Among those inducted into the Barton College Athletic Hall of Fame for 2015 was President Emeritus James B. Hemby, Jr. Having served the college during a 40-year tenure under both its names of Atlantic Christian and Barton, Dr. Hemby held a host of roles, but history recalls most vividly his appointments as a respected professor and chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages, provost of the college, and president of the college.
He was an advocate for students and for student athletes. Whether he wore presidential stripes on the sleeves of his academic regalia or stripes on the shirt of his sports official uniform, he set the bar high for integrity. Never settling for mediocrity in the classroom, the boardroom, or on the fields or courts, he challenged, encouraged and inspired all to reach their full potential.
“To receive this recognition is quite a surprise; it’s an honor that was never anticipated,” Hemby shared. “The Hall of Fame was established in an effort to honor the accolades of our fine student-athletes who excelled and led their teammates to victory in their respective sports, as well as recognizing the capable coaches and others who admirably guided these young athletes to success. These inductees served as role models among their peers. Now, to be counted among these distinguished individuals is truly a privilege; one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
A lifelong passion for intercollegiate athletics fueled his steadfast enthusiasm throughout his professional career. For more than 20 years, he served as a sports official (umpire, official and referee) for baseball, basketball and football. He held roles as president of the Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAC) and as a member of the NAIA Council of Presidents. During his last year as president of the college, Barton won its first of three consecutive Joby Hawn Cups, the conference all-sports award.
During his tenure as president, the college’s athletic program also changed its national affiliation from NAIA to NCAA Division II. The athletics program added teams in women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s cross country. And under his presidency, Barton’s athletic program was able to add key athletic personnel to the program and enhance its athletic facilities with a new tennis court complex, a newly constructed Kennedy Intramural and Recreation Center, new athletic training rooms, and a more fully developed Outdoor Athletic Complex for baseball, soccer, and softball.
“The balance of academics with athletics has always been important in intercollegiate sports and helps to ensure the success of the student-athlete following graduation,” Hemby said. “I must give much credit to Athletic Director Emeritus Gary Hall and current Athletic Director Todd Wilkinson, as well as the college’s talented coaches for their leadership in guiding Barton’s student-athletes to many stellar successes. Barton’s ADs and coaches champion the integrity and high standards by which NCAA DII student-athletes adhere. Barton successes have been built on solid core values that are instilled in our student-athletes throughout their Barton Experience.”
Hemby is a 1955 Atlantic Christian graduate and was the first alumnus to be named president of the college. A campus leader as a student, Hemby received the Faculty Cup (now the Coggins Cup) that is presented annually to the graduating senior voted to be the best overall student by the faculty and staff. He also earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University, and master’s and doctoral degrees from Texas Christian University.
He served on a variety of professional and civic boards and councils, and received numerous recognitions and honors in past decades, including being named a Lilly Foundation Visiting Scholar at Duke University, a Fulbright Scholar, and an American Council on Education Fellow in Academic Administration. He also served as chair of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities (NCICU).
Hemby’s tenure as president was marked by a focus on the long-range future of the institution. This focus was reflected by his commitment to fiscal stability through aggressive fundraising and expansion of the endowment; educating students to prosper as citizens of the global community of the 21st century through the Global Focus international emphasis; expansion of student recruitment boundaries and definition of the college’s liberal arts mission that necessitated changing the name of the institution; and by his commitment to extracting the highest return from Barton’s facilities and grounds through increased attention to construction, renovation, landscaping, and removal of outdated buildings. The campus evolved to become a more attractive pedestrian landscape with older buildings razed that were beyond repair and new facilities built to enhance the college’s academic programming and to bring a stronger identity to Barton’s campus.
Known for his forthright candor and his ability to tell a great story, nothing animated him more than fundraising for Barton College. He optimized each and every opportunity to invite others to invest in his alma mater. His enthusiasm manifested itself in the success of three capital campaigns.
“Dr. Hemby and I worked really closely together for a period of 13 years, and he was a key figure in helping set the stage for our athletic program to enjoy some of the most successful years ever,” said Hall, who served as Barton’s athletic director for 25 years. “He was president at the time we won our first Joby Hahn Cup, then followed it with two more.”
“As a former baseball umpire and basketball referee as well as an avid tennis player, he had a great passion for sports,” Hall added. “He was very devoted to the success of our athletic programs. He certainly made my job as athletic director easier by lending his support to needed directions which were taken.”
In 1989, the college’s Alumni Board honored Hemby as Alumnus of the Year. At the 2003 Barton College Commencement exercises, Judge Sidney S. Eagles, Jr., then-chair of the Barton College Board of Trustees, presented Hemby with the recognition of president emeritus. Hemby was lauded for his many contributions to and accomplishments for Barton College during his 40 years of service, including a 20-year tenure as president. A historical moment for the campus, this is the first such honor bestowed upon a Barton College president.
Following retirement, Hemby served on the Board for the Methodist Home for Children and the Raleigh Radio Reading Service Board. He also served as a consumer member of the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners.
Hemby currently makes his home in Raleigh with his wife, the former Joan Edwards, also an alumna of the College. They have three sons, James B. Hemby III (wife: Holli), Scott Edwards Hemby (wife: Christy), and Thomas Simmen Hemby “Tom” (wife: Sheila, also an alumna). The Hembys are also the proud grandparents of five granddaughters: Tristen, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Catherine and Lily.
