ATLANTA, Feb. 27, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Stanford University, in Palo Alto, California, has selected John F. Sandy Smith, Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP Partner, to be among the first recipients of the new Stanford Medal. The Stanford Medal is among the highest awards given by Stanford University. Among other things, Recipients must have a distinguished legacy of leadership, in excess of 20 years.
"When Sandy takes on a volunteer assignment for Stanford, he does so with energy and gusto rivaled by few, dedicating his time and energy completely," said Howard Wolf, Vice President for Alumni Affairs and President of the Stanford Alumni Association.
Smith, who received his undergraduate degree from Stanford in 1978 with Honors, has been a strong advocate of the University for more than two decades. His Stanford leadership roles include Chair of the Stanford Associates Board of Governors, and member of the Stanford Board of Trustees. Smith also holds an MBA from the Tuck School, Dartmouth College, where he is a member of its MBA Advisory Board and an Executive in Residence and a JD from Duke Law School.
Smith is a Partner in Morris, Manning & Martin's Corporate and Securities groups, leading teams of specialists who help clients plan and achieve their business objectives. His work includes managing, negotiating, and completing corporate and financial transactions for both private and public businesses. He has represented clients in a wide variety of industries including technology, telecommunications, investment management, healthcare, manufacturing/distribution, retail/service, hospitality/restaurant and venture/investment.
His community service efforts are not limited to Stanford. He is Founder and Chair of Odyssey, an independent nonprofit educational organization designed to promote academic achievement and a love for lifelong learning among Atlanta public school students; Smith also is a member of the Board and Executive Committee at The Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School and Columbia Seminary. He also served as Trustee and Treasurer at the Paideia School, member of the Alumni Board of Governors for The Westminster Schools, and Trustee of the National Kidney Foundation and Prevent Blindness Georgia. He is also a member of Leadership Atlanta.
The 2005-2006 Alumni Volunteer Service Awards ceremony will take place at the Alumni Association's Gold Spike Dinner April 8 in Palo Alto, California. For more information on the Stanford Medal and the awards ceremony, visit the Stanford University Alumni Association web site at www.stanfordalumni.org.
Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, (www.mmmlaw.com) enjoys national prominence for its corporate finance, securities, litigation, technology, telecommunications, insurance, healthcare, environmental and real estate practices. The firm has offices in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, and Princeton.