November 15, 2002
James L. "Bud" Layne Named WKU Philanthropist Of The Year
Bowling Green, Ky. - Glasgow businessman James L. "Bud" Layne will be honored by Western Kentucky University today (Nov. 14) as National Philanthropy Day is recognized. The National Philanthropy Day activities are sponsored by the Bluegrass Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and culminate with a recognition luncheon in Lexington.
According to Tom Hiles, WKU's vice president for Institutional Advancement, National Philanthropy Day allows Americans to pay tribute to the contributions that philanthropy has made in personal lives, local communities and the nation.
"This nationwide celebration allows us to recognize those who have given freely of themselves to enrich the lives of others," Hiles said. "Through these activities, we honor those who have made significant contributions of time and resources to Western and by so doing enhance the quality of life in our community."
Layne is the CEO and owner of Span Tech Inc., a world leader in the manufacturing of conveyer systems. He has been a critical component in the transformation of Western's engineering program, and his philanthropy has created both an operational endowment and the department's first endowed faculty position, the Layne Professorship in Mechanical Engineering. He has also been a leader in volunteer activity at Western, through memberships on the WKU Foundation Board of Trustees, the Innovation and Commercialization Center Board of Directors, and the Investing in the Spirit Campaign Cabinet.
To memorialize his mother, Layne has also created the Kate B. Layne Endowment for Bowling Green's Commonwealth Health Free Clinic. He is also an active member of the Methodist Church Board. He
and his wife, Jana, live in Bowling Green with their two children, Adam and Tara.
For more information, contact Tom Hiles at (270) 745-6208. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
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