Biographies
David McCullough
Keynote Speaker
David McCullough has been widely acclaimed as a “master of the art of narrative history,” “a matchless writer.” He is twice winner of the National Book Award, twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize. In December 2006 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award.
His books have been praised for their scholarship, their understanding of American life, their “vibrant prose,” and insight into individual character. Mr. McCullough’s most recent book, 1776, the number one New York Times national bestseller in both hardcover and paperback, has been called, “brilliant…powerful,” “a classic.” There are three million copies in print, while Mr. McCullough’s previous work, John Adams, remains one of the most critically acclaimed and widely read American biographies of all time. It is presently in its sixty-third printing.
In the words of the citation accompanying his honorary degree from Yale, "As an historian, he paints with words, giving us pictures of the American people that live, breathe, and above all, confront the fundamental issues of courage, achievement, and moral character."
Mr. McCullough’s other books include The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, The Path between the Seas, Mornings on Horseback, Brave Companions, and Truman. As may be said of few writers, none of his books has ever been out of print.
David McCullough is as well twice winner of the prestigious Francis Parkman Prize, and for his work overall he has been honored by the National Book Foundation Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Award and the National Humanities Medal. He has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has received more than forty honorary degrees.
In a crowded, productive career, he has been an editor, essayist, teacher, lecturer, and familiar presence on public television -- as host of Smithsonian World, The American Experience, and narrator of numerous documentaries including The Civil War. His is also the narrator’s voice in the movie Seabiscuit.
A gifted speaker, Mr. McCullough has lectured in all parts of the country and abroad, as well as at the White House. He is also one of the few private citizens to speak before a joint session of Congress.
Born in Pittsburgh, Mr. McCullough was educated there and at Yale, where he was graduated with honors in English literature. He is an avid reader, traveler, and has enjoyed a lifelong interest in art and architecture. He is as well a devoted painter. Mr. McCullough and his wife Rosalee Barnes McCullough have five children and eighteen grandchildren.
Bob Graham
After earning his bachelor’s degree from UF in 1959 and a law degree from Harvard in 1962, the Miami Lakes native served 12 years in the Florida Legislature while working in his family’s cattle business and community development businesses. In 1978, he was elected Governor of Florida and served two successful terms. His passion for education was apparent, and in 1986 the Council of Chief State School Officers recognized him for his national leadership in education.
Graham was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, serving three consecutive terms. One of his most important contributions came during his last term, when he was named chairman on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. He co-sponsored the bill to create the Director of National Intelligence position and co-chaired the “Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001.” Graham later authored 2004’s Intelligence Matters, revealing serious faults in the U.S. national security system.
Since retiring from public office in early 2005, Graham spent the 2005-2006 academic year at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He now plans to focus his efforts on training the next generation of public leaders by mobilizing the academic resources of the University of Florida to solve public policy challenges facing Florida, the nation, and the Americas.
The Pugh Family
After earning his bachelor’s degree in building construction from UF in 1963, Jim Pugh served as a U.S. Army Airborne Ranger and commander of a Special Forces unit. Since 1970, he has owned Epoch Properties, a company that builds hotels, timeshares and rental housing— developing more than 30,000 multi-family living units in 56 cities from Florida to California. He is also chairman of Epoch Management, a comprehensive real estate management firm established in 1973.
Mr. Pugh was named one of the “Most Influential Floridians” by Florida Trend in 2004, “Most Influential Businessman” by Orlando Business Journal in 2005, and one of six “Most Powerful Central Floridians” by the Orlando Sentinel in 2007. He is active in numerous civic and governmental organizations, including the Orlando Utilities Commission, the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Board, and the Orange County chapter of the UF Alumni Association.
Alexis Pugh has more than 30 years of experience in advertising and public relations, having worked with various agencies in Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Orlando. She is owner of Lakeshore Advertising Consultants in Orlando, which designs and produces collateral materials for clients in the multi-family housing industry. Mrs. Pugh has also volunteered for numerous community organizations, serving as a founding board member of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida and a member of the board of trustees for Bethune-Cookman College and the United Arts of Central Florida.
