Terry Woodward receives honorary degree from University of Kentucky

May 7, 2022 | 12:07 am

Updated May 6, 2022 | 9:12 pm

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Terry Woodward, an Owensboro businessman and philanthropist, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Kentucky during their commencement Friday evening.

The UK Board of Trustees approved honorary degrees for Woodward as well as Kris Kimel because they “have distinguished themselves in their careers and community service.”

Woodward graduated from UK with a degree in commerce, becoming the first member of his family to graduate from college.

Shortly after graduating, Woodward joined his father in their family business, Wax Works, Owensboro’s only record shop,

Through the years, this small company developed a music retail chain of stores, Disc Jockey, that grew to 240 locations in 37 different states. He sold the chain of stores in 1999.

With the advent of the VCR, his company became a national distributor of video for all the major Hollywood film studios servicing over 5,000 retailers.

In 2006, he started a company called Team Marketing, which grew to be the largest holder of licenses for college sports videos in the nation. His company also had exclusive licensing agreements with ESPN, NASCAR, the NBA, Fox Sports, ABC Sports and CBS Sports.

Woodward was inducted into the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics Alumni Hall of Fame in 1999.

“Woodward has a lifelong record of strengthening his community of Owensboro, Kentucky, and intentionally kept his business there, creating a substantial economic impact in his hometown over several decades,” according to a release from UK. “His community impact extends to his philanthropic efforts to help students follow in his footsteps at his alma mater. His financial gifts for scholarships and funding for the expansion of the Gatton College of Business and Economics facility demonstrate his commitment to the development of education for students on campus.”

Woodward also holds an honorary doctorate degree from Kentucky Wesleyan College, and he was inducted into the Owensboro Business Hall of Fame in 2019.

May 7, 2022 | 12:07 am

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