Every day is Arbor Day for Select Trees

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Arbor Day celebrates nature and encourages people around the world to plant trees. For Select Trees, though, planting trees is a year-round event.  

Select Trees produces high-quality sustainable landscape shade trees in the Southeast and is a wholesaler of Select Sustainable Trees. Curious where you can see some of these trees for yourself? Look no further than UGA’s beautiful campus. Through their tree trust, the company donated more than 770 large caliper oak trees to UGA.  

We talked with Corey Browning, the vice president of Select Trees, to learn more about all things trees.  

Corey BrowningWhat is your favorite part of the planting and growing process of trees?  

My favorite part is probably selecting new cultivars. So as part of what we do at Select Trees, we also have a sister company called Tree Introductions. We find new trees to clone and make new cultivars, and the process of doing that is just evaluating trees in the landscape and seeing what’s working and what’s not working. 

What is one important thing you want people to know about the process of selecting trees that they might now know? 

I think the most important thing that maybe is overlooked is choosing the right tree for the right place. For instance, people plant Crape Myrtles because they like the flower but then they may not realize that it’s a tree and it’s going to get 30 or 40 feet tall. And so, they get a landscape company to come through and prune it back really hard so that it fits in the space. So, it’s really important to look at the space that you have and determine, is it adequate for the trees that you really want to plant? 

What is the biggest misconception you hear the most about the process?  

I think the biggest misconception would be just what a tree requires to be established. Oftentimes, for what we do at Select Trees, we’re harvesting trees so that means we’re taking them out of the ground and moving them to another place. And so, trees are not bulletproof. They need help, in that first year especially, to get established. 

Where on UGA’s campus can students and faculty enjoy the trees Select Trees has planted?  

One of the places on campus that stands out is the Reed Hall alley behind the stadium. At the intramural fields just above the train tracks, there’s a really nice row of Hightower Willow Oaks. At the women’s sports complex, there are quite a few of our trees, and really just all over campus through the donation process. There have been different spots all over campus that have benefited from the donation. 

IM Fields Tree Progression

Intramural Fields Tree Progression

Do you have a favorite tree to plant? If so, what is it? 

My favorite tree — and it’s one that we’ve sent quite a few of to campus — is called Highbeam Overcup Oak. It’s a cultivar of Overcup that we introduced about 25 years ago, and it’s just a really great native tree that not only looks fantastic, but it has a lot of environmental benefits as well. 

Do Select Trees have anything planned for Arbor Day? 

It’s just another day unfortunately because propagation season kicks off really quick, so we’re getting all of our greenhouses and things like that set up to start new trees. 

 

UGA Class of 2021 sets new Senior Signature participation record

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The University of Georgia Class of 2021 set a Senior Signature record with 3,009 students making a gift to the university prior to graduation. This is the fifth consecutive year that the graduating class broke the preceding class’s participation record and the highest donor count in the program’s 30-year history.

Students are asked to contribute to UGA through the Senior Signature program during their final year on campus. In appreciation for giving back to the university, students’ names are included on a plaque in Tate Plaza in the heart of campus.

“This record is a true sign of the senior class’s Bulldog tenacity,” said Kevin Nwogu, Student Alumni Council president-elect who also helped lead this year’s campaign. “They managed challenges presented by the pandemic alongside preparing for graduation—and still made room to give back to their soon-to-be alma mater.”

Senior Signature allows students to select any fund on campus to receive a portion of their gift—and students often select a program or department that enhanced their college experience. This year’s minimum donation was $30 in honor of Senior Signature’s 30th anniversary.

This year, the Student Alumni Council, which educates the student body on how philanthropy at UGA improves lives, launched a new component to Senior Signature in which donors to the program vote on a student organization to receive a grant from the Senior Signature endowed fund. The hope is that this new initiative will build a ‘philanthropic cycle’ in which students donate, direct and receive funds—building an understanding of the power of private support at universities like UGA.

