The UCF Alumni Association honored Charles Gray, chairman of the board at GrayRobinson P.A., with聽its 2015 Champions Award at the annual Black & Gold Gala on Oct. 22.
Charles serves in his current role, as well as founding director, of GrayRobinson, where he continues to practice full time in the 270-plus lawyer firm.
He鈥檚 served as city solicitor for the City of Orlando, chairman of the Florida State Turnpike Authority, chairman of the Economic Development Commission of Mid-Florida, and chairman of the UCF Foundation (now trustee emeritus), as well as in many other leadership positions.
After winning the 1964 gubernatorial campaign, Florida Gov. Haydon Burns asked his campaign chair, Charles, what he wanted.
鈥淣umber one, I want a new university,鈥� he said. And, Burns promised it to him, along with his other list of requests, which included an east-west expressway, a Board of Regents term for a dedicated campaign worker, and his suggested state road board member, among others. Charles didn鈥檛 ask for anything for himself.
Burns fulfilled every promise except one. After reading in a newspaper that he appointed someone else to the state road board, Charles called and questioned him. He answered: 鈥淐harles, getting a new university authorized, implemented and appropriated is not easy. I made a deal with the most powerful man in the legislature, Speaker of the House E.C. Rowell, who said he could get it done only on the condition that his best friend was appointed as a state road board member.聽I had to make a deal, and I鈥檓 sorry about that. That university was your first choice, and that鈥檚 what I had to do.鈥�
Charles considered it聽an excellent trade-off.
Once聽Florida Technological 海角直播 (now UCF) finally came to fruition,聽Charles聽was instrumental in the in the selection of former President Charles Millican, and聽current President John Hitt, and even introduced The Burnett Honors College鈥檚 namesake, Al Burnett, to the university.
As a prominent attorney and a major figure in the community, he聽has remained one of UCF鈥檚 strongest advocates.
The Champions Award has only been given out three other times, to the following recipients:
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