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Radford, Virginia Started as a Rail Depot and Hub of Higher Learning

George Abie Williams, Senior Vice President Investments and branch manager of Stifel in Radford, Va is an experienced financial advisor with over 40 years experience. He is also a lifelong resident of Radford, a city situated along the New River in southwestern Virginia. Radford has maintained an enduring historic character thanks to the efforts of residents and community leaders. Settled by Dr. John Blair Radford and Colonel Edward Hammet in the 1830s, the area grew into a village in the 1850s with the construction of Central Depot situated at the midpoint of the run between Lynchburg, Virginia, and Bristol, Tennessee.

Residential communities of Central City took root in terraced areas comfortably above the river’s floodplain, dedicated to farming and industrial use. A narrow stream valley, ConnelIy's Run, formed a social and geographical boundary between the town’s east and westwards. The Radford Land and Improvement Company developed the west while various heavy industries grew up around the New River depot across the river. Industries included lumber companies, brickworks, iron foundry, and stone quarry. The Virginia Iron, Coal, and Coke Company became a major regional employer for many years.

The municipality’s name officially changed to Radford two years after its incorporation as a town in 1885. The community had a significant economic boost with the establishment of the State Normal and Industrial School for Women in 1910, folded within the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1944, and renamed Radford College. The institution became independent in 1964 and gradually expanded to an enrollment of more than 9,000 students. The railroad's role waned considerably in the 1970s, as Interstate 81 opened, and many industrial operations fostered by rail transport shut their doors.

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Four Steps to Register as a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization

George A “ABIE” Williams, Jr., Senior Vice President Investments at Stifel in Radford, Va also serves as Chairman of Radford High School Foundation, Inc. The foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 1986. The 501 (C) (3) is an organization that is exempt by the IRS from paying taxes on income received. Thus, non-profits do not need to pay taxes on donations or funds received. Starting a non-profit can be difficult, and here are four steps for registering a 501 (C)(3) non-profit.

Draft a Purpose Statement: When registering a non-profit, it is essential to come up with a purpose statement that conveys why the organization exists. This document should not exceed 50 words and qualifies the non-profit for tax-exempt status.

Select a Board of Directors: IRS regulations require most non-profits to have at least three directors on their board. However, in some states, it is allowed to have only one director on a non-profit board. During this process, it is important to pick individuals with useful skills and interests that coincide with the organization’s goals and mission.

Acquire a Tax Identification Number (TIN): Every non-profit must have a means of identification as a taxpayer, even if they are not required to pay tax. A TIN is the equivalent of a social security number for individuals. To begin operating, every 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization must have a tax number.

File the Necessary Paperwork with the IRS: Every non-profit that intends to obtain a tax-exempt status must file an IRS Form 1023. Depending on the nature of the organization, a non-profit may also be required to fill out one of the attached, Schedule A or Schedule B. The information provided in this form will determine whether or not the IRS grants the non-profit a tax-exempt status.

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The Role of Donors in University Athletic Programs

A graduate of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, where he studied accounting, George Abie Williams is now the Senior Vice President/Investments and Branch Manager at Stifel Nicolaus in Radford, VA. Involved in several community ventures, George Abie Williams has donated to the Carolina University (formerly Piedmont International University) gymnasium renovation.

Sports facilities play a pivotal role in the success and sustainability of university games. However, they require substantial funding for equipment and maintenance. Donors often provide financial support, investing in the present and future by nurturing talent and promoting healthy competition. This support leaves a lasting legacy at the university and in its sports and academic programs.

Further, donors' contributions to athletic programs enhance the universities' overall reputations, providing opportunities for talented athletes to pursue their dreams. Additionally, the support enables universities to offer well-rounded educational experiences that combine academic excellence with athletic achievement, creating graduates ready to tackle challenges in various fields.

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The RHS Class of 1970 Endowed Scholarship

An experienced financial services professional and executive administrator in Radford, VA, George Abie Williams has been senior vice president of investments with Stifel Nicolaus since 2010. George Abie Williams is also a charter member and chair of the Radford High School Foundation (RHSF).

A nonprofit organization that is dedicated to “supporting and enhancing Radford’s already successful school system,” the RHSF has secured more than $825,000 in scholarship and grant funds to benefit the city’s four schools.

In July of 2023, the RHSF announced a new scholarship established by local school system graduates Craig and Russell Allen. The twin brothers will provide initial funding for the RHS Class of 1970 Endowed Scholarship, which will provide financial assistance to graduating high school seniors from the region.

To build the fund for this scholarship, the Allen brothers will donate $2,500 each year during each of their respective lifetimes. Other members of the class of 1970 are also expected to contribute money. A qualifying student will receive the first RHS Class of 1970 Endowed Scholarship award when the fund reaches $20,000.

