25 Alumni Named to Georgia Trend’s ‘100 Most Influential Georgians’

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Georgia Trend magazine’s annual list of the state’s most powerful and influential citizens who affect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians has been released. The final list reflects one hundred citizens who reflect leadership, power, and influence in Georgia. This year, twenty five University of Georgia graduates have been recognized for their achievements.

Congratulations to the following alumni on this impressive accomplishment:

Dan Amos (BBA ’73), Chairman and CEO, Aflac Inc, 2011 Bulldog 100 Honoree

Charlie Bethel (BBA ’98, JD ’01), State Senator, District 54, 2013 40 Under 40 Honoree, University of Georgia Blue Key Honor Society’s Young Alumnus Award

Gary W. Black (BSA ’80), Commissioner, Georgia Department of Agriculture

Chris Carr (BBA ’95, JD ’99), Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development, 2011 40 Under 40 Honoree

Nancy Denson (BBA ’90), Mayor, Athens-Clarke County, UGA Alumni Association Big Dawg Award, UGA Arch Award

Jennifer Frum (PHD ’09), Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, University of Georgia

Steve Henson (AB ’81), Minority Leader, State Senate

Henry “Hank” M. Huckaby (PHD ’06), Chancellor, University System of Georgia

Johnny Isakson (BBA ’66), U.S. Senator

Jan Jones (ABJ ’80), Speaker Pro Tempore,Georgia House of Representatives

Brian Kemp (BSA ’87), Secretary of State, State of Georgia

Hala Moddelmog (MA ’81), President and CEO, Metro Atlanta Chamber, 2015 Bulldog 100 Honoree, 2015 Alumni of Distinction

Jere W.  Morehead (JD ’80), President, University of Georgia

Charlotte Nash (BBA ’75), Chair, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, President of the ACCG

Jay Powell (JD ’77), State Representative, District 171

David Ralston (JD ’80), Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives

Robert Reichert (BSA ’78), Mayor, Macon-Bibb County

Earl V. Rogers (BBA ’76), President and CEO, Georgia Hospital Association

David Shafer (AB ’88), President Pro Tempore, Georgia Senate

Lynn Smith (BSED ’68), State Representative, District 70, Instrumental in the development of the Legislative Environmental Policy Academy at the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government

Kessel D. Stelling Jr. (BBA ’78), Chairman and CEO, Synovus, University of Georgia Blue Key Honor Society Award

Lee Thomas (ABJ ’87), Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office

Trip Tollison (AB ’95), President and CEO, Savannah Economic Development Authority

Judson Turner (AB ’77), Director, Georgia Environmental Protection Division, 2011 40 Under 40 Honoree

J. Alvin Wilbanks (BSED ’64, MED ’68), CEO and Superintendent, Gwinnett County Public Schools

For more information about the honorees, click here.

UGA alumnus featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list

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Each year, Forbes Magazine recognizes young individuals in a variety of categories who are changing the face of their industries. This year, UGA alumnus Chad Mumm (ABJ ’08) made the30 Under 30: Media list for his impressive work at Vox Media Inc. Chad also co-founded The Verge.

Chad is the creative director of Vox Media and founder of Vox Entertainment, the company’s original production and programming group based in Los Angeles. His work focuses on bridging the gap between digital media, publishing, technology platforms and TV programming through each of Vox’s eight individual media brands.

Congratulations on this impressive accomplishment, Chad!

Alumnus Spotlight: Drew Cronic (BSED ’97)

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Drew Cronic (BSED ’97) was recently honored as the American Football Coaches Association’s NAIA Region 1 Coach of the Year. Cronic has been a member of Reinhardt University’s football program since 2012, and was named head coach in 2015. In the span of a few months, he has led Reinhardt into its best season record yet, with nine wins and just two losses.

Drew Cronic

For Cronic, this passion for athletic achievement is nothing new. While at UGA, he was a member of the football team where he earned varsity letters and Southeastern Conference All-Academic honors in 1996 and 1997. After graduation, Drew continued to pursue his passion as a graduate assistant coach at the University of West Georgia, and continued to develop at other programs, such as Furman, James Madison, and Central High School in Carrolton, Georgia.

Reinhardt Director of Athletics Bill Popp said, “I’m so proud of the accomplishments of our football program, and this is one of those ‘icing on the cake’ moments for Coach Cronic. I could not be more proud of him and the young men on that team for the job they did this year. This is a very well-deserved honor for Drew Cronic.”

