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October 28 at National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
2023 Wall of Fame Humanitarian Awards
Left to Right: The 2023 OKCPS Foundation Wall of Fame honorees are Cuong Do, J. Don Harris, D.D.S., Pamela Ruth Henry (Posthumous), Florence Jones-Kemp and Unsung Hero Honorees Ray and Pat Potts.
OKCPS Foundation announces 2023 Wall of Fame honorees
The Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation is proud to announce four individuals and one couple as its 2023 Wall of Fame honorees. This year’s class will include four traditional honorees, with one being honored posthumously, and one couple designated as Unsung Heroes. The 2023 honorees will be inducted into the Wall of Fame on October 30 at the 39th annual Wall of Fame Humanitarian Awards event.
Meet the Honorees
Cuong Do
Cuong Do (Northwest Classen High School) is President and CEO of BioVie Inc., a clinical-stage company developing innovative therapies for Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s disease and refractory Ascites. Prior to BioVie, Do was President of Samsung’s Global Strategy Group, Chief Strategy Officer for Merck, Tyco Electronics and Lenovo, and a senior partner at McKinsey & Company for 17 years. He holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Do is an active entrepreneur with expertise in founding new companies and coaching others on how to start their own businesses. He is an active volunteer, philanthropist and supporter of several causes, most notably autism and education. He founded Identifor, Inc. and Identifor Foundation to help teenagers with autism gain confidence and independence as they transition to adulthood. Additionally, Do founded the Profectum Foundation to train clinicians and parents on how to work with children with autism and helped build Celebrate the Children, a school for children with special needs in New Jersey. With a mission to improve the health and well-being of all people, Do serves on numerous boards that benefit the nonprofit, education, healthcare and technology industries.
J. Don Harris, D.D.S.
J. Don Harris, D.D.S. (Capitol Hill High School) has dedicated over 45 years to the field of dentistry with a focus on providing services to those who are less fortunate. Specializing in serving those with developmental or congenital disabilities and elderly Oklahomans who are in dire need of free comprehensive dental care due to lack of financial resources, Dr. Harris’ passion for helping those less fortunate led to his establishment of D-DENT, Dentists for the Disabled and Elderly in Need of Treatment, which has provided over $22.6 million in free dental care to the elderly and mentally challenged in Oklahoma. His belief that no one should be denied the right to health care due to social or economic status has led him to donate critical dental services to hundreds of patients across the United States and as far as Honduras, Peru, the Amazon, and Africa. Dr. Harris continues to give back to Oklahoma City Public Schools by serving as the passionate leader of the Capitol Hill High School Alumni Association.
Posthumous Honoree Pamela Ruth Henry
Posthumous Honoree Pamela Ruth Henry (John Marshall High School) was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma, in 1950. Just 14 months after her birth she contracted polio; this would eventually leave her unable to walk without crutches and ultimately force her to rely on the use of a wheelchair. In 1959, she was selected to be the national polio poster child for The March of Dimes and became the last child to represent polio victims in the annual campaign. While representing the campaign on a nationwide tour, she met several influential journalists who inspired her to pursue a career in the industry. After graduating with a degree in journalism and broadcasting from the University of Oklahoma in 1973, Henry became the first female news reporter for WKY television in Oklahoma City. She fearlessly broke through the glass ceiling and led a successful 30-year career working with multiple television and radio stations. After retiring in 2002, Henry turned her focus to advocating for people with disabilities and even served as chair of the Oklahoma City Mayor’s Committee on Disability Concerns. She continued her advocacy for increased accessibility for people with disabilities until her death on September 25, 2018.
