Donald R. Raber, president and owner of Aldebaran Financial Inc. in Kingsport, was presented Tusculum College’s Distinguished Service Award May 21 during the annual President’s Dinner on campus.

Raber, who is a member of the College’s Board of Trustees, was presented the award by President Dr. Dolphus E. Henry before a crowd of about 115 people attending the dinner, held in the Chalmer’s Conference Center of the Niswonger Commons.

The Distinguished Service Award is given each year to someone with a long history of outstanding and multi-faceted support of Tusculum College as part of the President’s Dinner, an annual event to honor the major donors of the College.

After receiving the award to a standing ovation, Raber recounted a discussion he had earlier with other members of the Board of Trustees about the College’s mission and its values, particularly that of integrity.

These values are what Raber said he has striven to reflect in his efforts for the College. “That is what I have tried to do and what I hope to continue to do,” he said.

In presenting the honor, Dr. Henry read the text of the award, which read in part as follows:

"Tusculum College's association with Donald R. Raber began when his church, First Presbyterian Church of Kingsport, was asked by Tusculum College to consider substantial support for the College at a time it was reaffirming and strengthening its historic association with the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Don became a friend and supporter of Tusculum College, and in 1997 joined the Board of Trustees.

“Donald Raber brought to the Board many strengths, chief among them a lifetime of experience in banking, investment, and finance. He has served effectively as Chairman of the Business Committee and on the Institutional Advancement Committee, and as Foundation Investment Advisor. Don, President and Owner of Aldebaran Financial Inc. in Kingsport, is a Registered Investment Advisor and Portfolio Manager-Advisor, and offers his guidance at no charge to those interested in making gifts and commitments to Tusculum College.

“Don’s devotion to education, shown through service to Tusculum and other colleges and universities, is rooted in his days in the U.S. Navy, which he joined after high school. As he served aboard the USS Aldebaran AF-10 in 1962 during the Cuban blockade, and a year later on the USS Preserver ARS-8, he noticed that junior officers were college-educated. After his military service, he enrolled at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, where he earned a BBA. He later earned an MBA from Marshall University and completed specialized programs at Northwestern University and the University of Tennessee.

“This Baldwin, New York, native started his financial career as a management trainee for the Jamaica Savings Bank. He joined an options trading firm on Wall Street, and from there progressed through a distinguished career in finance and banking, culminating with the founding of Aldebaran Financial in 1991. He has also taught at several colleges and universities, and has established scholarships at Tusculum College and other institutions.

“Don and his beloved wife, the former Loyce (Sue) Ritzler, have two sons, Don II and Peter, and are proud grandparents. His devotion to education, his church, his profession, and his family are exemplary. He is the kind of citizen we at Tusculum College hope our students will emulate.”

Dr. Henry also briefly described some of the highlights of the past year at the College, including the dedication of the Niswonger Sports Complex and Mastrapasqua Hall, the 20th anniversary of the Graduate and Professional Studies program for working adults, individual student achievements, student service in the community, athletic team accomplishments, the expansion and renovation of the library, the construction of the new baseball stadium, and partnership with the Greeneville Astros rookie league team.

Also speaking to the group was Ross Lewis, president of the Student Government Association. As students see how people give and support the College, they, too, want to give back to the community, he said.

Thomas Garland, chairman of the Board of Trustees, expressed appreciation to the supporters for sharing their resources with Tusculum and asked those in attendance to join him in thanking Dr. Henry for his leadership of the College.