The GORDON AND LLURA GUND LEADERSHIP AWARD honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to increasing the level of advocacy for medical and health research at the local, state or national level. This year we are honoring two individuals, Heywood Fralin and Michael J. Friedlander, PhD. 

Heywood Fralin, a lifelong resident of Roanoke, Virginia, is a past member of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors, serving two years as Rector. He is a past Chair of the Virginia Business Council, and a current member of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, having served as Chair for over 15 years. He has served on the Board of Visitors of Virginia Tech and is the past Chair of the Virginia State Council of Higher Education. Currently, Mr. Fralin serves as Board of Visitors representative for the University of Virginia Athletics Foundation, as Vice Chair on the Board of the Taubman Museum of Art, and serves on the Virginia Western Community College Foundation Board of Directors. Additionally, Mr. Fralin serves on the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board and on the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Foundation Board. He is Chairman of Retirement Unlimited, Inc. His passion is his support and advocacy for the advancement of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech.