Henry Watts' Connection with Virginia Wesleyan University
Henry Watts' association with Virginia Wesleyan University dates back to his appointment to the executive leadership team of Norfolk Southern Corporation in the 1980s. He often recounts how he and his late wife, Eleanor, “fell in love” with what was then “a small liberal arts college that was impacting lives.”
About D. Henry Watts
Dr. Watts attended the University of Alabama, the University of Virginia, and George Washington University, where he earned his bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in business administration.
A retired vice chairman of Norfolk Southern Corporation, Dr. Watts' early career began in Birmingham, Alabama, with Southern Railway. He first came to Norfolk, Virginia, as vice president of personnel and corporate development for Norfolk Southern Corporation in 1982. He served the corporation as executive vice president of planning and development and executive vice president of marketing before being named vice chairman in 1995. Since 1974, he has also been a lecturer at George Washington University.
Dr. Watts first became an active member of Virginia Wesleyan's Board of Trustees in 1989. He is a past Board Chair and Parliamentarian, and in 2021, he became Trustee Emeritus. In 2007, he was awarded the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.
The Watts' Generosity to Virginia Wesleyan
The Watts' generosity to Virginia Wesleyan has manifested in many ways, including the construction of the Eleanor and Henry Watts Field House for the softball team, the Eleanor and Henry Watts Grand Lobby and Gallery in the Susan S. Goode Fine and Performing Arts Center, the Eleanor and Henry Watts Endowed Scholarships, and funding various programs in the Robert Nusbaum Center and through the Marlins Athletic Fund. Dr. Watts was aLao Instrumental in funding the 2015 Institutional Review, which provided a thorough analysis and the basis for the Campus Master Plan: Transformation Now! (2016-26), which outlined the blueprint for change and growth.
For four decades, the entire Watts family has frequented the campus, cheering for Marlin basketball and softball.
Community Involvement
In addition to his contributions to Virginia Wesleyan, Dr. Watts has been very active in the community. He has served on the Board of the Virginia Opera, the Norfolk Airport Authority Board of Commissioners, and the Virginia Beach United Methodist Church.
The D. Henry Watts School of Professional Studies
The D. Henry Watts School of Professional Studies is named in gratitude for Henry Watts, recognizing over four decades of leadership and support of Virginia Wesleyan and his outstanding contributions to the Hampton Roads business community.