Foundation Trustees’ Service, Leadership Honored

The Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation board of trustees recently honored several members and welcomed its new leadership. “The foundation’s strength lies in its members’ broad perspectives and experiences,” said Jennifer Hendrickson, associate vice president for Advancement and board president. “We deeply appreciate what each trustee brings to their service to the foundation and GGC.”

Bartow Morgan Jr., CEO of Georgia Banking Company, was recognized for his two-year service as board chair. Under his leadership, the foundation focused on supporting GGC’s initiatives in scholarships, academic programs, facilities and student engagement. A charter trustee, Morgan has chaired the Development and the Finance and Audit committees, and now chairs the Committee on Trustees. K. Carlton Buchanan Jr., MD, MBA, chairman of Gwinnett Emergency Specialists, is the new board chair. A trustee since 2016, he recently chaired the Development Committee Marsha Anderson Bomar, assistant general manager for Capital Program Delivery at Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), now serves as board secretary. C. Norwood Davis, the board’s new treasurer, also will chair the Finance and Audit Committee. He is CFO of 12Stone Church.

In other committee news, Greg Shumate, CEO/Managing Partner of Capital City Home Loans, LLC, now chairs the Development Committee. New trustee Jay Dennard, COO of Northside Hospital Duluth, will serve a three-year term. The following departing trustees were recognized for their service. Matt Cole has been a trustee since 2016, and chaired the Development Committee and Committee on Trustees. He is the retired executive headmaster of Major Gifts and Planned Giving for Wesleyan School. A trustee since 2012, Terri Jondahl served as board secretary and Strategic Planning and Initiatives Committee chair. She was instrumental in developing the foundation’s current strategic plan. She is the CEO of CAB Worldwide Holdings, Inc. and CAB Incorporated.

Dr. Gordon Tanner has been a trustee since 2015, serving on the Committee on Trustees. He is a managing partner at Gastroenterology Specialists of Gwinnett. A trustee since 2015, Phil Wolfe was instrumental in the early partnership between Gwinnett Medical Center and GGC’s nursing program and served on the Finance and Audit Committee. He retired as president and CEO of Gwinnett Medical Center.

“ The Foundation’s strength lies in its members’ broad perspectives and experiences.”

– Jennifer Hendrickson

Grizzlies Celebrate

Championship Spring

Members of the GGC baseball team celebrate their 2021 Avista NAIA World Series Championship – the team’s first national title. Photo by August Frank/Lewiston Tribune.

The Grizzlies have now captured 14 NAIA national championships since their inaugural 2012-13 season.

Three more national championship trophies now stand in GGC Athletics’ expanding trophy case after success on the tennis courts and baseball diamond capped a challenging 2021 season. While it has been customary for the men’s and women’s tennis teams to bring home national titles each May, the baseball team captured its first national championship with a clean sweep at the 2021 Avista National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) World Series in June. Softball, women’s soccer and baseball all competed in their NAIA national tournaments after earning Association of Independent Institutions conference tournament titles. Men’s soccer hosted a NAIA Opening Round, and all six teams were nationally ranked throughout the season.

The baseball team came into the World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, as the No. 5 seed among 10 finalists. The Grizzlies outscored opponents by a 52-30 margin, defeating the Nos. 1-, 2- (twice), 4- and 6-seeded teams. An 8-4 victory over Central Methodist University of Missouri completed the climb to the summit.

“This championship took a total team effort from everybody on the field and in the dugout. They had an unbreakable bond that was revealed in everything they did this season,” said Head Coach Jeremy Sheetinger. “I had a front row seat to watch the best college baseball team in the country play.” The Grizzlies hit nine home runs across the five World Series games to capture the title in their first championship round appearance. The program had been a semifinalist in 2019 and 2018.

Starting pitcher Hunter Dollander, ’21, exercise science, completed his collegiate career by striking out nine batters and scattering five hits across seven innings in the championship game. He was named the World Series’ Most Valuable Player, ending the season with a 12-1 record and his GGC career, 28-2. “It is surreal to end my career as a national champion. Everybody trusted me to get the job done. I just wanted to go out and compete to give my team a chance,” said Dollander. The team had a collective .367 batting average, with eight players hitting .342 or higher. Griffin Keller, ’21, business, led the way with a .469 batting average, 26 doubles, 89 runs scored, and 89 runs batted in (RBI). His 18 home runs set a single-season school record. GGC’s tennis teams also celebrated national championship efforts – the seventh straight title for the men’s team and the sixth title for the women, their fifth consecutively. “The men’s seven-peat is incredible, and to increase our winning streak to 147 straight matches makes it even better,” said Head Coach Chase Hodges. “Meanwhile, our women’s team continues finding ways to win matches. The championship match was a hard-fought win, and I’m super proud of the players’ efforts to support the team.” Both teams defeated Keiser University of Florida to capture their titles at the Mobile Alabama Tennis Center in Alabama, with the men winning 4-1 and the women coming back for a 4-2 victory. Luis Gomar, ’24, business, held serve and clinched the title with a 6-4, 6-4 win. “I have dreamed about this final match, but it was so much better in reality,” said Gomar. “I played each point today for everyone who is and ever has been a Grizzly tennis player. We’re a family and have a strong connection. It was a team effort.” Meanwhile, the women’s team battled back from a 1-0 doubles point deficit to win its national title.

Iryna Lysykh, ’24, information technology, won her first six games to tie the match. A victory by Marta Maestro, ’24, psychology, put the Grizzlies on the brink of the championship, and another freshman, Ale Ferrer, ’24, criminal justice/criminology, rebounded after dropping her first set 6-3 to claim the next two by 6-2 and 6-1 to capture the title. Lysykh was named the championship tournament's most outstanding player.