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Tips for Combining Sports with Academics

George Abie Williams entered the investment and securities business in 1981, and he currently serves as the senior vice president investments at Stifel Nicolaus in Radford, VA. An avid sports enthusiast who has donated to developing sports foundations like the RHS Foundation, George Abie Williams played football, basketball, and tennis in high school. He is also a former president of the Radford University Athletic Foundation Board.

While academics is the core objective of going to school, sports have proven to be rewarding extracurricular activities. However, many students do not know how to effectively balance their studies and participation in sports.

Creating a timetable to organize your day is vital to ensuring you do not become overwhelmed with the responsibilities of combining sports with academics. A schedule helps you plan and optimize your time, as well as keep track of due dates, training sessions, and upcoming meets or games. Build your schedule around times dedicated to class attendance and sports practices, as these are generally fixed.

To establish a routine of completing all items on your timetable, you must practice self-discipline. Challenges can arise even with the best-laid plans. Avoid making excuses for not following through with the essential activities on your schedule.

Additionally, prioritize rest. Combining sports with academics often results in a consistently packed schedule. As such, rest and recouperation is paramount for managing stress and maintaining your energy. Get adequate sleep and make time for recreational or relaxing activities that help you destress and replenish the mental vitality needed to fulfill your obligations.

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Online Seminary Degree at Carolina University

A longtime resident of Radford, VA, George Abie Williams is a financial professional with more than four decades of experience in the investment securities sector. He serves as senior vice president and branch manager of investments at Stifel Nicolaus, a full-service brokerage and investment banking firm in Radford, VA, that assists clients in all areas of their wealth management needs. George Abie Williams sits on the board of trustees for Carolina University.

The Piedmont Divinity School at Carolina University offers an online seminary degree program geared toward developing aptitude in Scripture interpretation and ministering skills. The program combines the benefits of the MA in Biblical Studies program and the Master of Divinity (MDiv) programs at the university. These component programs prepare competent Bible expositors for Christian ministry roles and enhance preaching skills through research-intensive coursework.

Pastors, chaplains, professors, and para-church leaders looking to attain more influential ministry roles can advance their skills through the online seminary degree program. Individuals can enroll in the program while working.

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School Foundation's Municipal Baseball Field

George Abie Williams has spent nearly 12 years as the branch manager of the Radford, VA, branch of Stifel Nicolaus as well as senior vice president/investments. When he is not advising clients in various areas of wealth management, George Abie Williams supports various philanthropic initiatives throughout the Radford, VA, region. He played a key role in raising funds for the Radford Municipal Baseball Field. The City of Radford’s high school baseball field was designed by Thompson @ Litton and built by local contractors following a successful 2005 fundraising campaign headed by the RHS Foundation. The field supports both high school and youth league games and is viewed as one of the finest high school fields in the state. The field has been used for inter-state competitions and has hosted college club teams from Virginia Tech and New River Community College. The field was constructed on a 5.8-acre plot of land that formerly served as a landfill site. The initial two phases of construction were completed between 2007 and 2008, with additional irrigation support introduced in 2011. The field itself measures 400 feet at center field, with 330-foot sidelines out to left and right. Additional features range from concrete dugouts to team amenities, like bullpens and batting cages. The field also has a digital scoreboard and metal bleachers for fans. Future plans include a complete lighting system to allow for night games, concessions and ticket booths, a press box, and fixed seating.

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Radford High School Foundation Awards Scholarships

George Abie Williams has worked in the investment securities industry for over 40 years. He currently is the Senior Vice President Investments and Branch Manager at Stifel in Radford, VA. George Abie Williams is also the chairman of the Radford High School Foundation. The Radford High School Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 by alumni and friends of Radford High School to support Radford city schools. Each year in fall, the foundation awards classroom grants to innovative teachers in all four of the city schools and, in spring, it gives out scholarships to Radford High School graduating students who would like to proceed to college. The scholarships are awarded based on student’s academic achievements, community service, career goals, leadership, athletic participation, and needs. In spring 2021, the Radford High School Foundation awarded 18 scholarships whose total value was $40,250. This was an increase from the $27,150 offered in scholarships in 2020. Since the foundation was started, it has donated over $510,000 in scholarships and classroom grants.

