the university of
GEORGIA September 2010 • Vol. 89, No. 4
MAGAZINE
On the front line
A team of UGA scientists led by Samantha Joye is conducting critical research on the Gulf oil spill
S AV E T H E D AT E !
January 22, 2011
Join us at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta to honor the 100 fastest growing businesses that are owned or operated by UGA Alumni. The 2011 Bulldog 100 will be announced in October, and the rankings will be unveiled at January’s celebration.
Celebrate Success
Become a sponsor of the 2011 Bulldog 100 and view the 2010 list of honorees at www.uga.edu/alumni/bulldog100.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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GEORGIA THE UNIVERSITY OF
Cecil Bentley, BBA ’70, UGA journalism staff; Valerie Boyd, UGA journalism faculty; Bobby Byrd, ABJ ’80, Wells Real Estate Funds; Jim Cobb, AB ’69, MA ’72, PhD ’75, UGA history faculty; Richard Hyatt, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer; Brad King, MMC ’97, BVK Communications; Fran Lane, AB ’69, MEd ’71, retired director, UGA Visitors Center; Bill McDougald, ABJ ’76, MLA ’86, Southern Living; Nicole Mitchell, UGA Press; Leneva Morgan, ABJ ’88, Georgia Power; Donald Perry, ABJ ’74, Chick-fil-A; Swann Seiler, ABJ ’78, Coastal Region of Georgia Power; Robert Willett, ABJ ’66, MFA ’73, retired journalism faculty; Martha Mitchell Zoller, ABJ ’79, WDUN-AM
September 2010 • Vol. 89, No. 4
DEPARTMENTS
Campus news and events
FEATURES 14 Georgia (wine) on my mind
The growing number of wineries in north Georgia has prompted UGA to pursue a professorship in viticulture by Kelly Simmons (MPA ’10)
UGA alumni are following their passions in the California wine industry
by Kelly Simmons (MPA ’10)
26 On the front line
A UGA marine scientist is in charge of some of the most significant research underway at the site of the gulf oil spill by Sandi Martin (ABJ ’00)
32 Forehands and fist
bumps
Fresh from a record-breaking Wimbledon performance, John Isner returns to UGA to help train the next generation by Allyson Mann (MA ’92)
CLASS NOTES 38 Alumni profiles and notes Lush grapevines line the fields of Crane Creek Vineyards in Young Harris. Owners DeAnne and Eric Seifarth preserved the 124-year-old house on the property and are protecting the land from future development. Photo by Paul Efland
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Around the Arch
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Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker
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20 In vino veri-dawgs
FINE PRINT Georgia Magazine (ISSN 1085-1042) is published quarterly for alumni and friends of UGA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: University of Georgia, 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North, Athens, GA 30602-5582
Tiger Mountain Vineyard’s 2008 Tannat, a red wine made from the French Tannat grape, is bottled after aging 23 months in oak barrels. The Tannat is one of nine wines produced by the Rabun County vineyard and winery.
Take 5 with the President President Michael F. Adams on research at UGA
Tom S. Landrum, AB ’72, MA ’87, Senior Vice President, E xternal Affairs; Tom Jackson, AB ’73, MPA ’04, PhD ’08, VP, Public Affairs; Deborah Dietzler, Executive Director, UGA Alumni Association; Alison Huff, Director of Publications; Eric Johnson, ABJ ’86, Director of UGA Visitors Center How to advertise in GEORGIA MAGAZINE: Contact Pamela Leed: 706/542-8124 or pjleed@uga.edu Where to send story ideas, letters, Class Notes items: Georgia Magazine 286 Oconee St., Suite 200 North Athens, GA 30602-1999 E-mail: GMeditor@uga.edu Web site: www.uga.edu/gm or University of Georgia Alumni Association www.alumni.uga.edu/alumni Address changes: E-mail records@uga.edu or call 888/268-5442
ON THE COVER
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
In compliance with federal law, including the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the University of Georgia does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, or military service in its administration of educational policies, programs, or activities; its admissions policies; scholarship and loan programs; athletic or other University-administered programs; or employment. In addition, the University does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation consistent with the University nondiscrimination policy. Inquiries or complaints should be directed to the director of the Equal Opportunity Office, Peabody Hall, 290 South Jackson Street, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602. Telephone 706-542-7912 (V/TDD). Fax 706-542-2822.
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GEORGIA MAGAZINE ADVISORY BOARD VOLUNTEER MEMBERS
MAGAZINE
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ADMINISTRATION Michael F. Adams, President Jere Morehead, JD ’80, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Tom S. Landrum, AB ’72, MA ’87, Senior Vice President for External Affairs Tim Burgess, AB ’77, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration PUBLIC AFFAIRS Tom Jackson, AB ’73, MPA ’04, PhD ’08, Vice President Alison Huff, Director of Publications GEORGIA MAGAZINE Editor, Kelly Simmons, MPA ’10 Managing Editor, Allyson Mann, MA ’92 Art Director, Cheri Wranosky, BFA ’84 Advertising Director, Pamela Leed Office Manager, Fran Burke Photographers, Paul Efland, BFA ’75, MEd ’80; Peter Frey, BFA ’94; Robert Newcomb, BFA ’81; Beth Newman, BFA ’07; Rick O’Quinn, ABJ ’87; Dot Paul; Andrew Davis Tucker Editorial Assistant, Meg Twomey
GEORGIA MAGAZINE MAGAZINE •• SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 2010 2010 GEORGIA
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The Bell family (from left) Liz, Weston, Sydney and Jeff at Sanford Stadium.
Living this close to UGA is " A BULLDOG DREAM COME TRUE. Here you have access to all the University offers and more. - Jeff Bell
"
Make a Complete Weekend Out of Your Visit to Athens
.Golf on our 27-hole Chancellors Course .Enjoy Clubhouse Dining for lunch, dinner or Sunday Brunch* .Tour our Model Homes Sundays 1 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For more information please call 770.725.8100 or visit www.LivinginBulldogCountry.com 4 SEPTEMBER 2010 • GEORGIA MAGAZINE
The Georgia Club is located off University Parkway (Hwy 316), 12 miles west of campus. Homes of distinction from the $300,000s to $1+ million. *Reservations recommended
TAKE
5
— President Michael F. Adams on research at the University of Georgia
Q: Marine Sciences Professor Samantha Joye’s research into the impact of deep water oil leaks in the Gulf of Mexico has brought an international focus to UGA in the wake of the collapse of the Deepwater Horizon. How does this exposure affect the university’s reputation in the greater research community? A: The greatest strength or weakness of any university is its faculty, and today ours is very strong. Samantha Joye’s work exemplifies the kind of work being done in a broad range of areas. The international exposure she has received has significantly enhanced the university’s research reputation.
Q: Will having this kind of national exposure help in recruiting students who are interested in the sciences to UGA?
Michael F. Adams
A: Certainly, this kind of national and international exposure from top-flight faculty is exactly the sort of thing that top-flight students search for. Some of our students come unsure of what their academic goals might be, and at age 18, I think that’s okay. It’s why we offer a broad-based liberal arts curriculum the first two years for them to sample the breadth of knowledge that they can pursue extensively in their third and fourth years. But there’s no doubt that great students are drawn to great faculty. I specifically went to Ohio State to study with the late Dr. Jim Golden. We have students at the undergraduate, graduate and professional level who regularly choose to come here because of their respect and admiration for a particular faculty member or department. Some of them may be fortunate enough to study with Samantha Joye.
Q: What benefit does Professor Joye’s visibility bring to the state? A: Professor Joye’s contribution to the state is both reputational and substantive. There is little question that she and her team were analyzing from day one the potential impact that gulf currents might have on moving undesired oil to Georgia’s east coast. If that ever became likely, reseachers at UGA would be among the first to signal a warning, thus saving thousands of jobs in the Georgia seafood and tourism industries.
Q: Are there other areas in which our scientists are doing groundbreaking research? A: There are literally hundreds of areas in which UGA scientists are doing groundbreaking research. Our colleagues in education are leading the charge in this state to help determine the best methods of teaching and evaluating K-12 students. Our agriculture scientists are helping to feed the world along with discovering the genetic basis for four-leaf clovers. Scientists like Dan Colley are helping to eradicate disease in Africa and Central America. The list goes on and on.
Q: What are we doing to get the message out about the work our researchers are doing? A: I truly think our public information department has done an extraordinary job in helping Professor Joye deal with an avalanche of media requests. She has been a highly desired speaker all over the state and this magazine as well as the Research Magazine and other publications will carry additional updates on her work and the important work of other UGA researchers. She is exactly the kind of person who proves that good teaching often begins with good research.
ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER
Cutting-edge research is underway at UGA’s Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases. Here, Ph.D. student Charles Rosenberg of Stone Mountain works in the lab of Rick Tarleton, a faculty member at the center.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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(from left) James Benyshek, digital imaging professional associate; Ambassador Andrew Young; Ruta Abolins, director, media archives; Craig Breaden, head, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies; and producer C.B. Hackworth receive the Emmy Award for “Andrew Young Presents: How We Got Over.”
PLANNING A VISIT? Visitors to UGA can find out everything they need to know ahead of time—and schedule a campus tour—on the new website for the UGA Visitor’s Center. The site provides basic information, such as what is included on tour, as well as tips on the best time of year to schedule a visit. For example, the least crowded months to visit UGA are January, February, May, September, November and December. A page of frequently asked questions helps visitors plan their stay, with recommendations for on-campus lodging and dining as well as links to information about lodging and dining in Athens. Reservations for tours, admissions sessions for undergraduate, transfer and graduate students, and Honors Program information sessions can be made online as far as three months in advance. Click on www.visit.uga.edu and start planning your visit.
The Emmy goes to... UGA! Staff from the UGA Libraries brought home a statuette in June from the 2010 Southeast Regional Emmy Awards for their work on “Andrew Young Presents: How We Got Over,” a documentary of the civil rights movement in the south. Young and producer C.B. Hackworth were recognized, along with employees Toby Graham, deputy university librarian; Ruta Abolins, director of the media archives; Margie Compton and James Benyshek of the archives; Craig Breaden of the Russell Library for Political Research and Studies; Barbara McCaskill, UGA English professor; and student employees and other members of the production team.
Largely based on news footage from the Walter J. Brown
Media Archives and Peabody Awards collection, the show aired on Georgia Public Television. The raw news footage used in the show is part of the Civil Rights Digital Library, which was compiled and is housed at UGA.
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SEPTEMBER 2010 • GEORGIA MAGAZINE
The World Cup ... on UGA turf The 2010 Soccer World Cup games were held in South Africa, but the turf used for some of the fields was developed here in Georgia by a UGA turfgrass breeder in Tifton. TifSport, a bermuda grass released in 1997 by Wayne Hanna, a crop and soil science professor with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, was used on the field at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Bred to be rugged, the dark-green TifSport grass is dense, disease resistant, tolerates cold and does well in many environments and soil BRAD HAIRE types. It also holds up well The turf used for some of the fields at the 2010 and recovers quickly from a World Cup games was developed by Wayne Hanna, lot of foot traffic, an impora researcher for UGA at Tifton. tant characteristic for a soccer match. It is widely used to create American football fields across the Southeast and golf courses around the world. To create TifSport, Hanna took the germplasm of a cold-tolerant bermuda grass and irradiated it, a practice used in plant breeding to alter plant characteristics, to get a finer grass texture. This yielded 57 fine-textured bermuda grasses. They were grown and tested. A dozen years later, TifSport was born. Since 1983, Hanna has released four other turfgrass varieties: the popular TifEagle, TifSport, TifBlair and recently TifGrand. TifSport is licensed by the University of Georgia Research Foundation Inc.
FUND TO SUPPORT STUDY OF CAPITALISM BB&T Corp. has pledged $1.5 million over 10 years to the Terry College of Business to establish the BB&T Support Fund for the Study of Capitalism and Market Economies. The goal is to expose undergraduate students to the historical foundations of capitalism and free market economy through writings from classic economists like Milton Friedman and Adam Smith as well as philosophical pieces like Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. The fund, in the department of banking and finance, will also support faculty research on capital markets, market competition, government-controlled incentives and disincentives for productivity, and comparative studies of economic systems. Learn more about the Terry College at www. terry.uga.edu.
More bang for the buck UGA had a $2.2 billion impact on the local economy in 2009, according to a recent study by the Selig Center for Economic Growth in the Terry College of Business. The study, which measured the economic impact of all 35 institutions in the University System of Georgia, showed that UGA spent nearly $633 million in salaries and $337 million in operating expenses from July 1, 2008–June 30, 2009, and UGA students spent an additional $436 million in and around Athens. Despite a weaker economic climate, the university actually contributed more money to the Athens area last year than in the previous year. During the time period studied, UGA created or maintained 19,582 jobs in the area. But for each job created on campus, there are 1.6 off-campus jobs that exist because of spending related to the university. Taken as a whole, the University System of Georgia contributed more than $12.7 billion to Georgia’s economy and was responsible for 112,336 full- and part-time jobs, which is 2.8 percent of all jobs in the state. To read the full report go to www.terry.uga.edu/selig.
