James G. Dalton Sr: An Alumnus Driven by Idealism

Citation read at Founders' Day to James G. Dalton, recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award, established in 1983, is the highest award given by the Duke Alumni Association. It is presented to alumni who have made significant contributions in their own fields of work, in service to the university, or for the betterment of humanity. From nominations made by alumni, faculty, trustees, administrators, and students, the Duke Alumni Association has selected James G. Dalton Sr. as the recipient of the 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Former trustee chairman Neil Williams offers this tribute: "As much as any person I have ever known, Jim Dalton has informed his life with joy and with an unwavering interest in those around him. He rejoices in the accomplishments of others."

Jim graduated from Duke with a major in business administration in 1944. His yearbook reflected on the durability of Duke's values even in a wartime environment, noting that the campus "retains that idealism, though gray flannels have given way to Navy blues, and cashmere sweaters to Marine greens." Jim's own idealism has expressed itself in an enduring attachment to the notion of community-prominently including the Duke community. In fact, he and his freshman-year roommate have the distinction of being the most generous contributors to the university among those in his graduating class.

Over the years, Jim's inspiring idealism has been accompanied by business pragmatism. After joining the Carolina Paper Board Corporation in his hometown of Charlotte, he rose through the ranks to become president and chief executive officer of Austell Mill. He retired in 1996 from Caraustar Industries, one of the largest manufacturers of recycled paperboard products in the U.S., having served as president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board.

An accomplished manufacturer in professional life, Jim has forged especially impressive bonds with Duke's Comprehensive Cancer Center. He and his wife, Mary Helen Dalton, both have been members of the center's board of overseers. Both have contributed substantially to cancer research at Duke, helping to support the scientists who are exploring the mechanisms that make normal cells grow out of control and become cancerous. And both have expressed the wish that their contributions will not only help advance basic research into the causes of cancer, but will also help provide better diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer.

Jim's love of the university extends to other family members. Among the Duke degree-holders in his family are a son, a brother-in-law, a sister-in-law, an uncle, and a sister, Duke trustee Sally Dalton Robinson.

One of his former colleagues observes about Jim's business dealings, "He went out of his way to help people, and he was always concerned about people who were less fortunate than he was." Duke is fortunate to be able to claim Jim as one of its own. We are pleased to present the 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award to James G. Dalton.