1986 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year

Richard J. Sharp

 

Richard J. Sharp was a Vice President and Officer in charge of South Central Bell Telephone Company in Louisiana, now known as AT&T. A native of Whiting, Indiana, Sharp graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana in 1955 with a degree in business administration. He also did graduate work at Tulane and Louisiana State University.

Sharp began his telephone career in 1955 as a supervisor in New Orleans. After holding various management positions of increasing responsibility in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama, Sharp was appointed Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Operations on April 1, 1983.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Business Task Force on Education, Inc. , YMCA, Council for a Better Louisiana, National Conference of Christians and Jews, The Chamber/New Orleans and the River Region, and on the Board of Trustees of United Way, WYES and the Council of Trustees of Gulf South Research Institute. He was also a member of the World Trade Center of New Orleans, Committee of "50" and the Economic Development Council Executive Committee, The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Metropolitan Area Committee and the Public Affairs Research Council. He also served on the Governor's Committee of "100."

 

Dick also served the university briefly as an interim athletic director and chaired the committee for the return of football.   Dick and Glory will always be appreciated by Southeastern athletes as they enter the Dick and Glory Sharp Academic Center for Student Athletes, which was established through a generous gift from the Sharps.

Dick and his wife, the former Glory Needham of Pulaski, Tennessee, have four sons.