GOT PAIN? TRY GINGER. Two studies directed by kinesiology Professor Patrick O’Connor give scientific support to the ancient remedy of using ginger to treat pain. Studies show that two grams of ginger taken daily reduce exercise-induced muscle pain by 25 percent over the course of 11 days. O’Connor’s study will be published in the September issue of The Journal of Pain, which can be found online at www.jpain. org/home.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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BEST IN SHOW A BARK OUT TO
INSTITUTE FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
….Ken Tanner, a professor of education, who received an Outstanding Paper Award by the Emerald Literati Network’s 2010 Awards for Excellence. … Alberta J. (Bert) Ellett, an associate professor in the School of Social Work, who will receive the 2010 Distinguished Recent Contributions in Social Work Education Award from the Council on Social Work Education. … Rebecca Sharitz, a researcher at the University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, who received the National Wetlands Award for Science Research from the Environmental Law Institute.
ALBERTA J. ELLETT
… Karen Jones, a professor of education, whose program Mathematics and Technology Happen Today was named one of the top five programs in the nation funded through an ITQ grant, by the Association of Career and Technical Education. … William “Barny” Whitman, head of the department of microbiology, who won the 2010 J. Roger Porter Award from the American Society for Microbiology and United States Federation of Culture Collections. … Jeb Byers, an associate professor of ecology, who was appointed to the National Research Council’s Committee on Assessing Numeric Limits for Living Organisms in Ballast Water. … The Georgia Review, which won 10 honors, including its fourth consecutive General Excellence award, at the Magazine Association of the Southeast’s GAMMA Awards. …Kaye Sweetser, an assistant professor of public relations, and her team of five public relations students, who won the Bateman Case Study Competition for their iCount campaign, which spread awareness of the 2010 U.S. Census.
KAYE SWEETSER
... Bruce Ferguson and Amitabh Verma, two professors from the College of Environment and Design, who both received awards at the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture 2010 conference. Ferguson was named a 2010 fellow and Verma received the award for Excellence in Research and Creative Works.
... UGA Parking Services, which received an honorable mention for organization of the year from the International Parking Institute, and LeAnne Fouche, a North Campus Deck monitor, who was named IPI staff member of the year. ... Martha Carr, a professor of psychology, who was elected president of the educational psychology division of the American Psychological Association. ... Jeremy Kilpatrick, a Regents professor of mathematics education, who was elected to the National Academy of Education. JEREMY KILPATRICK
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The Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement is now housed at UGA’s Fanning Institute. GLISI is a public/private initiative that provides leadership training and district capacity building for K-12 school systems throughout the state. School systems that have worked with GLISI have seen increased student performance, more staff collaboration and leadership for learning. Together they will be able to offer a comprehensive set of services to schools and communities in Georgia. Get more on GLISI at www.glisi.org.
A TOOL KIT FOR JOURNALISTS A website created by faculty, staff and students in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication provides resources to journalists who report on poverty. “Covering Poverty: A Toolkit for Journalists” includes tutorials and tip sheets for journalists to help them better understand the issue. Journalists can sign up to receive weekly story ideas, which students and faculty gather from think-tank studies, government reports and best-practice coverage by other journalists. The site also offers examples of best practices employed by journalists covering poverty. The site grew out of a 2008-09 “Poverty and the Economy” research grant from the University of Georgia Research Foundation, administered by UGA’s Office of the Vice President of Public Service and Outreach. Check it out at www.grady. uga.edu/poverty.
More money for scholarships A $2.4 million gift from The Goizueta Foundation will fund three need-based scholarship programs over seven years: The Opportunity Scholarship will provide need-based tuition support to a total of 60 incoming freshman and can be renewed for four years of undergraduate education; the Leadership Scholarship Program will provide need-based tuition support to 28 students of exceptional academic talent; and the Transfer Opportunity Scholarship will support 36 successful students who wish to transfer to UGA, reaching students who might not otherwise be able to continue their education beyond an associate’s degree. Race and ethnicity are not considered in selection for admission to UGA, but the gift from The Goizueta Foundation allows the UGA Office of Admissions to expand outreach and recruitment efforts designed to encourage Spanish-speaking students to attend college. One such program, called Gear Up for College, has been funded by The Goizueta Foundation since 2008 and allows Latino eighth-grade students to experience a day as college students through a series of activities and presentations on campus. In addition to touring campus, the students learn how to prepare for college admission, research colleges and universities, and visit with Latino students and faculty at UGA. The recent gift from The Goizueta Foundation allows for the expansion of Gear Up for College to serve even more students and allows UGA admissions staff to hold similar programs at schools that are unable to send students to Athens. Founded in 1992, The Goizueta Foundation provides financial assistance to educational and charitable institutions. It was established by Roberto C. Goizueta, who was chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of The CocaCola Company until his death in 1997. To learn more about The Goizueta Foundation, go to www.goizuetafoundation.org.
RESEARCHERS WIN GRANT TO STUDY AMAZONIAN MICROBES
MEETING NEEDS IN BIOTECH UGA has been awarded federal stimulus funding to create a new Professional Science Master’s program in biomanufacturing and bioprocessing that will help meet the workforce needs of Georgia’s growing biotechnology industry. UGA was one of only 21 universities to receive the three-year, $700,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. The eight to 10 students in the new program will focus their studies in one of three areas of biomanufacturing—biofuel/biochemical, industrial/environmental or pharmaceutical—in either a large company or small firm setting.
Patricia Yager, associate professor of marine sciences, and her team of American and Brazilian researchers received a $2.4 million grant to study aquatic microbes and their responses to change in the water at the point where the Amazon River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The project—dubbed River-Ocean Continuum of the Amazon— will study the lower reach of the river and its large offshore plume. The grant will support sampling efforts in the region and the creation of mathematical models to show how climate-influenced phenomena, including natural disasters like floods and drought, might affect the global carbon dioxide balance and projections of climate change. Learn more about marine sciences at UGA at http://alpha.marsci. uga.edu.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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GOING GREEN RE-ENERGIZING CAMPUS The Go Green Alliance, working with UGA staff, applied for and received a $5,000 grant from the Clinton Global Initiative to begin installing photovoltaic panels on campus to generate electricity for a solar-powered laptop recharge station. The UGA Physical Plant Division also received Federal American Recovery & Reinvestment Act funds to implement energy efficiency upgrades such as lighting retrofits and mechanical system controls and improvements across the main campus.
UGA MAKES HONOR ROLL The University of Georgia is ranked by the Princeton Review as one of the top 15 colleges and universities in the country for its commitment to sustainability. The Review, which evaluates schools on environmentally related policies, practices and academic offerings, gave UGA a score of 99—its top rating. It is the second year that the Princeton Review has issued a Green Honor Roll. In January, President Michael F. Adams announced the creation of a UGA Office of Sustainability, to be funded in part with a $3 annual fee that students voted to impose on themselves. Kevin Kirsche was appointed to head that office.
ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER
Owner Craig Rice of Tree Spaders of Greenville, S.C., waters a Willow Oak tree on Greek Park Circle on East Campus that was planted as part of the Select Sustainable Tree Trust. Rice bought a used fire truck and uses it as his irrigation vehicle.
Trees honor Dirr More than 200 shade trees donated to UGA by the Select Sustainable Tree Trust—the first of up 1,000 trees the Watkinsville-based trust has pledged to UGA—are in honor of the late Susy Dirr (ABJ ’99), who died from cystic fibrosis in 2008. Dirr was the daughter of UGA horticulturist Michael Dirr. Over the next 10 years, the trust, formed in 2009, plans to plant as many as 1,000 trees on the UGA campus. UGA alumni partnered with Select Trees, a nursery in Oconee County, to found the trust and gave $1 million to pay for the re-greening. The UGA grounds department is responsible for planting and monitoring the donated trees. They expect to add about 200 shade trees next year, including oaks, dogwoods, maples and magnolias. Get more information at www.selectsustainabletreetrust.org.
UGArden
EVERY DROP COUNTS The drought may be over, but UGA continues to conserve water resources. To conserve water in new buildings on campus, the university is installing seven cisterns for collecting rain and condensation from new buildings’ roof tops and mechanical systems. The cisterns are being added to the new east campus residence hall, the Georgia Museum of Art addition, the Special Collections Library, Double Bridges Farm and the Athletic Association’s Butts-Mehre building expansion. The harvested water will be reused for toilet flushing, cooling campus buildings and irrigating newly created green space. In all, UGA has 15 cisterns totaling 530,000 gallons of water storage capacity.
10 SEPTEMBER 2010 • GEORGIA MAGAZINE
EMILY CARLSON
Senior Andrew Douglass harvests squash and cucumbers from the UGArden on South Milledge Ave.
Within a year of its creation, UGArden, a student group focused on sustainable agriculture, already is providing organic produce from a community garden to the local food bank. Land for the project was donated by the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences. The UGA Bioconversion Center provided compost and the Physical Plant Grounds Department ran irrigation lines to the property. Georgia cooperative extension agents, UGA horticulture faculty and Athens Area Master Gardeners provided workshops to help the students expedite their project. Volunteers plant seeds, weed out invasive species, harvest the organic produce, and deliver the fresh vegetables and herbs to the food bank.
The reel world
SCOTT MICHAUX
(from left) Russell Henley, UGA Golf Coach Chris Haack, Erik Compton (M ’02) and Hudson Swafford. Henley and Swafford are on the UGA golf team.
IN THE HUNT AT PEBBLE BEACH UGA golfer Russell Henley tied for 16th place in the 2010 U.S. Open golf championship at Pebble Beach, Calif., in June. A rising senior from Macon, Henley finished at 8-over-par 292, eight shots behind champion Graeme McDowell. Henley and NCAA medalist Scott Langley of Illinois were the only amateurs who made the cut. Langley also finished 16th as did professionals Lee Westwood and Jim Furyk. Bulldog golfer Hudson Swafford also played in the tournament but missed the cut by one shot. Following the Open, Henley also helped his UGA teammates defeat Europe 13-11 in the Palmer Cup, which pits top American amateur golfers against the top European amateurs, held in Portrush, Northern Ireland.
Two members of the UGA Bass Fishing Team reeled in more than fish at the 2010 Boat U.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship—they also caught a trophy. Ben Cleary and Bo Page (AB ’10), representing the UGA Bass Anglers, caught a combined weight of 36.41 pounds over two days. They beat out more than 125 teams from across the country, including another team of UGA Anglers, Randy Tolbert and Chase Simmemon, who won the Southern Collegiate Bass Fishing Series Points Championship earlier this year. The two-day event took place on Lewisville Lake near Dallas and is the largest collegiate bass fishing tournament to date. It is the first win for a Southeastern Conference school. After the first day of high temperatures and hot sun, Cleary and Page had five fish for a total weight of 18.34 pounds and were in third place. They withstood the 90-degree heat and constant standing and reeled in 18.07 pounds the second day. Their consistency paid off and they defeated the second place team from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte by 2.85 pounds. They won $6,000 for their first place finish, which will go to the UGA Bass Anglers team. The team, which recently became a club sports team at UGA, competes in tournaments across the country, mostly in the Southeast. They also reach out to the community through fishing seminars and participation in charity tournaments. Get more on the UGA Bass Anglers at www.facebook.com/pages/Athens-Georgia/UGA-BassAnglers/74010608224.
NEW TAILGATING LIMITS New policies for fall football game days will permit tailgating on North Campus for only four hours prior to kickoff and will limit the items that tailgaters can bring onto the historic lawns in the area bordered by Broad, Lumpkin, Baldwin and Jackson streets. The following are now prohibited in that area: • Tents • Kegs • Generators • Televisions • Amplified music • Grills and cookers • Tables longer than 4 feet • Household furniture (not including folding chairs) UGA administrators approved the changes following two seasons of highly publicized trashing and environmental damage to North Campus on football game days. In 2006, the university barred cars from parking on the grassy areas of campus, prevented tailgaters from using university outlets to power electronic devices and prohibited tailgating before 7 a.m. In 2008, UGA banned deep-fat fryers. For more on game day policies go to http://gamedaygameplan.com.
SPECIAL
Ben Cleary and Bo Page (AB ’10) represented the UGA Bass Anglers at the 2010 Boat U.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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CLOSE UP
Camper Waylon Huff waits on the dock before boarding a kayak for a quick trip around the Fort Yargo lake.
Honing their skills, helping burned kids by Emily Williams photos by Dot Paul
UGA master’s student in social work Pia Humphreys is carried through a ropes course by campers. The camp provides an opportunity for the kids to participate in normal activities without being self-conscious about their scars.
During the camp’s “Dress Your Counselor” event, Laura Bates applies make-up to Ph.D. student and counselor Sarah Himmelheber. Himmelheber has been volunteering for eight years.
