S. Phillip
S. Phillip Harris
d. February 1, 2011
S. Philip Harris passed away on Tuesday, February 1. A mannerly southern gentleman, Phil Harris bequeaths an altruistic legacy of hard work, professionalism, perseverance, and passion for education that touched many lives in the past and will for years to come. Born on Christmas day, the oldest son from a large family in Henderson, Phil learned from the day his father gave him a shoe shine box and told him he had to make all of his own spending money, that entrepreneurial skills would prove to be invaluable. He then cleverly revived the worst newspaper routes in town to success as he furthered his journey to eventually become a prominent businessman, volunteer and philanthropist with a lifelong dedication to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
After graduating from high school at the age of 16, he lived with an aunt in Norfolk, VA and took a job with U.S. Naval acquisitions. There he met his future wife and lifetime love, Olga Wunnenburg. Phil entered the military in December, 1942. During WWII, he served as an instructor pilot of B-24s in the U.S. Army Air Force, achieving the rank of 2nd lieutenant. He found great pleasure in tutoring fellow soldiers in various endeavors, an early foray into a lifetime passion of facilitating knowledge. Phil credits the military with the self-discipline lessons he considers so necessary in everyones life.
Eddie Rickenbakker hired him as a pilot with Eastern Airlines, but during the six month wait for the newest planes to be delivered, Phil ventured in other directions to make a living and never flew for Eastern. Returning to Henderson, he owned several small businesses that included a 90-seat restaurant, worked as a junior accountant for W.H. Phillips & Company and was elected to the Henderson school board at the age of 23. He was later named vice-chairman of the Vance County Community College steering committee and charged with the responsibility of establishing a community college.
With his young family in tow that now included two beautiful daughters, Mary Helen and Joy, Phil entered the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill at the age of 29. He doubled up on classes and in two years earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration. He worked as a tutor, lab instructor and student researcher and still managed to earn Phi Eta Sigma, Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa honors. His graduation in 1954 initiated a level of lifetime alumni involvement, becoming a founding member of the Universitys Annual Giving and a member of the Chancellors Club.
Returning once again to Henderson, Phil worked as a controller for Roses Stores, Inc. and helped build the accounting practice of Phillips and Harris, which grew to be one of the largest firms of its kind in eastern North Carolina. Community involvement was paramount in his life in Henderson, where he served as president of Henderson Country Club, chairman of his church board of stewards and president of the area chapter of CPAs.
Phil eventually became an audit partner in the Raleigh office of Peat, Marwick & Mitchell. Along with the managing partner, Richard Urquhart, he established a matching gift program benefitting UNC. He recruited actively at the university for Peat Marwick during his years in Raleigh and returned to UNC many times to contribute input to the accounting curriculum and to address a wide range of business school groups.
In 1971, Phil became managing partner of the firms Tampa, FL office and continued to manifest his passion for education through Peat Marwick and designed a training curriculum for firm professionals that emphasized entrepreneurial and business management skills. The Tampa professional staff climbed from 87th to number one in the firms national education ranking during his tenure. He developed faculty and recruiting relationships at Florida, Florida State, the University of South Florida and the University of Alabama. He participated at the
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