Hall of Fame
David Bergman, son of Betty and the late Jim Bergman, is a native of Georgetown, Kentucky and moved to Pippa Passes with his parents and three siblings at age nine. The campuses of Georgetown College and Alice Lloyd College, where his father worked, provided formative influences.
Bergman competed four years varsity tennis, three years track & field, and two years basketball at Knott County Central High School in Hindman, KY before enrolling at Cumberland College in 1984. He worked with fellow students, team sponsor Barbara Doyle, and the administration to develop a tennis club and helped reinstate the defunct tennis program to varsity status. His time with the tennis program was short, notching one year club and one year varsity status before being elected Student Government President.
As SGA President, Bergman served on the Centennial Planning Committee during the Centennial Celebration of 1987-1988 and served two years as student representative on the Alumni Board of Directors. He worked the SGA concession stand at home basketball games all four years, serving as manager for three years, and volunteered as public address announcer as needed. Appointed Alumni Chapter Coordinator as a senior, Bergman conducted seven regional meetings in as many states.
He gained valuable sales experience in Lexington following graduation and returned to Cumberland College in 1990 as Assistant to the President for Development. His role has included every aspect of institutional advancement while introducing new friends, prospective freshmen, speakers, and viable funding sources to the growing university. He has been dedicated to the university mission of procuring funds for scholarships, workships, capital buildings, athletics, and other projects deemed necessary throughout the United States.
Bergman earned a Master of Arts in Philanthropy and Development from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. He served as Alumni Director from 2005 to 2015, sharing time between development and alumni duties. He served As Chairman of the UC Athletic Hall of Fame (2005-2016), Bergman’s accomplishments include creating the annual AHOF Auction, upgrading to the AHOF Luncheon format, adding diversity to the committee, mailing appeals, and setting objectivity guidelines. He expanded upon the annual Homecoming Alumni Board of Directors Scholarship Auction and served as Chair of UC’s 125th Anniversary Celebration in 2013-14.
Bergman is married to Rhonda (nee Hodges Broyles), an alumna who lettered four years on the women’s varsity basketball team. They reside in Hebron and have five children, Derek, Cody, Jeremy, Emma Kate, and Landon. Bergman is a member of First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg, and served on Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Board of Directors for ten years. His Kiwanis service since 1996 includes one term as President, Board Member (2002-2016), founder and co-chair of Kiwanis Cruise for Kids, and participation in Repair Affair, Relay for Life, and Whitley County Pride Clean-Up. Recognitions include induction into the UC Alumni Hall of Honor (2012), Kiwanis International Leadership Society, and being named Kiwanian of the Year for Kentucky-Tennessee Division 6. His partnership with the City of Williamsburg and Williamsburg Tourism Commission led to the installation of Kiwanis playground equipment at Briar Creek Park, City Park, and a Williamsburg-Kiwanis Skate Park.