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When Dana Dillard (MSW ’01) signed up for a new course called Social Work with Burn Survivors at the end of her first year in graduate school, she had no idea that a decade later she would be an integral part of a summer camp for children who have suffered severe burns. “I still joke with (my professor) that I can remember the day that I stood outside of her office door and had no idea what I was getting myself into when I signed up for camp,” Dillard recalls. Now the programs director for Camp Oo-U-La, sponsored by the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation, Dillard is involved in the planning and programming for the week-long summer camp, which has been offered free of charge to Georgia children since 1992. Children between the ages of 7 and 17, who have spent at least four days in the burn unit of a Georgia hospital, are eligible. As many as 100 campers attend the camp each summer. Dillard, like many volunteers, learned about the camp through the School of Social Work and Associate Professor Nancy R. Williams, who founded the course. She volunteered, spending summer vacations at Camp Oo-U-La while working as a medical social worker and later as a school social worker, before becoming programs director in 2008. “The kids get into your heart and you just fall in love with them,” she says. Social work students and alumni volunteers at the camp come equipped not only to help in various staff positions but also to assist with the psychosocial needs of the campers. This year, 14 UGA social work students volunteered for course credit as part of the burn camp class. Almost 20 percent of the volunteers at the camp this year were social work students and alumni. —Emily Williams is the director of communications for the UGA School of Social Work.
GET MORE
For a multimedia production about the burn camp, please visit http://www.photo.alumni.uga.edu/multimedia/burncamp2010.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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Georgia (wine) on my mind The growing number of wineries in North Georgia has prompted UGA to pursue a professorship in viticulture by Kelly Simmons (MPA ’10) photos by Paul Efland
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hen Martha (ABJ ’60) and John Ezzard (BS ’58) decided to plant grapes and make wine on the mountaintop property near Clayton that had been in John’s family for five generations, people told them they were crazy. “We’re in the Bible Belt,” Martha Ezzard acknowledges. Fourteen years later, Tiger Mountain Winery is producing 3,200 cases a year of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Manseng and other varietal and blended wines. Georgia wines have brought home medals from such tough contests as the San Francisco International Wine Festival. “We’re competing with California wines and winning awards,” Martha says. In the past 15 years, the numbers of wineries in North Georgia has more than tripled. Seven new wineries have opened in the past decade, joining old timers Habersham Winery in Helen and Château Élan in Braselton. Using native grapes, like Norton, as well as European varieties, such as Cabernet Franc, Georgia winemakers are making more than the sweet scuppernong and muscadine wines for which the South has become known. The movement, as it is, began in the mid-to-late 1990s. Amateur farmers like the Ezzards, Karl Boegner of Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery, and DeAnne (BS ’83, DVM ’88) and Eric Seifarth of Crane Creek Vineyards decided to try their hands at growing grapes in the higher altitudes of North Georgia. The native grapes, like Norton, were easy to grow. The European varieties, vinifera grapes like Cabernet Franc and Merlot, were more difficult. Vinifera vines the world over must be grafted onto native American rootstock because of a mite that got into the soil hundreds of years ago. Cultivating the European varieties is a tedious and challenging process, one not well understood in the Georgia agriculture community until recently. “A lot of the grape growers (in Georgia) have had to learn by trial and error,” says Scott Angle, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “They are the pioneers.” The college now is trying to establish an endowed professorship in viticulture to educate students interested in the wine business and to help
Travis Howard, right, pours samples of wine for Brianna Brown (left) of Royston and Erica Willis of Cumming, in the Wolf Mountain tasting room.
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A bonfire burns while members of the band “Seed & Feed Marching Abominables” perform at the Tiger Mountain Awakening of the Vines celebration in May.
Georgia’s vineyard and winery owners in the industry, Angle says. So far, the college has raised about $100,000, with help from local winemakers. It needs $250,000 to endow the position. John McMullan (BBA ’58, MBA ’60), a partner in Tiger Mountain Winery and a trustee of the Arch Foundation, says vineyards and winery owners deserve the same assistance that Georgia peanut growers and chicken farmers get from the state’s flagship institution. “There is a natural reason for the university to be supportive,” he says.
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Grape growers like John Ezzard and Eric Seifarth sought advice from successful grape growers in Virginia, which has a similar soil composition and climate to North Georgia. Ezzard, a urologist who still practices part time in Rabun County, worked with a grower in Orange County, Va., about an hour southwest of Washington, D.C., to determine which grapes would best tolerate the humidity and bugs that plague Georgia crops during the summer. The best, he learned, were those that did well in southern France: reds such as
Cabernet Franc, Malbec (the French variety, different from that made in Argentina) and the rare Tannat; and whites such as Petit Manseng, a grape that produces a fruity, dry wine with high sugar levels that are usually hard to attain in a humid climate. The Ezzards planted the first rows of the native Norton and Cabernet Franc in 1995. In 1996, they added six new varieties. There are nine acres of grapes growing at Tiger Mountain, and the Ezzards purchase the harvest from an additional five acres grown nearby. They made their first wine in 1998, three barrels in an old building on the property that was once used as a creamery. In 1999 they produced six barrels of their first commercial wine. They now produce between 2,500 and 3,200 cases of wine a year, depending on the grape yield. “I don’t want to get any bigger than that,” Ezzard says. While most of the Georgia wineries are small, each producing fewer than 5,000 cases a year, they are making a growing dent in the mountain economy. A financial impact study, produced in 2005 by UGA’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, showed that the wineries generated $1.16 million in gross revenue in 2005 and could produce almost $2.3 million by 2015. Jobs generated by the growing industry were expected to increase by 44 percent from 232 in 2005 to 335 by 2015. In addition the new industry is protecting the land, once home to apple groves and dairy farms, from development. On a picturesque hilltop just north of Young Harris sits Crane Creek Vineyards, which for several years was threatened by a potential residential development next door. Eric and DeAnne Seifarth bought the farm in 1995 and had been trying to buy the adjacent property ever since.
The partners in Tiger Mountain Winery are longtime friends. From left, John Ezzard, John McMullan, Marilyn McMullan and Martha Ezzard. Tiger Mountain’s 2008 Petit Manseng won a silver medal at the San Francisco International Wine Festival this year.
They watched anxiously as the owner negotiated with developers. Fortunately, the deal never materialized. The Seifarths bought the additional 15 acres last spring. Named for the creek that runs behind the property, Crane Creek Vineyards produces wines from the Cabernet Franc and Norton grapes, as well as the French Chambourcin and Chardonnel and the American Catawba. Eric Seifarth, a retired U.S. Army officer, became interested in grapes and winemaking when he was based in Italy. After he and DeAnne, a veterinarian with the U.S. Army, moved to Georgia in 1995 they began looking for mountain property. They moved into the more than 100-year-old farmhouse on the Crane Creek property with their two then-young sons.
Georgia wineries and vineyards Blackstock Vineyards 5400 Town Creek Road Dahlonega (706) 219-2789 http://www.bsvw.com
Montaluce Winery and Estates 501 Hightower Church Road Dahlonega (706) 867-4060 http://www.montaluce.com
Château Élan Winery and Resort 100 Rue Charlemagne Braselton (678) 425-0900 http://www.chateauelan.com
Persimmon Creek Winery 81 Vineyard Lane Clayton (706) 212-7380 http://www.persimmoncreekwine.com
Crane Creek Vineyards 916 Crane Creek Road Young Harris (706) 379-1236 http://www.cranecreekvineyards.com
Sharp Mountain Vineyards 110 Rathgeb Trail Jasper (770) 735-1210 http://www.sharpmountainvineyards.net
Frogtown Cellars 700 Ridge Point Drive Dahlonega (706) 865-0687 http://www.frogtownwine.com
Tiger Mountain Vineyards 2592 Old Hwy 441 Tiger (706) 782-4777 http://www.tigerwine.com
Habersham Winery 7025 South Main Street Helen (706) 878-9463 http://www.habershamwinery.com
Wolf Mountain Vineyards 180 Wolf Mountain Trail Dahlonega (706) 867-9862 http://www.wolfmountainvineyards.com
JASON CROSBY
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(left) An artist’s painting of the Seifarths’ first vineyard dog, Sally, graces the label of Crane Creek’s “Sweet Sally,” a white wine made from the Catawba grape. (right) Photos on display at Crane Creek show a photo of the old home place, built in 1886, which is now a tasting room, and a portrait of Sumrey and Emiline Bryson, who built and lived in the house.
Eric and DeAnne Seifarth sample their Brasstown Rosé. Crane Creek’s 2007 Hellbender Red won a gold medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition this year.
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It was an adventure, DeAnne recalls. The house had not been lived in since the 1960s and had no bathtub. DeAnne bought a veterinary practice in nearby Blairsville while Eric cared for the children and put in test plots for grapevines, learning what he could from experts in Virginia and summer courses at the University of California at Davis. Grapes were not foreign to the land, they learned. The family that had long owned the land had grown grapes and made wine there in the 1930s. “The area had a lot of grapes growing prior to prohibition,” DeAnne Seifarth says. The original house, which the Seifarths now use as a tasting room and shop, is filled with photos of the Bryson and Crane families that owned the land. Members of the Crane family return every year for a family reunion and picnic on the property. But it was not an easy start. A hailstorm wiped out one of the Seifarths’ first crops. They were not growing enough grapes to sell or to make enough wine to make money. “We didn’t even really know if
this type of business was viable in this area,” DeAnne says. By 1999 they needed to build a new house and had to decide whether to push forward to become a commercial operation. They decided to go for it. They made their first wine in 2000, a Seyval Blanc, using the facilities at Three Sisters Vineyards in Dahlonega. The Seyval was released in 2001. They built their own winery in 2003 and slowly began producing more and more cases each year. In 2009, they produced 4,000 cases. They already have begun planting on the new land to increase their production. “It’s definitely a lifestyle,” DeAnne Seifarth says. “That’s what we were going for.” A little farther south is Karl Boegner’s Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery, which he built from the ground up in the late 1990s after retiring from a 40-year career in the hospitality business. Always interested in wine, Boegner took several years to look for the perfect site for his own company and found it on a plateau near Dahlonega. The site, close to Atlanta, offers sweeping views of the southern Appalachian Mountains. The elevation—1,800 feet—is ideal for growing the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, which won’t grow in lower elevations and struggles farther north. Boegner grows white grapes on another tract of land about 10 miles away. He planted his first vines in 2000 and released his first wines, 800 cases of red and white blends, in 2003. Wolf Mountain produces about 4,000 cases of wine each year, including red and white blends and North Georgia’s only sparkling wines. The business is a family affair. Son Brannon (BSEd ’97) manages the vineyards, while daughter Lindsey Smith oversees the hospitality program. His wife Linda coordinates weddings, which are held in a covered
pavilion overlooking the vineyards behind the winery. For Boegner the winery was the next logical step in a career running hotels, restaurants and resorts. He got his start with Disney in 1970 when the company was planning its resort in Orlando. “You get a lot of opportunities to meet winemakers [in that business],” Boegner says, “and they give you a lot of great advice.” “This is the culmination of the background I gained and the things I’ve seen that interested me.” The winery and restaurant, with heart pine wood and stone, is patterned after a Craftsman cottage from Napa Valley, with interior touches borrowed from the various facilities he’s seen over the years. A fountain outside the tasting room is similar to one at the Simi Winery in Sonoma Valley. However, it’s in the wine making that Boegner has used the knowledge he’s gained over the years. Wines are stored in French, Hungarian and American oak barrels, which each give the wine a distinct flavor. Most of his reds spend about two years in a barrel, are then blended and finished and put back in the barrels for four to six more months. “When it’s released it’s a more complex wine,” he explains. Wolf Mountain is the only Georgia winery making sparkling wine, a process that requires expensive special equipment and more work than traditional wines. Boegner says he has spent the past couple of years trying to perfect the process. His 2008 sparkling dry Blanc de Blanc earned a bronze medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition earlier this year (the 2008 Chanteloup took a gold in its category). “I love sparkling wine,” Boegner says. “The only way I would make it is the right way.”
Brannon Boegner moved back to Georgia from Colorado to help his dad start Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery in Dahlonega. As vineyard manager and assistant wine maker, it’s Brannon’s job to check the vines daily.
The opportunity to produce wine “from vine to bottle” is what drew Brannon back to Georgia from Colorado, where he had been living since graduating from UGA. Brannon first traveled back to help his father look at potential sites for the winery. He and his wife moved back in 2000. With their two young children they, like his parents and sister, live in houses tucked away on the mountain. “My commute to work is on a four-wheeler,” Brannon Boegner says with a grin. “Nice days, you get out and get the vineyard work done. Bad days you’re in the cellar.”
Karl Boegner checks on the red wine fermenting in oak barrels 10 feet below ground. Wolf Mountain’s 2008 Chanteloup (which is French for “song of the wolf”) won a gold medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine competition this year.
GET MORE For more information on the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences endowed professorship in viticulture or to make a gift to the program, contact Bo Ryles, interim director of development, at (706) 542-3390 or by e-mail at ocamgr@uga.edu.
