Necrology

Henry Broadwell Watkins III '73

Oct. 13, 1951-Nov. 13, 2023

Henry Broadwell Watkins III ’73 died on Nov. 13, 2023, in Naples, Fla. Born on Oct. 13, 1951, in Fort Myers, Fla., he came to Hamilton from St. Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, Fla. On the Hill, he majored in mathematics and was a member of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. He was on the staff of The Spectator as well.

At one time, he contemplated a career either in mathematics or engineering, but following graduation, he, like a number of his classmates, moved to New York City to begin a career in banking. He started in the lending division of Manufacturers Hanover Trust Bank, where he spearheaded financing of the Alaska pipeline for Standard Oil of Ohio and initiated the introduction of the loan to The Limited Stores. In 1980, Henry moved to the Wells Fargo Leasing Co., where he financed over 200 barges to transport goods on the Mississippi River and modernized the Motel 6 chain. 

In April 1982, he married Bernadette Devonshire Sullivan. She was known to intimates as “Bern.” They had two daughters, Devon and Anne.

From Wells Fargo Leasing, Henry proceeded to Citicorp North America as a senior vice president. Among his major accomplishments was to arrange funding for a ring road around Ankara, Turkey.

In 1991, Henry changed course. He left the New York financial world and moved with his family to Naples, Fla. Early in 1994, with six associates, he formed the Founders National Trust Bank and subsequently launched his own business, the Naples Management & Investment Co., where he was president. As needed, he was an advisor to his brother, Michael, who managed the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Course, which was founded by their grandfather in 1946. Henry was executive vice president.

By 2011, both of his daughters had grown up and left home for jobs in Boston and New York. Henry and Bern decided to acquire a second, summer home in Southampton, Long Island, where they were roughly equidistant from Devon and Anne. Henceforth, they divided their time largely between Naples and Southampton.

Naples benefited greatly from Henry’s philanthropy. He helped found the Pelican Bay Business Association and served on the board of Partners in Education, which paired students with adult mentors who assisted with group test preparation and college counseling. The organization also provided scholarships for those in financial need.

He was a board member of Youth Haven, a social service agency that provided shelter for abused, traumatized, neglected, and homeless children, as well as on the boards of the YMCA, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Fort Royal Property Owners Association. He also served on the finance committee of his church, Trinity by the Cove. He was honored for his contributions when he was named one of the 100 Most Influential Business Leaders of Naples.

When not involved with business matters or community service, Henry was an avid tennis player, as were Bern and their daughters. Doubles games were a regular feature of family life. He was also a Pittsburgh Pirates fan.

His devotion to his hometown was equalled by his support for Hamilton. He was an early and regular contributor to the Hamilton Fund and served at different times as a free agent, class committee member, class gift chair, and reunion gift committee member. He took an active role in a succession of capital campaigns, including the Priorities for Hamilton capital campaign and 175th Anniversary Campaign. He joined the Alumni Council, was an officer of the Alumni Association, and volunteered for the Career Center.

But one of his most enduring contributions was not so much financial (though its financial implications were significant), as it was conceptual. Ben Madonia ’74, longtime member of the Advancement Office, shared this story, to which he was an eyewitness:

“In the late 1970s, soon after the merger of Hamilton and Kirkland, Hamilton anticipated a budget deficit. The Hamilton Fund leadership team, which included Henry, made a compelling case for increased support to avoid the deficit, and the alumni came through. Trustee and Hamilton Fund leadership recognized that the College had a very young alumni body, which was going to get even younger, because class size by decade increased from 100 to 400 from 1945 to 1975. 

“How does Hamilton College recognize young alumni and encourage Hamilton Fund participation? Board Chairman Mac Bristol '43 challenged the trustees and Hamilton Fund leadership team to come up with an idea. Henry suggested the GOLD Group: ‘Graduates of the Last Decade.’ Interestingly, colleges and universities across the country copied the concept and the acronym of the GOLD Group. 

“I believe that GOLD Group and the implementation in 1981-82 of the senior gift campaign were the two most important Alumni Relations/Hamilton Fund concepts in Hamilton's history, without which we would not have had 50%, even 60% participation rates in the 1980s and 1990s, or the 40% today.”

In February 2008, Henry became the founding and major donor to the Henry B. Watkins Scholarship, named for his grandfather, a member of the Class of 1912. Reflecting the importance of community engagement in his life, the purpose of the scholarship is to provide funds for “an incoming student who has demonstrated academic excellence, with preference given to one who has shown an active involvement through volunteerism in her/his community’s not-for-profit organizations.” In subsequent years, he continued to contribute to the scholarship’s principal while donating a like amount to the College for immediate use. In recognition of his philanthropy through planned giving, he was identified as a Joel Bristol Associate.

Henry B. Watkins III ’73 is survived by his wife, two daughters, one grandson, and his niece, Glenn G. Watkins ’12. He was predeceased by his great uncle, Robert P. Watkins, Class of 1889, and his grandfather, Henry B. Watkins, Class of 1912, GP’73.

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