Citadel graduate pledges $20 million legacy gift to the school

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William Baer Endictor, an Atlanta attorney, humanitarian and class of 1959 graduate, has pledged a legacy gift of approximately $20 million to The Citadel.

This is one of the largest gifts the school has ever received, the military college said in a news release.

Endictor credits The Citadel for the success he has achieved, which includes serving as former assistant solicitor for the state of Georgia and as a trial lawyer for a Fortune 500 CEO. The gift of his entire estate will support the school through The Citadel Foundation and help provide opportunities similar to his own to future cadets.

“The Citadel Foundation is the life-blood of The Citadel. Without the Foundation, Lesesne Gate would have closed decades ago,” Endictor said in a statement. “The leadership of The Citadel is outstanding. I have always said that the smartest thing anyone can do is to hire the right people and then get out of their way.”

President and retired Marine Corps Gen. Glenn M. Walters, who graduated from the college in 1979, said the legacy gift will support Our Mighty Citadel 2026, the school’s strategic plan.

“Academic enhancement is the lifeblood of this institution, supporting our mission to educate principled leaders. By generously supporting this fund, Bill’s estate gift secures his legacy of leadership and reinforces his lifetime of service to his alma mater,” Walters said.

Today, Endictor lives in the Atlanta suburb of Brookhaven, Ga., and is a retired trial lawyer. He formerly served as a corporate attorney for E.T. Barwick Industries. Over the years he has remained very involved with The Citadel and The Citadel Foundation. In 2011, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

He also has served on the public college’s President’s’ Advisory Committee and The Citadel Foundation Board of Directors, and was the 2011 president of The Citadel Alumni Association.

“We have many alumni who are passionate about our alma mater. Mr. Endictor, as demonstrated by his activities with the college and now this gift, has put credence into that passion,” TCF Director of Legacy Giving Bill Yaeger, a 1983 graduate, said. “He is a friend of mine and a friend of our alma mater, and he has been great to work with.”