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by Kelly Simmons (MPA ’10) photos by Robert Durell
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t’s almost 9:30 on a June morning and the fog has not yet lifted from the top of Howell Mountain. Dew hangs on the lush leaves of the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc vines that line the hills and valleys just outside Calistoga, Calif. Robbie Meyer (BS ’93) checks the tiny green grapes growing in bunches below the elephant–ear like leaves of the Merlot vines. As the vintner for this particular Napa Valley vineyard, Jericho Canyon, Meyer carefully monitors the crops from the spring buds to the fall harvest. “A winemaker needs to mandate what happens in the vineyard,” he explains. Meyer, who earned his degree in enology from the University of California at Davis after graduating from UGA, has been making wine in northern California for five years. In addition to the wine he produces for Jericho Canyon, he also makes wines for his own labels, L’Angevin and Peirson-Meyer, in which he partners with another vintner. He is but one of a number of Georgia alumni who have made their way to California, lured by the temperate climates and the laid-back lifestyle of the wine country. Former UGA and Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Terry Hoage (BS ’85) is perhaps the best known of the Georgia grads in the California wine industry. From his vineyard in the central California coastal town of Paso Robles, he has been producing award-winning Rhone-style wines since 2002. A favorite is “The Hedge,” a Syrah named for the legendary hedges that line the field at Sanford Stadium.
In vino veri-dawgs UGA alumni are following their passions in the California wine indusry
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Winemaker Robbie Meyer covers a lot of ground at the Jericho Canyon vineyard in northern Napa Valley, where grapes are grown to produce Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Meyer also makes wine for two of his own labels and serves as a consultant to other winemakers in the valley.
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Jennifer and Greg Hauck check the maturity of the grapes in the field at a vineyard in Sonoma Valley. The Haucks decided to contract with local growers to buy grapes for their wines since growing the vines themselves would be an expensive and risky endeavor.
But in addition to Hoage, Georgia alumni are scattered throughout northern California, making careers out of growing grapes, making wine, selling wine and marketing the local vineyards. “It has been a very fortunate sequence of events that lets me do what I do,” says Rhett Gadke (AB ’97), a buyer for Bounty Hunter Rare Wines & Provisions in Napa, Calif. Gadke, whose company sells wine from its riverside bar and restaurant and by mail, says he developed an interest in wine when he was a teenager working at a deli and wine store. While at UGA he worked as assistant manager of the wine department at the A wall of rare wines behind him, Rhett Gadke peers through a wine glass at the Bounty Hunter restaurant in Napa, Calif. Gadke writes the lively catalogue of wines that Bounty Hunter sends to its customers.
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ABC store on Atlanta Highway. “I realized I had a knack for it,” he says. It was Meyer’s interest in science, and fascination with the complexity of wine, that drew him into winemaking as a career. The Marietta native moved to northern California even before he was accepted into the program at UC-Davis and began working at local vineyards to learn the trade. He worked for several years with winemakers at Peter Michael Winery and Lewis Cellars before becoming the winemaker for Jericho Canyon in 2005. Since then he has overseen construction of a winery on the property and produced a number of top-flight wines served in fine restaurants across the country as well as at the Augusta National Golf Course. It’s a tough business. The weather in any given year determines the yield of the crop and the quality of the wine. You do the same amount of work whether you’re producing 1,000 or 2,000 cases of wine, he says. “We wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t love to do it,” he says.
wine,” Greg says simply. Greg and Jennifer moved to Healdsburg, in the Sonoma Valley, where they found jobs at a small winery in Dry Creek Valley, It was there they began learning the business and met the winemaker who would produce the first wine under the Hauck label in 2004. The Haucks don’t own vineyards; they instead contract to buy grapes from area growers. Their winemaker, like many in the business, makes wine for several labels and consults for wineries in the area. They lease the use of a crush facility to produce and store the wine. There are now more than a half dozen varietals and blends produced for the Hauck label, including Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Sirah, Sauvignon Blanc, Meritage and a Rose of Syrah. “We make the wines we love to
drink,” Jennifer says. “If it doesn’t sell, we can drink it.” Most days they’re in the Hauck Cellars tasting room in Healdsburg entertaining visitors and selling wine. On fall Saturdays they wear their Georgia football jerseys and tie black and red balloons outside the front door. Greg’s iPod is loaded with UGArelated audio, including “Glory, Glory to Old Georgia,” that he plays over the tasting room speakers for visitors—especially those who come in wearing clothes from other SEC schools. Opening the tasting room, which is somewhat uncommon for a small production winery, was part of Greg’s dream, Jennifer says, adding, “We Acme Fine Wines in St. Helena, Calif., focuses on offerings from local boutique vineyards. The wall of wine behind owner Karen Williams is constantly changing as Acme finds new products to distribute.
A fascination with wine also drew Greg (BSEd ’88) and Jennifer (BSEd ’87) Hauck to northern California. Education majors at UGA, they had teaching jobs in South Georgia for a year after graduating. They moved back to Atlanta the following year where Jennifer got a job teaching French to high school students and Greg went to work for his father’s pharmaceutical sales business before launching his own company. He sold the business in 2000 and spent the next three years perfecting his golf game and deciding what he wanted to do next. They were drawn to California after vacationing there for several years. “We decided we wanted to make
KELLY SIMMONS
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don’t have the next goal yet.” “Our goal is to break even,” Greg says. But Jennifer adds, “Our goal is to make wines we love.”
Wednesday afternoon is tasting time at Acme Fine Wines in St. Helena. Unlike a typical wine store, Acme focuses on selling wines from boutique wineries that aren’t big enough to have national distribution. Owner Karen Williams (AB ’87) and her staff of three gather around a long table with bottles, water, wine glasses and spittoons in front of them. On this June afternoon, they’re
sampling wines brought in by a local representative who works for nearby boutique vineyards. They sample the Baby Blue, a 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Blue Rock Vineyard in Alexander Valley. Each takes a swig of the rich, red liquid, swishing it around in their mouths and holding it long enough to get the full flavor before spitting it out. Next up is a 2006 Cabernet Franc from Gridley Family Cellars in Napa Valley, followed by a 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Cimarossa vineyards high atop Howell Mountain. The store will sell only the wines they agree are top notch. “We have to be able to look our customers in the eye and say, ‘This is fantastic,’” Williams says. The wines the Acme employees select will be added to their stock and sold in the tasting room as well as to the 5,000 to 6,000 people on the Acme mailing list. It’s a way, Williams says,
for the small wineries to get exposure and for customers, who are scattered across the country, to try something they can’t find in a local store. Acme has roughly 180 labels in its inventory, which changes regularly. Employees keep notes on regular customers’ tastes and contact them when a wine comes in that they think matches that taste. Williams also stocks a small collection of wine from other parts of the world to distribute to locals and interested clients. “It keeps them up to date with what’s going on with the Joneses around the world,” she says. While Williams is bringing in (top) From the deck outside his office, Pete Przybylinski has a view of the sun-drenched vineyards of Duckhorn Wine Company. (left) Oak barrels in the Duckhorn Cellar hold rich Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon until they are ready for bottling.
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GET MORE wine for the locals, Pete Przybylinski (BBA ’90) takes his out to the rest of the world. As senior vice president for sales and strategic direction at Duckhorn Wine Company, Przybylinski spends a lot of time on the road. Last summer he attended the High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction event, which brings together representatives from some of the best wineries in the world to raise money for the museum. “You don’t get paid like a king, but you get to live like one,” Przybylinski says of his job in the industry. It is a different Duckhorn, he says, than when he arrived 15 years ago. Then it was a “mom and pop” operation, begun by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, who along with some college friends ponied up $50,000 to buy 12 acres in Napa Valley in 1976. Przybylinski, who was then in the restaurant business, was looking for something different. Duckhorn was
looking for a sales rep with restaurant experience. “As I grew, the company grew,” he says. The Duckhorn Wine Company now includes three winery estates: Duckhorn Vineyards and Paraduxx in Napa Valley, and Goldeneye in Anderson Valley. Duckhorn Vineyards alone now produces 50,000 cases a year of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Przybylinski, who started college as a mechanical engineering major at Georgia Tech but quickly transferred to UGA, never envisioned himself in the wine business, much less directing strategy for one of California’s prestigious wine companies with a secondfloor office balcony overlooking acres of grapevines. “I thought I would go into the insurance business,” he says. “The wine industry happened to be there as an opportunity.”
Acme Fine Wines St. Helena, Calif. (888) 963-0440 www.acmefinewines.com The Bounty Hunter Napa, Calif. (800) 943-9463 www.bountyhunterwine.com Duckhorn Wine Company St. Helena, Calif. (888) 354-8885 www.duckhorn.com Hauck Cellars Healdsburg, Calif. (707) 473-9065 www.hauckcellars.com Jericho Canyon Calistoga, Calif. (707) 942-9665 www.jerichocanyonvineyard.com L’Angevin, Peirson-Meyer Wines Yountville, Calif. (707) 944-9566 www.langevinwines.com www.peirsonmeyer.com Terry Hoage Vineyards Paso Robles, Calif. (805) 238-2083 www.terryhoagevineyards.com
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On the
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A UGA marine scientist is in charge of some of the most significant research underway at the site of the Gulf oil spill by Sandi Martin (ABJ ’00) photos by Sandi Martin
U
GA marine sciences Professor Samantha Joye is busy logging data when the captain of the research vessel Walton Smith comes across the intercom. “Mandy, line 3.” Joye, who goes by Mandy, instinctively groans at the latest interruption of her research. Her colleagues chuckle. The calls from such major news outlets as National Public Radio, The New York Times, CBS and National Geographic have been incessant during Joye’s 14-day research cruise to document the underwater oil plume caused by the BP oil spill. “It’s ridiculous,” she says. “I can’t get anything done!” Less than two weeks after the Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank, creating the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, Joye gave an interview to The New York Times describing the underwater oil plumes discovered on a cruise (that didn’t include Joye) near the leaking wellhead. The story was published on the Times web site at 8:30 p.m. on May 15. Fifteen minutes later, her phone started ringing. It hasn’t stopped. When the Walton Smith docked June 6 in Gulfport, Miss., a dozen news cameras greeted her. The exposure is disconcerting to the petite, soft-spoken scientist. “I never expected to be the face of this oil spill,” she says. Joye, who had done extensive research in the Gulf of Mexico prior to the oil spill, was one of the first researchers on the scene once the spill began. With research funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Joye made plans to go to the Gulf to do immediate impact assessments. The first cruise was May 9-16. The second cruise, on which she was accompanied by reporters, began May 24. At times, she worked 18 hours a day and was up until the wee hours processing the data her team was collecting from the depths of the sea. Upon her return in June, she was called to testify before Congress and had just days to prepare her presentation. Already she has published a commentary in Nature Geoscience, has another paper submitted for publication to a top-tier journal, and another that she planned to submit for publication before returning to the Gulf in August. She admits she likes the pace. “I get bored easily,” says Joye, 44. “I’m one of those odd people who loves having a thousand things going on. What other people may find chaotic, I love.” Growing up on a farm in southeastern North Carolina, Joye did not
(left) Joye’s team collected samples from a 20by-3-mile grid in the Gulf of Mexico by dropping a rosette of water collection bottles and special sensors repeatedly in the water. (above) BP’s Discoverer Enterprise burns off methane in the background as Joye stands on the Walton Smith.
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Doris Ramsey (above) lives in Athens and serves on the advisory board for the UGA Honors Program. Below, Matthew Crim and wife Jill (BSEd ’04) pose a for a picture in Anapolis, Md., with their bulldog Daphne.
(from left) Ting Ting Yay, Kate Segarra and Chassidy Mann collect samples from the rosette Joye’s team dropped into the Gulf to study the levels of methane and oil. Yay attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, while Segarra and Mann are both part of Joye’s UGA team.
plan to be an oceanographer. The self-described “nerdy” girl wanted to be a physician, a heart surgeon, in fact, and practiced by stitching up injured animals. She got her first microscope when she was 8, and it opened her eyes to a world she had yet to discover. She’d sit out by her family’s pond and examine things she found floating in the water. “This invisible, microscopic world suddenly became visible to me,” she says. “The more you learn, the more
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you realize you don’t know; learning and discovery is a process that continues throughout your life.” It was at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology 1987, that she discovered her true passion. She took an elective oceanography class during her junior year and fell instantly in love with marine science. She stayed at UNC for her master’s and Ph.D. in marine sciences and then spent time at San Francisco State University and Texas
A&M before coming to UGA as an assistant professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences in 1997. She made full professor in 2006. Her commitment to her research and her professionalism have held steady even as BP dismissed her initial discovery of the oil plumes. While the oil giant issued statements disputing the findings, Joye and her team, which includes scientists and students from the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of California at Santa Barbara, continued collecting data and samples from the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. They studied a 20-by-3-mile grid, dropping in a rosette of water collection bottles and special sensors, and hauling up liters of water to study the impacts of this unprecedented hydrocarbon infusion on water column microbial communities.