Senior Signature was established in 1991. Since then, more than 40,000 students have donated to UGA through the program—their names still visible on the plaques in Tate Plaza.

Learn more about Senior Signature at alumni.uga.edu/seniorsignature.

Where commitment meets community: Randy Tanner (BBA ‘79) invests in Atlanta’s next generation

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As a young insurance professional in Atlanta, Randy Tanner (BBA ’79) easily found volunteer opportunities within his industry. But the UGA grad wanted to get more involved in supporting his greater Atlanta community, so he researched new opportunities. His search led him to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta – where, 30 years later, he serves on the board of directors.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a national organization that facilitates one-on-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Through over 235 chapters across the United States, more than 2 million children have been served in the past decade. Another UGA grad, Artis Stevens (AB ’97), became the organization’s president and CEO in January.

In the three decades since first hearing about Big Brothers Big Sisters, Tanner has served as a “big brother” to two “little brothers.” In 1991, he was matched with Cody. After Cody’s family left Atlanta, Tanner then matched with Adam. When Cody moved back to Atlanta, Tanner maintained relationships with both Adam and Cody—as part of the program and as they became adults.

Randy Tanner (BBA ’79) and his ‘little brother’ Adam Meacham at a Big Brothers Big Sisters legacy gala.

The ‘Rolls Royce of mentoring’

Tanner calls Big Brothers Big Sisters’ model “the Rolls Royce of mentoring.” Potential volunteers participate in an orientation process to introduce them to the program. Once a volunteer commits to at least one year of mentoring, the organization matches them with a child and the child’s family.

As Tanner embarked on the journey to become a mentor, he weaved his mentee into his life. From sharing a meal to throwing a football at the park, the flexibility of the program allowed Tanner to invest in mentoring relationships while operating Tanner, Ballew & Maloof, Inc., an independent insurance agency he founded in 1993.

“My responsibility was to get together with them regularly and have a good time,” Tanner said. “I was a part of their lives and let them see my life, ask me questions, and talk about their plans.”

The Big Brothers Big Sisters experience also allowed Tanner to engage in the Atlanta community as he desired when he was first seeking a new volunteer experience.

“In Atlanta, we have such a vibrant nonprofit community,” Tanner said. “There are a lot of good things being done, and the need is great with Big Brothers Big Sisters.”

More than a mentor

Mentoring led Tanner to serve Big Brothers Big Sisters beyond being a big brother. After serving as an ambassador and then a board member, the local board elected him as chair in December 2020.

In this role, Tanner directs fundraising efforts and raises awareness for the organization as it facilitates mentoring relationships with approximately 1,100 children in metro Atlanta. He also gets a front row seat to the organization’s mentoring success stories.

Last fall, Tanner received the 2020 V. Thomas Murray Founder’s Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta in recognition of his commitment to the community.

“The award allowed me to reflect and experience a great deal of gratitude for all that I’ve learned during the process and from being a big brother,” Tanner said.

A lifelong commitment

Tanner retired from Tanner, Ballew and Maloof last month, so he plans to dedicate some of his extra time to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Just as Tanner maintained connections with his little brothers, he plans to stay connected with the nonprofit.

To Tanner, commitment means learning how and why you can give back to the community. His ‘how’ has been mentorship, and his ‘why’ has been relationships.

“It’s primarily about having compassion for people and wanting to help those who are in a tougher station of life than you,” Tanner said. “I’m committed to Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I anticipate staying involved for life.”

WHERE COMMITMENT MEETS COMMUNITY

Whether life takes them to new cities or to the neighborhoods where they grew up, Georgia Bulldogs do more than get jobs – they elevate their communities. Bulldogs lead nonprofits, effect change and create opportunities for others. Wherever people are suffering, wherever communities are looking for effective leaders and whenever the world cries out for better solutions, Bulldogs are there to answer the call to service. It’s more than our passion. It’s our commitment.

Caroline Odom, an intern with UGA’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations, brings you a spring blog series that celebrates Bulldogs who embrace that commitment to helping others in their communities thrive.

