Regent Bill Burgess, Dr. Sylvia Burgess Honored With Champion of Free Enterprise Awards
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State Regent Bill W. Burgess Jr. and Dr. Sylvia Burgess, Cameron University associate vice president for academic affairs, were honored with Champion of Free Enterprise Awards during a ceremony held at CU in May.
The awards were presented by the board of advisors for the southwestern region of the Small Business Institute® and hosted by CU’s Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE).
“Regent Burgess and Dr. Burgess have each played a key role in small business development and entrepreneurship in southwest Oklahoma,” said Dr. Shawn Carraher, CU professor of business, who made the awards presentation. “Their accomplishments are impacting lives not only in Oklahoma but across the nation, and each of them is greatly deserving of this honor.”
Regent Burgess was honored for his tireless efforts and superb example of entrepreneurial leadership in action through his support of free enterprise and entrepreneurship throughout southwest Oklahoma, the state, and nation through his work with Techrizon and the Boy Scouts of America. He was also saluted as a driving force for generating the funding for CU’s Center for Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CETES), which has established CU as a leading force for entrepreneurship development in southwest Oklahoma.
Dr. Burgess was recognized for her work with Students In Free Enterprise, the U.S. Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship, the Small Business Institute® and the Lawton/Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce.
In presenting her award, Carraher said, “Her leadership has been inspirational to faculty, staff, students and members of the community alike. She drives home the message, ‘We can do anything we choose.’ She constantly helps people to succeed ... she leads by example, and for this we are thankful.”