UGA Alumni signature events

40 Under 40 Highlights: Investment and Law

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Today, we are highlighting members of the Class of 2016 40 Under 40 who are involved with investment and law. The members highlighted are Brooks Andrews, Heather Ripley, Meredith Forrester, Mitch Reiner, and Ronnie Mabra.

Brooks Andrews graduated in 2007 with a BBA in finance and an MA in business from the Terry College of Business and Franklin College of Arts & Sciences. Mr. Andrews currently lives in San Francisco. He is the vice resident at Essex Woodlands. One little unknown fact about Mr. Andrews is, “My dad and sister went to Georgia Tech, so when I decided to attend Georgia my mom cried every day for two weeks straight, because she thought I was making a huge mistake. Thankfully, my parents trusted my judgment and within a couple years, my mom acknowledged that I had made the right decision after all.”

Brooks_Andrews

Heather Ripley currently lives in New York and is a senior associate for federal and international tax at Alston and Bird. Ms. Ripley graduated from the Terry College of Business in 2006 with a BBA in business and a MACC in business. Ms. Ripley continued her education at Harvard Law and graduated in 2009 with her law degree. Ms. Ripley’s favorite place she has traveled to is Cuba and she is considering one day retiring to Cuba to paint on the beach. UGA blood runs deep through Ms. Ripley’s family with both of parents meeting at UGA and Ms. Ripley continuing the tradition of education at UGA.

Heather_Ripley_Headshot

Meredith Forrester graduated from Terry College in 1999 with a BBA in international business. Mrs. Forrester now lives and works in Atlanta as the senior vice president and senior managing director of internal audit at SunTrust Bank. Besides working in finance, Mrs. Forrester has always loved the arts. She loves music, photography, and sharing this love for arts and crafts with her young daughters.

Meredith_Forrester

Mitch Reiner graduated in 2005 with a BBA in finance. Mr. Reiner lives in Atlanta and is the COO of Capital Investment Advisors and the founder and managing partner of Wela. When asked to define success, Mr. Reiner said it is “the desire to build something incredible any time that I get involved. Whether it is my children, my business or my community, I am uninterested in being a passive participant.”

Mitchell_Reiner_Headshot

Ronnie Mabra graduated from UGA’s School of Law  in 2004. Mr. Mabra is a State of Georgia Representative and an attorney at The Mabra Firm, LLC. Mr. Mabra lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Did you know Mr. Mabra’s father was an NFL player for the Atlanta Falcons? But that’s not all the unknown facts about Mr. Mabra. He is Kenny Chesney’s biggest fan and lives next to Hip-Hop legend and Rock and Roll Hall of fame inductee Chuck D.

Ronnie_Mabra_Headshot

Meet the rest of this year’s 40 Under 40 class at alumni.uga.edu/40u40.

True and loyal be.

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Alma Mater, thee we’ll honor,

True and loyal be,

Ever crowned with praise and glory,

Georgia, hail to thee.

So goes the chorus of the University of Georgia Alma Mater. Words we proudly sing before football games and commencement ceremonies. Do we ever stop to reflect on their meaning?

Today is #GivingTuesday, a national day of philanthropy. Many spent Friday filling shopping bags with gifts, shopping local on Saturday, and scouring the internet for deals yesterday. Today is the first day of December and a symbolic beginning to the season of giving. Let us not forget the individuals and organizations that depend on our generosity to thrive.

UGA can sometimes be forgotten as a nonprofit worthy of that generosity. Tuition and state dollars do not fully fund the research, service and teaching that takes at the university; private giving closes the gap. Those donations fund scholarships for students who cannot afford to attend UGA (even with the HOPE Scholarship), incredible facilities to house endless hours of studying and teaching, events to promote networking and career exploration, and much more!

Today, UGA reminds you to keep it in mind when making your end-of-year gifts – no matter their size. Because when it comes to our alma mater, we hail to thee.

MAKE YOUR GIFT BEFORE MIDNIGHT!

Drumroll, please … announcing the 2016 Bulldog 100!

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The UGA Alumni Association is pleased to reveal the 2016 Bulldog 100! Bulldog 100celebrates the 100 fastest-growing Bulldog businesses owned or operated by UGA alumni. This year, the university is excited to not only unveil a new group of honorees, but a new logo for the Bulldog 100 program – check it out!

The 2016 Bulldog 100 includes businesses of all sizes and from industries such as veterinary medicine, IT consulting and pest control. Several areas of the country are represented, including companies from as far north as New York and as far west as California. Of the 100 businesses, 80 are located within the state of Georgia, and only two business have made the list all seven years: Mom Corps and Vino Venue/Atlanta Wine School.

The ranked Bulldog 100 list will be revealed at the awards celebration on Saturday, January 30 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Registration for this event will open soon.

The awards ceremony will feature a keynote address by Jeff Dunn, CEO and president of C-Fresh, a division of Campbell Soup Company that includes Bolthouse Farms, Campbell’s retail fresh soup unit, and Garden Fresh Gourmet. Dunn earned a bachelor’s degree in 1980 from UGA’s Terry College of Business.

Please view the complete list and congratulate the honorees on social media using #Bulldog100!

Thank you to the 2015 40 Under 40 Sponsors

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The UGA Alumni Association would like to thank the many generous businesses and individuals that are sponsoring the 2015 40 Under 40 program.

In 2011, the UGA Alumni Association launched the 40 Under 40 program to recognize exceptional young alumni who are achieving great success in their professional and personal endeavors. This campus-wide collaboration is supported by the Division of Development and Alumni Relations, Division of Student Affairs and all academic departments. In a few days, the campus community will gather for the 2015 40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon to celebrate these individuals’ leadership in business, research, the arts, philanthropy and education.

