Emory Medal
The Emory Medal recognizes the best of the best.
This award is Emory’s most prestigious alumni award and honors recipients who are leaders in their field as well as leaders in their local, national, and global communities. Simply put, Emory Medal recipients are recognized for:
- service to Emory, the Emory Alumni Association, or a constituent alumni association
- service to the community
- achievement in business, the arts, the professions, government, or education
The honoree is the featured guest at a celebration attended by previous medalists, Emory Alumni Board members, and top university administrators. Recipients also are honored with a biographical video.
Carlos del Rio 86MR 88FM
When it comes to experts in the field of infectious disease research, one name rises to the top: Carlos del Rio. A renowned clinician and epidemiologist, del Rio attended medical school in Mexico. After graduating, he came to Emory as a medical resident. He returned to Mexico as a physician and educator, and from 1992 to 1996, he was executive director of the National AIDS Council of Mexico.
Now del Rio is a distinguished professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine, executive associate dean for faculty and clinical affairs in Emory’s School of Medicine, and a professor of global health and epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health. He has recently been appointed chair of the Department of Medicine at the School of Medicine.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, del Rio advised municipal, state, and national leaders and was a frequent source for international media to educate the public about the ongoing health crisis.
Del Rio is the immediate past president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He also chairs the Scientific Advisory Board of PEPFAR and is a member of the UNAIDS Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. Del Rio is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the National Academy of Medicine, where he also serves as international secretary.
He has been recognized by the Carnegie Corporation as a “Great Immigrant, Great American” and by the City of Atlanta with the Phoenix Award, the city’s highest honor, for his medical guidance and support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Del Rio and his wife, Jeannette Guarner 87MR 89FM, are committed to support Emory in many ways. They have endowed scholarship funds to support Latino/Hispanic students at the Rollins School of Public Health and the School of Medicine. In 2023, del Rio and Guarner made a bequest to support the School of Medicine’s Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases.
C. Robert Henrikson 72L
Emory University School of Law has been intentional about attracting a diverse student body, thanks in part to C. Robert Henrikson. In 2002, he and his wife, Mary, endowed a scholarship fund to support the recruitment of minority students.
After graduating from Emory School of Law in 1972, Henrikson had a successful career at MetLife, Inc. He started his career as a sales representative for the company and became CEO in 2006. Henrikson built the company to be the leading voice in insurance. At the time of his retirement in 2011, MetLife’s portfolio was $450 billion—the largest growth in the company’s history.
Henrikson is a pioneer in the insurance sector, setting standards for insurance and business practices that companies still follow. One of the most trusted voices in the sector, Henrikson has testified in front of Congress several times about retirement, pensions, and employee benefits.
In July 2010, he was appointed by President Barack Obama to the President’s Export Council, the principal national advisory committee on international trade. Henrikson was a board member of the American Council of Life Insurers, a board member of The Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership, and a board member emeritus of the American Benefits Council. He also served on the National Board of Advisors at the Morehouse School of Medicine and the board of directors of the New York Botanical Garden, and he was a trustee of the American Museum of Natural History. Additionally, he served on the Emory Law School Council and the Emory Campaign Steering Committee.
Nominate the next recipient
Do you know someone who fits the bill? The Emory Alumni Board's Nominating and Leadership Committee would appreciate your help finding the next Emory Medal Recipient.
