A legacy gift from W. F. Sanders, Jr. fuels innovation and discovery at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology

By Lillie Mermoud

Kindness and generosity have a profound impact on our world, and the individuals who embody these qualities leave lasting legacies behind. W.F. Sanders, Jr., founder of Twickenham Advisors in Huntsville, AL, lived a life of authenticity, empathy, and philanthropy, reflecting his commitment to leaving his home community better than he found it.

W.F. was someone who sought out opportunities to help others and gave back purely because he believed it was the right thing to do. His commitment to others lives on through the many charitable distributions funded by his estate after his death in February, 2024.

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is grateful to have received a generous gift from W.F.’s estate that will help advance our mission of using genomics to improve human health, as well as the health of our planet.

“W.F. anticipated people’s needs and found ways to help in a way that elevated others, not himself,” said Wes Clayton, who is the Co-Founder and Managing Director at Twickenham Advisors and who is also married to W.F.’s eldest daughter, Frances.

As the executor of W.F.’s will, Wes has been working to ensure W.F.’s philanthropic goals were met even after his passing. “W.F. made philanthropic decisions conscientiously, trying to anticipate and serve the community’s needs. He left an incredible impact on our community and has not sought recognition for it.”

Seeking out this unique relationship between donor and nonprofit, W.F. held a special place in his heart for HudsonAlpha. W.F. was close with HudsonAlpha co-founders, Jim Hudson and the late Lonnie McMillian, and had tremendous respect for their vision of what HudsonAlpha could accomplish. Through the Institute’s genomics research on human disease and agricultural science, W.F. understood the Institute was answering global needs through science.

“W.F. was eager to find places where his contributions could change lives,” said Wes. “He was confident that HudsonAlpha was doing incredible things to help humanity.”

After Paula passed away from Alzheimer’s disease, W.F. was grieving over his wife’s loss and felt led to support research on neurodegenerative diseases. Learning more about HudsonAlpha’s work to better understand neurodegenerative diseases like Alzeimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and other dementias enabled W.F. to see how genomics is a crucial tool for improving diagnosis and treatment of these devastating conditions.

“HudsonAlpha’s discoveries are powerful and impactful,” said Wes. “W.F. understood there are important genetic components behind neurodegenerative disease, and he wanted to be able to make a difference for his grandchildren and future generations that will face these diseases.”

When asked about what it means for his father-in-law and mentor’s legacy to live on through this gift to HudsonAlpha, Wes stated that this serves as another reminder to himself and our community on how to “do generosity well.”

To W.F., and to Wes, philanthropy is a calling to do good for those who share the world with us. HudsonAlpha is answering that call by maintaining a commitment to making life-changing breakthroughs through W.F’s generous gift.

As a nonprofit organization, HudsonAlpha relies on philanthropic support to support our vital genomics research programs.

If you are interested in learning more about how you can support HudsonAlpha, please contact Elizabeth Herrin, Senior Director of Advancement, at eherrin@hudsonalpha.org.