The University of Mary Washington bestowed its inaugural James Farmer Award on Xavier Richardson in February. The recipient is executive vice president of corporate development and community affairs for Mary Washington Healthcare, and he’s known in the region for his volunteer efforts with many community organizations and mentoring services for youth.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School, the Fredericksburg native established a successful career on Wall Street. He returned to support young people in the community that nurtured him when he was a boy. Richardson is a member of the UMW Board of Visitors and is on the board of directors for the James Farmer Scholars program. He is president of the foundations of Mary Washington Hospital and Stafford Hospital.
The James Farmer Award is given to an individual who exemplifies a commitment to serving others and to the ideals espoused and practiced by the late civil rights leader James Farmer, distinguished professor emeritus of history and American studies.