On the other hand, Cronic believes that the team won this award, and is looking forward to the future of coaching this young football program.

“Head coaches win awards because assistant coaches and players do an amazing job,” Cronic said. “Really, I consider this a team award. This was the year we were really able to put Reinhardt on the map and start turning some heads around the country.”

University of Georgia alumnus to lead USG Board

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The Board of Regents, the 19-member governing body for the University System of Georgia, elected new officers for 2016 on November 11.

Kessel Stelling (BBA ’78) was elected as chairman of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. Stelling, who currently is the Board of Regents’ vice chairman, will begin his one-year term as chairman January 1, 2016.

“In the eight years I’ve served on the Board of Regents, there have been significant positive changes within the University System of Georgia, and I understand we must continue to evolve in order to keep college affordable and ultimately grow our economy by graduating more Georgians,” said Stelling. “I’ve been fortunate to learn from the excellent chairmen who have come before me, and I look forward to serving as chairman of this outstanding board.”

Stelling is the chairman and CEO of Synovus, a financial services company based in Columbus, Georgia with approximately $28 billion in assets. Synovus provides commercial and retail banking, investment, and mortgage services to customers in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida and Tennessee. A Georgia native, Stelling is the Immediate Past Chairman of the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Terry College of Business, and serves on the board of directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Financial Services Roundtable.

Continue reading this story.

Alumna Spotlight: Emily Scofield (MS ’99)

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Emily Scofield (MS ’99) published her first book, Coco & Dean: Explorers of the World, in April. The book is the first in a series of adventures Scofield is writing to educate children about environmental awareness. Scofield is the executive director for the U.S. Green Building Council’s North Carolina Chapter. She leads members, volunteers and staff members across the state to promote sustainable construction practices under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. In the past few years, she has been named to the UGA Alumni Association’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2013, and was a Charlotte Top Woman in Business in 2014.

Scofield lives in North Carolina with her husband, Tom, and their two children. She is an avid volunteer in the community working with organizations such as the American Heart Association, Providence United Methodist Church, Calvary Child Development Center, Communities in Schools and Habitat for Humanity.

Coco & Dean: Explorers of the World takes readers on three adventures with Coco and Dean. Readers learn how to conserve resources, the benefits of recycling and the importance of keeping oceans clean. Scofield exposes complex topics like ‘carbon footprints’ and ‘renewable resources’ through each adventure. Not only is the reader engaged in learning about these topics in the story, there are study questions and links to environmental organizations in each chapter.

The UGA Alumni Association is proud of this Bulldog and the work she is doing to improve the world around her!

UGA law grad confirmed as vice chancellor on the Delaware Court of Chancery

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Tamika Montgomery-Reeves, a 2006 cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia School of Law, was unanimously confirmed by the Delaware Senate on Oct. 28 as a vice chancellor of the Delaware Court of Chancery, which is the most important and prestigious court for business law in the United States.

Nominated by Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, Montgomery-Reeves is the first African-American in the 220-plus-year history of the court to serve as a vice chancellor. She is also only the court’s second female vice chancellor.

“Given the great importance of the Delaware Court of Chancery, the law school is quite proud that one of our graduates will be serving our nation in this capacity,” Georgia Law Dean Peter B. “Bo” Rutledge said. “Approximately 65 percent of Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in the state of Delaware, and this, quite simply, makes it the most important court in America for corporate law. As a result, other states often look to Delaware for guidance in matters of corporate law.

“I have no doubt that Tamika will represent our school well as she takes on this key role within our nation’s legal community. Georgia Law provided a sound foundation on which Tamika has established herself as an authority in the world of business law. Since her graduation, we have established a Business Law and Ethics Program and expanded our business law curriculum. One of our primary goals is to prepare the judges and legal leaders of tomorrow, and Tamika is among our brightest stars.”

Continue reading this story.

 

2015 40 Under 40 honoree Arthur Tripp, Jr (AB ‘09) named assistant to the president

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UGA President Jere W. Morehead (JD ’80) will welcome Arthur Tripp Jr. (AB ’09) to his staff on November 11 as assistant to the president. Tripp currently serves as senior policy adviser for Rep. David Scott, who represents Georgia’s 13th Congressional District in Washington, D.C.

“I am very pleased that Arthur is joining our staff,” Morehead said. “His extensive involvement as a student leader at UGA and his significant professional experience on Capitol Hill have prepared him well for this important position. He will be an outstanding addition to the president’s office, and I look forward to his contributions.”

