Stanley Davis Phillips
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Stanley Davis Phillips died peacefully on November 20th, 2022 at his beloved family home, Valleyfields Farm in North Carolina, with his family by his side.
Dave was born in High Point, North Carolina on May 11th, 1942. Suffering an early amputation of his left leg, he took this condition not as a disadvantage but rather as a challenge to overcome to help make a difference in the world around him. He founded, led, and grew several local High Point furniture and textile companies, three of which he sold to NYSE-listed companies. Among them was Market Square, which has since become a major international furnishing center.
Dave served as the North Carolina Secretary of Commerce under Governor James B. Hunt. He was also Chairman of the five-year effort to host the 1999 Special Olympics World Games in North Carolina. As a member of the North Carolina Department of Transportation Board, Dave was instrumental in bringing to fruition the long-awaited 311 Bypass Project (now I-74). Dave also served as U.S. Ambassador to Estonia under President George W. Bush, and he led the response to the 2007 Russian cyberattack on Estonia.
Dave was a dedicated philanthropist with board memberships that included his alma mater Choate Rosemary Hall, Duke University, and the Smithsonian.
Along with his devoted wife of 51 years, Katherine Anthony Phillips, surviving Dave are his four daughters and four beloved grandchildren.