LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 14, 2009) – Bellarmine University will "knight" Leonard M. Spalding ('59) at the university's annual Knight of Knights black-tie dinner and dance celebration on Saturday, Oct. 17. The university has bestowed the honor upon outstanding individuals since 1998 in recognition of support and service to Bellarmine University. At this year’s ceremony, Bellarmine President Joseph J. McGowan will knight Spalding using a sword called Excalibur, gifted to Bellarmine by Owsley B. Frazier.
Bellarmine selected Spalding as the next Bellarmine Knight to celebrate his community leadership, as well as his professional and personal success. Spalding earned a bachelor's degree from Bellarmine in 1959 and an MBA from Indiana University. Spalding is past president and chief executive officer of Chase Global Mutual Funds Corporation in New York City, now known as the J.P. Morgan Global Mutual Funds.
Spalding returned to his childhood home of Springfield, Ky., following his retirement in 1998. He currently serves on the boards of J.P. Morgan Funds and the Glenview Trust Company. He also owns several Snappy Tomato Pizza franchises in Kentucky. Previously, he served on the board of governors of the Investment Company Institute and as a member of the investment advisory committee of the American Bankers Association.
His philanthropic causes include the Bellarmine University Board of Trustees. He has served as chair of the fundraising, investment and audit committees and is currently chair of the finance committee and a member of the executive committee. Additionally, he is a member of the board of trustees for the Catholic Education Foundation of the Archdiocese of Louisville, St. Catharine College, the Marion-Washington County Airport Board and the Springfield-Washington County Economic Development Authority. He also has served on the boards of the Chicago Leukemia Society and Children’s Memorial Hospital, also in Chicago.
Past Bellarmine Knights include: Owsley Brown Frazier (1998), the late Monsignor Alfred F. Horrigan (1999), Nolen Allen (2001), James A. Patterson (2002), Bill Samuels (2003), Dr. Allan Lansing (2004), C. Edward Glasscock (2005), Joseph P. Clayton (2006), Stephen A. Williams (2007), and Victor Staffieri (2008). A “knighting” was not held in 2000 so that Bellarmine could celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Bellarmine University is an independent Catholic university offering more than 50 majors, as well as graduate degree programs and a doctor of physical therapy. Forbes.com and the Princeton Review rank Bellarmine among America’s best institutions for higher learning, and U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks Bellarmine as a top tier university.
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