Past Recipients
2023
Luis A. Aguilar 85L
Ben F. Johnson III 65C
2022
Clarence Cooper 67L
Jean O'Connor 98C 01L 01PH 22L
2021
Mary S. McCabe 72BSN
Dr. Richard R. Souviron 58C 60D
2019
David Adelman 89L
Richard Hubert 60L
2018
Crystal Johnson 00N
Jason Slabach 13N
Lauren Mitchell-Spurlock 95Ox 97N
Kenneth Waler 56ox 58C 63M 65MR 70MR 71MR
2016
Perry Brickman 53C
Charles H. "Pete" Mctier 61B
2015
Paul M. Mclarty Jr. 63c 66L
Cecil B. Wilson 57c 61M
2014
William C. O'kelley 51C 53L
John W. Stephenson 70C
2013
Sonny Deriso 68C 72L
Joan Hall 71G 76PhD
2012
Miles Alexander 52C
Elliott Levitas 52C 56L
2011
Mary Ann B. Oakley 70G 74L
James W. Turpin 49C 51T 55M
2010
Twilla Haynes 80MN
William Warren III 53B
2009
Henry Bowden Jr 74L
Arthur Keys Jr 92T
2008
Kamal Mansour 68MR
Alvin Sugarman 60B 88PHD
Hugh Tarbutton 52Ox 55B
2007
Ronnie Weathers 60C 62D 66D
William H. Fox, Jr. 79G
2006
Sarah Ann Long 69G
Eugene M. Zimmerman 54T
2005
Verdelle B. Bellamy 63N
Charles C. Haynes III 71C 85PhD
2004
Donna Keesler Schwartz 62C P97 07
Frank Kellogg Allan 56C 77T
Michael Lucius Lomax 84PhD
2003
William Earnest Harwell 40C
Solon P. Patterson 57B 58MBA
Marianna R. Patterson 61C
John L. Cromartie Jr. 64C 88T
2002
William M. Kelso 71PhD
Venable Lawson 50G
Ralph T. Holland 47B
2001
W. Shain Schley 62C 66M
Sara E. Barger 73MN
Max Cleland 68G
Leah J. Sears 80L
Joseph R. Gladden 64C
Ellen Agnor Bailey 68C 87EMBA
Bradley Currey Jr.
2000
William N. Kelley 59C 63M
Patricia Dwinnell Butler 31L
Jane E. Smith 70G
James B. Carson 61B
F. Dudley Williams 31Xx
Burness E. Moore 33C
Anne Holden Carson 61C
1999
Walter H. Beckham Jr. 41C
Robert E. Chappell Jr. 56Ox 58B 68MBA
Margaret E. Parsons 75MN 85PhD
Kenneth Douglas Cole 76C
James L. Ferman Jr. 65B
Fleming L. Jolley 43Ox 47M
Cecelia Davis Ferman 65C
Beverly Guy-Sheftall 84PhD
Ann Brookshire Sherer 91T
1998
Laura Jones Hardman 67C
Jesse L. Walker 38C 41M
James R. Gavin III 70PhD
Earl Dolive 40B
Barbara Brown Taylor 73C
Anthony A. Alaimo 48L
1997
Nancy Rankin Tarbutton 57C
J. Harper Gaston 52C 55M
H. Jackson Brown Jr. 63C
Glenda A. Hatchett 77L
Edith Folsom Honeycutt 39N
Ben J. Tarbutton Jr. 49Ox 51C
Ben F. Johnson Jr. 36C 40L
Anne Elizabeth Hendrick Gaston 55M
1996
William C. Waters III 50C 58M
Tillie Kidd Fowler 64C 67L
Charles A. Harris 42B
Alicia Anne Philipp 75C
1995
Felker W. Ward Jr. 71L
Em Olivia Bevis 55N
1994
J. David Allen 67C 70D 75MSD
J. Ben Shapiro 64C 67L
Henry A. Mann 62Ox 64C
Gloria Jean Wade-Gayles 81PhD
Billy E. Frye 54G 56PhD
Austin Ford 50C
1993
Ulysses S. Seal III 48C 49G 57PhD
Marianne Mcdonald Leach 64C
John W. Mcintyre 51B
Jerry Wayne Leach 64C
Goodwin M. Breinin 40G 43M
Emily Saliers 85C
Amy Ray 86C
1992
Thelma Wyatt Cummings 71L
L. Bevel Jones III 46C 49T
James Thomas Laney
James H. Wilson Jr. 40C
James B. O'neal 77Ox 79C
Berta Laney
1991
Rebecca Cheney Mcgreevy 55C
