Lafferty's Leadership Lauded at Founder's Day

Longtime parent and Board member Bill Lafferty was this year’s recipient of the 2018 Founder’s Day award. His decade of service to the Sanford Board of Trustees and the guidance and leadership he demonstrated in his roles offer insights into why he was selected for this honor. Lafferty held the positions of treasurer and president on the Board. Additionally, it was under his guidance that Sanford mounted the Front & Center campaign that led to major renovations to the Sanford campus. The school transformed the Geipel Gym into the beautiful Geipel Center for Performing Arts and repurposed Pirnie Hall into a STEM center and centralized home for the Technology Department as a result of this initiative.

Tom Allingham, lifetime Board member and the 2016 Founder’s Day award winner, introduced Lafferty to the gathering and shared some background information about Lafferty’s contributions to the Sanford community and the value of his untiring leadership. Head of School Mark Anderson reminded those in attendance of some crucial times in the school’s history—from the early days of expanding the campus with new buildings to the restoration after a devasting tornado to the current renovations and repurposing of campus infrastructure and buildings—and the importance of strong leadership to navigate through them.

Shifting back to the present, Anderson elaborated: “Bill is a Sanford difference maker. His calm and thoughtful demeanor has brought value to our Sanford Board discussions and decisions. Personally, Bill has always provided me with sound advice, wise counsel, and unwavering support. Bill’s genuine humbleness and low-key leadership style make him ‘so Sanford’ in my mind. Rarely have I ever worked with such an invested leader—yet one who readily deflects credit to others. Our Sanford community, the one we love and enjoy so much today, would not be the same if we had not had Bill Lafferty and his family in our school community.”

Bill and his wife, Melissa, have three children at Sanford—all lifers: Aaron ’19, Jacob ’19, and Ava ’20. As a family they have invested their time and talents with the Sanford community, and shared their greatest treasure, their children, with the school.

Congratulations to Bill Lafferty for earning the 2018 Founder’s Day Award for his sincere, hard work on behalf of Sanford in honoring and expanding the vision set forth by Ellen Q. Sawin 88 years ago.