Wilson to receive Distinguished Service Award

The Huntington University Foundation is pleased to announce that Jim Wilson is the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Service Award. Wilson will receive the award at the Foundation’s annual dinner on Thursday, September 26.

The Huntington University Foundation established the Distinguished Service Award in 2002 to recognize individuals or organizations that embody the principles associated with the mission of the University. Recipients are chosen because they give substance and credence to the University’s beliefs, make significant contributions to Huntington County and serve as effective role models for students.

Wilson and his wife, Gloria, joined the Huntington community in 1968 when he took a job as an economics and finance professor at Huntington University (then Huntington College). In addition to teaching, after a season as a volunteer baseball coach, Wilson took on the role of head coach of the Forester baseball team. He remained a full-time faculty member and a part-time coach during his time at Huntington College.

In the 13 years that Wilson was coach, the Foresters had six undefeated seasons, had a 90% conference winning percentage and claimed the conference championship 12 times, among many other achievements. Wilson was named Mid-Central Conference Coach of the Year 11 times and Indiana NAIA Baseball Coach of the Year twice. He was named Midwest Baseball Coach of the Year in 1974, one of eight in the nation. Additionally, he and his team were responsible for developing Forest Glen Park from a pasture to an exemplary collegiate baseball facility. Wilson coordinated contributions that made it possible to do everything from reorienting the field to installing a new scoreboard at no cost to Huntington College.

In the greater Huntington community, Wilson’s many community service projects have included placing 2,500 American flags along the streets of Huntington annually for the Fourth of July for 20 years, serving as president of Habitat for Humanity and the Optimist Club and chairing the Optimist Club’s Back to School Clothing Project for 20 years. He was named Optimist of Year twice. He chaired the Free Community Thanksgiving Dinner, where Trinity United Methodist Church serves over 600 meals, for 32 years.

Additionally, Wilson spent more than 40 years working in real estate sales, appraisals, development, building and investment, directly or indirectly adding an estimated more than $50 million to the tax base in the City of Huntington and Huntington County. He retired from his real estate business, Wilson Realty and Development, Inc., in 2024 at 82 years of age.

Wilson is a 2002 Huntington University Forester Hall of Fame inductee and a recipient of a Centennial Medallion.

The Huntington University Foundation annual dinner will begin at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, September 26, in the Merillat Complex (PLEX) on the campus of Huntington University. To learn more about the dinner and reserve a seat, visit here. The reservation deadline is September 12.