Chronicles
Alumni News Roundup
1960s
Cecil Christopher Jr. (`69) of McRae, Ga., has been inducted into the Association of Old Crows Electronic Warfare Technology Hall of Fame. The honor recognizes individuals or groups who have been prime innovators in technology development for electronic warfare. The induction ceremony for Christopher will be held this November in Washington, D.C. The Association of Old Crows is a not-for-profit international professional association with over 13,500 members and 180-plus organizations engaged in the science and practice of electronic warfare, information operations, and related disciplines.
1970s
Tommy Rogers (`71) of Eastman, Ga., traveled to Brazil this summer to work with scientists on sustainability research. Rogers is one of 25 Alcoa employees from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Spain, Suriname and the United States to venture to Rio Cachoeira Natural Reserve in Paraná State, Brazil, or the Gutianshan National Nature Reserve in Zhejiang Province, China, to become sustainability leaders as a part of the Earthwatch expedition.
John Brunger (`74) earned 19 years of service credit in the Texas Public School System including teaching social studies for 15 years in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District of Texas.
Michael Skinner (`73) was honored with a Meritorious Service Award from the Georgia Society of CPAs. Skinner has 37 years of experience in public accounting and is an owner of Skinner, Barndollar & Lane PC. He is a former president of the Savannah Business Association and of the Sunrise Rotary Club, and was treasurer of the Telfair Museum of Art for 10 years. Skinner serves on advisory councils for Georgia Southern’s School of Accountancy and College of Business Administration. He was Alumnus of the Year for the School of Accountancy in 1990 and for the College in 2003.
1980s
Twyla Humphrey Preising (`83) was nominated for the Excellence in Education Award from the Alpha Delta Kappa International Teacher’s Sorority. She was the 2010 winner for Arizona in the Southwest Region. She also recently received the DAR Grand Canyon Chapter of Arizona American History Teacher of The Year Award.
Laird Culver (`85) and his wife, Becky, toured Costa Rica for their 25th wedding anniversary. “We visited the four volcanoes around San Jose,” he wrote. “It is strange getting altitude sickness after driving a car above 11,000 feet. Beautiful views of the surrounding area when you could see down below the clouds. The highlight was zip lining above and through the triple canopy jungle at dusk and after dark.”
1990s
Daniel E. Ellis (`95) has been named senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Carmike Cinemas Inc. Ellis most recently served as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary at hotel franchise owner and operator Lodgian Inc. and LSREF Peach Investments LLC, a private equity firm. Prior to working at Lodgian, Ellis was an associate attorney at Stokes Lazarus & Carmichael LLP in Atlanta. From 1995-97 he was assistant district attorney for the State of Georgia. His affiliations include the State Bar of Georgia, treasurer of Georgia’s American Corporate Counsel Association chapter and board member of the Foster Care Support Foundation of Georgia.
Spencer N. Mullis (`96) president and CEO of Morris Bank, Dublin, Ga., has been elected by his peers in the state as president of the Leadership GBA Executive Committee of the Georgia Bankers Association (GBA). Leadership GBA is committed to developing the future leaders of the banking industry.
Trey Daniell (`97) has earned his Professional Engineer License. He began a Georgia Department of Transportation career in 1998 as a civil engineer technologist in the Brunswick Office before transferring to the Tennille District in February 2000. He has held various engineering positions with the Department and is currently erosion sedimentation control liaison.
David L. Shelnutt (`99) has joined Park Sterling Corporation, the holding company for Park Sterling Bank. Shelnutt, formerly director, Monitored Credit Group for Carolina First Bank, will oversee a team of veteran bankers with the newly formed asset-based lending business. Shelnutt has over 30 years of banking experience, including senior credit and line positions at Wachovia and other regional institutions.
2000s
Justin Dunn (`02) and Neilie Dunn (`00) welcomed the birth of Jack Ryves at 7:52 a.m. Aug. 11. He was 7.1 lbs and 19 inches.
Jacqueline Allen (`03) has been named the Alex Fee Memorial Pro Bono Service Award winner by the Maryland State Bar Association for her efforts on behalf of Maryland’s homeless population. Since 2008, as part of the Association’s Homeless Persons Representation Project, Allen has helped 27 people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to obtain expungements of certain charges listed on their criminal records.
Eric Pucciarelli (`04) was promoted to vice president of the Alpharetta, Ga.,-based financial services firm, oXYGen Financial. The firm is featured every week on Atlanta’s radio station Rock 100.5 FM’s, “The Regular Guys” morning show.
George Gray (`07) has received a Master of Fine Arts in acting degree from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va.
Don S. Stumpf (`07) has been named director of Armstrong Atlantic State University’s Liberty Center in Hinesville, Ga. He will oversee all aspects of the Center, including recruiting, admissions, student and faculty support, administrative services, and facility management.
Navy Seaman David M. Berger (`09) has completed basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill., with honors. Berger completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.
Coast Guard Seaman Wilson D. Sheppard (`09) recently graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Training Center in Cape May, N. J. Sheppard completed a vigorous training curriculum consisting of academics and practical instruction on water safety and survival, military customs and courtesies, seamanship skills, physical fitness, health and wellness, first aid, firefighting and marksmanship.
IN MEMORIAM
Faculty
John J. Budack, Finance
Staff
Jane H. Ward, Librarian
Students
Eric Daniel Hopkins,
Thomas Sharkey, Jr.
Alumna
Cora Exley Kight, ‘67, Springfield, Ga.