Alumni Association to Honor John Bobango, Ron Miller and the late Ed Way as Distinguished Alumni of 2015
JONESBORO – The Arkansas State University Alumni Association is announcing the recipients of its Distinguished Alumni Awards for 2015, which will be presented during Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 3.
This year’s honorees are John A. Bobango of Germantown, Tenn., Ron Miller of Jonesboro, and the late Ed Way of Jonesboro. These three alumni have a lifetime of achievements, both professionally and with Arkansas State.
This is the 32nd year the association has recognized the university’s most outstanding alumni. A ceremony recognizing the honorees is scheduled for halftime of the Red Wolves football game with the University of Idaho.
“Since 1984, the Alumni Association’s board of directors has annually selected award recipients from nominations submitted by the public,” according to Rich Carvell Jr. of Bentonville, president of the association. “The final selections are based on community service, professional achievement and service to Arkansas State University.”
Here are some highlights about each of this year’s award recipients:
John Bobango |
John A. Bobango
Germantown, Tenn.
After coming to A-State, Bobango joined Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, where he soon began a lifelong commitment. After completing a bachelor's degree in political science in 1978, he travelled for Pike as a chapter consultant, then continued to be highly involved in the organization's leadership, eventually becoming international president last year.
Bobango earned his J.D. degree at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and a Master of Laws in Taxation at the University of Florida. He is the chief manager of Memphis-based Farris Bobango PLC, which also operates a Nashville office.
The firm has become one of the most successful business law practices in the country. Bobango's achievements have brought him numerous accolades from his peers, the most recent being Best Lawyers’ 2016 Securities/Capital Markets Law “Lawyer of the Year” for Memphis.
His philanthropy includes scholarships for Pikes at A-State along with numerous causes in the Mid-South. He has served as a member of the Memphis City Council, board member and treasurer for Riverfront Development Corp. and the Economic Club of Memphis, and board member of Madonna Learning Center, a special needs school.
His nominators called Bobango "a consummate professional, ardent public servant, impassioned volunteer" who "never misses the opportunity to be an outspoken advocate for Arkansas State University."
He and his wife Lisa have two children, Allen and Mary Lauren.
