BELMONT — Robert Luddy, a North Carolina native, entrepreneur and education advocate, has been honored by the Benedict Leadership Institute at Belmont Abbey College.
The Benedict Leadership Award highlights the achievements of individuals whose lives reflect the heroic leadership of St. Benedict.
“The fusion of leadership and faith is the heartbeat of the Benedict Leadership Award,” said Connor Gallagher, executive director of the Benedict Leadership Institute and publisher of TAN Books, during an awards banquet March 14. “This annual award is a pulsing reminder that amidst the darkness lies the seeds of renewal. Great leaders, such as Robert Luddy, do not shy away from the shadows. Instead, they discern within them the silhouettes of opportunities, they see gleaming vistas far beyond the horizon.”
Throughout decades of professional work and civic service, Luddy has maintained a single-minded focus on goal setting, constant improvement and ongoing innovation, award presenters noted.
His business acumen led him to buy a small sheet metal shop in 1980 that he eventually developed into CaptiveAire Systems – now a leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation systems in North America.
Luddy then put his business skills to work building up educational options for families in North Carolina.
In 1998, he established Franklin Academy, a Wake Forest-area public school that is now one of the largest charter schools in the state. In 2001 he founded St. Thomas More Academy, a classical college preparatory middle and high school in Raleigh. In 2007 Thales Academy was created as a network of private schools offering high-quality pre-K-12 education at an affordable tuition.
The network of Luddy Schools is growing, with more than 8,000 students enrolled and nearly 600 faculty and staff employed throughout North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
In 2022 the network expanded to include Thales College, a classical college in Wake Forest, N.C. that offers an affordable and accelerated undergraduate degree program.
Besides his business and educational success, Luddy has received numerous awards including the 2006 Benemerenti Medal from Pope Benedict XVI for exemplary service to the Church and community.
Belmont Abbey College founded the Benedict Leadership Institute in 2016 to develop Catholic leaders and inspire them to transform society in light of their faith. Luddy is the seventh recipient of the Benedict Leadership Award and was recognized in part for his advocacy of education.
“In Mr. Luddy's endeavors, we witness his vision, his faith-filled leadership, and his virtue, a testament that aligns with the criteria for the Benedict Leadership Award,” Gallagher said.
— Spencer K.M. Brown. Photo by Rolando Rivas.