The Kiwanis Club of Danville named Don Merricks the winner of the 2024 Kiwanis Citizen of the Year Award. Merricks was lauded for his history of community involvement including being a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2008 to 2014.

Merricks is an Averett alum and is currently the Interim Chief Financial Officer at the school. He is also the Chairman of the Board for Piedmont Broadcasting Corporation and the Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

Merricks was also previously the Chairman of the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce, the Hatcher Center, the Salvation Army, and the Danville Community College Foundation Board among others.

For nearly 20 years, Merricks was the President and Owner of J. W. Squire Company, a successful local Danville flooring business.

Don has been married to his wife Patty for 50 years and has two kids and three grandchildren.