“Oil and gas are biologically digestible and parts of the oil fraction can be toxic,” Joye explains. “The injection of such large quantities of oil and gas into the gulf system will almost certainly have negative impacts on many parts of the system for years, even decades, to come.” The water samples are being analyzed to measure the levels of oil, dissolved gases, nutrients, microbiology and microbial activity rates. Workers at Texas A&M University’s Geochemical and Environmental Research Group will “fingerprint” the oil in these samples to confirm its origin. At UGA, Joye and her team are busy confirming her hypothesis—that the oil and gas are depleting oxygen levels Dennis Ilas (left) and Dan Rutz, an observer from NOAA, carefully position the rosette to be dropped into a new site near the BP oil spill in the Gulf.
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Joye adjusts the settings in a gas chromatograph to measure methane levels. Joye’s research in the Gulf dates back to her days as an assistant professor at Texas A&M.
Segarra pulls samples collected by the rosette Joye’s team dropped into sites near the BP oil spill.
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Mann tests samples collected by the rosette, measuring levels of dissolved organic carbon.
BP’s Discoverer Enterprise burns off methane gas at the site of the blown wellhead.
in the water. It could take decades to replenish oxygen after serious depletion in the deep water, she explains. “That’s gonna cause problems for anything and everything that lives in that water.” For Joye, that is a personally devastating discovery. It was at Texas A&M in the mid-1990s that she became truly fascinated with the Gulf of Mexico. Being there “really opened it up for me because many of my colleagues there had years of experience working in the Gulf,” she says. “I learned a lot from them and my experience there helped me start the basic research program I have continued and expanded since coming to UGA.” “I care about this system. It’s a body of water I have invested a lot of myself in. It’s not just an oil spill. For me, it’s personal.” That passion is likely what drew the media to her early on. But what also has kept them coming back is her ability to explain complex scientific scenarios in a way that those without a science background can understand. She has one more month-long research cruise to the Gulf coming up in November. While she’s gone, her husband of seven years, fellow UGA marine scientist Christof Meile, cares for their daughter Sophie, now 2 and a half.
“My husband is a saint,” Joye says. “He understands how important this is. But our life is important, too.” That’s why she’s implemented a new rule: She no longer responds to messages from reporters who call her home. “You have to be willing to draw lines to protect your personal life.” But as annoying as the interruptions can be, she knows her research, and the reporting of it, are important. “Honestly,” she says, “this is where my heart’s always been—the Gulf.” —Sandi Martin is public relations coordinator for the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. She accompanied Joye on a May research trip to the Gulf.
GET MORE Follow Mandy Joye on her blog at http://gulfblog.uga.edu. For more on the Department of Marine Sciences, go to http:// alpha.marsci.uga.edu. “BLACK & BLUE: Beneath the Gulf Oil Disaster” follows Professor of Marine Sciences Samantha Joye and her team aboard the research vessel F.G. Walton Smith. The documentary is available for on-line viewing at high resolution at http://128.192.61.138/Black_and_Blue/BB_30_large.m4v. Go to http://128.192.61.138/Black_and_Blue/BB_30_medium. m4v for a low-resolution version.
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ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER
Pro tennis player John Isner (M ’07) and Chase Ray, 11, change sides during “The Wave” drill at the John Isner Bulldog Tennis Camp, held at UGA in July.
32 SEPTEMBER 2010 • GEORGIA MAGAZINE
Fresh from a record-breaking Wimbledon performance, John Isner returns to UGA to help train the next generation
by Allyson Mann (MA ’92)
A M
week and a half after the toughest match of his career, pro tennis player John Isner (M ’07) found himself facing a different kind of challenge. Returning to UGA’s Dan Magill Tennis Complex after winning the longest professional tennis match in history—beating Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68 in the first round at Wimbledon—he faced a group of kids intimidated by his presence. At 6’9” Isner is always physically imposing, but these kids knew about The Match. For a few days in June, Isner’s marathon match—which lasted 11 hours and five minutes over three days—hijacked international news. It was reported alongside updates on efforts to contain the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and results for the World Cup. It showed up in news tickers. By the time Isner won, he was a household name. He gave numerous interviews to outlets including CNN and “Good Morning America,” threw out the first pitch at a New York Yankees game and appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman” to read a top 10 list: Thoughts That Went Through John Isner’s Mind During the 11-hour Tennis Match. So it’s understandable that the kids are a little nervous. They get their first glimpse of Isner when he walks through the hall where they’re waiting to register for the John Isner Bulldog Tennis Camp. They stare quietly while he walks by, but then explode with “He’s so tall!” after he passes. They’re similarly reticent when they enter the UGA tennis archives room to take
Forehands and
fist bumps
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER
Will Glenn (BBA ’02, MEd ’07), director of the tennis camp and associate head coach for UGA’s men’s tennis team, talks to Noah Yates, 11, about a finger injury.
ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER
Twelve-year-old Parker Conn (left) gets an autograph from Isner at the end of camp while Everett Reese, 14, waits his turn.
34 SEPTEMBER 2010 • GEORGIA MAGAZINE
a photo with Isner. But he works to put them at ease, introducing himself as “John” and asking them questions about themselves. “Really?” he says to one kid who’s wearing a Georgia Tech T-shirt. “We’re going to convert you.” Chase Ray, 11, enters the room holding an oversize tennis ball—the kind that begs for an autograph. Isner: “What’s up, dude?” Chase: “Hi.” Isner: “How’s it going?” Chase: “It’s good.” Isner: “You want me to sign that?” Chase: “Yes, please.” Isner: “All right.” Isner has a way of leaning down for each photo, reducing the height difference. He puts his arm around the kids’ shoulders and poses not only for the official camp portrait but also for extra photos taken by parents and sometimes with parents. And he gamely answers questions about The Match. Chase’s grandmother asks how he endured it. “That’s why I work so hard,” Isner replies. “To be able to play 11 hours.”
The John Isner Bulldog Tennis Camp is the brainchild of Isner and Will Glenn (BBA ’02, MEd ’07), associate head coach for the UGA men’s tennis team. Open to boys of all skill levels aged 10 to 17, the camp offers serious instruction in a relaxed atmosphere—with the bonus of Isner’s presence. “John’s spending a lot of time with the kids,” Glenn says. “Some athletes might not take it as seriously, but John has always said that if his name’s behind it he wants to make sure that it’s a good camp.” The two met when Glenn became an assistant coach during Isner’s UGA career; their relationship retains
AP Photo/Alastair Grant, Pool
Isner (left) poses with opponent Nicolas Mahut (center) and chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani after outlasting the Frenchman to win the longest Grand Slam tennis match on record, lasting 11 hours and five minutes spread over three days of Wimbledon’s first round.
elements of the coach/player dynamic, but they’re also just really good friends. “I can honestly say without Will’s help while I was at Georgia… I would not be where I am right now,” Isner tells the group of 26 kids as camp officially begins. “Will knows what he’s doing, believe me, because he’s really brought me to the level that I’m at right now.” Right now he’s on the ATP World Tour’s list of top 20 tennis players. On July 5, the first day of camp, Isner ranks 18th. That’s after just three short years on the pro tour, but Glenn isn’t surprised. “There’s just something about him,” he says. “If he’s got the right path or plan, he’s going to be successful.” Isner’s path to the pros has been somewhat unusual. As a junior player he chose to stay home in Greensboro, N.C., attending Walter Hines Page High School rather than a tennis academy. After head coach Manuel Diaz recruited him, Isner attended
UGA for four years rather than turning pro early. As the number-oneranked college player his junior year it would have been easy to go pro, but Isner wanted a second shot at an NCAA championship after losing in the finals. The next year he came back and led the Bulldogs to an undefeated season and the NCAA championship. It’s one of his favorite memories. “I remember just relief and just being so ecstatic after winning that,” he says, looking from the window in the archives room out to the courts where it all happened. “To come back and win it, especially on a home court, made it really, really sweet.” By Isner’s account he’s one of only two players in the top 100 who have attended four years of college. Promising junior players often skip college in order to maximize their number of years on the pro tour, but Isner believes he made the right choice. “My four years here really set me up for what I’m doing right now in the pro ranks,” he says. “Without that, I wouldn’t be sitting here number 18
The MATCH Though an exhausted Isner lost in the second round to Thiemo de Bakker (6-0, 6-3, 6-2), his first round win against Nicolas Mahut (6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 7068) set a number of records. Longest match: 11 hours, 5 minutes Longest set: 8 hours, 11 minutes Most games in a match: 183 Most games in a set: 138 Most aces, one player: 112 (Isner) Most aces, both players: 215 (Isner 112, Mahut 103) Most points: 980 (Mahut 502, Isner 478) Most winners: 490 (Isner 246, Mahut 244) Consecutive service holds, one player: 84 (Isner, Mahut) Consecutive service holds, both players: 168
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER
As parents watch, Isner and Glenn give an award for most improved to Will Spencer, 15, on the final day of camp.
in the world. That’s for sure.” The value of a college tennis career is part of his message to the kids this week. Four years at UGA allowed him to refine his game, and playing in a team dynamic prepared him for pressure situations, he tells them. And he credits his coaches—particularly Will Glenn—with helping him improve his mental game. “He was huge, and still is huge, to my success today,” he says. “I email and call Will every other day really, even when I’m out on the road. Will really knows what it takes to build an elite player. That’s why I’m excited to be a part of this [camp] with him.” Glenn and Diaz also were instrumental in helping Isner find Craig Boynton, his coach since early 2009. Under Boynton’s tutelage—and with some supplemental, unofficial coaching from Glenn and Diaz—Isner has had some of the best results of his 36 SEPTEMBER 2010 • GEORGIA MAGAZINE
career. Last summer he beat Andy Roddick, the highest-ranked American, at the U.S. Open. In January, he won his first ATP World Tour title at Auckland, New Zealand. And in June there was The Match, which broke 10 records (see pg. 35). On one hand, Isner is proud of his accomplishment. “I think that what makes it so neat is that it wasn’t a championship match. It was a first-round match. There were 64 first-round matches in that tournament, and we laid it all out on the line just to get to the second round.” On the other hand, he’s ready to put The Match behind him. “I don’t want that match I played a few weeks ago to be the lasting image of my career,” he says. “I want to be remembered for tournament wins and eventually a Grand Slam championship. That’s the ultimate goal, so
that’s what I’ve got to keep working toward.”
“John, get in there!” Glenn says during a drill to practice volleys. “I don’t have a partner,” Isner replies, and Glenn directs him to Christopher Morrell, 9. Isner walks over to Christopher. “You’re my partner,” he says, and fist bumps him. Later he pairs with Noah Yates, 11. “I’ll take the backhand side,” he says. Isner hits a few shots then says “Your ball your ball your ball” to Noah, who volleys successfully. It’s the first day of camp, and the kids are still a little shy. Many of them had never heard of John Isner when they registered for camp. Chase Bowman, 17, is one of the few who
had. Blame his mother, who is “one of the biggest Isner fans in the world.” “She couldn’t take me to the airport because she was watching the Wimbledon match,” he says. “I had to call my dad so he could come home from work to take me.” “We laugh a little bit that John’s a star,” Glenn says. “You know he is, but it’s funny to see because it’s just John. But the kids are getting to know him as he talks to them a little bit more.” During the five days of camp, the high temperature in Athens averaged 95 degrees. Carter West, 15, explains how they’ve been dealing with the heat: “Sunscreen. Sweating a lot. Drinking a lot.” They’re also getting used to having Isner around. After several days with him both on the court and off— playing football—the kids are more comfortable.
John Isner’s official website: www.johnisnertennis.com
REBECCA HAY
During Isner’s senior year, he led the Bulldogs to an undefeated season and an NCAA championship.
“First I was really star struck, and then I realized he was just like a normal guy,” Noah says. Noah and Louis Morrell, 10, played doubles against Isner and Christopher. “We just treated him just like a kid, just another player,” Louis says. “Only he was extremely tall.” Chase Eckler, 14, found his serve improving after Isner gave him pointers. “His advice helped a lot. It really did. I’ve been having some of my best serves.” On the last day of camp the kids are finishing their singles and doubles tournament as parents straggle in, climbing into the stands to watch as matches wrap up. On court 3, Corey Smith, 15, and Everett Reese, 14, are playing the 17-under singles championship match while Isner hits with UGA player and sophomore Will Reynolds on court 1. Isner has also used this week to practice for the upcoming U.S. hard court season—a series of smaller tournaments that lead up to the U.S. Open—where he traditionally plays his best. At the moment he’s not entirely happy with his play, reproaching himself when he misses a shot. But when someone outside the court interrupts to ask for directions, he gives them without a hint of irritation. “John’s a super nice guy. I think he’s just awesome,” Reynolds says. “Obviously he did a lot for Georgia while he was here. But even now I feel like what he’s doing for the school is amazing as well. You saw at Wimbledon, at the press conference, he’s got on the Georgia T-shirt—I mean, how cool is that?”
