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Florida Southern alumnus 
receives Distinguished Graduate Award
Alva "Al" Claude Pipkin, top financial planner, 
served as Coor's vice president of finance

LAKELAND, Fla. (March 4, 2003) - Florida Southern College honors alumnus Alva "Al" Claude Pipkin, a 1953 graduate, at its Founders Day convocation March 21 at 10:10 a.m. in Branscomb Auditorium. Pipkin will receive the Department of Business and Economics Distinguished Graduate Award. 

Pipkin, retired vice president of finance at Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, is known as one of the top financial planners in the country. He gained considerable recognition for developing Coors' reputation as one of the nation's leading financial organizations. Since retiring, he has devoted much time to speaking, leading seminars, writing and consulting. 

Pipkin's speeches and articles on the subject of "The 21st Century Controller" have challenged the industry's controllers to assume a more integral role in modern business using advanced computer technology. His work has been published in numerous periodicals and used frequently in MBA programs, accounting classes, and seminars. 

Pipkin was the founder of the American Ingenuity Award and Hall of Fame, sponsored by Coors. Begun in 1986, the award honors individuals who have made significant accomplishments in business through innovation and perseverance. 

About Florida Southern College
Florida Southern is a four-year, private, co-educational liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The college offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and a master of business administration degree accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Located in Lakeland, Fla., the college is home to the largest, single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world.

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