Allie Prescott

Prescott (BA ’69, JD ’72) is the new president of the Alumni Association, which has big plans as the U of M celebrates its 100th anniversary. He succeeds Deanie Parker, who remains on the board as immediate past president.

 “The year-long celebration of the University’s centennial will cause a constant spotlight to shine on our beloved alma mater,” Prescott said. “The Alumni Association will feature five ‘anchor’ events that will unfold during the year, events that will engage students, faculty, administration, alumni and the broader community. All of our events will help us enhance the reputation of the University, and all will create an increased sense of pride in everyone in this region to have such a tremendous research University in our midst.”

Among those events was the unveiling of 100 tiger statues on the U of M campus Sept. 10 as part of the Association’s “Tigers Around Town” campaign. The 100 tigers represent each year the University has been open and are on display on campus until being placed in various locations in the greater Memphis area in early 2012.

Other events include the Alumni Reunion Weekend in April as well as activities related to homecoming.

Alumni Association Executive Director Tammy Hedges said Prescott was a unanimous choice by the selection committee, made up of current Association national executive board members and club/chapter representatives.

“The committee felt that Allie was the perfect person to represent the Alumni Association during the centennial year celebration due to his love for the University, his understanding of volunteerism, his excellent representation of the University abroad and his devotion to the Memphis community,” Hedges said.

Prescott said he hopes to grow Alumni Association membership to 12,000, among other things.

“(Being president) will give me the opportunity to help others better understand what a true jewel this University really is. I am honored to serve because Tammy Hedges and her fine staff do an incredible job.

They need and deserve volunteer help from alums to assist in getting the message out about the University to the larger community.”

Prescott was inducted into the M Club’s Hall of Fame in 1996 for his achievements on the baseball field from 1965 through 1969. He said he paid his way through law school by serving as a graduate assistant for Al Brown, a former Memphis coach.

“Baseball has been my love since my boyhood days, and the happiest times in my life on a baseball diamond were when I was in a Tiger uniform,” he said.

Prescott earned bachelor’s and law degrees from the U of M, and he is a life member of the Alumni Association. He was named Outstanding Alumnus by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2002 and Distinguished Alumnus of the University in 2003.

Prescott’s term will run through June 2012.

A native Memphian, Prescott is the owner of a consulting company, Allie Prescott & Partners LLC, and is a senior adviser for Waddell & Associates Inc. He was president and CEO of the Memphis Redbirds AAA baseball team from 1997 to 2001. Prescott and his wife Barbara (BSEd ’71, MEd ’73) have two children, Allie and Allison (BA ’06). — by Greg Russell