The temperature is creeping toward 100 degrees as Glenn announces camp awards and Isner hands out prizes—racquet strings (“Same kind
I use,” Isner tells them) and T-shirts. Smiling parents descend from the stands to greet their kids, and Isner takes the court with Chase Ray, who won the 13-under singles title. While his grandparents watch, Chase returns a serve from Isner and wins the point by passing him with a volley. Afterward, as he explains that he’s learned to hit the ball deep and be more consistent, Isner walks over. “Chase, here you go,” he says, handing him an autographed copy of The New York Times article about his record-breaking match. Chase thanks him and then reflects on how today is different than the first day of camp. “Before the week I would call him John Isner, and now we just call him John,” he says. “I feel more like he’s kind of my friend and stuff.” For Isner, camp has been a welcome respite from the grind of the pro tennis tour. “This is really like my home away from home,” he says. “If I could choose any place I’d rather spend a week, it would be here.” Next week he’ll travel to L.A. to accept an ESPY Award for Best Record-Breaking Performance, and then after that he’ll play four tournaments—including one in Atlanta, where he’ll reach the finals—before heading to New York for the U.S. Open. He’s still fielding interviews and inquiries about The Match, but for the moment he’s enjoying getting back to basics with the next generation of tennis fans. “These kids, they just love to get out on the court,” he says. “Now it’s more of a job—it’s like I have to be out there. But these kids are just enjoying it so much, and it reminds me of me when I was their age.” GET MORE John Isner’s official website: www.johnisnertennis.com
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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CLASS
NOTES
Compton’s major debut
SCOTT MICHAUX
Erik Compton
Erik Compton (M ’02) missed the cut in the 2010 U.S. Open golf championship at Pebble Beach. But then, it was a miracle that he was there to play at all. Compton, a two-time heart transplant recipient, played his way into the June major just two years after receiving his third heart. Compton shot a 77 in his first round at Pebble Beach and followed that with an 81 the second day, to end at 16 over par. Though he was disappointed in his play, he was grateful to be in the tournament. “What I did on the course has nothing to do with my present physical well-being. I feel like I could go another 18 right now,” Compton said in a media conference following the second round. “So, hopefully, there will be some more opportunities for me, maybe not back here at Pebble Beach at the U.S. Open, but maybe next year at a different Open.” Diagnosed at age 9 with cardiomyopathy, a disease that causes the heart to enlarge and beat irregularly, Compton had his first transplant at age 12. He learned to play golf as
he was recovering from that operation. He attended UGA on a golf scholarship and was a red shirt member of the 1999 team that won the national title. The next two years he was named All-Conference and All-American. He turned pro in 2001. After a heart attack in 2007, doctors discovered his left main coronary artery was failing. He had his second heart transplant in 2008. He qualified for the U.S. Open through a sectional tournament in Columbus, Ohio. Joining him in Pebble Beach were his wife Barbara and daughter Petra, 16 months.
CLASS NOTES
Compiled by Meg Twomey
1930–1934
Charlie Bowen (AB ’34, MA ’39) was honored at the Conasauga District Patron lunch for his service to the Boy Scouts.
1940–1944
Alexander Alan Scarborough (BS ’44) received the Sagnac Award from the Natural Philosophy Alliance’s international peers for his lifetime commitment to excellence in scientific pursuit.
1950–1954
Frank B. Halter (AB ’51) received the Order of the Palmetto for service to the state from the South Carolina governor’s office. Anne Edison Dukes (AB ’54) was a grand marshal for the Peach Blossom Festival in Johnston, S.C.
1955–1959
Ronald Bradley (BSEd ’57) retired from coaching high school basketball after a 50-year career, with 1,372 total
38 SEPTEMBER 2010 • GEORGIA MAGAZINE
varsity wins and a national record of 129 straight wins on the home court at Newton Co. High School. Virginia Talbot (ABJ ’58) performed in the Highlands-Cashiers Players’ production of “Rebecca.” Powell A. Moore (ABJ ’59) joined Venable LLP as a senior advisor in the Legislative and Government Affairs Practice Group.
1960–1964
William T. Moore (LLB ’64) was inducted into the Greater Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame as a multisport athlete. He played football and baseball at Georgia Military College and was on the varsity baseball team at UGA.
1965–1969
Helen Anderson Jeffords (BBA ’68) is the president and CEO of First National Bank in North Carolina.
1970–1974
Ellen L. Friedrich (AB ’71, MAT ’77) received the SCOLT Post-Secondary Teacher of Excellence Award in world
languages. She is a professor at Valdosta State University. Rodney A. Smith (ABJ ’71) is the president of AT&T Connecticut. Gerald Applefield (BS ’72, JD ’76, MBA ’76) is an equity partner with Barry, Evans, Josephs and Snipes in Charlotte, N.C. Carolyn L. Dowse (EdS ’72) spoke at the Second African Baptist Church’s Women’s Day on May 16. Carey Smith (MPA ’72) has retired as Rock Hill, S.C., city manager after eight years. Roger Breda (BBA ’73) has retired from coaching high school basketball in Gwinnett County after 16 years. David Garfinkel (AB ’73, MPA ’75) was appointed co-chairman of the Florida State Bar family law equitable distribution committee.
1975–1979
Avery Petra Sledge (BBA ’75) earned a master of divinity degree with distinction from the Iliff School of Theology. While pursuing her degree, she was named a Schlessman fellow and received the Louis Blode Scholarship for Excellence in Rural Ministry. Roger Patterson (BBA ’76) is the vice president for business and finance at Washington State University. Pamela Brandt (BSW ’78)
ALUMNI PROFILE
A world of wine
His girlfriend, now wife, took him to Napa Valley for a vacation. They visited 13 wineries in a day, and he realized how much he already knew UGA alumnus has found his about wine compared to other visiniche in educating people tors. When he returned to Atlanta about wine he began offering classes to friends. In the past eight years he has by Kelly Simmons (MPA ’10) made over 1,000 presentations, as a special guest of businesses Michael Bryan stands at the in town for conventions, for groups front of the room, glass in hand, of university alumni, for want-toseveral opened wine bottles on a be sommeliers and for the groups shelf behind him. of regular people who sign up for “I put this in the decanter at classes at Atlanta Wine School just 10:30 a.m.,” he says, swirling the to learn a little more about wine. red liquid in the bowl of his glass. “I had no interest in selling He takes a deep sip of the wine, a wine, I wanted to be an evangelist,” PAUL EFLAND 2005 Camus Pere et Fils Le ChamMichael Bryan he says of his decision to open a bertin from Burgundy, France. school. “I wanted to sell wine as a Chambertin, he tells the group, tonight’s students at symbol of good living.” the Atlanta Wine School, is considered the best single vine The school now offers classes for novice wine tasters yard for pinot noir in the world. The Camus family, he says, as well as more advanced and a certification program for has been making wine since the 18th century. people who want to become sommeliers. Bryan also has He fields questions about the wine, such as when is a been scheduling group trips to tour some of the best-known particular vintage ready to drink. regions of the world for wine, such as Sonoma and Napa “The perfect time is dictated by where we are and valleys, Tuscany and Bordeaux. whom we’re with,” he says. On this night in Roswell, his guests are tasting reserve Bryan (BBA ’89) left UGA with a degree in marketing wines, which retail for $60 to $225 a bottle. After the but no real idea of what he wanted to do in his career. His Camus ($180) Bryan has the group try a 2007 Patz and father had been a successful business man, so he decided Hall Pinot Noir from the Pisoni Vineyard in the Santa Lucia to follow his path. His first job was in sales for MCI, then an Highlands, about 20 miles south of Monterey Bay in Califorupstart long distance carrier looking for customers. nia. This pinot noir ($80) has a “yummy factor,” Bryan says “I thought, ‘If I can sell long distance, I can sell anyas he sips from his glass. thing,’” he says. After the pinots, he heads into the heavier wines, He left that after five years and went to work for a starting with a 2005 Gamble Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon small marketing company, with clients like Delta Airlines ($60) from the Family Home Vineyard in Oakville (Napa Valand the Cartoon Network. In 1996, on his 30th birthday, ley), Calif. As with the previous wines, Bryan offers a little he bought his first business, a small staffing company that history of the vineyard and the winemaker. was bringing in $1.8 million a year. Three years later, the The Gamble family, he says, are “farmer producers. company was making $5 million a year. Bryan sold the They don’t have Gucci loafers.” business. “I was technically a millionaire,” he says. People come to his classes, some again and again, By the late ’90s, however, his fortune had turned. A to be entertained as well as to learn about wine, Bryan series of bad investments, poor luck at day trading and a explains. large investment in an Internet golf business stripped him “If you leave them laughing, you leave them learning,” of his wealth. In the summer of 2000 he found himself in he says. “The people who come here like to suck the mara big house in Brookhaven with a wife, two kids, a live-in row out of life.” nanny and no money. Soon his wife was gone as well. “It takes adversity to finally find yourself,” Bryan says, recalling those days, “I realized I was not on the right path. GET MORE My heart wasn’t in it.” He returned to corporate America to survive but kept For more on the Atlanta Wine School, go to his eye out for a passion to follow. That’s when he discovwww.AtlantaWineSchool.com or call (770) ered wine. 668-0435.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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CLASSNOTES
®
There are many great things about autumn in Athens including football season, the cooler weather, and getting together with friends at a place that’s special in our hearts. Even if our return to Athens is only through a radio or television broadcast on a Saturday afternoon, for that brief time we’re “back” in Athens, and there’s something mighty nice about that. There’s an undeniable bond between kindred spirits, and such a bond is strong between those who love the Dawgs. We wish we could be out on the field or court with our teams, helping them strive for success. As Georgia graduates, we take pride in every success that Vic Sullivan comes the way of our alma mater, both academic and athletic. As a matter of fact, during Bulldog football games we recognize special faculty who are doing incredible things. If the Law School’s moot court team does well, we’re proud; when our nanotechnology researchers discover something new, we’re glad it was our researchers and not someone else’s. With our fundraising efforts we are able to support more students through scholarships or bring in the best professors. We like that too, and we should because this is an area where we all can be part of the team. The University of Georgia is fortunate to have in place the vehicles that will allow our graduates the opportunity to come together as a team in an effort to pool our resources for the ongoing improvement and development of our alma mater. The financial support of those of us who love UGA will prove to be the difference-maker in the long run when it comes to propelling our university ahead of the competition. It also will provide immediate benefits to our students and faculty along the way. To this end, your Alumni Association is on the team. All of your annual gifts to support the Association are part of the University’s Annual Fund, which, in addition to supporting alumni and student services, may also provide you some tax advantages. Everything UGA does is a team effort, whether it’s success in athletics or seeing a student graduate who might not have without your support. As Bulldogs, we take great pride in both, and your Alumni Association would like to thank you for helping our Bulldogs—in every endeavor—always be champions. —Vic Sullivan (BBA ’80), president UGA Alumni Association
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Deborah Dietzler, Executive Director ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Vic Sullivan BBA ’80 President, Albany Steve Jones BBA ’78, JD ’87 Vice President, Athens Tim Keadle BBA ’78 Treasurer, Lilburn Ruth Bartlett BBA ’76 Asst. Treasurer, Atlanta Harriette Bohannon BSFCS ’74 Secretary, Augusta Trey Paris BBA ’84, MBA ’85 Immediate Past President, Gainesville
40 SEPTEMBER 2010 • GEORGIA MAGAZINE
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION WEB SITE www.uga.edu/alumni 800/606-8786 or 706/542-2251 To receive a monthly e-newsletter, enroll at: www.uga.edu/alumni ADDRESS CHANGES E-mail records@uga.edu or call 888/268-5442
is the mortgage director of Coastal Bank in Savannah. David Hundley (BSFR ’78) was appointed the head of NAFTA information systems portfolio and supplier management for Syngenta Crop Protection Inc. Jeffrey A. Eischeid (BBA ’79, MAcc ’81) is a new shareholder in the personal and financial services practice at Bennett Thrasher PC. Gray Ebb Kilpatrick III (BSEH ’79) is the new administrator at Emory L. Bennett Veterans Nursing Home in Daytona Beach, Fla.
1980–1984
Richard “Bubba” Chrismer (BSA ’80) was named to the Who’s Who in Commercial Real Estate list by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Nancy Ellison Everett (BFA ’80) was selected as an artist in residence at the Tin Shop Guest Artist Program in Breckenridge, Colo. Jo Phillips (BSA ’80) led a seminar on old-fashioned plants at the Hills and Dales Estate on May 13. Warren Cole Smith (ABJ ’80, MA ’85) spoke to congressional staffers in Washington, D.C., about the role the media play in shaping people’s world views. His lecture was a part of the “Faith and Law” speaker series. Samuel Gordon Rogers (BS ’81) was named River Conservationist of the Year by the Georgia River Network. William “Bill” Jones (BBA ’82) is the city president of Magnolia State Bank for Milledgeville and Gray. Charlie Fiveash (BBA ’83) was named to the Who’s Who in Commercial Real Estate list by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Alan Joel (BBA ’83) was named to the Who’s Who in Commercial Real Estate list by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Homer “Lee” Walker II (AB ’83) is a partner at Morris, Manning & Martin LLP in Atlanta. He is a leading real estate lawyer in Georgia according to Chambers USA, a legal ranking system, and was also listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Georgia Super Lawyers. Laura Thomas Elder (BBA ’84) was named the vice president of administrative services at Lanier Technical College.
