Given to the Fraternity in 1980 by Brothers James J. Nance, Ohio Wesleyan 1923, and Dr. John D. Millett, DePauw ’33, the Nance-Millett Free Enterprise Award recognizes a Phi who has made an outstanding contribution to the free enterprise system. This year, Phi Delta Theta recognized Brother Gary Norcross, Arkansas ’87, as the 2024 recipient of the Nance-Millett Award.
As the former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of FIS, a Fortune 500® company. Gary Norcross focused on driving FIS’ $12 billion global business.
Highly respected throughout the industry, Norcross has experience serving financial institutions large and small, domestic and global. He began his career with FIS more than thirty years ago when he joined Systematics Inc. in 1988 as an entry-level programmer. He went on to serve in a variety of leadership roles before being named president and chief operating officer in 2012, president and chief executive officer in 2015, and chairman, president, and chief executive officer in 2018.
Using a client-focused approach, Norcross oversaw significant growth of FIS’ product portfolio and global footprint. He was critical to the company’s acquisition and integration of several companies, including Metavante Technologies, INc, Sungard, Certegy, and eFunds. He also led the company’s 2019 acquisition of Worldpay, one of the world’s leading global eCommerce and payment technology companies.
Under Norcross’ leadership, FIS grew to more than 55,000 employees worldwide, serving over 20,000 clients in more than 130 countries. FIS also consistently ranked among the industry’s leading financial technology providers, including topping the FinTech 100 six times within the last ten years.
Norcross also held a variety of leadership and board of directors’ roles. He served on the dean’s executive advisory board for the Sam M. Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas, and he was a board member of Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast, and the Knowledge is Power Program’s (KIPP) Impact School in Jacksonville, Florida.
In 2018, Norcross was named by the Jacksonville Business Journal as one of their “Ultimate CEOs.” Norcross held a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Arkansas.
Brother Norcross is a dynamic leader with a vision for helping global communities. Today, Gary and his wife, Amy, focus on making an impact through their charity work. One of those efforts has been impacting first-generation and diversity and inclusion programming for Phi Delta Theta. The Norcrosses support has made a significant impact on the progress of Campaign 2030: A Greater Version for Tomorrow, the Phi Delta Theta Foundation’s 10-year comprehensive campaign.
For his long and continued support of the Free Enterprise system, Phi Delta Theta International Fraternity is proud to honor Gary Norcross with the Nance-Millett Free Enterprise Award.
