Bill Text: VA HJR690 | 2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of William Archer Royall, Jr.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-02-05 - Continued to 2021 Sp. Sess. 1 in Rules [HJR690 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2021-HJR690-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, William Archer Royall, Jr., an innovative entrepreneur, generous philanthropist, and keen patron of the arts who dedicated his life to servant leadership, died on June 25, 2020; and
WHEREAS, born in Tazewell, William "Bill" Royall grew up in Alexandria and began to cultivate his passion for community engagement at a young age; in addition to operating a paper route, he sold personalized greeting cards, decorative crafts, and homegrown tomato plants all before the age of 12; and
WHEREAS, a proud alumnus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Bill Royall initially worked in the political arena, serving as executive director of then-President Gerald R. Ford's Virginia election campaign in 1976 and leading John N. Dalton's successful bid for Governor of Virginia in 1977; and
WHEREAS, after serving as a special assistant to Governor Dalton for 16 months, Bill Royall became president of the North American Marketing Corporation, then established Royall & Company in Richmond to provide direct mail services for nonprofit and political organizations; and
WHEREAS, five years after its founding in 1983, Royall & Company refocused its mission on higher education enrollment and conducted a direct-mail student recruitment campaign for Hampden-Sydney College; under Bill Royall's exceptional leadership, the company became a national leader in research-based recruitment marketing for colleges and universities; and
WHEREAS, Bill Royall emphasized that what was best for the student was often best for the institution and strove to position Royall & Company as an extension of a client's admissions office; his work to reach students in underrepresented populations and first-generation students helped break down barriers and led to significant increases in diversity on many college campus; and
WHEREAS, guided by a personal philosophy of graciousness—graciousness in success or failure and to colleagues and partners alike—Bill Royall oversaw the growth of a company culture defined by creativity, collegiality, and determined advocacy for its clients; and
WHEREAS, Bill Royall took great joy in sharing in his employees' personal and professional triumphs, and he inspired others to strive toward achieving their fullest potential; Royall & Company currently operates as EAB after it was purchased by The Advisory Board Company in 2015 and has grown to serve more than 1,700 colleges and universities around the country with more than 1,000 employees across multiple offices; and
WHEREAS, Bill Royall and his wife, Pam, were devoted volunteer leaders who served as humble benefactors or provided counsel and expertise to numerous charitable organizations in an effort to strengthen communities and elevate the quality of life throughout the Richmond region; and
WHEREAS, Bill Royall supported young people through the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond and provided generous funding for organizations such as Camp Pasquaney, Camp Little Hawk, and Elk Hill Farm to help disadvantaged youths attend summer camps; and
WHEREAS, Bill Royall was a longtime member of the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, serving as president from 2014 to 2016, and donated more than 100 pieces to the museum's collection over the course of a decade; he notably supported the acquisition of Kehinde Wiley's statute Rumors of War, which was installed on the museum's campus in 2019; and
WHEREAS, Bill Royall also led a fundraising campaign to support the creation of the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University and he offered his private gallery in downtown Richmond, which featured original, contemporary work by local and international artists, for use by teachers and arts-focused nonprofit organizations as an event space; and
WHEREAS, in one of his final acts of service and compassion, Bill Royall participated in a study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) conducted by the National Institutes of Health in the hopes that resultant research could improve the lives of future ALS patients; and
WHEREAS, Bill Royall is fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife, Pam; his children, William, Rider, Timothy, Aubyn, and Nicholas, and their families; his mother, Theda; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of William Archer Royall, Jr., a pillar of the Richmond community who inspired generations of leaders in a wide range of professional, charitable, and cultural pursuits; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of William Archer Royall, Jr., as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.