Want to read about other Bulldogs impacting their communities?

Tech industry leader, academic honors UGA mentor with scholarship

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“Do not let the problem defeat you!” These words of wisdom have inspired Dr. Greg Lavender (BS ’83), since the moment they were delivered 40 years ago, when he was a Computer Science major at the University of Georgia. He attributes these encouraging words to Dr. Jeffrey W. Smith, associate professor in UGA’s Department of Computer Science.

Smith made his mark at UGA as one of the first faculty members to teach computer science. Even in those early days, it wasn’t an easy program of study. Enrollment ranged from a couple of hundred students in the first years to over a thousand in subsequent years. The fledgling department’s work was made even more challenging due to an evolving curriculum as the field of computer science rapidly expanded. However, after several years, the program stabilized and the faculty members were able to steadily expand the rate of computer science graduates at UGA. Today, computer science is one of the most popular majors on campus.

Lavender considers himself lucky to have been in the first graduating class of computer science majors to have studied under Smith. For Lavender, Smith was a role-model professor who demonstrated excellent teaching ability combined with advanced research.

Smith saw research as his obligation—understanding it was important to add to the burgeoning field of computer science—but teaching was his priority. He wanted students to learn what was useful and memorable. For example, seeing the evolving field of computer science and the rapidly growing interest in game programming, Smith developed a course to be taught around video game programming. He is a firm believer that during the short period of time students are at the university, faculty should strive to make an impact in their lives and teach what is meaningful.

Dr. Jeffrey W. Smith in his UGA office during the late 1980s

This meaningful connection was not lost on Lavender. With Smith’s encouragement and a letter of recommendation, Lavender chose to pursue his master’s and Ph.D. in computer science at Virginia Tech.

Upon graduation from Virginia Tech with a Ph.D. in computer networking, Lavender became a research scientist at a premier research laboratory in Austin, and he also started teaching in the Department of Computer Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin). His teaching style was inspired by Smith’s style, always putting students first and motivating undergraduate and graduate students with the same words that motivated him: “Do not let the problem defeat you!”

During his years in academia, Lavender became Associate Chairman for Academics, which included supervision of the graduate program. One year, a new graduate student admitted to the top-10 UT-Austin Computer Science Ph.D. program was Alison Norman (née Smith). She introduced herself to Lavender as the daughter of his long-ago undergraduate professor.

Alison exhibited a strong interest in gaining classroom teaching experience, so Lavender assigned her to teach an introductory undergraduate programming course, rather than be a traditional teaching assistant. Alison is now an Associate Professor of Instruction at the Department of Computer Sciences at UT-Austin. This was truly a full-circle moment for Lavender to be able to help the daughter of his undergraduate professor follow in her father’s footsteps.

Lavender, who is currently Chief Technology Officer of VMware, Inc., in Palo Alto, has had a long and successful professional career in research, academia, startups and major tech companies in Silicon Valley. Reflecting on that success and the people who helped him get there, Lavender wanted to honor Smith’s lifelong dedication to teaching, which he credits for inspiring him and many other students. In 2019, Lavender established an endowed undergraduate scholarship in Smith’s name as part of the Georgia Commitment Scholarship Program to pay tribute to the impact he made in his life and the lives of other UGA students.

Lavender had the privilege of sharing this news with Smith and his family over a barbecue in Texas, where Smith, now retired and emeritus, resides with his wife, daughter and her family. The scholarship was awarded to a deserving UGA student in Fall 2019.

“Having a scholarship in my name is beyond gratifying,” remarked Smith. “It does acknowledge the appreciation for the attention to teaching.”

You can help support the Dr. Jeffrey W. Smith Georgia Commitment Scholarship fund by donating via this giving form.

Erika Parks Headshot

Where commitment meets community: Erica Parks (MPH ’11) advocates for veterans

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Erica Parks (MPH ’11) refers to herself as a “vetpreneur.” The UGA alumna leverages her experiences with the armed forces, public health and entrepreneurship to advocate for veterans through Camouflage Me Not.