In his new role as assistant to the president, Tripp’s primary responsibilities will be focused on student affairs and diversity relations. He also will serve as the liaison to the Staff Council, Retirees Association and Board of Visitors, as well as represent the Office of the President in the planning of several annual campus events.

“It is truly an honor to join the Office of the President,” Tripp said. “There is no greater privilege than to serve the administration, faculty, staff, students and alumni of UGA as assistant to the president. I look forward to supporting President Morehead and his vision for this great institution.”

Arthur Tripp, Jr/ (AB '09) and former UGA football player Rennie Curran

Arthur Tripp, Jr/ (AB ’09) and former UGA football player Rennie Curran

As the senior policy adviser for Scott, Tripp has managed Scott’s assignments on the Financial Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee, has overseen legislative processes for House bills and has coordinated a congressional hearing that brought together presidents from every 1890 African-American college to testify before the House Agriculture Committee for the first time in history. Prior to serving as senior policy adviser, Tripp was legislative assistant for Scott for five years.

While in Washington, D.C., Tripp served as a member of the UGA School of Public and International Affairs board of directors and as president of the Georgia State Society board of directors.

Earlier this year, Tripp was named a member of the 40 Under 40 Class of 2015 by the UGA Alumni Association, an honor given to alumni under the age of 40 who have made a significant impact in business, leadership, community, educational or philanthropic endeavors.

Continue reading this story.

Alumnus Spotlight: John Christopher “Kit” Cummings (BBA ’89)

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Assistant Director of Communications Jamie Lewis (AB ’12, AB ’12) recently interviewed alumnus Kit Cummings about his career and time at UGA. Kit is an international author, speaker and human rights and peace activist. After a lengthy career in ministry, Kit began working as a motivational speaker and was invited to speak inside a maximum security prison. This event was the catalyst for what Kit calls the “Power of Peace Program.” Kit recently published Peace Behind the Wire, which raises funds for that program.

Tell me a little bit about your background. What pushed you to attend UGA and what did you study?

I have been in the Atlanta area for my entire life and never plan to relocate. I’ve traveled the world for work, but every time I get off the plane in Atlanta, I am happy to be home. My father played basketball at UGA in the 1950s and I was raised a Bulldog—I always planned to go to school in Athens. I graduated from Walton High School in 1982, played soccer at Georgia Southern University in 1982-1983 and transferred to UGA in 1984. I graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing from the Terry College of Business.

What was the inspiration for your book and what do you hope to accomplish with it?

I have been a public speaker for 25 years, and in the last 10 years or so, I began to get more involved in corporate motivational training. I was invited into a prison environment and that changed my life forever. I began to work with individuals who had made some of the worst choices and were experiencing some of the most drastic consequences. My mind change principles worked powerfully among this population and led to the creation of my organization, the Power of Peace Project, Inc. My new book, Peace Behind the Wire, tells the fascinating story of how 12 convicts in a dangerous maximum security prison, in the midst of a gang war, unknowingly started a peace movement that is now spreading to schools and prisons across the country. I intend to use this model, and the curriculum that was created from it, to spread peace throughout schools and communities around the world. I figure if it can work in the most dangerous places, which it has, then it can interrupt and redirect our at-risk youth, too.

What is next for you? Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years?

I continue to go where I’m invited and that has taken me on speaking tours around the country and even overseas into prisons in South Africa, Honduras, Ukraine and Mexico. At the end of this year, I will be going to India to plant seeds for the Power of Peace Project. I have connected with both the Gandhi and Mandela Foundations abroad, as well as the King Center here. Going forward, I see my organization and its volunteers working with states and foreign governments to create peace and help heal our wounded world. My dreams are BIG and the future is bright.

How did your time at UGA lead you to where you are now and did you have any particularly inspiring courses or professors? 

I had the time of my life at UGA. Athens was a place I never wanted to leave! The nightlife, the music scene, the culture of a small town combined with a large thriving university probably did more to shape me than I realize. I lived right downtown at University Towers and experienced all that college life had to offer. I have always been able to relate well to different cultures, and ethnic/socioeconomic backgrounds and I believe my time at UGA only helped to strengthen that—which has had a huge impact on my work. I loved my marketing courses and professors and believe that I have carried what I learned there into many areas of my calling.

What is your fondest memory of UGA?

