Two couples have added to their longtime support of Catawba College by endowing separate scholarships.
Bill Hall, a Rowan native and longtime sales representative for Jostens’ publishing company, and his wife, Rosemary, have established the Bill and Rosemary Hall Endowed Scholarship.
Richard “Rick” B. Toms, who operates his own security company in Hagerstown, Md., and his wife, Cinda, have established the Rick and Cinda Toms Endowed Scholarship.
Bill Hall grew up in Cleveland and says his parents “paid for the majority of my Catawba tuition.”
But as a student, he also worked in the athletic department as a football manager, getting to know Dr. Earl Ruth, then dean of students, who would later win election to Congress.
In 1966, Bill Hall graduated with a degree in health and physical education. After getting a mater’s degree in teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he returned to Catawba as an admissions counselor with the legendary Chub Richards.
Hall worked five years for Richards, before earning successive promotions to director of student activities, dean of students and dean of admissions.
“One of unique things about my career is that I’ve only worked two places,” says Hall, who is currently celebrating his 25th year as a sales rep with Jostens’ yearbook division.
His current Jostens’ territory spans 19 N.C. counties, and he’s happy to have Catawba alumni Alison Klopp and Luke Samples on his sales and service staff.
Hall serves on the Chiefs Club board and has served two terms as its president. The Halls are known by many attending Catawba’s home football games as the king and queen of tailgating, and they and their tailgating cronies often turn their pre-game fun into substantial fundraisers for good causes. 
A native of Kansas, Rosemary Hall has experience as a customer service representative in Jostens’ Topeka, Kan., plant. Bill Hall met her at a private party in St. Louis and then had brunch with her the day after. That meeting and brunch began a two-year, long distance relationship which resulted in their marriage 18 years ago.
Today, Rosemary Hall is active in Meals on Wheels and at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Together, the couple has three adult children and six grandchildren.
With a note of pride in his voice, Hall says, “I feel that Catawba is a better institution today than it was when I came here, and overall the beauty of the campus is enhanced today.  I can remember when the back of the campus was the heating plant, and now it’s the center of the campus since the addition of Frock Fields, the field house and the stadium.”
The Halls “care so deeply about the institution, about its success,” Catawba Senior Vice President Tom Childress says, “and their enthusiasm is contagious. And while they do have fun at the athletic events, they know what we’re really about here ó the students.”
Adds Bill Hall, “We’ve always felt that a college education is necessary for as many people as want to go get one. … We decided we would create an endowed scholarship with preference given to a student athlete, male or female.”