Most of all, he really loved this university.”

The West Alabama men's tennis team finished the year going 7-9, while the women were 3-9 in head coach Rod Hartzog’s first season.