1985–1989
John S. Bell (AB ’85) was named to the Who’s Who in Commercial Real Estate list by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Mitch Mercer (BFA ’85) is co-owner
ALUMNI calendar of PJ’s Decorative Fabrics in Albany. Cynthia Parks (AB ’85) is the director of financial aid at Augusta State University. William Batchelor (BSAE ’86, MS ’87) is the dean of the Auburn University College of Agriculture. Jack Keener (BBA ’86) is the president and CEO of United Community Bank in Clayton. Jeff Pierce (BSEd ’86) earned a master’s degree in historic preservation from The Savannah College of Art and Design. James Reinstein (BBA ’86) is the vice president of sales and marketing and international general manager for Cyberonics. Tony Stancil (BBA ’86) is market president of the Bank of Hiawassee locations in north Georgia. Lori Chesser (JD ’87) was recognized by Chambers USA, a legal rankings system, for her work in immigration law. She is a shareholder at Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, Iowa. Colin T. Martin (AB ’88) is the vice president of political affairs at the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Chuck Ambrose (EdD ’89) is the president of the University of Central Missouri. Howard B. Manis (BBA ’89) is the new president of the MRJ-Brotherhood, Temple Israel’s auxiliary group for men. Dr. Brannon Morris (AB ’89) is a pediatric-neurologist at Athens Neurological Associates.
1990–1994
Susan Briggs Parris (BSFCS ’92) was the guest speaker at the Waynesville First Baptist Church’s annual Spring Gathering for women. Carlos Keith (EdS ’93) retired from his position as Dougherty County School System deputy superintendent. Chanda Lea Phillips (BSEd ’93) was a finalist for Dougherty School System’s Teacher of the Year Award. J. Scott Poole (BSEH ’93) graduated from Penn State University with a master’s degree in business administration.
1995–1999
Pamela Nix Elms (BSEd ’95), the director of marketing for Downtown Jacksonville, was named one of the 40 Under 40 by the Jacksonville Business Journal. Robert Halfacre (BBA ’95) is the city executive for BB&T in Seneca/Clemson, S.C. David Yancey (AB ’95) is president of Pinckney Corp. and coaches high
Thurs., Sept. 2, Oct. 7, Nov. 4, 5:30 p.m. Midlands, S.C., Chapter, Bulldogs After Business Hours At 5:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month Georgia alumni gather at the Thirsty Fellow located at 621 Gadsden Street in Columbia. Fri., Sept. 3, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Bulldog Breakfast Club with Coach Mark Richt Start your day at the Tate Student Center with fellow Alumni Association members at our Bulldog Breakfast Club with guest speaker Coach Mark Richt. Fri., Sept. 3, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Women of UGA Lunch Group with Katharyn Richt and the coaches’ wives Join fellow alumni as we gather for lunch while the football coaches’ wives share inspiration from their experiences on and off the field. Sat., Sept. 4, Oct. 16, Nov. 6 UGA Alumni Association Days with Georgia Football The UGA Alumni Association has a limited number of tickets available for the Louisiana-Lafayette, Vanderbilt, and Idaho State games. Thurs., Sept. 16, Oct. 21, Nov 18, 6 p.m. Bulldogs After Business Hours, Augusta Chapter Mingle with fellow Augusta UGA alumni and friends after a hard day at work at Indigo Joe’s Sports Pub & Restaurant. Thurs., Sept. 23, Oct. 28, 7 p.m. Alumni Gathering, Jackson County Chapter The Jackson County Chapter gathers the fourth Thursday of every month at Wing Slingers starting at 7 p.m. Fri., Oct. 22 - Sat., Oct. 23 Parents and Families Weekend Parents and families are invited to campus for a weekend of activities and fun with their students. Thurs., Nov. 4 Bulldog Blend Launch Join UGA alumni and friends at the Jittery Joe’s roaster in Athens as we celebrate the launch of the new Bulldog Blend coffee.
For more information: Athens area events.............Wanda Darden at wdarden@uga.edu or (706) 542-2251 Student programs...............Julie Cheney at jcheney@uga.edu or (706) 542-2251 Atlanta programs................Meredith Carr at mcarr@uga.edu or (404) 814-8820 Chapters and clubs.............Tami Gardner at tgardner@uga.edu or (706) 542-2251 Parents and Families...........Diane Johnson at dfjohn@uga.edu or (706) 542-2251
To learn more about the UGA Alumni Association or find a chapter or club in your area, go to
www.uga.edu/alumni.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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CLASSNOTES
SPECIAL
Vice President Joe Biden and Susan Morris
Morris receives teaching award A UGA alumna teaching middle school students on a
school rugby in Newport News, Va. Eugene “Buzzy” Hill Jr. (BSFR ’96) won the 2010 Athens-Clarke County Tree Conservation Award, given annually to the development that does the best job of conserving and restoring trees during construction. Andy Chambers (BBA ’98) is the full-time pastor at Frederica Presbyterian Church on St. Simons Island. Amanda Mercier (AB ’98) was appointed Superior Court judge in the Appalachian judicial circuit. Shannon Register (BSFCS ’98) was awarded the Best Real Estate Blog in Texas Award by Texas A&M University and won the Top Listing Agent Award for the first quarter of 2010. Jason Shepherd (AB ’98) earned a juris doctor degree from John Marshall Law School, received the Pro Bono Service Award and was named to the dean’s list. Ross Pritchett (BSFR ’99) is the Central Gulf Region Investment Forester for Timberland Investment Resources LLC.
military base in Germany was named the 2010 Teacher of the Year by the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity, which oversees the education of military children both overseas and in the United States. Susan Morris (BSEd ’90, MEd ’93) has taught social studies to seventh and eighth graders at Boeblingen Elementary and Middle School in Heidelberg for four years. Prior to that she taught at Patch American High School in Stuttgart and at Kaiserlautern High School near the Ramstein Air Force Base, where her husband, now retired from the Air Force, was stationed. She also has taught in Guam and Malta.
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Shapiro named Emerging Explorer Molecular biologist Beth Shapiro (BS ’99, MS ’99) was named to National Geographic’s 2010 class of Emerging Explorers. Now a faculty member at Penn State University, Shapiro was a Foundation Fellow and UGA’s first female Rhodes Scholar. Last year she received a MacArthur Foundation “genius” award. Shapiro studies ancient DNA to give new insight into the fundamental processes of evolution.
2000–2004
Brian P. Kelly (AB ’00) is the police chief in Gainesville, Ga. Angie Herrington Estes (ABJ ’01) and Gentry Estes (ABJ ’02) were married April 25, 2009, at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens. Robert Perry Revell (BBA ’01) is the vice president at SunTrust Bank in Albany. Kelly Maddux Hines (ABJ ’02) and James “Hap” Hines (BSEd ’02) welcomed their daughter Edith Anne Hines on April 30. Stephanie Stenglein (ABJ ’02) is the
annual campaign and patron information manager for the Charlotte Symphony in Charlotte, N.C. Dr. Cathleen Cook (BS ’03) graduated from Penn State University’s College of Medicine in 2007 with a doctorate and began a pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship in July at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. John Davidson Carson Jr. (BS ’04) earned a juris doctor degree from Mississippi College School of Law and married Ashlea Hilliard on May 22 at The Cloister on Sea Island. Mary Griffin (BSFR ’04) is a forester with the Colorado State Forest Service in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Amanda M. Woodruff (BSFCS ’04) received the Family Law Section of the Mississippi Bar Award at the Mississippi College School of Law’s annual Law Day Ceremony.
2005–2009
Douglas “Trey” Barbazon (BSBE ’05) and Tessa Ann Hollis (BSEd ’05) were married June 19 in Athens. The couple lives in Birmingham, Ala. James Ryan “J.R.” Charles (ABJ ’05) is the executive director of the Thomaston-Upson Industrial Development Authority. Carolyn Cowden (BSFR ’05) married Bryce Keilman on Oct. 24, 2009. Barbara Meeks (MBA ’05) is the chief nursing executive at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Fla. Eliot Bradford Peace (AB ’05) graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law and is a clerk for the Honorable Justice John Kittredge on the South Carolina Supreme Court. Chris Tarr (BSChem ’05) earned a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and accepted a post-doctorate fellowship at Vanderbilt University. Katherine Morgan Wood (BSFCS ’05) graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a master’s degree in social work. Anne Sheldon Carson (BS ’06) is an internal medicine physician assistant with SouthCoast Medical Group in Savannah. Andrew Depue (BSFCS ’06) is a sales engineer at JoeTools in Lilburn. Coty Ervin (AB ’06) is the city clerk for Canton. Dr. Alana Morris Jones (BS ’06, AB ’06) graduated from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine
ALUMNI PROFILE with her doctorate. Lauren Coffey (AB ’07) graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science with a master of science degree. Charlotte Louise Fekete (BSFCS ’07) is the chief food stylist at Cooking Light magazine. Bridget K. Hillebrand (AB ’07) earned a juris doctor degree cum laude and a graduate diploma in civil law cum laude from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. Clint Loftin (BSEd ’07) is the head basketball coach at East Henderson High School in Hendersonville, N.C. Clark Ryals (BSFR ’07) is a forester and recreation coordinator at the Caloosahatchee Forestry Center in Ft. Myers, Fla. Anthony H. Welch Jr. (BBA ’07) and Kristen Motlow Welch (PharmD ’10) were married May 8 in Beaufort, S.C. Meghan Gabriel (BSFCS ’08) graduated from Columbia University with a master’s degree in social work. Becki Perkins (BSFR ’08) has started a master’s degree program at Texas Tech. Todd Bentley (BSFR ’09) completed U.S. Army infantry and airborne training and will begin training to be a combat medic at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas. John Doyle (BSFR ’09) joined the Peace Corps in Panama, where he will educate Panamanians about caring for natural resources. Stacey Flamm (BSEd ’09) is a third grade teacher at Pace Academy in Atlanta.
GRAD NOTES Agriculture Gregory Evanylo (PhD ’82) received the Rufus Chaney Award from the United States Composting Council for his compost research. Eric Romaniszyn (MS ’00) is the executive director of the Haywood Waterways Association.
Arts & Sciences
Charles E. Hamner (DVM ’60, MS ’62, PhD ’64) received the Lifetime Achievement Award as a health care hero from the Triangle Business Journal in North Carolina. Kyle R. Carter (MA ’71, PhD ’74) was named chancellor at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. David A. Garfinkel (AB ’73, MPA ’75) was named a Florida Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine. Daniel Cam-
Dashing through the snow Born and raised in the deep South, Bob Holder spent many years racing sled dogs across frozen tundra by Meg Twomey Dog sled racing is more than just a sport in Alaska; it is a long-standing tradition that celebrates and remembers the state’s history. And when H.G. “Bob” Holder (BSEd ’59) was racing, he found a way to remember his history as well. He had the words “Junk Yard Dawgs” embroidered on both sleeves of his bright red racing parka. Growing up in Havana, Fla., just south of Georgia, Holder never imagined that he would SPECIAL someday race across the Yukon behind a team Bob and Jeanne Holder of dogs. But after a 1982 trip to Alaska, when he was president of the National Water Well Association, he and his wife, Jeanne, decided to move from Covington to Fairbanks. He opened a well drilling business and was soon looking for a hobby. So he assembled a team of five dogs and started racing. “That got us started and then the competitiveness of my attitude prevailed and I said, ‘Well, let’s race.’ And I didn’t know anything about racing or training to race,” he says. In his first race, Holder finished so far behind the others that the Red Lantern, a “prize” for last place, had already been awarded. It did not deter him. “I started mushing when I was 50,” says Holder, now 74. “People have retired long before that because it’s such a physical, demanding sport. But I wanted to do it because my persistence led me to do that and I just kept on and kept on.” In 1995, at age 59, he finished the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest race in Fairbanks on a Saturday, flew to Anchorage that Monday to prepare for the 1,150mile Iditarod, and then, after finishing that race, flew to northeast Russia for the now-defunct 1,200-mile Hope Race, a friendship race between Americans and Russians. Each race can take from nine to 12 days, depending on weather conditions and the health of the dog team. Holder believes he is the only person ever to complete all three in the same year. While he never planned to be a dog sled racer, Holder attributes his interest in the sport to the respect for physical labor he developed while growing up on a farm. “[I] have a deep admiration for… that ruggedness,” he says. “And that’s what the Alaskan gold rush was all about. You know, it was some rugged people that went up there.” Holder last raced in 2000, and he and Jeanne moved back to Covington in 2001. He continues to work at his well drilling business and has two huskies, Reba and Sophie, as pets. The couple participates in mission trips to Alaska and he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of racing again. “The more you run, the more you want to run the next year,” he says. And like most athletes, Holder, who helped coach basketball at Western Maryland University in the late ’60s, says, “I’d like to have one more game.”