The seed of advocacy was planted in Parks as a young girl, but her experiences in the United States Army Reserve and as a veteran helped the seed grow. When Parks deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, in 2003, her leadership roles and a near-death experience taught her the importance of speaking up for herself and others.

“That time in Afghanistan means so much to me,” Parks said. “The unity I have with my comrades is unmatched.”

When she returned from deployment, Parks earned an undergraduate degree from Kennesaw State University and then applied to UGA’s Master of Public Health program. The program exposed her to health policy and the idea of working with veterans.

Parks founded Camouflage Me Not in 2018 to increase social awareness around veterans’ transition to civilian life. Through the advocacy nonprofit, she shares a specific message on behalf of veterans: “Don’t hide me.”

Erica Parks (MPH ’11) served as a medical supply sergeant with Fort Gillem’s 427th medical logistical battalion in the United States Army Reserve. Parks served almost nine months of active duty in Bagram, Afghanistan, in 2003.

The need for support

After earning her master’s degree, Parks experienced 38 months of chronic unemployment. She felt that as a woman of color and a veteran, that she was overlooked and undervalued.

“The song says, ‘And the Army goes rolling along,’” Parks said. “And it does.”

The armed forces offer housing, training, and employment services to members. When veterans transition to civilian life, many of those services are no longer available, Parks said. Women and minorities may feel the challenges of the transition into veteran status even more deeply—as Parks knows from her own experience.

“There is so much training to prepare a soldier, but not the same training when they leave,” Parks said. “Transition programs need a serious overhaul.”

 

Erica Parks (MPH ’11) was honored at the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s inaugural Veterans in Business Awards with the Veteran Owned Business Award. The audience listens to a video of Parks discussing her military service, lessons learned from service, Camouflage Me Not and her transition from the military to the business world.

Starting conversations

Through advocacy, research, and collaboration, Camouflage Me Not ignites conversation around veterans’ transition and uses public health initiatives and current issues to start a conversation around veteran transition. Since founding the organization, Parks has brought veterans non-veterans to the table while partnering with communities and local governments. But Parks isn’t stopping there.

Her next goal is to attain 501(c)(4) status, which transform Camouflage Me Not into a social welfare organization. With this status, Camouflage Me Not can extend the conversation about veteran transition to legislative assemblies through lobbying.

“Camouflage Me Not means don’t hide me and don’t throw me away,” Parks said. “I’m committed to people who deserve support but might not know what they need.”

Camouflage Me Not presents “Food for Thought – Mental Nourishment for Everyone.” In partnership with Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Lotus Family Wellness Clinic, Radio One, Mental Health America, Erica Parks (MPH ’11) and retired Command Sgt. Maj. Lamont Christian served as co-hosts.

Advocating for the next generation

After UGA prepared Parks to launch her nonprofit, Parks dedicates time to UGA’s next generation of change-makers. She helped establish the UGA Black Alumni Leadership Council and was named a Class of 2016 40 Under 40 honoree. She is also a member of the College of Public Health Alumni Working Group dedicated to connecting and uniting alumni of the College of Public Health.

WHERE COMMITMENT MEETS COMMUNITY

Whether life takes them to new cities or to the neighborhoods where they grew up, Georgia Bulldogs do more than get jobs – they elevate their communities. Bulldogs lead nonprofits, effect change and create opportunities for others. Wherever people are suffering, wherever communities are looking for effective leaders and whenever the world cries out for better solutions, Bulldogs are there to answer the call to service. It’s more than our passion. It’s our commitment.

Caroline Odom, an intern with UGA’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations, brings you a spring blog series that celebrates Bulldogs who embrace that commitment to helping others in their communities thrive.

Want to read about other Bulldogs impacting their communities?

