The Bennett-Hudson Endowment Fund honors the vision, stewardship and leadership of individuals whose commitment helped create a permanent source of support for ECU Athletics.
The Beginning
In 1983, five prominent East Carolina University alumni recognized the need to establish an endowment program for the University's Division I athletics program. Through leadership commitments of $50,000 each, Roddy Jones of Raleigh, James Maynard of Raleigh, Alvin Hutzler of Richmond, Virginia, the late Sam Wornom of Sanford, and the late Pat Draughon of Dunn established the scholarship endowment fund that became the foundation of permanent support for ECU Athletics through the East Carolina University Educational Foundation, Inc. (Pirate Club).
Tom Bennett
Long-time Pirate Club member, ECU Board of Trustees member, Athletics Committee Chair and respected banker Tom Bennett accepted responsibility for investing the Educational Foundation's endowment assets. To protect the principal, he initially invested the funds in insured certificates of deposit. As the endowment continued to grow, Bennett recognized the need for a formal investment strategy and helped establish the Endowment Investment Committee in the mid-1990s. He faithfully served on the committee until his passing in July 2011, providing invaluable guidance as the fund experienced significant long-term growth.
John Hudson
Long-time Pirate Club member and Past Executive President John P. Hudson joined the Endowment Investment Committee in 1995, providing professional investment consulting services through Wachovia Securities and later Morgan Stanley. His expertise in investment strategy, reporting and portfolio management strengthened the Educational Foundation's stewardship of the endowment and helped position the fund for continued success.
Honoring Their Legacy
In September 2011, the Executive Committee of the East Carolina University Educational Foundation officially renamed the University's endowment program the Bennett-Hudson Endowment Fund in recognition of Thomas A. Bennett, Sr. and John P. Hudson. Today, the fund continues to provide permanent support for ECU Athletics, helping strengthen student-athlete scholarships and other designated priorities while preserving the principal for future generations. Both Tom and John, alongside their wives, also established endowed student-athlete scholarships of their own, further demonstrating their lasting commitment to Pirate Athletics.
