(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) — Belmont Abbey College selected William L. Esser IV, class of 1995, as a recipient of the 2010 Brother Gregory Corcoran Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award. This award is presented annually to an alumni who exemplifies the ideals of the College, assists Belmont Abbey through their efforts with reunions, alumni events, fundraising, admissions or any area where the College needs a volunteer.
A partner with Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, Esser’s practice includes commercial litigation, bankruptcies and foreclosures and loan servicing. He has participated on numerous committees of the Bar at the local, regional and state levels. He has served as the co-chair of the Impact Fund for the Foundation for the Carolinas, as co-founder and past president of the Saint Thomas More Society and as a member of the National Alumni Board of Belmont Abbey College. Esser also served as an adjunct professor at the College in 2006 and was named a recipient of the “40 under 40” award by the Charlotte Business Journal in 2009.
Esser was nominated for the award for his outstanding personal achievements, including his work with Room at the Inn, a safe haven for pregnant women and their children. As a board member and past president, he helped initiate a capital campaign to build the nation's first college-based maternity and after-care residential facility to be housed near Belmont Abbey College.
“Will’s full participation at the Abbey has indeed enhanced our community,” said Dr. William K. Thierfelder, Belmont Abbey President and award presenter.
Esser was recognized at an awards ceremony and a dinner hosted by Belmont Abbey College at the Abbot Walter, OSB Student Commons on the Belmont Abbey campus.
About Parker Poe
Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP has 230 lawyers in six offices located in major markets across North Carolina and South Carolina. The Firm provides legal counsel to large commercial and public organizations on litigation, corporate and regulatory matters. It has been recognized in recent years as one of the fastest growing law firms in the United States and as an award-winning leader in the use of technology to provide better and more efficient service to domestic and international clients.