THE PENDULUM
NEWS
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 20. 2010 // PAGE 3
LaRose, Former chair of the
Board of Trustees dies at 65
Samantha King
News Editor
Former chair of Elon’s Board of Trustees and
philanthropist Robert LaRose unexpectedly died on
Tuesday, Jan. Hat the age of 65.
LaRose graduated from Elon in 1966 and majored
in mathematics and physics. He was employed by
Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
upon graduation and carved his future career paths
from his interest in computer technology.
LaRose took the knowledge he acquired from his
first job and became a
successful business
entrepreneur. He founded
three companies.
The first company
he founded, Advanced
Technology Inc., specialized
in innovative decorative
laminates, located on
West Market Street in
Greensboro, in 1976. He
sold the company in 1988
to Emhart Corp. for $140
million, according to
Washington Technology
Web site, a government
contracting news Web site..
The second company
he founded, Integic Corp.,
is a company focusing on federal health care. Integic
became a $180 million a year enterprise before he sold
it to Northrop Grumman Corp. it for $300 million in
2005.
Agilex was the last company he founded. It was
PHOTO COURESY OF E-NET
Robert LaRose, former
chair of the Board of
Trustees and ‘66 alumnus
of Elon. died earlier this
month. LaRose was
actively Involved in the Elon
community.
founded just three years ago and “will likely hit $100
million in annual revenue in 2011," according to
Washington Technology.
Agilex’s mission statement said the company is “an
employee-owned professional services firm providing
business and mission consulting, software and
solution development and system integration service”
dedicated to providing clients with management
consulting and information technology employees.
LaRose left a lasting impression on his companies
and employees.
“As a visionary leader. Bob was a once-in-a-
lifetime inspiration to all of us,” jay H. Nussbaum,
chief operating officer of Agilex Technologies, Inc.
said in a press release. "He will be remembered for
his compassion, tenacity and for the opportunities
he helped shape for all of us. He will be missed
tremendously and never forgotten."
LaRose was extremely interested in the
transformative power of innovation and technology,
the press release from Agilex said.
In addition to his business ventures, LaRose served
on the Board of Trustees for various organizations
in the community and institutions such as James
Madison University, the Arnold Palmer Hospital for
Children & Women and Elon University.
“Bob had a significant impact on a number
of communities,” said John Gall, Executive Vice
President, Agilex Technologies. “In addition to his
many charitable activities, he was an important
mentor to many of the region’s technology, business
and government leaders. He helped to change the
Washington region for the better.”
LaRose founded and actively participated in the
Fairfax County Education Foundation in May 1983 “as
a way to combat students’ declining achievement in
local schools and lack of preparedness to enter the
burgeoning technology workforce” according to the
mission statement on the Fairfax County Education
Foundation Web site.
He also served on the Board of Trustees for a
number of community organizations.
LaRose served more than 20 years on Elon’s Board
of Trustees and held the position of Chair from 1997-
99. In 1998, Elon granted LaRose an honorary doctorate
during the commencement ceremony.
LaRose and his wife, Gail, gifted Elon with $I
million in honor of their parents for the Resources
Center in Mooney Building. Elon named the “LaRose
Digital Theater” in recognition of a large donation
from LaRose and his wife.
LaRose resided in Clifton, Va., and was an active
member there.
Memorial services were held at Centreville
Methodist Church in Centreville, Va. on Tuesday.
As a visionary leader, Bob
was a once-in-a-lifetime
leader to us all. He will be
remembered for his tenacity,
compassion and for the
opportunities he helped
shape for all of us.
- Jay H. Nussbaum
Chief Operating Officer of Agilex
Tecnhologies, Inc.
Royster Settles case
out of court to protect
student confidentiality
Samantha King
News Editor
Leigh-Anne Royster, coordinator
for personal health programs and
community well-being, settled
a case against the Town of Elon
police department last falL
Royster was arrested April 29,
2009, for resisting a public officer,
since she refused to disclose
information regarding a student’s
sexual assault.