Peter Dale cooks with the Young Alumni Council

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Chef and restauranteur Peter Dale (ABJ ’99) led a virtual cooking class with the Young Alumni Council and it went deliciously. Peter is an award-winning chef and has flavored Athens’ dynamic food scene with restaurants like The National, Seabear Oyster Bar, Condor Chocolates and Maepole. Peter demonstrated three recipes over the course of the evening: a local greens with pears and asiago cheese salad, gambas al ajillo, and chocolate budino.

If you missed the event, don’t worry! The recording is just above the post title on this page, and here we have the recipes and ingredient lists straight from Peter.

Download the Recipes

By the end of the event, attendees donated an impressive $1,700 toward the purchase of a food truck for Campus Kitchen at UGA that will allowed them to expand their service. That total recently reached $2,500, triggering matched funds from the UGA Young Alumni Council (for a total of $5,000) and reaching the fundraising goal for the truck purchase. Thanks for getting that food truck rolling, Bulldog donors!

Footsteps Award to recognize social justice efforts by UGA alumni

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This story was originally published on UGA Today on April 19, 2021.

When Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Hamilton Holmes took their first steps onto the University of Georgia campus in 1961 as UGA’s first enrolled Black students, they opened the way for generations to follow in their footsteps. Mary Frances Early soon followed, becoming the first Black student to graduate from the University of Georgia.

A new UGA award named for those momentous steps, the Footsteps Award, will recognize those UGA alumni who honor the legacy of Hunter-Gault, Holmes and Early through exemplary social justice work.

“Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Hamilton Holmes and Mary Frances Early set a monumental example of creating positive social change,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “This award will allow us to honor those alumni working to follow their example and leave a lasting impact on communities around the globe.”

Members of the UGA Alumni Association Board of Directors brought forward the idea for the award in anticipation of the 60th anniversary of desegregation at UGA. They knew of great work being done by UGA alumni, but there was no specific recognition for it. After deliberating on the idea and presenting it to President Morehead, the Footsteps Award was born.

“I am proud in so many ways for this award,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of alumni relations at UGA. “I’m proud of our board members for wanting to honor great and necessary work, proud of our university for adopting the award, and most of all, proud of our alumni who deserve this award by working every day to improve communities.”

Nominations for the Footsteps Award will open in November and close on Jan. 9, the 61st anniversary of the day Hunter-Gault and Holmes enrolled in classes. The honoree will be a UGA graduate who has made a significant positive impact in human rights, race relations or education in their community. Selected by a committee of UGA faculty, staff and students, the first recipient will be named as part of the 2022 Holmes-Hunter Lecture in February.

“I am thankful for the Holmes/Hunter/Early legacy, the university, and the strides that have been made,” said UGA Alumni Association board member Corey Dortch. “The Footsteps Award will live on in perpetuity and serve as a reminder that the work must continue. I am honored to be a part of a community that acknowledges the past and works to create a more inclusive experience for the UGA family.”

The establishment of this award is one of numerous initiatives undertaken by the UGA community within the last year to promote diversity and inclusion. UGA has adopted over a dozen recommendations made by the Race, Ethnicity, and Community Presidential Task Force, including the Judge Horace J. Johnson Jr. Lecture on Race, Law and Policy, the installation of campus markers to recognize the nine historically Black fraternities and sororities that are members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and the revival of a student recruitment program tailored to Latinx/Hispanic students and their parents.

On National Picnic Day, picnic like a Bulldog

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April 23 is National Picnic Day. With spring blooming in Athens, it’s time to grab a blanket, pack a meal, invite a few friends and find your favorite outdoor spot at the University of Georgia. There are 700 acres of campus to choose from, and we lined up our top campus spots to help you picnic like a Bulldog.

Founders Memorial Garden

Founders Memorial Garden

Photo: Dorothy Kozlowski, University of Georgia Marketing and Communications

You can’t go wrong with anywhere on UGA’s historic North Campus, but the Founders Memorial Garden offers a quiet escape from the usual bustle of campus. Enter on Lumpkin Street across from Morris Hall to explore the 2.5-acre garden’s network of paths, koi pond and over 300 species of plants.

