HHS HALL OF FAME 2020 INDUCTEES
It is with great honor the HHSAA announces this year’s
Hall of Fame recipients
Mr. James Kilpatrick and Mr. John Rollins
James Kilpatrick
The Rt. Rev. James B. Magness & Justice Robert F. Orr (Retired) wrote…
“While some will remember Jim for his achievements on the HHS baseball diamond when in 1964 he hit two successive home runs on two successive days at Berkeley Field, or in the same year pitched the game that placed the Bearcats in the AAA state championship series. It may be remembered that Jim was an All State athlete when that year they won the state championship. Others will remember his exploits on the hardwood in what would become Pardue Gymnasium as he played on Coach Jim Pardue's winning teams. Still others know of his football athleticism on the grass of Dietz Field. In our opinion, Jim is one of the best 3-sport athletes ever to graduate from HHS.”
“after graduation from WCU in 1968, when most other men his age were struggling to find ways to avoid the draft and keep from going to Vietnam, Jim had another focus in mind. Jim joined the Air Force, was commissioned as an officer and at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Az, completed his flight training to become a F-100 fighter pilot. Afterward his assignment was to join with a squadron of Air Force pilots in 1970-71 at Phan Rang Air Base, Vietnam. Flying over 250 combat missions, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and fourteen air medals”.
“In 1973 Jim left active Air Force service and became a pilot for American Airlines and simultaneously affiliated with the Air National Guard. His 33 year career with American Airlines was by any standards a phenomenal success. Jim served as a Captain aboard every multi-engine aircraft in the American fleet: DC-9, 727, 757, 767 and 777”.
“…for most of the 1980s he worked part-time as an on-camera TV weatherman for CBS and FOX affiliate stations in Dallas, TX and Raleigh, NC. Additionally, in 2002 he founded Consolidated Insurers Company of Cary, NC, and continues to the present day serving as President and CEO of the company”.
“…one of his most noteworthy and commendable achievements was to have the intuition and insight to found the Bandit Flight Team. This flight team of private pilots, most with significant military and/or commercial aviation experience, does precision National Anthem flyovers at events such as National Football League and Atlantic Coast Conference football games, at NASCAR racing events, and for veteran’s organizations such as the Navy SEAL Foundation. Aside from the patriotism and entertainment of the flyovers, a focused intent of the Bandit Flight Team is to honor the lives and sacrifices of men and women who serve and have served in all branches of our military”.
Look for the Bandit Flight Team this Monday, September 7th as they fly over Hendersonville in a Labor Day Tribute.
Welcome James Kilpatrick to the distinguished HHSAA Hall of Fame.
John Rollins
John graduated from HHS in 1955. He was the student body president and valedictorian.
He attended UNC-CH and graduated in 1959 with a BS degree in Business Administration with a major in accounting.
After working with Haskins & Sells in Charlotte for two years to satisfy the experience requirement, he returned to Hendersonville to enter into the practice of public accounting
He was engaged by Hugh Randall as auditor for the Hendersonville City School system and did the annual audit until Mr. Randall retired.
In 1968 he left Hendersonville to assume the position of CFO of Alice Manufacturing Company of Easley, SC. He held this position until his retirement in 2002.
While he was at Alice, he was Plan Administrator for the Alice Foundation which gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to various charitable causes.
John has been a generous supporter of the HHSAA Scholarship Fund since its inception. Since 2016 he has funded the Class of 1955 Scholarship.
The induction ceremony will take place ON A FUTURE DATE.
Congratulations to both of our Hall of Fame recipients. Due to the cancellation of the fall football season, we will be honoring our newest members at a later date.