ALUMNI AWARDS

Paul Allen (Paulie) is the president of Wealth Strategies Partners and a financial executive with more than three decades of industry experience. Paul founded Wealth Strategies Partners in 2014 to provide comprehensive, white glove financial planning services to institutions, Endowments, business owners and executives. 

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee and subsequently earned his master’s degree in personal financial planning from the College for Financial Planning. He went on to hold executive positions at global financial firms, including Prudential Securities and Aintree Capital, LLC, where he rose to the role of vice president. 

Paul was named a Best-in-State Wealth Advisor by Forbes magazine in 2018 and 2021. He was also named a member of the Raymond James Financial Services’ Chairman’s Council, a distinction given only to those financial advisors who have demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to personal service and lead the largest revenue-producing branches, in 2020 and 2021. He has achieved the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, which is earned after completing a rigorous CFP® exam and meeting ongoing renewal requirements. 

Paul is a Nashville native and proud FRA alumnus, parent of a former FRA student, and longtime FRA donor. He’s also the former president of FRA’s alumni board. He currently splits his time between the practice’s offices in Nashville and Sarasota. 

Dr. Thomas E. Hodges (Tommy) is a 1996 graduate of Franklin Road Academy, and 2001 graduate of Belmont University where he majored in mathematics. Following graduation, Hodges taught mathematics in the Upper School at Franklin Road Academy, and served as a coach for the bowling and baseball teams. Hodges went on to earn a master’s and doctorate in mathematics education from the University of Tennessee.  He served as Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at Western Carolina University, then the University of South Carolina where he earned the rank of Associate Professor, then Professor. During his time at the University of South Carolina, he coordinated the elementary education program, served as chair of the Department of Instruction in Teacher Education, and now serves as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Education. 

As Associate Dean, Hodges provides leadership in the areas of academic programing, strategic initiatives, professional partnerships, and assessment in the College of Education. In addition to his role as Associate Dean, he serves as a liaison for one of the 21 schools that are a part of the Professional Development Schools network at USC – providing professional development and demonstration lessons to teachers throughout the school.

Dr. Hodges’ research interests include the development of identities, beliefs, attitudes and dispositions among teachers of mathematics, particularly at the elementary level. In the last ten years, he has authored more than 35 peer-reviewed and invited publications in a variety of outlets, including the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, Mathematics Education Research Journal, Teaching Children Mathematics, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School,

Annual Perspectives in Mathematics Education, as well as National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ recently released Enhancing Classroom Practice with Research behind Principles to Actions. Dr. Hodges has served on numerous task forces and committees at both the state and national level, and was most recently awarded a grant from the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education to develop the Center for Research on Teacher Education, aimed at identifying and institutionalizing promising practices in teacher recruitment, preparation and retention. 

• Dan Crockett '86
• William Akin 
• Brenda Gideon 
• Nancy Johnson 
• Sterling Ambrose 
• Beth Ambrose '84
• June Austin 
• Norma Dodson 
• Ed Zaborowski 
• June Barnes 
• David Tucker 
• George Weicker 
• Hal Cato '83
• Helen Dale 
• Carole Pieratt 
• Captain Greg Johnson '93
• Tom Woodard '79
• Jack Nunnally 
• Will Wade '01
• Jerry Williams 
• Mark Campbell '89
• Tommy Hodges '96
• Chris Hamby '04
• Hunter Rogers '07
• Paulie Allen '90
  
  *The nomination criteria for the Distinguished Alumni Award were updated in 2021.

Laura Matthews embodied the characteristics of the ideal student athlete at Franklin Road Academy. As an accomplished three-sport athlete, she helped lead her teams to the State Championships in soccer, basketball, and softball. Laura was an inspiring team leader and an excellent teammate. In soccer, Laura was named to the TSSAA All-District team and the TSSAA All-Region team all four years. During the 2001 season, FRA won the girls soccer State Championship and returned to the State Championship again her senior year. After her senior season, Laura was named by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America to the Adidas Scholar All-America team. In softball, she received numerous awards including Tennessee Softball Writers Association (TSWA) All-State, Middle Tennessee Softball Coaches Association (MTSCA) All-Midstate, All-Academic Team, All-Star Team, TSSAA All-Midstate Third Team, TSSAA District Defensive MCP, and TSSAA All-District. After graduation, she continued her softball career at the University of Dayton where she was named team captain and MVP for both her junior and senior years, named to the Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference, and still holds numerous University of Dayton team defensive records. Laura is currently the head softball coach at Belmont University.

