Board of Trustees member, well-known innovator, and Dixie State University family member Lindsay Atwood died on the afternoon of Oct. 31.
“[Atwood’s] innovation will live on. It started innovation in so many ways for us and thinking outside the box always and thinking of different ways to grow and develop.”
Trustee Tiffany Wilson
President Richard “Biff” Williams sent out an announcement email at 10:37 p.m. on Oct. 31 informing the DSU community of his death, which was caused by health-related complications.
“He will be deeply missed by our faculty, staff, students and community, and our hearts go out to his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” Williams said.
Atwood was deeply involved in supporting the growth of DSU both financially and with his unwavering, can-do spirit.
According to Williams, he was known for saying, “We’ve got to help our kids.”
One way Atwood helped DSU students was through the creation of the Atwood Innovation Plaza; Atwood donated $875,048 in 2018 for this cause, a match of a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.
According to Williams, Atwood even mentored student entrepreneurs in the Atwood 11 program.
“To me, he was a wonderful role model of how to give back, not just money — financially — but with time and talent,” Trustee Kelli Prince said. “[Atwood] did that so well.”
Along with being a member of the Board of Trustees, Atwood served on DSU’s National Advisory Board from 2016-2019, where he assisted the leaps and bounds DSU made during this time, such as the Human Performance Center, the Science, Engineering and Technology building and the move to Division I athletics.
His fellow trustees teared up in remembrance of Atwood at the Board of Trustees meeting held on Nov. 1, which Atwood adamantly requested proceed without him.
“The world could use a lot more Lindsay Atwoods,” Mayor Jon Pike said.
“The world could use a lot more Lindsay Atwoods,”
Mayor Jon Pike
The Atwood Innovation Plaza ribbon cutting and open house will be held on Nov. 8 from 2 – 6 p.m.
“[Atwood’s] innovation will live on,” Trustee Tiffany Wilson said. “It started innovation in so many ways for us and thinking outside the box always and thinking of different ways to grow and develop.”