Royster’s warrant was issued
on .April 28 and she was arrested
on April 29 for resisting an officer
and placed under a $500 bond.
Her case was dismissed by Rob
Johnson, Alamance County District
Attorney,
Monday, May
6, 2009 on
grounds of
conflicting
interest.
“Prosecution
of this
charge in
criminal
court is not
in the best
interests
justice
this case,”
Johnson
said In
Leigh-Anne Royster
Ebnls Coordinator for
Persona) Health
Programs and
Community Well-Being
of
in
- an
interview last spring. “Rather, the
state encourages the parties to
engage in full and candid dialogue
with a view toward reaching
a solution or understanding
designed to prevent any such
future conflicts."
Royster primarily councils
victims of sexual assault cases and
had reported the assault in question
to Campus Safety and Police.
Royster did not release the identity
of the victim because university
protocol involving student rights
and protection prohibits the release
of any information with out prior
written consent.
Campus Safety and police then
reported the case to Town of Elon
Police since the incident occurred
off campus.
“The main reason that I did
that was because I didn’t want the
student to feel as if she or he would
have to speak up on my behalf,”
Royster said. “The court would
have had to subpoena the student
survivor against the police.”
Royster refused to give clear
details as to the exact amount or
surrounding circumstances of the
agreement reached, but said, “I
would not have anything beyond a
settlement,” Royster said. “I would
not have pursued a civil suite.”
According to the North Carolina
Court System Web site, civil suites
aimed to protect private citizens
and usually encompass divorce,
child custody and personal injury
claims and usually do not result in
some of more than $10,000.
Had Royster settled the case
in court, the amount of time to
reach a verdict could have taken
years, Royster’s attorney told her.
Royster said she did not want the
relationship between the university
and police to be strained that
long.
“It would have made moving on
impossible,” Royster said. “I hope
(the settlement) will provide us
the opportunity to build a better
relationship and understanding
with the police.”
Royster said the main reason
she sought an out-of-court
settlement was to resolve issues
with procedures between the police
and the confidentiality issues
mandated by the university.
“The bigger issue is that
students need to feel safe,” Royster
said. “The law needs to respect
their rights and wishes."
The Elon Police department
declined to comment comment
prior to deadline.
LINDSAY FENDT | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Sandy's Subs will no longer accept Phoenix Cash, since the university revoked the bar’s right.
Sandy’s was the beta site for the Phoenix Cash program. The dissolution of the contract marks
the end of a ten-year partnership.
Despite lack of evidence,
Elon stands by decision
SANDY’S from page 1
feature for students."
Mullen said that when the university
looks at a business that requests
Pheonix Cash priviledges it looks at it
through this lens.
“If it is a straight bar, and that is all
it is, we feel it doesn’t fit the mission
of Elon and we would not put Phoenix
Cash in a business like that," Mullen
said. “The other thing we look at is
the variety of business.”
Mullen would not comment on
Sandy’s violation of contract but
said the contract covered things like
alcohol policies, business practices
and ethics.
There are some students who
are unhappy with the decision and
have started a petition, “University
Students Petition to Return Phoenix
Cash to Sandy’s,” on Facebook.
Chris Carmichael, 21, said he goes
to Sandy’s to use its “make your own
six pack” and is unhappy with the
decision.
“It is taking away from local
business,” Carmichael said. “I feel
like there is a lot of prejudice with
Sandy’s.”
According to Elon Police
Department records, there have
not been any alcohol violations or
citations issued to Sandy’s. While the
Alcohol Law Enforcement agency was
contacted many times about citations
issued at Sandy’s they did not respond
by deadline.
“It is the kids who are going to
suffer,” Saldanha said. “It is unfair
to the students, and unfair they did
not give us a heads up. We have 15
cameras, if they had come to us and
asked, ‘did this happen,’ I could have
defended myself.”
Sandy’s was the first off-campus
location where Phoenix Cash was
introduced.
“Sandy’s was the first site,” Mullen
said. “It was our beta site which makes
this more difficult. And I know Greg,
he is a great guy. Which, again, makes
this more difficult.”