UGA Horticulture Trial Gardens

UGA Horticultural Trial Gardens

Photo: Dorothy Kozlowski, University of Georgia Marketing and Communications

Whether you have a green thumb or are horticulturally hopeless, the UGA Horticulture Trial Gardens is the perfect spot for the plant lover. Tucked between Snelling Dining Hall and the College of Pharmacy’s R.C. Wilson Pharmacy Building, this spot offers a variety of blooms, shady benches and a dreamy gazebo. Bonus: you can browse the plants being tested by UGA’s horticulture department while you’re there.

Lake Herrick Pavilion and Docks

dock at Lake Herrick

Photo: Andrew Davis Tucker, University of Georgia Marketing and Communications

Located within Oconee Forest Park, the Lake Herrick pavilion and docks offer several spots to soak up the sun on a spring day. Wander the lakeside trail or bring a frisbee to toss with friends.

West End Zone Overlook

aerial shot of Sanford Stadium

Photo: Andrew Davis Tucker, University of Georgia Marketing and Communications

G-Day means we’re creeping closer to fall and football season! If you can’t wait to cheer for the Dawgs as they tee it up between the hedges, feed your anticipation with a picnic on Sanford Stadium’s west end zone overlook. If you have a speaker, queue “Baba Riley,” “Glory” and “Let the Big Dog Eat” to mimic that Saturday-in-Athens feeling.

Coca-Cola Plaza

a green courtyard between two brick buildings

Photo: Dorothy Kozlowski, University of Georgia Marketing and Communications

Nestled in the center of the Terry College Business Learning Community is the Coca-Cola Plaza. This grassy courtyard near the heart of campus is a great spot to share a Coke with a fellow Bulldog. If you forgot your beverages – or your picnic basket – the Au Bon Pain inside the BLC offers coffee and pastry treats.

Turtle Pond

sunlight coming through trees near a pond

Photo: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications

The more, the merrier, right? A picnic at the Mary Kahrs Warnell Memorial Garden, also known as the turtle pond, will guarantee a few aquatic guests at your picnic. This secluded spot outside the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources is a South Campus hidden gem.

Myers Quad

a grassy area with students in front of a building

Photo: University of Georgia Marketing and Communications

For the athlete or the social butterfly, Myers Quad is the perfect place to spend an afternoon. Bounded by Myers, Rutherford and Mary Lyndon halls, the quad hosts ultimate frisbee games, Spikeball matches and student gatherings big and small.

Herty Field

a fountain and green space in front of a building

Photo: Peter Frey, University of Georgia Marketing and Communications

Reconnect with UGA’s roots at the site of the first UGA football game in 1892. Before the English white bulldog was adopted as UGA’s official mascot, the Mercer Bears lost to the UGA Goats 50-0. That’s right – the UGA goats. This historic site is flanked by Moore College and the beautiful Herty Fountain.

From locker room to board room: UGA helped Chuck Kinnebrew learn to get around any block  

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Written by: Charles McNair

Most Bulldog fans need no introduction to Georgia trailblazer, Chuck Kinnebrew (BSED ’75).  

They already know that, in 1971, he lined up with Larry West, Clarence Pope, Horace King and Richard Appleby to play football between the hedges of Sanford Stadium – one of UGA’s first five Black college football players. 

Fifty years later, Chuck’s office in Smyrna, Georgia, has a wall of fame – a floor-to-ceiling display of UGA memorabilia. His Bulldog letter jacket hangs there. So do post–graduate achievements, awards and photos. He’s proud of his diploma. 

“I received a degree in education,” he says. “I didn’t want to be the kind of former athlete that ends up with nothing to hang his hat on. I wanted to leave the university with something tangible, something to use. I wanted to be an alum.” 

He played nose guard, though small even for that football era (6-foot-1, 260 pounds). What he lacked in size, he made up in strength, toughness and quickness. And, like every Black Bulldog on that first integrated team, he held himself to impeccable standards of performance, behavior and discipline. He and his Black teammates felt they had something to prove. 

