MWTC Special Presentation
by Karen Lewis
December 4, 2001
I
have been chosen to present an award to an individual who
has no idea this is about to happen. Please listen, this
is about one of you...
In
1946, a very special young woman joined the international
community by accepting a position with E.H. Sanders Cotton
Company, located on Front Street.
Around
1965/66, this very special lady tackled the airline industry
by moving to American Airlines.
By
1972, she felt the strong pull to join forces with Tom Woods
in the ocean industry and thus began her illustrious career
with Sealand.
During
her employment with Sealand, about one year later, in 1973
to be exact, she joined the Memphis World Trade Club and
has since maintained (we believe) the longest running active
membership in the history of the club.
Of
course, I am talking about Miss Nell Baugh.
There are many words to describe Nell...
Dedicated
- caring - feisty - persistent - party animal - wonderful
- hard working - a real pistol - a true friend - a 2 time
cancer survivor - an international treasure.
Don't
think you are going to get away with not paying for your
monthly luncheon reservation or your seat at port night.
She will track you down like a dog to get her money.
She
roasts past presidents each November. I wish to send a personal
note of thanks to Ben Jabbour for being president one year
before I was president. She abuses Ben and is simply exhausted
by the time she gets to me. She is always so kind to me
and I thank her for that.
She can hang at the Redbirds game drinking a beer with WTC
members or she can represent the club at an international
function honoring visiting dignitaries from other countries.
She is versatile, she is talented, she is this club's representative.
We
are her family and thus she feels ... her responsibility.
She keeps us warm and safe and on a path that is productive,
positive and true. She guides us yet allows us to grow in
our mistakes. And she is always there ... training each
incoming president, their officers and board of directors,
and cares for us year after year after year.
She
smells of Estee Lauder White Linen. She loves her "Doggie"
at home. She loves Broadway shows at the Orpheum with friends.
She loves us. She has more energy than all of us put together.
She is quite remarkable.
At
76 years young, Nell knows more about each of us than anyone
here. She remembers little Neely Mallory growing up. She
remembers getting turnip greens from Tom Woods' garden.
And she mourns the passing of past presidents that we, regretfully,
never had the opportunity of knowing.
In
1999, we established the Nell W. Baugh International Scholarship
Fund in her honor.
She
is our past, our present, and our future.
On
behalf of the MWTC, it's president, officers, board of directors,
distinguished membership and honored guests ... I have the
great privilege of presenting the club's very first "Lifetime
Achievement" Award to a very special lady ... my friend
Nell Baugh.
