Feb. 18, 2026 | Emily Reier ’28
Edward A. “Ed” Sundy Jr. ’73 still remembers the day Wilmington College became the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
He was standing on the library steps, with other Pi Kappa Phi brothers, directing people to a meeting with school leaders, other dignitaries and guests, when a man walked up and introduced himself as Bill Friday, then president of the UNC system. Sundy didn’t think much of it – until the next day, when a friend dropped a newspaper on the fraternity house table. The headline read: “Friday meets Sundy on Thursday.”
“That was kind of a great way to start off the new school,” Sundy said.
More than 50 years later, Sundy is still closely connected to the university. This year, he was named UNCW Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus of the Year – an honor that reflects not just a long career, but a pattern of steady dedication to involvement.
After graduating with a mathematics degree and business minor, Sundy went straight to work at REEDS Jewelers. He stayed more than four decades, helping open the company’s first mall store in Myrtle Beach and eventually serving in senior leadership roles. In 2015, he received the company’s Roberta Zimmer Award for his leadership and impact on workplace culture.
Service became a parallel track in Sundy’s life. What began as volunteering on a youth mission trip with his son grew into more than 20 years leading teams and, later, coordinating disaster response efforts across southeastern North Carolina. After Hurricane Matthew and Florence, Sundy organized volunteers to clean out flooded homes, remove debris and help families return to safe living conditions.
“After a storm, you just go in and start the work,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking to see the conditions people are living in – and rewarding to be able to repair the house so they can come back to something dry and safe.”
Sundy now serves as Chair of the NC Conference of the United Methodist Church Disaster Response Team, coordinating volunteers and overseeing projects. He has also volunteered for more than 25 years with Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, packing and distributing food locally.
Despite the scale of the work, Sundy frames it simply:
“I just look at it as something that needs to be done. I’m just thankful that I can help somebody when they need it.”
That mindset is part of what made recent news from the UNCW especially meaningful to him. UNCW was awarded the Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, a national distinction recognizing universities that prioritize partnerships and service beyond campus.
“It makes me proud that the school is doing that kind of work,” Sundy said. “You need to help others on the way.”
For someone who has spent decades organizing volunteers, mentoring students and stepping in when communities need support, the recognition feels aligned with the institution he first knew as Wilmington College – growing, evolving and still committed to serving others.
His connection to UNCW has remained just as consistent. A Seahawk Club member for more than 35 years, he and his wife, Page Sundy ’74, attend games regularly and maintain friendships that date back to their college days. He has hired UNCW students at REEDS and encouraged younger generations to step into service when opportunities arise.
The Distinguished Alumnus award adds a formal title to a life that has largely been lived without seeking one. For Sundy, recognition isn’t the point – showing up is.