Archived Press Releases

James B. (Jake) Thomas, Jr. receives Golden Paw Award from Virginia Living Museum Ferguson Enterprises announces capital gift in honor of Jake and Jacki Thomas 
Nov. 24, 2003 
 

The Virginia Living Museum has given its highest honor, the Golden Paw Award, to James B. (Jake) Thomas, Jr. for outstanding service to the museum for the past 20 years.

Thomas, of Newport News, helped lead the expansion from the Peninsula Nature & Science Center to the Virginia Living Museum in the 1980s and served in several positions on the Board of Trustees including two years as president when the museum began planning its current expansion. He currently volunteers two days a week for the museum's $22.6 million capital campaign and is a member of the Board of Advisors.

The award was presented at the museum's annual Heron Society Dinner on Nov. 22. Also at the dinner, Ferguson Enterprises, Inc., which launched the Virginia Living Museum's capital campaign in 1998 with a pledge of $500,000, announced it has doubled its gift to $1 million.

Ferguson President C. S. (Chip) Hornsby said the gift will honor Thomas and his wife, Jacqueline. Thomas was a key member of the Ferguson senior management team when Wolseley acquired Ferguson in 1982. He retired in 2001 as director of U.S. investments for Wolseley after 30 years with Ferguson/Wolseley.

The $1 million gift is a combination of a corporate gift from the plumbing supply distributor headquartered in Newport News and a company match to donations by individual Ferguson associates.

Hornsby announced that the names of Jake and Jacki Thomas will be placed on the Appalachian Cove, a two-story habitat within the new museum building that will be a living display of a cool, moist mountain cove typical of Virginia's highlands. The 3,600-square-foot exhibit will include a 12' waterfall, swift mountain stream and lake filled with fish, hellbenders and turtles, plus various species of free-flying birds.

In presenting the Golden Paw award, John H. Garrett III, president of the museum Board of Trustees, said Thomas is a motivator and mentor who "has given selflessly offering ideas, inspiration - and always there for sharing a positive word or two with staff and volunteers."

The award is a bronze bobcat statue by Eastern Shore sculptor David Turner.

The Golden Paw Award has been given six times before: to the Warwick Rotary Club, the Junior League of Hampton Roads, the Kelly Family (Beverly, Herbert and Bert), George Goodson, Jr., Harry Wason and last year to Cynthia Collings Andrews and Mary Sherwood Holt.