The world-renowned marine wildlife artist and conservationist will be honored with the Elon University Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership on Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. in the LaRose Digital Theatre.
Guy Harvey, who is widely recognized today as the world’s finest marine wildlife artist, will be honored Feb. 23 with the Elon University Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership.
The ceremony takes place at 5 p.m. in the LaRose Digital Theatre in the Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center. A reception will follow. Sponsored by the Doherty Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership and the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, the program is free and open to the public.
The Elon University Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership is given to recognize an entrepreneur who is a leader in his or her industry and who exemplifies the values of Elon University, including integrity, innovation and creativity, passion for lifelong learning, and a commitment to building a dynamic community.
Harvey combines his unique artistic talents with his background as a marine biologist, diver, photographer and angler, to create marine wildlife art with an unmatched authenticity and visual appeal. Self-taught, Harvey’s artistic roots can be traced back to his childhood on the Caribbean isle of Jamaica. Though Harvey was interested in pursuing his love of marine art, he opted for scientific training and worked hard in pursuit of an education and a career in marine biology. Having graduated with honors in marine biology from Aberdeen University in Scotland, Harvey returned home to Jamaica to resume his education, earning his Ph.D. in fisheries biology from the University of the West Indies.
Harvey has teamed up with the American Fishing Tackle Company to create a unique line of coastal lifestyle sportswear. Paramount is Harvey’s immensely popular and always expanding t-shirt line, featuring his amazingly detailed and colorful marine life images. Harvey also operates a large art gallery and gift shop on Grand Cayman Island.
Formerly Jamaica’s International Gamefish Association (IGFA) representative, Harvey has been a member of the IGFA Board of Trustees since 1993. He is an active advocate for marine conservation and established the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, an organization that funds marine conservation research and educational initiatives.
Past recipients of the Elon University Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership include:
2009 – Jim Goodnight, CEO and founder, SAS
2010 – Bernard A. Harris, Jr., CEO and managing partner, Vesalius Ventures, Inc.
2012 – Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; founder, Grameen Bank; chairman, Yunus Centre
2013 – Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, founder and CEO, Pace Communications; chairman of the board, American Red Cross
2014 – Patrick G. Awuah, Jr., founder and president, Ashesi University