Next time you see Will King be sure to congratulate him. He was just named Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser for our region by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Hampton Roads Chapter. Will is one of the Rotary Club of Norfolk's most dedicated volunteers. He will be honored at a National Philanthropy Day luncheon on November 9 at The Main. In honor of Will's latest honor here is the profile of him that ran in Rotations last September:
Will King has enjoyed a variety of careers -- Navy officer, contractor, Norfolk Collegiate headmaster and Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation executive director. The common thread in all of them was recognizing an opportunity, working hard and getting the right people on his team. Of his various careers, Will says "I liked everything" about them.
Will was born in Onley on the Eastern Shore into a family whose roots there date to 1647. Growing up he also lived in Philadelphia and Richmond. He graduated from the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce before joining the Navy. That led to living in Norfolk, Charleston, Newport, Washington and San Diego and serving in Vietnam. Along the way Will earned a master's degree in financial management from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. As a surface warfare officer he served on seven combat ships and commanded a destroyer and a patrol ship. At the Pentagon, he was an aide and administrative assistant to the chief of naval operations and deputy chief of staff to the commander of the United States Atlantic Command. Will's awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal.
After retiring as a Navy captain, Will, his wife Cecelia and three daughters settled in Norfolk -- his last duty station. He was vice president of a contracting company before stepping in for a year in 1988 as interim headmaster at Norfolk Collegiate School where he had served on the board and his three daughters had studied. That interim year turned into 20 years as headmaster. Will retired in 2008 and remained another year to raise funds for a new fine arts center at Collegiate. In 2009 he became the volunteer head of Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation. In addition to that position, Will also serves on national teams doing private school accreditation visits. He has evaluated Orthodox Jewish, Muslim and a variety of other schools to ensure they meet rigorous standards.
Will was recruited to Rotary by the late Jack Magee and Peter Meredith in 2008. "I like the people," Will says of Rotary. When our club introduced more optional outings and service projects in 2015 Will was an enthusiastic supporter attending dozens of activities. "Getting out and seeing our community is a big plus," Will says. "These field trips have opened windows and doors for me about parts of our community I had no idea were there."
Will and Cecelia live in Norfolk's Larchmont neighborhood within five minutes of five of their seven grandchildren. Will professes to having no hobbies but keeps busy serving on the boards of Norfolk Collegiate, Chesapeake Bay Academy and Horizons Hampton Roads, a summer education program he helped found. He is a past board member of our club and currently oversees our Interact clubs at Norfolk Collegiate and Norfolk Academy and serves on our club's Finance Committee. He is a Paul Harris Fellow. Will won a Rotary Star award in June 2016 for being an engaged Rotarian role model.