By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Man, does Ronald H. Filler have a story!
And it all began in Union City and the UC School System.
The New York Law School professor and philanthropist, who has funded more than 100 scholarships to the University of Illinois, will return to his roots to give his personal account of that remarkable journey as guest speaker of the 34th annual Union City High School Academic Top 10 Banquet, April 22.
The Top 10 from each of the four classes at UCHS – based on grade point averages – will be recognized at the banquet, which is set for 6:30 p.m. in the high school commons area. The event is not open to the public.
A 1966 Union City High School graduate and class salutatorian, Filler has and continues to fill many roles at the prestigious New York Law School.
He is the director of the LL.M. (Master’s in Law) in Financial Services and Law Graduate Program, and currently serves as an independent public director of the National Futures Association — the industry’s self-regulatory organization. He also serves as a NYSE Liffe US, a futures exchange majority owned by the New York Stock Exchange.
Additionally, Filler teaches several courses for both LL.M. and JD students.
What he proudly stated after agreeing to be this year’s keynote Top 10 banquet speaker, though, was: “I’m Union City all the way!”
“I still remember the Purple and Gold fight song,” he said.
Filler insisted his Union City Schools education was a great base for later higher learning that included the University of Illinois, George Washington University Law School and Georgetown University Law Center.
So, too, was the small-town life of a boy and then a young man whose parents owned and operated Dotty’s, a women’s clothing store downtown in UC.
“My parents didn’t believe in the child labor laws – I was expected to work every Saturday at the family business,” Filler laughed. “I really loved the small-town life where everybody knew each other.
“I refer to small town life every day because it was where I learned all my values. And even though I’ve lived most of my adult life in Chicago and New York, I consider myself a small-town guy.”
He speaks with understandable great pride as well when detailing his school days.
“I secretly laugh when I tell people who are from bigger places that I was All-City in football. They don’t know that Union City was the only school in town and that we only had 22 players,” Filler chuckled.
“I played football and I was in the band. I’m thankful to (band director) Marion Reithel…. I was a lousy trumpet player, but he still let me play in the band.”
The 70-year-old Filler says he still returns to the area on a semi-regular basis and has never missed a UCHS class reunion. He keeps up with his classmates through an email blast sent by his high school friends Art and Phoeba Ross.
More than 100 students in Illinois have been selected to receive scholarships that Filler personally funds. He’s also given 25 scholarships to students at the New York Law School, too, and insists the additional offered mentorships that come with the financial part gives him great satisfaction.
“I’m glad they get the free education part, but I want them (student recipients) to get the mentor opportunity just as much,” he said. “I really enjoy offering myself in that role as a liaison just as much as I enjoy providing the money. It’s basically just something I’ve done all my life.”
“I don’t select the recipients. A committee does that and they have to meet certain standards.”
Filler plans to spend some time during the day talking to and advising students who did not make the Top 10 and has offered to do anything administrators wish to encourage UCHS students.
“I’m looking so forward to this and I want to do anything and everything I can to show my appreciation for the honor,” Filler concluded. “My parents stressed education and I’ve always done the same thing.
“I have been so blessed. Going to Illinois from high school was a unique experience. But I received a great education in the Union City school system to help prepare me for my life’s journey. The University of Illinois had a big impact, but so too did Union City Schools.”
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