Hall of Fame
Ed Byrd has been a dedicated supporter of Lenoir-Rhyne Athletics for over 40 years. One of LR's most loyal contributors, Byrd was a two-term president of the Bears Club. He has been instrumental in countless capital projects and athletic initiatives, including the recent purchase of a custom Mercedes sprinter van for the Lenoir-Rhyne Golf programs, supporting the centennial campaign and the Forever 46 campaign. In addition to those projects, Byrd also helped inspire the idea and secure the funding for the big Charge Bear that is now one of LR's most iconic symbols. He has been key in securing additional corporate sponsors in service to the Hanley H. Painter Golf Committee, where he also served as chair.
Byrd endowed the Larry Byrd Scholarship in memory of his father in support of LR football scholarships. He and his wife Polly were awarded the Alumni Service Award in 2013 for all the years of support they have given Lenior-Rhyne over the year. He is currently the owner and CEO of Kontane Logistics that originated in Hickory, a business he started from the ground up and grew into one of the top companies in the moving and storage industry and morphed into one of the leading logistics, packaging designers and suppliers in the Southeast.