My fondest memory was when the Bulldogs beat the No.1 ranked Florida Gators in Jacksonville 24-3 in 1985. We rushed the field and attempted (unsuccessfully) to tear down the goal posts. My friends and I were photographed coming over the fence and put on the front page of the Jacksonville Times! Classic.

Alumnus Spotlight: Jack B. Hood (AB ’69, JD ’71)

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Jack B. Hood (AB ’69, JD ’71) is a Georgia Bulldog fan, lawyer, author and banjo player – and a proud Double Dawg. After graduating from Georgia Law, he went on to earn a degree in international law from the University of Cambridge (Darwin College) in 1972. He is an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Alabama in Birmingham, and is a member of the Georgia, Alabama and District of Columbia bars.

Earlier this year, Jack returned from an American Bar Association (ABA)-sponsored trip to Ireland and the United Kingdom to attend the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta at Runnymede. Jack is descended from Saer de Quincey, the first Earl of Winchester and one of the 25 barons that forced King John to seal the document in 1215. Saer de Quincey was also a Templar Knight who “took the Cross” and later died on November 3, 1219, while on the Fifth Crusade at the siege of Damietta in Egypt.

The ceremonies at Runnymede on June 15, 2015, were attended by British royalty and dignitaries from around the world, including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, William, the Duke of Cambridge, Princess Anne, Prime Minister David Cameron, the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Hubbard, president of the ABA, and Loretta Lynch, attorney general of the United States.

Jack and his grandson Walkin 

Jack, his daughter, and grandson attended exclusive events for ABA members at the residence of U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Kevin O’Malley at Deerfield in Phoenix Park, Dublin, and at U.S. Ambassador to the UK David Barzun’s residence at Winfield House in London.

England’s Prince William 

They visited Darwin College at the University of Cambridge, attended formal dinners and enjoyed Darwin’s annual formal ball. They also managed to tour Royal Air Force Bases at Duxford, Mildenhall, and Lakenheath with the assistance of a current USAF JAG officer living in Cambridge.

Jack’s time at UGA led to his successful career as a lawyer, professor and author. Several of his undergraduate and law professors took a personal interest in his education and motivated Jack to become a productive member of the legal profession. Those inspirational professors at Georgia included Ed Best, Perry Sentell and Dean Rusk.

Learn more about Jack Hood.

UGA’s Warnell School to honor distinguished alumni at Homecoming festivities

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The University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources will honor two alumni over Homecoming weekend.

Joe Hamilton has been named the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus, and Sharon Holbrooks will be recognized as the 2015 Distinguished Young Alumnus. These awards are given annually to alumni who have made outstanding contributions to the natural resources fields and have remained strong supporters of the Warnell School. Award winners are nominated by colleagues and other alumni.

“The Warnell School is truly blessed with many outstanding alumni who are loyal supporters of our program,” said Dale Greene, dean of the Warnell School. “Joe Hamilton and Sharon Holbrooks have led by example since they were students in our programs.”


Joe Hamilton

Hamilton, who received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 1971 and 1978, respectively, has been a pioneer in the management and conservation of wildlife. He is best known as founder of the Quality Deer Management Association, a nonprofit organization with a mission to ensure the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and hunting heritage. The QDMA currently has nearly 60,000 members across the U.S. and Canada and in six additional countries.

Hamilton has served as the director of education and outreach for its Southern region, director of development and now serves in the role of QDMA founder and senior adviser.

“My academic training at Warnell provided an awareness, understanding and appreciation of our natural resources,” he said. “As a result, I am a devout steward of the proper protection and management of those treasures from the wild.”


Sharon Holbrooks

Holbrooks, who received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 2004 and 2007, respectively, is a conservation easement specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, where she helps lead and manage easement acquisition. She is also an expert in wetland and wildlife habitat management and was recently named one of UGA’s 40 Under 40, which recognizes exceptional young alumni who are achieving great success in their professional and personal endeavors.

Holbrooks has been an active alumna since graduating, serving on the Warnell School’s External Advisory Board, Young Alumni Committee, Instruction and Outreach Committee and Alumni Steering Committee. Her honor—the 2015 Distinguished Young Alumnus Award—is given annually to graduates who are active supporters of the Warnell School, are 40 years or younger and have graduated within the last 10 years.

“All of my successes thus far, I owe to my Warnell family,” she said. “The professors, students, staff—they all mean so much to me. I strive every day to be the person that deserves the title ‘Warnell graduate’ and represent the Warnell School the way it deserves.

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