Jesse Arnelle
Encyclopedia
Hugh Jesse Arnelle is a retired American basketball
player and attorney
.
and basketball for Penn State University. He led the basketball team
to the 1954 NCAA Final Four
. He was named an All-America
n that season. Arnelle was also named to the 1954 NCAA All-Tournament team and the East Regional Most Valuable Player
. Arnelle finished his Penn State basketball career as the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder
with 2,138 points and 1,238 rebounds.
He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1955 NFL Draft, but chose to instead play in the NBA
. He was selected by the Fort Wayne Pistons
in the 2nd round (15th pick overall) of the 1955 NBA Draft
. He played for the Pistons (1955–1956) in the NBA in 31 games.
and the Peace Corps
. He graduated from Dickinson Law School in 1962, and in 1969 he moved to San Francisco and took the California bar exam
. Once licensed to practice law in 1971, Arnelle worked as a trial lawyer in the public defender
s office.
In 1987, Arnelle teamed with William Hastie to form the law firm of Arnelle & Hastie, San Francisco, (which later became Arnelle, Hastie, McGee, Willis and Green). He would serve as senior partner
until his retirement from law in 1997. Black Enterprise
magazine named Arnelle & Hastie one of the top 12 black law firms in the country in 1987. He was also Of Counsel
to the law firm of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice from 1997-2005.
Arnelle has served on the board of directors
of URS Corp.
since January 2004. Prior to that, he was on the boards of the Metropolitan Life Series Fund
, Textron Corporation
, Eastman Chemical Company
, Gannett Company
, Waste Management, Inc
, Armstrong World Industries
, Wells Fargo
, and Florida Power & Light
.
in 1955. He was elected to the university's Board of Trustees in 1969 and has since served the university in many roles, including the President’s club, the Penn State Renaissance Fund, the Campaign Steering Committee and Penn State’s National Development Council. He received the Lion’s Paw award, given to distinguished alumni, in June 2000.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
Athletics
He played American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and basketball for Penn State University. He led the basketball team
Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball
The Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team representing the Pennsylvania State University. They are a member of the Big Ten Conference and play home games at the 15,261-seat Bryce Jordan Center, moving there from boisterous Rec Hall during the 1995–96...
to the 1954 NCAA Final Four
1954 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1954 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 24 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1954, and ended with the championship game on March 20 in Kansas City, Missouri...
. He was named an All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n that season. Arnelle was also named to the 1954 NCAA All-Tournament team and the East Regional Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
. Arnelle finished his Penn State basketball career as the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
with 2,138 points and 1,238 rebounds.
He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1955 NFL Draft, but chose to instead play in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He was selected by the Fort Wayne Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in the 2nd round (15th pick overall) of the 1955 NBA Draft
1955 NBA Draft
The 1955 NBA Draft was the ninth annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 13, 1955 before the 1955–56 season. In this draft, eight remaining NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. In each round, the teams select in reverse...
. He played for the Pistons (1955–1956) in the NBA in 31 games.
Law and business
After professional basketball, Arnelle spent time in the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
and the Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
. He graduated from Dickinson Law School in 1962, and in 1969 he moved to San Francisco and took the California bar exam
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
. Once licensed to practice law in 1971, Arnelle worked as a trial lawyer in the public defender
Public defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
s office.
In 1987, Arnelle teamed with William Hastie to form the law firm of Arnelle & Hastie, San Francisco, (which later became Arnelle, Hastie, McGee, Willis and Green). He would serve as senior partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
until his retirement from law in 1997. Black Enterprise
Black Enterprise
Black Enterprise is a monthly U.S. magazine which describes itself as "the premier business news and investment resource for African Americans" and claims a readership of 3.7 million. It was founded in 1970 by Earl G. Graves, Sr.. The publication is known for its annual listing of the largest...
magazine named Arnelle & Hastie one of the top 12 black law firms in the country in 1987. He was also Of Counsel
Of counsel
Of counsel is often the title of an attorney who is employed by a law firm or an organization, but is not an associate or a partner. Some firms use titles like "counsel," "special counsel," and "senior counsel" for the same concept...
to the law firm of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice from 1997-2005.
Arnelle has served on the board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
of URS Corp.
URS Corp.
URS Corporation is an engineering design firm and a U.S. federal government contractor. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, URS is a full-service, global organization with offices located in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.-History:...
since January 2004. Prior to that, he was on the boards of the Metropolitan Life Series Fund
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, or MetLife, for short, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, with 90 million customers in over 60 countries...
, Textron Corporation
Textron
Textron is a conglomerate that includes Bell Helicopter, E-Z-GO, Cessna Aircraft Company, and Greenlee, among others. It was founded by Royal Little in 1923 as the Special Yarns Company, and is headquartered at the Textron Tower in Providence, Rhode Island, United States.With total revenues of...
, Eastman Chemical Company
Eastman Chemical Company
Eastman Chemical Company is a United States based chemical company, engaged in the manufacture and sale of chemicals, fibers, and plastics. Eastman has 11 manufacturing sites in seven countries, supplying its products throughout the world...
, Gannett Company
Gannett Company
Gannett Company, Inc. is a publicly-traded media holding company headquartered in Tysons Corner, Virginia, United States, near McLean. It is the largest U.S. newspaper publisher as measured by total daily circulation. Its assets include the national newspaper USA Today and the weekly USA Weekend...
, Waste Management, Inc
Waste Management, Inc
Waste Management, Inc. is a waste management, comprehensive waste, and environmental services company in North America. Founded in 1894, the company is headquartered in Suite 4000 at the First City Tower in Downtown Houston, Texas, in the United States....
, Armstrong World Industries
Armstrong World Industries
Armstrong World Industries, Inc. is an international designer and manufacturer of floors, ceilings and cabinets. Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Armstrong operates 40 plants in 10 countries and has approximately 12,300 employees worldwide. In 2006, Armstrong’s net sales were $3.42 billion, with...
, Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
, and Florida Power & Light
Florida Power & Light
Florida Power & Light Company, the principal subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc. , commonly referred to by its initials, FPL, is a Juno Beach, Florida-based power utility which serves roughly 4.4 million customers in Florida. FPL Group holds power generation assets in more than 20 U.S...
.
Personal
Arnelle became Penn State’s first black student body presidentStudent governments in the United States
In the United States, these groups are often known as student government, associated students, student senate, or less commonly a student's union...
in 1955. He was elected to the university's Board of Trustees in 1969 and has since served the university in many roles, including the President’s club, the Penn State Renaissance Fund, the Campaign Steering Committee and Penn State’s National Development Council. He received the Lion’s Paw award, given to distinguished alumni, in June 2000.
See also
- List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds
External links
- "A 'Wow' Moment", CBS Interactive, February 15, 2008