约翰尼·卢·艾弗里·博伊德

Professional and 社区 Leader

约翰尼·卢·艾弗里·博伊德 was born to Vallie and Burris Davis on December 16, 1937 on a farm in Jones County, 德州. It would be her father’s purchase of a service station on Pine Street that brought the family to Abilene when Johnnie Lou was seven. The family lived in a small house on Lowden Street not far from the service station and just four blocks north of the Hardin-Simmons campus. It was the influence of her hard working parents that instilled in Johnnie Lou, 在她哥哥身上, 努力工作的价值, personal responsibility and service to others.

As a young girl Johnnie Lou frequently passed through the HSU campus and dreamed of one day becoming a student on the Forty Acres. Her first chance came when Dr. Otho Polk offered swimming lessons in Marston Gym. Johnnie Lou was the first to sign up. 在时间, she enrolled as a Hardin-Simmons student and completed several hours before transferring to Howard College in Big Spring and earning her Associate’s Degree. She extended her education by enrolling in the University of 德州 of the Permian Basin and earning her B.A. degree in Psychology and Business.

Along the way she married 杰瑞·艾弗里 and they had one daughter, Joni.  乔妮说, “I have watched with amazement and pride as my mother has touched one life after another…I have seen first-hand the impact she has had on her family, 教堂, 社区与世界.”

从1966年开始, Johnnie Lou began a career to aid both public and higher education, holding positions in the Abilene Independent School District, 德州 State Technical College and Howard College where she taught, served as Financial 援助 Director and as Assistant to the President. In 1979, Johnnie Lou opened her own consulting firm known as Avery and Associates, growing the business to employ over 100 people and, 在这个过程中, being named by the United States Small Business 政府 as an Outstanding Woman in Business.

Her volunteer service has been recognized by the State of 德州 in receiving the Governor’s Commendation for Outstanding Volunteer 领导 as well as being chosen as a distinguished volunteer by the Big Spring Chamber of Commerce, Big Spring Rotary and Lions Clubs, 美国女童子军, Y.M.C.A., ∑, the Big Spring State Hospital Council and as the first national recipient of the Award of Public Service granted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Johnnie Lou was instrumental in bringing a minimum security prison to Big Spring in response to the economic downturn suffered due to the closing of Webb Air Force Base.

Johnnie Lou has provided leadership to boards, commissions and foundations throughout west 德州 including the Howard County Bicentennial Commission, University of 德州 of the Permian Basin Development Board, Salvation Army Board of Directors, the Permian Scholars Foundation, the 领导 Big Spring program, Omar Burleson Foundation and the Big Spring Area Chamber of Commerce where she served as the first female president.

Additionally, she has given her time to serve on the boards of the 德州 A&M Center for Teaching Excellence, 德州 Tech University Health Science Center Advisory Board, 阿比林爱乐乐团, 阿比林妇女俱乐部, Big Country High School Hall of Fame, 黄蜂博物馆, and the West 德州 Girl Scout Council.

Five 德州 governors have appointed Johnnie Lou to boards including the Superconducting Super Collider Board, 老龄问题咨询委员会, as chairperson for the 德州 Board of Nursing Facilities Administrator’s Licensure, the Regional Selective Service Board and as a voting delegate to the White House Conference on Aging.

Following the death of her husband, 杰瑞·艾弗里, Johnnie Lou channeled her interest in two new directions, 银行业和电视业. Beginning in 1991 she began hosting a weekly television program titled West 德州 View broadcast on NBC affiliate, KWES在米德兰. Starting in 1992, Johnnie Lou as served as a director for Western Bank.

In 2004, Johnnie Lou was married to Bruce Boyd and relocated back home to Abilene. Johnnie Lou has one daughter and three stepsons.

Lessons learned from loving parents and humble beginnings have served to benefit those living in any community in which 约翰尼·卢·艾弗里·博伊德 has lived and so, it is a high honor for Hardin-Simmons大学 to recognize one of her own and to formally induct 约翰尼·卢·艾弗里·博伊德 into the HSU 领袖堂.