Richmond – William H. “Bill” Bannon, of Greenbush, has received the Virginia Community College System’s 12th Annual Chancellor’s Award for Leadership in Philanthropy. He was nominated for the award by Eastern Shore Community College. The award was given at a luncheon ceremony at the Country Club of Virginia on Tuesday, April 18, 2017.
Hosted by the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, this annual event honors leading philanthropists from each of Virginia’s 23 community colleges as well as the statewide foundation. This year’s class of distinguished philanthropy leaders has contributed a combined total of more than $10 million dollars to Virginia’s Community Colleges.

Mr. Bannon was born in Greenville, South Carolina where he was raised on a dairy farm until graduation from high school.  He then went off to college but his attendance was interrupted when he was drafted into the United States Army. He has quite an extensive military background.   In 1991 he moved to the Eastern Shore of Virginia where he currently resides with his wife, Paula Bannon.

Mr. Bannon has been a long-time champion of ESCC and its Foundation, supporting prospective students in middle and high school through the Project Horizons program as well as current ESCC students with five endowed scholarships.  His 20 plus years of advocating for the college and its students is truly inspiring.  He is a true philanthropist in that he has given of his resources, his time, and his continued engagement in the betterment of Eastern Shore students and the community as a whole.

As a long time Trustee of the Bannon Foundation, a charitable organization, Mr. Bannon provides an impressive amount of support for Eastern Shore residents.  His Foundation provides scholarships for students that attend the University of Virginia, Old Dominion University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Salisbury University, American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras, as well as ESCC. He has provided funds to help the local fire companies, churches, the Food Bank, The Eastern Shore YMCA, Foster parents with toys at Christmas, the Accomack County Toy Closet, Barrier Island Center, Discovery Center in Maryland, Eastern Shore Rural Health, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Shore Cancer Center.

Chancellor Glenn DuBois expressed his gratitude in his address to the crowd. “You are difference-makers. You are opportunity-creators. We thank you, not just for the dollars donated, but for the standard of leadership you represent. Your example motivates and challenges us all to do more to ensure that opportunity is there for those who come next.”

ESCC faculty and staff would like to express their gratitude and congratulations to Mr.Bannon.

Chancellor Glenn DuBois and Mr. William H. Bannon