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Norman Fries Distinguished Lecture Series: Don L. Waters presents ‘A Native Son’s Vision for Southeast Georgia’

Georgia Southern University’s Waters College of Health Professions will welcome esteemed keynote speaker Don L. Waters for the Norman Fries Distinguished Lecture Series on October 30, 2024, where he will share his vision for the future of Southeast Georgia.
don-l-waters
Don L. Waters
Georgia Southern University’s Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP) will host the Norman Fries Distinguished Lecture Series with keynote speaker Don L. Waters on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. The lecture, titled “A Native Son’s Vision for Southeast Georgia,” will be held at the Statesboro Campus Performing Arts Center.
 
Waters, for whom Georgia Southern’s WCHP is named, is a prominent figure in Georgia’s business and health care sectors. He currently serves as the CEO of Waters Capital Partners, LLC, and is the former chairman, president and CEO of Brasseler USA, Inc. He has served on the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia, including a term as chairman. Waters is also a member of the Chatham County Hospital Authority and the Augusta University Health System boards.

“We’re thrilled to have Mr. Waters as our Fries Lecturer,” said Stephen Rossi, Ph.D., interim dean of the Waters College of Health Professions. “His support for the college, the University, the community and the region has been invaluable. He has truly been the driving force behind the continued growth and success of the Waters College of Health Professions. Personally, I’m grateful for his guidance during my time as interim dean. I’m certain everyone will be captivated by his fascinating story and his insights on the future of Southeast Georgia.”

Waters will share his insights on the development and future opportunities for Southeast Georgia, making this event a must-attend for those invested in the region’s progress. The event is free and open to the public.

Recognized for his contributions to business and public service, Waters has received several accolades, including induction into the Savannah Business Hall of Fame, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Savannah Branch of the NAACP and the Distinguished Service Scroll Award from the University of Georgia School of Law, his alma mater.

The annual Norman Fries Distinguished Lectureship series began in 2001. It is funded by an endowment in honor of Norman Fries, founder of Claxton Poultry. In his more than 50 years of business, Fries built the company from a one-man operation into one of the largest poultry production plants in the U.S. Past Fries lecturers include veteran film producer Stratton Leopold who is owner of Leopold's Ice Cream, David Oreck of Oreck Vacuums, South African apartheid author and lecturer Mark Mathabane, NASA director James W. Kennedy, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Gordon S. Wood, Nobel Prize laureate William D. Phillips, Ph.D., bestselling author Susan Orlean, concussion expert Dr. Russell Gore, and PricewaterhouseCoopers Network chief operating officer Carol Sawdye. For more information, visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu/Fries.