CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. (Aug. 17, 2023) — Wilbert (Will) Ziegler ’53, J.D., Thomas More board member and honorary chair of the University’s Second Century Campaign: it’s time for More, is named an honoree by two local organizations for his nonprofit work and service to the community.

The Life Learning Center honors Ziegler at the High Stakes Gala on Sept. 16, 2023, for his many community contributions. The gala brings awareness to the high stakes faced by the “at-risk” citizens served at the Life Learning Center. Funds raised from the event are used by the Center to support these individuals in breaking down barriers and reaching their highest potential through focusing on education and the search for employment. More information on this event can be found at lifelearningcenter.us/highstakesgala.

Ziegler is also being honored as MVP Board Member of the Year, a category in the Horizon Nonprofit Awards. The awards are being presented at the 2023 NKY Philanthropy Symposium held on Sept. 25, 2023. These awards highlight the work of nonprofit leaders and volunteers who serve Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties. This year’s Symposium focuses on education and key topics being addressed in the region in this field. More information can be found about this event at horizonfunds.org/2023-nky-philanthropy-symposium.

Ziegler, a Kenton County native, is a practicing attorney, chairman of the board of the law firm of Ziegler & Schneider, P.S.C., and president/CEO of the R.C. Durr Foundation. He graduated from Thomas More, the University of Cincinnati College of Law, and the University of Michigan Law School before joining his current law firm in 1958. 

Ziegler has been an active patron of Thomas More University over the years. A recent endowment established The Wilbert L. and Ellen Hackman Ziegler Chair of the Philosophy Department, marking the first endowed chair in the University’s history. Previous endowments created three scholarship funds to financially support Thomas More students: the Wilbert L. and Ellen Hackman Ziegler Scholarship Fund is a newly created opportunity for pre-law students; the Wilbert L. and Anna M. Ziegler Scholarship Fund, in memory of his parents, has helped fund the undergraduate education of over 100 students in the decades since its creation; and the Wilbert & Helen Ziegler Scholarship Fund, created with Ziegler’s late wife, is a partnership with the College of Law at the University of Cincinnati intending to encourage Thomas More students to pursue graduate study at the College of Law.

“The support that Will has shown our University over the years has made a direct impact on our students and the community,” says Thomas More University President Joseph L. Chillo, LP.D.  “The Zieglers have exemplified the meaning of the University’s Catholic mission by demonstrating their place in the world and their responsibility toward others. Today, their generosity is witnessed by our students and the community, and a lasting impact will stand for future generations at Thomas More.”   

​The recipient of many awards for outstanding service, Ziegler served as a founding member and president of the first board of NorthKey, and a board member of New Perceptions and BAWAC, Inc. In addition, he served as president and board member of Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. He also was a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Cincinnati Foundation, Northern Kentucky Independent District Health Department, and the Board of Visitors of the University of Cincinnati Law School.

For more information about Thomas More University, visit www.thomasmore.edu.

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About Thomas More University

For 100 years, Thomas More has created a university for the student who wants to Be More, Do More, Seek More, Win More, Achieve More, and Create More. Since its founding in 1921, Thomas More has provided a mission-driven, liberal arts education that is based in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. Students learn to harness the power of human reason to solve problems and discover truth, which allows them to begin the journey to become the person they were created to be. Entering into the second century, it’s time for More. Serving more than 2,000 students, Thomas More aspires to be the premier Catholic university in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, build upon its excellent return on investment (ranked #1 among private universities/colleges in Kentucky by MSN Money in 2021 and ranked #2 for long term gain in Kentucky by a 2022 Georgetown University study) and share with this generation the transformative power of the Thomas More experience. To find out more, visit thomasmore.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Lyna Kelley, director of communications and PR, kelleyl@thomasmore.edu, 859.344.3309