Dan Crockett has a long history of making a transformative impact at Franklin Road Academy. During his time as a student-athlete at FRA, he was a member of the football team, baseball team, Civitan Club, outdoor club, and served as treasurer of the senior class. During his senior year football season, he had seven interceptions, caught 30 passes for 458 yards, scored five touchdowns, and earned All-District honors for leading his team to the District 7A Championship with an undefeated record in the district. As a member of the baseball team, Dan received honorable mention in the All-Nashville Baseball Team as an outfielder. After graduation, Dan attended Lambuth University where he was named to the All-America team in both football and baseball. Dan continues to play an important role in the FRA community. His support and encouragement  has been instrumental in growing the FRA campus and improving the student experience at Franklin Road Academy. Dan founded Franklin American Mortgage in 1994 and was selected as Entrepreneur of the Year at the Nashville Business Awards in 2003 and 2005.

John Ambrose attended Franklin Road Academy for twelve years. John was a standout three-sport athlete competing in football, wrestling, and track. He served as captain of both the football and wrestling teams. John was a member of the football team all four years where he played offensive guard and was awarded numerous accolades during his time, including being named All-Class A-AA offense second team and earning the Lineman of the Year Award each year. John was also a valuable member of the wrestling team, lettering five years. His teammates elected him captain his senior year and admired him for his courage and consistency on and off the mat. John was an inspiration to his teammates. As a member of the track team, John lettered three years and was part of a school record setting relay team his senior year.  John was known on campus for his superb sportsmanship and high-caliber competitiveness. John went on to study business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.  After graduation from UT, John joined the family business, Ambrose Printing Company, where he was named CEO in 1997.

In 2001, the Franklin Road Academy cross country team won both the Region and State Championships. This dominant squad of runners was part of the Franklin Road Academy Cross Country dynasty that would go on to win four consecutive State Championships.  Participating varsity team members during the championship race included Austin Weaver (1st), Chris Estopinal (5th), Nelson Brunsting (7th), Joel Kline (12th), Owen Keenan (13th), Steven Wells (16th), and Chris Michael (17th). Under coaches Jamie Cropper and Kevin Floyd the 2001 season continued the reign of Franklin Road Academy’s cross country team with State Championships in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, which remains a state record. The team also won regions those four years and Austin Weaver was the A-AA individual State Champion in 1999, 2000, and 2001 with an average mile time of 5:06:60, and a 2001 individual State Championship with a winning time of 15:19:79.  Coach Kevin Floyd reflected on the team, “I can honestly say in 20 years of coaching, I have never witnessed a more complete performance by seven individuals coming together with one heartbeat as I did that November day. I am proud to have been a very small part of this incredible group of guys and will cherish those memories for the rest of my life. Mental:physical as 4:1!”

The 1991 Franklin Road Academy football team was the first district team to have two undefeated seasons in a row with a State Championship in football. The championship game was played at Vanderbilt University on December 14, 1991 before a crowd of 9,500 where FRA defeated Trenton-Peabody with a score of 27-8. Several players received honors for their outstanding season. Todd Jenkins was named the Player of the Year and The Tennessean Metro Defensive Player of the Year. Greg Johnson was the Clinic Bowl MVP after running 152 yards on 14 carries and scoring the first touchdown of the game with a 71-yard scoring run. Brink Fidler, Chris Harwell, and Todd Jenkins were named to the AP All-State Team. Ryan Bachman, Matt Gardner, Jason Tomichek, and Brink Fidler were named first team offense while Ben Baldwin, Jay Beasley, and Chris Harwell were named to first team defense. Ryan Bachman was awarded the Offensive Player of the Year, named to the All-Metro Football Team, and presented the William P. Lawrence Scholar-Athlete Award by the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Awards. The coaches of this team were George Weicker, Gary Clarke, Dennis Harrison, David Tucker, Jerry Williams, Sterling Ambrose, and John Ambrose. Coach Weicker was named the Nashville Banner’s Metro Coach of the Year.

The 2011 girls basketball team had an unbelievable record of 27-3. Following a State Runner-Up finish in 2010, the 2011 team won the Region Championship and capped the season by winning the Division II-A State Championship, a first for a Franklin Road Academy basketball team.  After defeating Harding Academy 51-33 in the state semifinals, the Panthers took down Webb School of Knoxville,  55-52 in a game that went down to the final shot. Seniors Erin Ford and Abby Wharton, as well as junior Mariah Canady, and sophomore Derica Wyatt were all selected as members of the All-State Tournament Team. Derica was chosen as MVP of the State Tournament. While a handful of girls were recognized with awards, the team depended on the leadership of seniors, Ford and Wharton as well as Katie Coben and Taylor White in their quest for their first ever State Championship.