Board Member Spotlight
Michael Coakley ’91, P’23*
After earning a bachelor’s degree in management from Clemson in 1991, Michael joined the C.J. Coakley Company Co., Inc. and then rose through the ranks to become its co-president. Today, the family-owned business that started in 1962 is a full-service interior contractor and one of the largest drywall companies in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
As co-president, Michael manages major construction projects that include many at iconic national landmarks such as the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Pentagon, the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The company received a special commendation from the Department of Defense for work on rebuilding the part of the Pentagon that was damaged on 9/11.
Among his many volunteer roles for Clemson, Michael is a longtime leader of the Baltimore/Washington, DC Clemson Club, which also serves northern Virginia. He was the club’s co-president for 11 years (2000-2011) and has co-chaired its regional board of directors since 2012. He has served the Clemson Alumni Association on its alumni council and board of directors.
He is a member of the Clemson Legacy Society, which honors donors who have included Clemson in their estate plans, and the 1889 Vision Society, which honors donors for significant cumulative giving. He has made annual gifts for academics since he graduated and was an inaugural member of the President’s Leadership Circle.
Michael and his wife, Beth, have a son, Neil, who graduated from Clemson in December 2023, and two daughters, Lauren and Evelyn.
* This information was taken from the Clemson Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award website.
Upcoming Events
See AllCU@Home - CU-ICAR
CU@Home - CU-ICAR
January 28
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12:00 pm
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1:00 pm
Join us for this special lunch time event featuring David Clayton, the Executive Director of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR).
David will give us a behind the scenes glimpse into how Clemson and CU-ICAR are fundamentally redefining the automotive industry through strategic partnerships and cutting-edge research. We’ll hear about CU-ICAR’s work with autonomous vehicles including a look at Deep Orange, the flagship graduate student program that challenges students to design, engineer, and prototype a completely new concept vehicle in two years, pushing the boundaries of conventional design.
An Evening About Clemson's Entrepreneurship Initiatives
An Evening About Clemson's Entrepreneurship Initiatives
February 26
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5:00 pm
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8:00 pm
Please join us for an evening of Clemson fellowship and updates on Clemson’s Entrepreneurship programs including our Brook T. Smith Launchpad Incubator.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2026
5:00pm – 8:00pm
Georgetown, DC
***Address will be provided after registration.
Hosted by CHRIS TORTI and DR. MELONIE RICHEY with Special guest: DR. JOHN HANNON – Director, Brook T. Smith Launchpad
Small plates and Desserts curated by MICHELIN STAR CHEFÂ TAKESHI NISHIKAWA
Learn more about the Brook T. Smith Launchpad here.
Questions? Email Chris Peters at petersc@clemson.edu or dystinr@clemson.edu
Military Appreciation at Arlington Cemetery
Military Appreciation at Arlington Cemetery
March 7
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9:00 am
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12:00 pm
Gather with fellow Tigers to honor Clemson’s fallen heroes who are interred at Arlington National Cemetery. We will gather as a whole group for opening remarks then break into small groups to visit 4-5 grave sites. The group will gather again for closing remarks and a Roll Call performed by Clemson Cadets in the Amphitheater.
The visiting of the gravesites part of the event is free to Club members. An optional reception will be held from 11:00am – 1:00pm at the Military Women’s Museum at the entrance to Arlington Cemetery. Food and beverages will be served.
Early bird pricing for the reception is $20 for Club members, $30 for non members until Feb 1. After Feb 1, member pricing is $25, non member is $40. Club members may purchase one additional ticket at member pricing.
If you plan to attend the gravesites AND the Reception, please only register for the “Event and Reception”. This option will register you for both parts of this event.
