Announced at TomBlair’s Retirement Dinner on March 28, 2007 by long-time Board Members and former Chairs: Dick Ayscue, Tom Carter, Ron Joyce and Dalton Ruffin:
DataMax began its 100 plus year-old history as the Retail Merchants Association of Winston-Salem, and served its members with a variety of services over the years. Thirty-one years ago, Tom Blair joined the organization and, to say the least, nothing was ever the same. With a combination of business acumen and entrepreneurship, Tom transformed the company from a non-profit supported by member dues to a dynamic business services company returning exceptional growth and profits. He bought and sold businesses during this remarkable tenure, and his timing was impeccable.
Today, on the eve of his retirement, DataMax remains a company with a profitable operating division, and under Tom’s guidance, just launched DataMax (now the Twin City Development) Foundation with the goal of funding economic development initiatives in the City of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County in a most significant way.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of DataMax Corporation and DataMax Foundation, we are announcing that DataMax Foundation will be honoring Tom with the “Tom Blair Legacy Grant” to be given each year to a worthy organization or initiative to promote economic development in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. This grant will be in keeping with the goals of DataMax Foundation to move Winston-Salem forward and keep it a vibrant, business friendly city. Moreover, it will honor Tom Blair’s contributions in making this Foundation and this ongoing grant possible.
Tom Blair Legacy Grants
2023 A Bed and A Book – 30 bed installations
2022 TROSA Triad – Vocational Training
2021 Second Harvest Food Bank – Hunger for Change Capital Campaign
2020 Second Harvest Food Bank – Hunger for Change Capital Campaign
2019 Old Salem Museums and Gardens – Learning in Place Initiative
2018 Winston-Salem State University – Center for Entrepreneurship
2017 Venture Café Winston-Salem – Founding Investor
2016 UNC Center for Design Innovation – Technology Upgrades
2015 Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce – Senior Mentoring Program
2014 Wake Forest Innovation Quarter – Flywheel Co-working Incubator
2013 Forsyth Tech Community College – Advanced Manufacturing Program
2012 Community Education Collaborative – Graduating Our Future
2011 WF Center for Nanotechnology – Electron Microscope Spectrometer
2010 Forsyth Tech Community College – JobsNOW Scholarship
2009 Wake Forest Cancer Center – Cancer Innovation Program
2008 Crosby Community Scholars – Endowment Fund
2007 Forsyth Tech Community College – Center for Emerging Technology