Thomas E. Cabaniss ’72 Receives 2021 Menscer Cup Award

Tom Cabaniss graduated from NC State in 1972 and has consistently supported the university in the decades since via his time, talent and finances. In recognition of all he has done to advance his alma mater, Tom received one of its highest philanthropic honors Dec. 9 in a special ceremony attended by his family, friends and more.

The Menscer Cup is a fitting recognition for Cabaniss because it is given to those who have selflessly worked to create a big, bold future for NC State. The award is presented each year by the NC State University Foundation to individuals, families or foundations who exemplify the extraordinary philanthropy, dedication and leadership of the foundation’s former board chair Darrell Menscer and his late wife, Carolyn. Cabaniss is the 31st recipient of the Menscer Cup.

Cabaniss was presented with the Menscer Cup during a dinner hosted by the foundation at downtown Raleigh’s Junction West and catered by NC State alumna Ashley Christensen. Chancellor Randy Woodson, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and NC State University Foundation President Brian Sischo and NC State University Foundation Board Chair Mike Constantino spoke during the presentation, each offering praise for the honoree’s love of all things Wolfpack.

“Tom has earned this award many times over by giving to support NC State in a variety of ways,“ Woodson said. “It seems like I’m sending him a letter of gratitude every other day for his contributions to one fund or another, and each time I do, I can sincerely mean it when I say, ‘Thank you.’

“Something that I am constantly impressed by with Tom isn’t just how much he gives or how many areas he supports, but how selflessly he does it,“ Woodson added. “You hardly ever see or hear his name mentioned in his support, as he’s much more concerned about helping others be recognized.”

Clara E. Cabaniss, Tom’s daughter, was also able to attend. Clara graduated from NC State in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in food science with a concentration in technology and food services. She is currently a graduate student in the Poole College of Management.

Tom Cabaniss graduated summa cum laude in 1972 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering after having served as a member of Alpha Pi Mu, the Industrial Engineering Honor Society. He then attended the University of Virginia School of Law, graduating with his juris doctor degree in 1975.

Cabaniss became a partner in the Kaufman & Oberndorfer law firm that same year, working for it and its successor, Kaufman & Canoles, in Norfolk, Virginia, until 1985. He then joined the international law firm McGuireWoods LLP, later serving as the managing partner for many years.

Having stepped down as the managing partner in 2018, Cabaniss currently serves as a senior partner for McGuireWoods LLP, concentrating his practice on complex real estate lending transactions and the representation of financial institutions, corporations, partnerships and individuals in all areas of bankruptcy and workout-related practice. He will be retiring at the end of this year and is excited to begin the next chapter in his life.

Despite holding such a high-profile position with the firm, Cabaniss makes time to give back to his alma mater in many personal ways. He has served on the university’s Board of Trustees in numerous roles over the years, having joined in 2013 and serving as chair from 2018-2021. He has also served on the NC State University Foundation Board (1998-2002), Coalition 2000 (2003-2004), the Friends of Arts NC State (2013-2019), the Alumni Association Campaign for Excellence, the NC State Student Aid Association Board of Directors (2007-2017) and the Alumni Association Board of Directors (1997-2004).

NC State basketball fans can credit Cabaniss with leading in the effort to rename Reynolds Coliseum’s James T. Valvano Arena in memory of the former men’s coach. He was also instrumental in the construction of Fitts-Woolard Hall on Centennial Campus, among other projects.

Cabaniss is the former chair of the NC State Student Aid Association Board of Directors and the Alumni Association Board of Directors, too, as well as a founding member and secretary of the State Club Board of Directors. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Endowment Fund, the Think and Do the Extraordinary Campaign Cabinet and the Wolfpack Investor Network, and he is a lifetime member of the NC State Alumni Association.

The Menscer Cup isn’t the first award Cabaniss has received in recognition of all these contributions. He was presented with the Meritorious Service Alumnus Award in 2004, the ISE Distinguished Alumni Award in 2008 and the Watauga Medal in 2013. Tom has also been admitted into the William Joseph Peele Society, a lifetime giving society honoring those who have committed $1 million or more in outright gifts or irrevocable planned gifts to NC State.

He is helping other students think and do the extraordinary at NC State through the Tom Cabaniss Scholarship for Volleyball, created in 2006. He has contributed to other funds all across campus, too, including the Wolfpack Club, the Gregg Museum of Art and Design Building Fund, the Fitts-Woolard Hall Project Fund, the C30 Research Fund at the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Marching Band Fund and more.

“Tom has played an integral part in our success, undergirding all of our efforts with his gracious giving to multiple programs, departments and causes,” Sischo said. “Suffice it to say, this university would not be set up for such a tremendous future if it wasn’t for Tom’s dedication.”