“If one of us started slipping up, the other four would get on him and make sure he got headed in the right direction again,” Chuck explained to UGASports writer Patrick Garbin in a February 2021 interview. “We had a tight bond and nothing was off-limits, be it football, academics, dating. We knew how important it was that we succeed. We weren’t going to let one another down.”  

Because they successfully blazed the trail, others would succeed. The Bulldog Nation would come to marvel at hundreds of Black football players in years to come, including legends named Herschel Walker and Champ Bailey and Hines Ward. 

Those football heroes followed Chuck as he buckled his chinstrap and trotted onto the field. 

Servant leadership

Yes, most Bulldog fans know about Chuck’s football career. But they don’t know the rest of his success story. Chuck has never stopped blazing trails. 

He first wanted to be a coach. He had it worked out with legendary Bulldog head coach Vince Dooley that he’d get his degree, then stick around to become a graduate assistant and maybe climb the coaching ranks.   

And he did become a coach – of teams in the corporate world.  

While waiting for his UGA whistle, he half-heartedly accepted an interview for a suit-and-tie job. To his surprise, he got an offer. 

“That job paid twice the salary of a graduate assistant,” Chuck says. “I talked it over with my dad. He said, “That sounds like pretty good money, son. I think I’d look pretty hard at that offer.” 

Suddenly, the kid from Rome, GA, found himself managing a team of 30 in a DuPont textile plant in Athens, Ga. 

Now Chuck did start climbing the corporate ranks. He brought along UGA lessons from classes and coaches. 

“My style of leadership is coaching,” he says. “I see myself as an inclusive servant leader. Ever since I was exposed to that concept, it’s made sense to me.”   

The biggest challenge

Chuck gained expertise at DuPont in manufacturing operations, planning, marketing, and supply chain. His achievements there took him to The Home Depot where, in time, he led a department with a $7 billion budget overseeing the supply company’s indirect sourcing purchasing team, part of the supply chain operation.  

Often, he found himself among the first, and only, Black faces in meeting rooms.  

“It was actually no big deal,” Chuck says. “All my life, I’d been in predominantly white environments, from junior high school through UGA and now in the business world. I’d grown accustomed to it. When you’ve been the first one here, the first one there, you get used to it.” 

The biggest challenge?  

“Honestly, it was getting white people accustomed to me. I was familiar with being who I was, comfortable in my skin. I learned to be approachable, to help people see Chuck Kinnebrew the person instead of Chuck Kinnebrew, the Black guy.” 

He’s still a trailblazer – in his latest role, Chuck serves as the first DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion) officer at Floor & Decor, based in Atlanta. He and his team have a responsibility to develop and execute best-in-class strategies to help the growing company become an industry leader in hard–surface flooring and something else hard: diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

He looks back in gratitude at the UGA experience. 

“Georgia and my fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, helped prepare me for life,” he says. “They set me up to succeed.” 

Editor’s Note: 

Our Georgia trailblazer series profiles UGA Black alumni who took the first brave steps to create the diverse and inclusive university we are today. Want to know more about other pioneers?   

Charlayne Hunter (ABJ ’63) and Hamilton Holmes (BS ’63) were the first Black students to enroll at UGA. Read their accomplishments here: desegregation.uga.edu  

Mary Frances Early (MMED ’62, EDS ’67) was the first Black student to graduate from UGA. The College of Education is named for her.

Where commitment meets community: Jack Hartpence (AB ’15) pairs passion with community empowerment

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On August 23, 2017, University of Georgia alumnus and 40 Under 40 honoree Jack Hartpence (AB ’15) was driving from Jackson, Wyoming, to Aspen, Colorado, on a business trip. As he attempted a U-turn in the large van he rented for the trip – the only vehicle the rental company had available – he was T-boned by a tractor-trailer.

“As I saw the truck coming and realized I was going to die, the only thing that came to my mind was one question: What have I done positively for the world and other people?” Hartpence said.