Florence Jones-Kemp
Florence Jones-Kemp (Douglass High School) was born in 1931 in Boley, Oklahoma, to sharecroppers Robert and Elizabeth Jones. Florence learned how to cook from her mother in their farmhouse kitchen and in her home economics class at Douglass High School. In 1952, just two short years after graduating from high school, she opened the doors of Florence’s Restaurant with only a second-hand stove and one table. The restaurant was immediately popular and quickly outgrew its original space in downtown OKC. In 1969, she moved to her current location on 23rd Street. Florence’s Restaurant has been a staple in Northeast Oklahoma City ever since. Her fresh, homemade Southern cuisine has received national media attention and several accolades, including the ultimate recognition when Florence’s Restaurant was named a 2022 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award winner. Florence’s was the first restaurant in Oklahoma to receive this prestigious award. At 92 years old, Florence can still be found working in the restaurant alongside her beloved daughter, Victoria.
Unsung Hero Honorees Ray and Pat Potts
Unsung Hero Honorees Ray and Pat Potts married in June of 1955 after meeting at the University of Missouri, where Ray received his Bachelor of Arts and a Masters in Geology, and Pat received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Since moving to OKC in 1959, the couple have made a significant impact on the community, especially in the nonprofit sector. Pat founded the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits and served as its President and CEO for over 20 years while Ray co-founded an independent energy company called PSEC and served as its President and CEO for over 30 years. In 1980, the Potts created the Community Resource Development Foundation (CRDF) to provide nonprofits with financial support for the provision of management training to turn their good intentions into tangible results. Improving and supporting education in OKC has long been a priority in their philanthropic efforts. Pat was elected twice to serve as Chair of the Oklahoma City School Board and Ray served for eight years as a member of the State Board of Education. The Potts were a critical part of the establishment of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation in 1984, with Ray serving as the Foundation’s first chairman of the board. In 2000, the CRDF became the Potts Family Foundation, and the organization continues to provide vital support to nonprofits that focus on education and early childhood development in Oklahoma.
Sponsorship Opportunities
The Wall of Fame Humanitarian Awards event celebrates the long, rich history of Oklahoma City Public Schools and includes some of the city’s and nation’s most influential business, community and artistic leaders. Please join us in helping a new generation of students turn their dreams into reality though your most appreciated support
Through the Years: Wall of Fame Humanitarian Award Honorees
- The Honorable Robert Bacharach, 2021
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- Commissioner Willa Johnson, 2015
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- Dr. William Lee Beasley and Sherry L. Beasley, 2017
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- Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick, 1990
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- John Elson Kirkpatrick, 1990
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- Mona Salyer Lambird, 1996
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- Dr. Legand L. Burge Jr., 2018
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- Dr. Benton C. Clark III, 2015
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- Dr. Pamela McCauley, 2019
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- Richard H. Clements, 1997
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- Gregory McPerson II, 2022
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- The Honorable Vicki Miles-LaGrange, 2006
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- Dr. Nancy Nesbitt Nagel, 2020
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- The Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, 2012
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- Mayor James H. Norick, 1992
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- Marion Briscoe DeVore, 1988
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- Mayor Ronald J. Norick, 1995
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- L. Thomas Dulaney Jr., 2008
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- Dr. Robert S. Ellis, 2000
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- David G. Fitzgerald, 2014
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- Jeanne Hoffman Smith, 2000
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- Lela Bennett Sullivan, 2003
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- The Honorable Ralph G. Thompson, 2003
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- Edith Gaylor Harper, 1999
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- Erik Logan Toppenberg, 2011
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- Christopher C. Turner, 2003
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- Dannie Bea Hightower, 2001
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- Thurman V. White Jr., 2017
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- A. Max Weitzenhoffer, Jr., 2010
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- Dr. Kathryn Jeffery, 2022
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- Dr. Marvin Williams, 2021
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Thank you to our 2023 Wall of Fame Sponsors
Diamond Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores
McLaughlin Family Foundation
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Gold Sponsors
The Center for Education Law
E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation
Silver Sponsors
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber
Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits
TTCU Federal Credit Union
Moments from the 2022 Wall of Fame Humanitarian Awards