William Frank Newton Memorial Scholarship at the University of Georgia
In honor and recognition of his outstanding service in the Community Development field, WFN Consulting is pleased to announce the creation of the William Frank Newton Memorial Scholarship at the University of Georgia.
This scholarship will provide financial support to University of Georgia students who are pursuing a graduate level degree in the field of Public Administration.
In Memory of William Frank Newton 1941 – 2015
A legend in the Community Development field, his company has managed U.S. Housing & Urban Development [HUD] grant portfolios in Georgia for Cobb and Gwinnett Counties since the 1980s. Frank was instrumental in forming public-private partnerships and strengthening social service infrastructures in both counties. On the national level, he frequently lobbied on behalf of his county clients on Capitol Hill to secure additional grant funding. His encyclopedic knowledge of how Congress worked was simply without peer.
Frank was a visionary who saw the need for Community Development practitioners across the country to form an organization to give them a voice in Washington. This resulted in the formation of the National Association of County Community and Economic Development [NACCED] which today represents the interests of those working with HUD at the County level.
A graduate of both the University of Florida [B.S.] and University of Georgia [M.P.A.], Frank was a political appointee in President Jimmy Carter’s administration as the Southeast Regional Director for FEMA. Upon leaving President Carter’s administration, he opened his own consulting practice in Atlanta, Georgia in 1981.
Frank’s infectious warm smile, wry sense of humor, and positive attitude left a positive impression on all who met him. In the office, Frank could usually be heard humming or telling one of his favorite jokes. He loved enjoying BBQ from Williamson Brothers.
On Tuesday, October 20, 2015, William Frank Newton passed away. He continues to be missed, but his memory and impact in the Community Development field lives on today in the work we do at WFN Consulting.
