Wilkesboro, NC – Wilkes Community College (WCC) is thrilled to announce a generous gift from Billie and Larry P. Watson, leading to the naming of the newly renovated police department as the Billie and Larry P. Watson Command Center. This state-of-the-art facility, centrally located on the Wilkes Campus, stands as a testament to the Watsons’ enduring legacy of commitment to education and community service.

The Command Center provides WCC’s police department with enhanced facilities to ensure the safety and security of the campus community. Wilkes Community College is deeply grateful to the Watsons for their generous support and dedication to the institution’s mission to name the newly renovated space.

Larry P. Watson attended WCC during the 1966/67 academic year before graduating as a Second Lieutenant from East Tennessee State University in 1971. He served his country with distinction, spending five years on active duty and earning the Army Commendation Medal while stationed for three years in Germany. His last assignment as a Captain was at Fort Bragg in the Corps of Engineers.

In his civilian career, Watson achieved notable success in the banking industry, becoming Senior Vice President and Executive Officer at First Virginia Banks, a bank holding company with over 300 offices across three states. He also served as President of the bank’s in-house advertising agency. After leaving the bank in 1990, Watson founded Watson Marketing, LLC and Group Marketing Associates, through which he acquired over one hundred financial clients with millions in annual billings. He retired in 2011 and later ventured into writing, authoring five children’s books that are now available in the media centers of over 100 elementary schools in North Carolina.

Billie Watson boasts a master’s degree in nursing and a distinguished 35-year career in the field. She rose to the position of Patient Care Director at INOVA Hospital in Falls Church, VA, one of the nation’s largest hospital systems. In this role, she managed the nursing staff in the OBGYN and Neonatal Testing Center. Billie is the daughter of Clegg and Dessie Culler, a 1970 graduate of Wilkes Central, and married Larry P. Watson in 1971.

The Watson’s main residence is in Fairfax County, Virginia. They have a second home in the Mulberry community of Wilkes County. Wilkes will always be their true home, and they visit frequently.

Through their remarkable contributions, Billie and Larry P. Watson are leaving a lasting legacy at Wilkes Community College. Their unwavering support will be remembered for generations to come, as the Command Center stands not only as a functional facility but also as a symbol of their commitment to education, public service, and community well-being.

For details about naming opportunities at Wilkes Community College, contact the Foundation Office at 336-838-6491.

Wilkes Community College, a member of the North Carolina Community College System, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving the people of Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany counties and beyond. Established in 1965, WCC has a proud history of meeting the educational, cultural, and workforce needs of our community. As we look to the future, Wilkes Community College provides programs, resources, and services that create quality educational, economic development, and cultural opportunities. WCC aspires to be an effective, learner-centered institution and a dynamic learning organization, preparing students for success in a changing world.

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