Thanks to these sponsors, UGA is able to showcase its great young alumni year after year. Partnerships with sponsors are vital to the success of this program and without their generous help, the program would not be possible.

Platinum Level

Institute for Leadership Advancement, Terry College of Business 
UGA Honors Program
UGA Student Affairs
Two Maids and A Mop
Frazier & Deeter, LLC
UGA College of Education
The Mabra Firm

Silver Level

Porter Keadle Moore
The Georgia Bulldog Club
UGA Gwinnett Campus

Red Level

AGL Resources
Riverbend Environmental
John Wadsworth (BBA ’03) of Strawn and Company
The Zeist Foundation
Georgia EMC
UGA School of Law
Yvette Daniels (AB ’86, JD ’89)
Zeta Psi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Your Pie
Corptek IT Solutions

Black Level

Margaret (BSHE ’81, MED ’83) and Terry Mathews (AB ’82)
Textron, Inc.

2015 Young Alumni Night at SweetWater Brewing Company

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Dust off your red and black and celebrate the Dawg days of summer with fellow Bulldogs at the UGA Alumni Association’s annual Young Alumni Night at SweetWater Brewing Company! This year’s event will be held on Friday, June 26 from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.

Enjoy live music by Velvet Runway, appetizers from Jim ‘N Nicks BBQ and beer tastings at one of Atlanta’s top breweries. This year, part of the admission fee will support university-wide alumni and scholarship initiatives.

Register by June 23 to ensure admission and avoid long registration lines at the event.

Online Registration prior to June 23: $25*
Walk-up Registration (first-come, first-served): $30*
*Non-charitable benefit = $20
Must be 21+ to attend

Register Today!

Grab your shades, UGA is heading to California!

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The University of Georgia is hosting two receptions in California in mid-July and all UGA alumni, friends and parents are invited to attend. During these free receptions, President Jere W. Morehead (JD ’80) will provide updates from campus and attendees will have the opportunity to meet other Bulldogs living in the Golden State.

UGA in LA
Tuesday, July 14 (7:00 p.m.)
Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
Los Angeles, CA

UGA in the Bay
Thursday, July 16 (7:00 p.m.)
The Fairmont San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

The deadline to register online is July 7, but walk-up registration will be available. Complimentary appetizers, wine, beer and sodas will be provided.

Don’t miss this opportunity to mix and mingle with fellow California Bulldogs. Register today!

UGA alumna wins second Peabody Award

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This evening, the 74th annual Peabody Awards will be presented in New York City. Coordinated by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Peabody Awards recognize great storytelling in electronic media.

This year, Lauren Ezell Kinlaw (ABJ ’08, AB ’08) will earn her second Peabody Award.  Last year, the alumna won for her work as an associate producer for “Frontline” and this year, she takes home her second Peabody for her role with “United States of Secrets.” Read an interview with Lauren on Grady’s blog.

Follow along with this evening’s festivities via the following social media outlets – it’s going to be a wonderful event!

Peabody Awards accounts
Instagram – http://instagram.com/PeabodyAwards
Tumblr – http://peabodyawards.tumblr.com
Facebook  – https://www.facebook.com/PeabodyAwards
Twitter – https://twitter.com/PeabodyAwards
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/peabodyawards
Grady College accounts
Twitter – https://twitter.com/UGAGrady
Instagram – https://instagram.com/ugagrady

Registration now open for 2015 UGA Day Tour

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The University of Georgia is once again hitting the road to bring the Bulldog spirit to alumni, friends and fans around the Southeast.

From April to July, UGA coaches and administrators will travel to seven cities, sharing their insights into UGA’s upcoming athletic seasons and the latest news from campus. Attendees will also learn more about local UGA Alumni Association chapters and how to become involved.

Each stop on the UGA Day Tour will bring delight to UGA fans of all ages – you won’t want to miss out on the action.

Please click on the city nearest to you for more information and registration.

The first 300 registrants in each city will have an opportunity to have a photo made with Coaches Mark Richt and Mark Fox.

If you are interested in serving as a sponsor for UGA Day, please click here for more information.

3rd Annual TEDxUGA is Friday, March 27

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UGA is hosting its 3rd Annual TEDxUGA event in Tate Grand Hall on Friday, March 27 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. What is TEDx? TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxUGA, where x = independently organized TED event. At the TEDxUGA event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized. Several UGA alumni will present at this year’s TEDxUGA event:

  • Lemuel LaRoche (BSW ’02, MSW ’03)
  • Michelle Blue (BBA ’13)
  • Julie Rushmore (PHD ’13, DVM ’17)
  • Chris Dixon (ABJ ’89, MMC ’95)
  • Lisa Taylor (JD ’01)

Won’t be in Athens or missed out on tickets for the event? TEDxUGA will be livestreamed begining at 2:00 p.m. on Friday. This will be a great opportunity for alumni and friends to participate and engage from across the country. You can also interact with the event on Twitter.

EXTENDED DEADLINE: Dawg Trot 5K for Scholarships

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Registration for the Dawg Trot 5K for Scholarships has been extended to Monday, March 16.

Join hundreds of UGA alumni and friends for one of Athens’ largest 5K races on Saturday, March 21! This year, the UGA Alumni Association is proud to announce the Dawg Trot 5K for Scholarships will raise awareness and funds for student scholarships at UGA. Your participation ensures a bright future for students!

  • Individual: $25 (without T-shirt)
  • Individual: $40 (with T-shirt)
  • Family of Four: $65
  • Team of Ten: $155
  • UGA Student Organization Team of Ten: $110
  • UGA Student: $15