Ed and Andrea Cody Alumni of the Month
Question.) When did each of you graduate from 蘑菇短视频and in what subject areas?
Answer.) Ed: I completed my BSBA degree in December 1979, with a concentration
in accounting.
Andrea: I graduated in 1980, with a BS degree in home economics and a concentration
in consumer resource management.
Q.) Tell us some of your fondest memories of your days at WCU.
A.) Ed: Wow, there are so many! The top one was meeting my wife, Andrea. We just
celebrated 36 years of marriage. Being married to a Catamount sure makes color selection
easier. Go Purple!
I was the first person in my family to pursue a degree, so anything short of my best
was not an option. I had a good time, but I never forgot how important it was to be
there. One memorable PE class that I enjoyed was Cast and Gun Handling. It was easy,
since I grew up in Haywood County, but it was my first time learning to reload ammunition.
Boy, times have changed!
Other fond memories include special friends made, concerts at WCU, most of my classes
in the School of Business, and being one of the first students at 蘑菇短视频in the Co-Op
program. It was through this program that I was able to meet and work for Wallace
Hyde in Asheville for his insurance agency.
Andrea: I remember dorm life fondly. It was great to have a hall of friends to hang
out with. I also remember some great basketball games in Reid Gym and concerts were
always fun! The Jarrett House was a treat when we had the money to go. One thing I
remember well was enjoying Sunday night pizza from Speedy鈥檚 with Ed! I guess some
things never change. We still make most memories by enjoying really great meals!
Q.) Who were your favorite professors at Western and why?
Ed: All of my accounting professors, especially Beegle, Barnett and Winiarski. They
would all spend time individually helping with questions and problems, even if the
assignment wasn鈥檛 from their own class. That really impressed me.
Although not one of my professors, Susie Ray really made a difference for me with
her leadership and support in the Co-Op program at WCU. Being able to get significant
work experience in my field was so important.
Andrea: My favorite professor was Dr. Judy Dowell. She was both professional and
personable. She could see beyond the traditional applications of home economics careers,
and she appreciated and encouraged my 鈥渙ut of the box鈥� aspirations. My interest in
financial planning was a little before its time, so that career path wasn鈥檛 an established
one at the time. I was able to approach it from a very human and family-oriented perspective.
Q.) Ed, you had a very long and distinguished career with Dixon Hughes accounting
firm (retiring in 2011) and you are now President and CEO of Unique Solutions. Tell
us a little about your career path and how you got there.
A.) My first position was with Peat Marwick (now KPMG) after being recruited by Ken
Hughes. Four years later, he recruited me again鈥攖his time to join him in Asheville
at what is now Dixon Hughes Goodman.
My career as a CPA in these two firms was an amazing journey. It really fed my entrepreneurial
spirit and enabled me to keep growing in ways I could never have imagined.
In 2011, after more than 30 years in public accounting, I was able to retire, get
off the road as much and create Unique Solutions Associates, Inc. that guides individuals
and organizations to unique ways to save money and time. This has enabled me to make
a difference for so many people, businesses and trade associations. We now have more
than 40 associates across the country doing the same, including my daughter, Tierney
(蘑菇短视频Class of 2014), who leads our Group Benefit Solutions and Video Productions.
Q.) Andrea, you and Ed have established the Free and Clear Debt-Free Scholarship Endowment
here at Western. Tell us about this special scholarship and why it鈥檚 so important
to you both.
A.) The Free and Clear Debt-Free Scholarship is for the student who is committed to
staying free of college loans. We have been motivated to offer this type of scholarship
for several reasons. First, we have been financial counsellors for more than 20 years,
and during that time we鈥檝e seen firsthand what kind of burden school loans can be
for graduates who are trying to make a start on entry-level salaries. We鈥檝e also seen
the stress that occurs in families when school loan payments revert back to parents
who aren鈥檛 prepared to take that on. Finally, the totals that are borrowed each and
every year for higher education are astounding; but we鈥檝e been so impressed by the
stories we hear from those students who are finding ways to get their degrees with
no borrowing that we wanted to come alongside some of them with support and assistance.
We purposely chose not to put our name on the endowment, but to name it for its purpose
so that others would be encouraged to join us in helping students remain debt free.
The first award goes out this fall, and we will continue raising funds so that more
students who want to stay debt-free can find assistance from scholarship funds in
the future. If you would like to contribute, make your check payable to 鈥溎⒐蕉淌悠礔oundation鈥�
and put 鈥淔ree and Clear Debt-Free Fund鈥� in the memo line.
Q.) Ed, you have been very involved with your alma mater over the years. You are past
President of both the Catamount Club and 蘑菇短视频Friends of the Arts, a former member
of the 蘑菇短视频Alumni Board of Directors and the 蘑菇短视频Foundation Board, as well. Why do
you feel it is important for alumni to stay connected with their university?
A.) Staying connected with the university has truly been a blessing in so many ways.
As a student, I received a Helder scholarship which covered about half of my needs.
I never forgot being blessed by this, and each year after graduation I found a way
to give something back. I joke that I鈥檝e been writing checks to 蘑菇短视频every year since
starting as a freshman in 1975. The checks haven鈥檛 always been big but they have been
consistent.
Staying connected has led to making more great friends who are also interested in
making a difference for others. Working for a purpose with others creates excitement
as you see things happen.
Staying connected has allowed me to learn more about how the university makes a difference
both in WNC and the state. I鈥檓 so proud to be a Catamount!
Q.) Now tell us something unique and interesting about yourselves that few people
may know.
A.) Ed: More than 18 years ago, the Lord prompted me to use my passion for BBQ to
create a ministry called Blessings and BBQ. This team of other passionate folks cooks
and serves our homeless veterans in Asheville the first Saturday of each month at
the Veterans鈥� Restoration Quarters. Smoking meat and preparing the meal is an all-day
event, so we get to know the residents well, and it鈥檚 like a family gathering with
200 to 300 meals being served each time.
Andrea: Blessings and BBQ has given me an outlet for service also. While Ed is smoking
meat on those first Saturdays, I show up with my sewing machine, patches, some buttons
and do mending and hemming for the residents. They get lots of donated clothing that
is new, but the sizes aren鈥檛 always as close of a fit as they would like. And I hem
lots of pants and sew on many replacement buttons! I have to say, it is a treat to
serve our veterans!
Ed and Andrea: We have lived in Asheville for more than 30 years, but some may not
know that in 2018 we sold our home there and moved to our coastal home on Ocracoke
Island, on the Outer Banks of NC. We are about 12 hours away from Cullowhee, so we
don鈥檛 get back to campus as often, but we have run across a few Catamounts out here.
Who knows? Maybe we can start an alumni chapter on the Outer Banks. As always, Go
Cats!