Walking away from the accident unscathed, Hartpence felt that he had been given a second chance to answer that question.

After graduating from UGA with a bachelor’s degree in English in 2015, Hartpence worked in politics, with think tanks and for campaigns. He used his previous experience with research and data to determine where the world struggled most.

“Water is the world’s most pressing problem,” Hartpence said. “Sustainable access to safe drinking water is the foundation for quality of life on earth today. With access to safe drinking communities can move to address secondary and tertiary quality of life indicators such as gender equality, economic opportunity, education, and health.”

In 2018, he co-founded Powwater, public benefit corporation that builds transparent technology and makes impact investments to improve access to clean water in East Africa and South Asia and empower the communities which they serve.

“A marathon, not a sprint”

As Hartpence explored how to address access to clean water, he noticed that many wells drilled by Western organizations provided only temporary solutions across Africa, Asia, and South America. With an average shelf life of only 18 months, donated wells weren’t a sustainable solution, the key problem being that they weren’t engaging the communities they affected.

Hartpence contacted Nobel laureate and professor Muhammed Yunus, the founder of microfinance. Through the mentorship of Yunus, Powwater established itself as a social business. Funding is reinvested into communities that lack access to clean water, allowing those communities to establish their own water systems that enhance their economy.

With this model, Powwater doesn’t have to rely on donations or outside funding. Instead, Powwater can “make money to do good for the world,” Hartpence said. By doing so, Powwater has brought sustainable drinking water to over 80,000 people in Kenya, Ethiopia and Bangladesh.

Jack Hartpence (AB ’15) gives a thumbs up with the Powwater team in Mombasa, Kenya.

Fueled by passion

Hartpence’s experience at UGA showed him the importance of doing what you love. He wasn’t fulfilled by what he was learning as an economics major, so he became an English major during his sophomore year. That program gave him a sense of purpose and creativity. .

“There were students who were far better writers than me, but I was passionate. I loved it,” Hartpence said about a senior class project that was recognized at graduation as the English department’s best work in digital humanities. “That lesson has played through my life. Passion is everything.”

After his accident in 2017, Hartpence found a renewed passion for life and improving the world. That commitment fuels Hartpence and his team as they consider the future of clean water across the globe.

Jack Hartpence (AB ’15) spoke on behalf of Powwater at the 2019 United Nations Global Assembly. Hartpence poses for a photo with Nobel laureate and professor Muhammed Yunus, a mentor of the company.

The future of clean water

As Powwater looks to the future, the company is using technology to create transparency around water, and better serve communities around the world with safe drinking water.

This spring, Powwater will launch the Powwater app, a mobile marketplace for water. The app will provide transparency around the quality of water, cost and timing of delivery from the thousands of private water suppliers that exist across the globe today. By creating transparency and empowering consumers, Hartpence believes Powwater can lead the way for higher quality and more affordable water globally.

With this app, Hartpence aims to optimize the private water market for the 2 billion people in the world relying on it today.

“We want to be a company that shares ideas and works with partners to get the job done,” Hartpence said. “I’m committed to empowering communities around the world with sustainable access to safe drinking water. I’m committed to doing everything I can do to be better tomorrow than I was today.”

A day in the life

In September 2020, we invited Jack to host an Instagram story takeover as a member of the 40 Under 40 Class of 2020. Watch the video below to check out a day in the life of operating Powwater:

WHERE COMMITMENT MEETS COMMUNITY

Whether life takes them to new cities or to the neighborhoods where they grew up, Georgia Bulldogs do more than get jobs – they elevate their communities. Bulldogs lead nonprofits, effect change and create opportunities for others. Wherever people are suffering, wherever communities are looking for effective leaders and whenever the world cries out for better solutions, Bulldogs are there to answer the call to service. It’s more than our passion. It’s our commitment.

Caroline Odom, an intern with UGA’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations, brings you a spring blog series that celebrates Bulldogs who embrace that commitment to helping others in their communities thrive.

Want to read about other Bulldogs impacting their communities?