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Calvary Baptist Church Supports Seniors Living in Radford, VA

Financial advisor George Abie Williams functions as the branch manager of Stifel Nicolaus in Radford, VA. Outside of work, George Abie Williams enjoys giving back to the Radford, VA, community, including by serving as a deacon and Sunday school teacher at Calvary Baptist Church, which offers the Young at Heart program, among several others. An adult ministry that creates unique opportunities for community seniors to engage with each other, the Young at Heart program travels frequently to an interesting location that provides educational opportunities or simply entertainment and the chance for fellowship. Some of the overnight destinations include Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The program also includes shorter trips ending in a shared meal. Through Young at Heart, Calvary Baptist Church creates a unique opportunity for community and camaraderie among its older members. Individuals interested in learning more about upcoming events through the program, especially during this time of adaptation and social distancing, can join the mailing list online at CBCRadford.org. The church also organizes programming for its young and adult members.

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How the Best Foundation Leaders Get the Job Done

George Abie Williams has served as a senior vice president of investments at brokerage Stifel Nicolaus in Radford, VA, since 2010. His decades-long background in finance encompasses honors such as a position on Virginia Business magazine’s list of top wealth advisors. George Abie Williams’ in-depth understanding of his field has additionally enabled him to make notable contributions in community leadership positions that involve extensive fundraising efforts. These include his ongoing chairmanship of the non profit Radford High School Foundation, Inc., for which he has led campaigns totaling more than $1 million. Leading a nonprofit foundation successfully requires a very particular set of skills. Experts note that foundation leaders who get things done share several key traits. Among the foremost of these is the quality of communication. Skilled nonprofit leaders know that it’s their responsibility to practice active listening as they work with diverse groups of stakeholders. They also know how to convey information in ways that will make the organization’s significance and achievements clear to employee and customers alike. A great foundation leader is also a self-directed self-starter. Never one to linger on the sidelines, a foundation’s leader draws on deep reserves of interior motivation, passion for the mission, and a drive toward tangible achievement. And it’s this commitment that tends to help motivate others to do their part to make the organization successful as well. Additionally, the best nonprofit leaders are planners. They bring an understanding of the workings of finance, and of the strategies that will best preserve and grow the organization’s resources, to set forth realistic but ambitious programs that focus on fundraising, investment, donor relationships, and capital campaigns to create lasting legacies of programs and services.

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Piedmont International University Expands as Carolina University

George Abie Williams has worked in Radford, VA, at investment brokerage Stifel for the past 10 years. Additionally, he has held numerous leadership positions in his community, including charter member and chairman of the Radford High School Foundation, Inc., and member of the Board of Trustees and chairman of the Athletic Facilities Committee of Piedmont International University (PIU). In 2019, PIU named its basketball gymnasium in honor of George Abie Williams. A private Christian institution, Carolina University celebrates a proud history that stretches back almost 80 years. Founded in 1945 as Piedmont Bible Institute, the school’s original mission centered on helping returning veterans of the Second World War reconnect with Bible study. Its founder, Dr. Charles H. Stevens, served as the pastor of Winston-Salem’s Salem Baptist Church. After only a few years, the small school had transformed itself into a formal higher education setting, still focused on scriptural study and renamed as Piedmont Bible College. An expansion of curriculum and faculty positions answered the need expressed by Christian educational experts. Dr. Stevens served as president of the college until 1970, when Dr. Donald K. Drake succeeded him. In 1987, Dr. Howard Wilburn, who ensured that the school earned accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, succeeded Dr. Drake. By the mid-1990s, Piedmont was offering graduate courses. After 2002, it began to experience exponential growth under the leadership of its fourth and current president, Dr. Charles Petitt, who has developed the PhD program, overseen mergers with other Christian colleges, added a business component, and rebranded the expanded institution as Piedmont International University and now Carolina University. As the fall term of 2020 began, PIU’s renaming as Carolina University signaled its recognition of the contributions of the several schools now operating under a single leadership with a single mission.

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Williams Field at Carter Stadium Acknowledges George Abie Williams

Senior vice president of investments at Stifel Nicolaus, George Abie Williams serves as manager of the firm’s Radford, VA office. George Abie Williams has given back to his Radford, VA community in various ways, including serving as chairman of the Radford University Athletic Foundation Board. Radford University opened its newly remodeled baseball stadium on April 8, 2011, with significant improvements including a 700-seat grandstand, cutting-edge sound system, spacious main concourse level, and a new press box. The stadium also features lighting that meets NCAA regional tournament host site requirements, which will allow night games to be held. The field was upgraded to become one of the region’s finest natural playing surfaces. Radford Athletics held a naming ceremony on April 29, 2017, wherein the stadium became known as the Sherman Carter Memorial Stadium. In acknowledgment of George Abie Williams’ contributions to Radford University’s sports programs, the field became known as Williams Field. The facility has the combined name of Williams Field at Carter Memorial Stadium.

