Former Rector Henry C. "Hank" Wolf '64, J.D. '66 to Receive Honorary Degree
Henry C. “Hank” Wolf ’64, J.D. ’66, a former William & Mary rector and retired chief financial officer of Norfolk Southern, will receive an honorary degree at the university’s Commencement ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. in Zable Stadium on Friday, May 19.
Read the complete announcement: Henry C. "Hank" Wolf '64, J.D. '66 and award-winning comedian, writer and actor Patton Oswalt '91 to receive honorary degrees
Wolf graduated from W&M with a degree in economics before pursuing his law degree at the university. He started his career in law in the U.S. Army, where he served for four years and achieved the rank of captain. He next served as a law clerk for the U.S. Tax Court and an attorney for the Internal Revenue Service before embarking on a long career with Norfolk Southern. Throughout his 34 years with the company, Wolf rose through the ranks, ultimately becoming its vice chairman and chief financial officer, retiring in 2007.
Wolf was first appointed to the W&M Board of Visitors in 2003 and reappointed in 2007. He was elected as vice rector in 2006 and rector in 2009, becoming the first Jewish rector in the history of the university. He was also a board member of the William & Mary Real Estate Foundation from 2007 to 2022, serving as chair the last two years. In 2010, he spoke at the university’s Opening Convocation ceremony.
He has remained a strong supporter of his alma mater throughout the years. In 2014, he and his wife, Dixie Davis Wolf, gave $3 million to establish the 1779 Scholars Fund for student scholarships at William & Mary Law School and to create The Wolf Gallery at the university’s Muscarelle Museum of Art. The couple also provided a generous gift to support the W&M Law School’s library construction project.
In 2006, W&M Law School gave Wolf honorary membership in Order of the Coif, a national honor society that recognizes intellectual and professional accomplishment. Wolf is also an emeritus member of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Council. In addition to his service to W&M, Wolf has been active in a number of other community organizations and institutions of higher education. He is a former member of the Board of Visitors at Eastern Virginia Medical School and has also been on the boards of AGL Resources, Inc., and Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. Wolf also previously served as a trustee of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and was elected as its chair in 2016. He is now chairman emeritus.