The ‘Earl Exum Servant Leader’ Award was announced at West Hartford’s 2024 Martin Luther King Day celebration.

Submitted

When West Hartford holds its annual Dr. Martin King, Jr. celebration on January 20, 2025, a community member will be announced as the first Earl Exum Servant Leader Award recipient.

The establishment of the award was announced at the 2024 ceremony on Jan. 15.

A “Servant Leader” is an individual who focuses on serving others, fostering a supportive environment, and empowering people to grow. Nominees for this award should demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities that align with the principles of servant leadership.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a servant leader who encouraged collaboration, stewardship, and empowerment. Nominees would have these qualities as well. Through his vision for a better world, King left a legacy we continue to celebrate 55 years after his death.

The West Hartford MLK Committee seeks nominations for the award. Click here for the nomination form. The deadline is Dec. 15, 2024. Nominees must be residents of West Hartford or have a business/organization/nonprofit based in West Hartford.

“This is a way for West Hartford to honor our friend Earl Exum and spotlight an individual who is serving others in our community,” said Adrienne Billings-Smith, West Hartford’s Equity Officer and Title VI Coordinator and member of the MLK planning committee.

Earl Exum passed away suddenly on Oct. 1, 2023, and is remembered for his contributions.

He was a senior executive at Pratt and Whitney, president of WHAASCO (the West Hartford African American Social and Cultural Organization), member and former chairman of the board of West Hartford Community Interactive, a youth sports coach and scoutmaster, a leader at Asylum Hill Congregational Church. He emceed the town’s Memorial Day Parade and MLK celebration in 2021. He organized and fundraised to build a memorial to Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833), the first African American ordained Congregational minister. A small monument and bench are on the front lawn of the First Church Congregational.

Exum was also the husband of 19th District Democratic state Rep. Tammy Exum and the father to three sons, Evan, Kyle, and Jonathan.

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