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An Introduction to the Lions Clubs International SightFirst Program

The Senior Vice President Investments at Stifel Nicolaus, George Abie Williams is a long-time financial advisor based in Radford, VA. A regular contributor to a variety of community organizations, George Abie Williams formerly served as the president of the Radford, VA, chapter of Lions Clubs International. The largest organization of service clubs in the world, Lions Clubs International operates close to 46,000 clubs in 200 geographical areas and countries. Since its inception in 1917, Lions International has been committed to supporting individuals battling blindness, and it launched SightFirst in 1990 to continue this mission. One of the organization's best-known programs, SightFirst fights the primary causes of reversible and preventable blindness and works to furnish services to individuals with visual impairments. It provides grants to support eye-care infrastructure, training, and delivery systems. Today, it has awarded more than $318 million to 1,227 projects around the world, funded 7.8 million cataract surgeries, built 700 eye centers, and trained more than 706,000 eye-care professionals. Lions Clubs International welcomes individuals and groups to apply for grants through the SightFirst program at its website. Visit LionsClubs.org to view requirements, download an application form, and find the most up-to-date application deadlines.

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The Evolution of the Radford High School Foundation

George "Abie" Williams is a financial advisor with more than three decades of experience. In addition to his role as Senior Vice President Investments at Stifel Nicolaus in Radford, VA, George "Abie" Williams chairs the Radford High School Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3. In May 2017 alone, the Radford, VA, charity presented more than $24,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors. The foundation was established in 1986. As it honed its focus, it revealed a sincere dedication to merging athletic pursuits with academic programs, as many of its major accomplishments are rooted in the belief that a prominent athletic curriculum can improve the lives of young and old alike. In 1999, the Radford High School Foundation constructed the James P. King Center, a full-sized gymnasium valued at $1.2 million. The center attracts locals and visitors for athletic activities each year.

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Radford, Virginia’s Historical West District

Respected real estate developer George Abie Williams was instrumental in the construction and development of the Inglewood subdivision located in Radford, VA. George Abie Williams leverages his decades of experience in property renovation to revitalize the West Radford, VA historical business district. Williams chose to locate the Radford branch office of Stifel at 222 West Main Street in May 2010 where he serves as Senior Vice President/Investments. For more than a century, the West Radford Commercial District has been a hub of business activity. Some of the city’s oldest buildings are located in this historical area, which is known for its Victorian and Romanesque architecture. In 2015, the district was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, visitors and locals interested in learning more about the history of West Radford can take a guided tour. Some notable landmarks on the 23 stop tour include the West End Flour Mill, which operated between 1906 and 1932, and the homes of several prominent early residents, including Virginia governor John N. Dalton and William Ingles, who was one of the city’s first business owners.

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The Radford High Foundation Big Al Hall Scholarship Fund

Prominent Radford, VA real estate developer and Stifel Financial Advisor, George Abie Williams has been a central figure in the city’s commercial property sector for several decades. George Abie Williams is also active in many local committees, including the Radford High School Foundation, where he has served as chairman for more than 30 years. The foundation awards college scholarships to Radford High School graduates. The Big Al Hall Scholarship has been granted to incoming college freshman since 2011. The fund was established in the memory of Allen Hall, a life-long Radford resident. An alumnus of Radford High, Hall was a multi-sport varsity athlete. He went on to support many local and national organizations, including St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Hall also helped establish the Foundation’s Dana Palmer Endowment and was a founding chairman of the Radford High School Sports Hall of Fame. The Big Al Hall scholarship is awarded to students who will participate in school athletics at Division III colleges and universities. Recent recipients have enrolled at Liberty University in Virginia and Green Mountain College in Vermont.

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Pair of Virginia Tech Football Players Announce Transfer Plans

George Abie Williams is a longtime resident of Radford, VA, who has served as the senior vice president/investments for Stifel Nicolaus since 2010. In addition to his work as a financial advisor, George Abie Williams is a supporter of local athletic activities in Radford, VA, and a passionate fan of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) football team. Despite being ranked as high as No. 12 in the country earlier this season in the Associated Press (AP) Poll, Virginia Tech had a win-loss record of 4-6 through its first 10 games and had lost four in a row. The team was dealt some more bad news in the lead-up to its 11th game of the season. Both linebacker Rico Kearney and wide receiver Sean Savoy announced their plans to leave the program and transfer to other schools. Although he primarily played on special teams in the first seven games of the season, Kearney had a breakout game earlier this year against Boston College in which he registered 18 tackles. That was the most recorded by a Hokies player since 2003. Savoy, meanwhile, was in his second season with the Hokies and had 642 receiving yards, 121 rushing yards, and eight touchdowns through 21 games.