Lynn H. Johnston 50Ox 52B
John N. Mclaughlin 41C
Henry King Stanford 36C 40G
1990
M. Lanier "Sonny" Carter 69C 73M
Linton H. Bishop Jr. 47M
Hamilton E. Holmes 67M
Ely R. Callaway Jr. 40C
Catherine E. Rudder 69C
1989
Robert T. Thompson Sr. 51C 52L
Robert M. Strickland
Nina Rusk Hosch Carson 35N 51G
J. Coleman Budd 50B
1988
Sam A. Nunn Jr. 61C 62L
R. Howard Dobbs Jr. 27C
Marvin S. Arrington 67L
Luella Klein
G. Conley Ingram 49C 51L
1987
Mary Lynn Morgan 43D
Joanna Moseley Adams 66C
Cherry L. Emerson 38C 39G
Charles B. Ginden 55C
1986
J. Robin Harris 48C 49L
Henry J. Miller 26C
Covington Hardee 40C
1985
James B. Williams 55C
Elmo Ellis 48G
Dan C. Moore 35Ox 37C 40G
1984
Thomas E. Bryant 58C 62M 67L
Ferrol A. Sams Jr. 45M
Clifford A. Bell 46Ox 50C
1983
Joseph M. Beck 65C
E. Thomas Gross 42N
David E. Estes 46G 51G
1982
Smith L. Johnston Jr. 39B
George P. Cuttino
Betty Marie Stewart 52N
1981
S. Russell Bridges Jr. 33B
Harriet Harper Williams Mcdonald 32N 51N 57MN
George P. Crumbley Jr. 49C
1980
Wytch Stubbs Jr. 52C 55T 66M
Evangeline T. Papageorge 29G
Barbara Mcknight Hund 58C
1979
Woolford B. Baker 20G
N. Bond Fleming 33C 36T
Kenneth S. Taratus 56D
George F. Cooper Jr. 41C 52G
1978
W. Sam Smith 47B
John W. Rozier 39C 47G
Gardner B. Allen 28C 30G 33L
1977
William Alfred Strozier 19C
Elizabeth Long Atwood
1976
Paul H. Anderson 38C 40L
Emory Williams 32C
Charles N. Watson 38C 53G
1975
M. Erle Phillips Jr. 41B 48L
George S. Craft 31C
Charles Turner Lester 31Ox 33C 34G
1974
Sanford Soverhill Atwood
1972
Robert Sterling Wiggins 36C 39L
Guy Redvers Lyle
Charles Howard Candler Jr. 26C
1971
William Henry Jones 24C
Charles Thiot Winship 26C
1970
Alton Venson Hallum 29M
1969
Robert Fleming Whitaker 26C 27L
Randolph William Thrower 34C 36L
Lewis Lamar Clegg 25C 31G
Boisfeuillet Jones 34C 37L
1968
William Edgar Callahan 23C
Thomas Edward Braly Jr. 52D
R. Carl Chandler 41C
Ellis Heber Rece 25G
1967
Thomas Erwin Mcdonough Sr.
John Pollard Turman 34C 35L
1966
Virgil Young Cook Eady 36G
James George Lester 18C 23G
1965
William Eldridge Smith 18C
Halsey Sims Garland 17C
Ansley Bascom Andrews Padgett 35B
1964
William Ernest Rogers 20C
Perrillah Atkinson Malone 62G
1963
Judson Clements Ward Jr. 33C 36G
Emmett Beard Cartledge Jr. 31C 33L
Angus Waldo Sowell Jr. 37B
1962
Sidney Walter Martin 32C
Paul Douglas West 24C 40G
1960
Walter Ransom Davis Jr. 34C
Aubrey Fairfax Folts 26C 27L
1959
Paul Easterling Bryan 07C
1957
Sterling Gardner Brinkley 07C
Randolph Lewis Fort 29C 30G
Goodrich Cook White 08C
1956
Henry Lumpkin Bowden 32c 34L
1953
Charles Howard Candler Sr. 98C
1952
Henry Prentice Miller 27c 28G
1951
Mrs. De Los Lemuel Hill
1950
Chess Abernathy Jr. 34C
1949
William Lowry Pressly 12M
Granger Hansell 22C 24L
1946
William Danner Thomson 1895C
Walter Turner Candler 07C
Malcolm Howard Dewey
Elizabeth Chappell Duncan