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CLASSNOTES
pagna (PhD ’85) was named dean of the College of Business, Education, Graduate and Professional Studies at Southwest Minnesota State University. Bonnie Higginson (PhD ’85) was appointed provost at Murray State University in Kentucky. Charles Wilson Jr. (PhD ’88) is the interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters at Old Dominion University in Virginia. Patrick Wheaton (MA ’93, PhD ’01) and Laura Harriman Wheaton (MA ’96, JD ’02) of Statesboro welcomed their second son, Austin Patrick, on Nov. 23. Elizabeth “Libby” McRae (PhD ’03) received Western Carolina University’s Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Jason Vohs (PhD ’03) received the Quentin Schaut Faculty Award at the St. Vincent College spring honors convocation. Business James Ethridge Jr. (MBA ’82) is the CEO of Implantable Provider Group. Education Steve Lebovic (MEd ’76) retired from
the Warm Spring Institute and now volunteers at two nursing homes. Freida Hill (MEd ’82, EdD ’92) was named chancellor of the Alabama two-year college system. James Russell Vandiver (EdS ’89) was named interim president of Lanier Technical College. Julie Smith Patrick (BSFCS ’90, MEd ’95, EdS ’98) is the principal of Oconee County Primary School. Previously she was assistant principal at OCPS and at Ila Elementary School. Ahmed Samaha (MEd ’94) was elected chair of the board of directors for the National Association for Campus Activities. Keli Fisher (MEd ’97) and Shane Fisher welcomed their daughter, Erin Rose, on May 31. John K. Petrella (MEd ’99, PhD ’03), an assistant professor of exercise physiology at Samford University, was named one of the Top 40 under 40 by the Birmingham Business Journal. Katherine Kandalec (BSEd ’05, MEd ’08) is the program director for Paxen Learning-Northeast Georgia. Kenyae Reese (MEd ’05, EdS ’06) was accepted to the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s School Leadership
Program for the 2010-2011 school year. Forestry Robert L. Chappell (BSFR ’99, MNR ’09) is an eco-certification specialist and director of sustainable travel for study abroad at Sustainable Travel International. Brian A. Stone (BSFR ’99, MFR ’01) and wife Kristen welcomed their daughter, Evelyn Brinkley, on Feb. 7. Sharon Valitski Holbrooks (BSFR ’04, MS ’07) is an easement specialist in Athens with the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Amanda Hamsley Lang (BSFR ’05, MS ’08) was promoted to operations manager at Forisk Consulting. Tymur Sydor (PhD ’05) and wife Oksana Korolchule welcomed twins Orest and Sofia. Journalism Hala Moddelmog (MA ’81) is the president of Arby’s Restaurant Group. Law Henry Lamar Knight (LLB ’49) was honored at a West Georgia Trial Lawyers Association dinner. George “Pete”
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Donaldson (AB ’69, JD ’72) was named a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Stephen Hyles (BSEd ’77, JD ’79) was appointed U.S. magistrate judge for the Columbus division. James P. Smith (BBA ’78, MBA ’81, JD ’81) was appointed U.S. bankruptcy court judge for the middle district of Georgia. Roy W. Copeland (JD ’83) had an article published in the May 2010 Journal of Black Studies and another article published in the winter edition of Calendar Call. C. LaTain Kell (ABJ ’84, JD ’87) was appointed to the Georgia Child Fatality Review Panel as a superior court judge representative. Neal Bevans (JD ’88) received the 2010 Excellence in Teaching Award from the Western Piedmont Foundation. L. Norwood “Woody” Jameson (JD ’88) was honored by Chambers USA, a legal ranking system, for intellectual property law. He is a lawyer at Duane Morris in Atlanta. Colin McRae (JD ’99) received the Savannah
Bar Association’s Robbie Robinson Award. Milton D. Hobbs Jr. (JD ’01) is an attorney at the Oxford, Miss., office of Harris Shelton Hanover Walsh. School of Public and International Affairs Jason Morrissette (PhD ’07) won a teaching award at Marshall University, where he is an assistant professor in the department of political science.
Social Work Christine “Christa” Kirksey (MSW ’94) was named Georgia Social Worker of the Year by the School Social Workers Association of Georgia. Obituaries can be found online at www.uga.edu/gm
SEND US YOUR NOTES! Help UGA and your classmates keep up with what’s happening in your life—both personally and professionally—by sending Class Notes items to one of the addresses listed below. And please include your hometown to help us keep our alumni database up to date. If you send a photo, please make sure it is a resolution of 300 dpi. Due to the volume of submissions we are not able to confirm that we have received your note. Please be patient. It can sometimes take a few months for a note to appear in the magazine after it has been submitted. Quickest way to send us Class Notes E-mail: GMeditor@uga.edu Fax: 706/583-0368 website: www.uga.edu/gm UGA Alumni Association Send e-mail to: btaylor@uga.edu website: www.alumni.uga.edu/alumni Or send a letter to: Georgia Magazine 286 Oconee Street, Suite 200 North University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602-1999
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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ALUMNI PROFILE
Home sweet home
Jackie Roberts is a homeowner now, thanks to Benham. Roberts completed ALT’s homebuyer certifiHeather Benham helps peocation class several years ago, but delayed buying a home because as a ple buy a place of their own single mother with three children she was concerned about taking on extra by Allyson Mann (MA ’92) responsibilities. She was planning to move into another apartment, but Heather Benham hasn’t forgotBenham called to ask if she was still ten her first visit to Athens’ homeinterested in buying a house. less shelter. “I probably would have put it off “What I saw that shocked me had she not contacted me,” says was how many families were there,” Roberts, administrative manager at she says. “They had jobs, and they ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER UGA’s Vinson Institute. “I thought had kids in school that were doing Heather Benham the timing was just perfect when she well, and they were living at the shelreached out and called me, so I just took that as a sign that ter because something had happened to where they were it’s time to go for it. She was definitely the factor that helped living.” me make the decision.” At the time, Benham (JD ’03, MHP ’03) was a UGA Over time, and with Benham’s reassurances, Roberts graduate student volunteering for the School of Law’s legal became more comfortable with the idea of home ownership. clinic. Her experiences at the homeless shelter spurred her “I was just excited when I saw the colors go up on the interest in housing issues, and she served as a summer inoutside of the house—it was a thrill a minute. Every other tern for the Athens Land Trust, a nonprofit community land weekend I went by just to look at the house and see as it trust with a dual mission of preserving natural resources developed from one stage to the next. I guess you could say and creating affordable housing. That was 2002, and she I was like a house stalker,” she says, laughing. joined ALT full time the next year after finishing her degrees The night before the April ribbon cutting at her new in law and historic preservation. home, Roberts found Benham working in her yard. Now ALT’s housing director, Benham oversees new “She was out there by herself, and it was maybe 6 or construction—as many as eight houses a year—and reno7ish in the evening. I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe vation projects. For each project, she checks her waiting list you’re out here working.’ She had planted a little flower bed to find the client whose needs will best be met by a particuat the bottom of the staircase, which I fell in love with.” lar project. In addition to working with architects, attorneys, Benham’s dedication shows in all aspects of her work, bankers, clients and contractors, Benham’s job requires whether she’s landscaping, choosing fixtures or simply listenthat she navigate complex property issues, historic presering to a client’s concerns, Stangle says. vation standards and Earthcraft certification—a residential “She relates very well to people—all people, of all green building standard for the Southeast. Sometimes she ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds,” Stangle says. chooses paint, flooring and fixtures for the homes, tasks “That’s another aspect of her job that’s really important that she takes seriously because she wants to make sure because she’s able to get to know our potential homeowners the new owners approve. very well. They relate very well to her, and she gets to know “That’s actually what the contractors always tease me them and what their needs are.” about,” she says. “‘You’re not going to live in this house. Often what they need is a little extra help navigating the Why do you care so much about every little detail?’” process of becoming a homeowner. Benham and ALT are Benham “has a great eye for design and aesthetics,” able to provide that assistance. says ALT Executive Director Nancy Stangle (MEd ’79). “She “It seems like a lot of what things come down to is gets the credit for how nice our houses look.” whether you have a backup support system to help you get More important is Benham’s commitment to helping a leg up or if you don’t,” Benham says. “I had help from my her community. family—that’s how I got my first house. If you don’t have “She’s very creative in coming up with ideas and ways that, then it’s hard to get in the game.” to help people and make projects work, and she’s very dedicated,” Stangle says. “I’m sure she passed up many opportunities to make a lot of money as a corporate atGET MORE torney to work at a nonprofit that’s trying to maintain the Athens Land Trust quality of life we have here in Athens. She works to help www.athenslandtrust.org people have a better life.”
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Where are Kindred spirit
theynow?
Veterinarian Amanda WojtalikCourter fulfills a childhood dream by Allyson Mann (MA ’92) When Amanda Wojtalik-Courter (BS ’95) was 5 years old, her family veterinarian asked what she wanted to be. She replied, “A cat doctor.” “From early, early, early childhood I have absolutely adored cats,” she says. “I actually really liked cats, bats and snakes—those were my three favorites, but Mom and Dad sort of discouraged the bats and the snakes a little bit.” She grew up with a Tonkinese cat named Samantha, and while at UGA she rescued Esperanza, a Manx kitten who is “quite possibly one of the major loves of my life.” “My husband [Scott WojtalikCourter] will tell you,” she says. “It is first the cat, second my parents and third him.” After graduating from UGA with three fellowships—Truman, National Science Foundation and Phi Kappa Phi—Wojtalik-Courter headed to Yale for a master’s program in conservation biology. But it wasn’t until she was enrolled in veterinary school at
Tufts University that Wojtalik-Courter began to realize she had a special relationship with cats that would be an asset. “I have a kindred spirit connection,” she says. “I’m good with them, and they’re good with me.” “What I found was that a lot of people overlook the subtle signals that cats give. Cats are really good at hiding illness. A lot of times people will bring them in and they’ll say ‘I didn’t know they were ill, they’re still purring.’ Well, cats can purr when they’re stressed. And so learning to accept them and be patient with them was a gift.” After finishing vet school WojtalikCourter returned to her hometown of Chattanooga and took a job with her family vet—the same one who asked what she wanted to be—at Middle Valley Animal Hospital. She spent five years with the practice, soaking up knowledge and volunteering with the Chattanooga Nature Center, where she’s established a friendship with a bobcat named Bob. “Bob is fantastic. He’s super interactive,” she says. “You become a fan. It’s like you’ve met Bon Jovi when you meet a bobcat up close.” Wojtalik-Courter—who goes by “Dr. Amanda”—also became involved with plans to open an animal shelter, first serving on the board and then becoming executive director of the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center. She
After winning a Truman Scholarship in 1994, Wojtalik-Courter posed with then President Charles Knapp (left) and then Honors Program Director Lothar Tresp.
Vet Amanda Wojtalik-Courter performs an annual examination of Bob, a bobcat at the Chattanooga Nature Center, where she volunteers.
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spent three years designing and building the center, setting up policies, opening the clinic and starting a trapneuter-release program for feral cats. She also found time to start her own practice—Chattanooga Veterinary Center, where she and her partners provide general care for small animals as well as more specialized treatments like ultrasound, orthopedics and soft tissue surgery. “It grew a little bit faster than we expected,” she says. “We’re still seeing double-digit growth, and we’re in our fourth or fifth year, even in spite of the recession.” Wojtalik-Courter has found that one of the best parts of her job is talking to people about their pets. “People’s faces light up when they speak about their pets. They will share things,” she says. “The connection that I have with people is so much deeper now than it was when I was younger because I’m able to talk to them after they’ve already opened up their hearts by telling me about their pet. It’s awesome.”
SPECIAL
Where are they now? is a feature in GM that spotlights students who made a name for themselves while at UGA. Have a standout classmate you’d like to catch up on? Email Kelly Simmons at simmonsk@uga.edu.
GEORGIA MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2010
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NEWBOOKS Beyond Katrina University of Georgia Press (2010) By Natasha Trethewey (AB ’89) Poet Trethewey, who grew up in Gulfport, Miss., captures the devastation that hurricane Katrina brought to the Mississippi Gulf Coast through her own memories and poems, as well as the experiences of friends, family and neighbors. Death of a Snowman Heuer Publishing (2010) By Daniel Guyton (MFA ’04) A short play about a young girl, whose mother just died, discussing life and the afterlife with her snowman. This existential comic fantasy has been produced and performed in several cities. 18 Days in September Fireside Publications (2010) By Allen N. Hunt (BSA ’69, MS ’71, PhD ’74) A thriller involving radical terrorism, biological warfare, murder and abduction. Col. Joshua Cross, Ph.D., is challenged by the first outbreak of smallpox in the United States in over 50 years and has to reassure his government and the nation that the attack is containable, all while trying to solve his fiancée’s disappearance. Murphy Station: A Memoir from the American South University of Tennessee Press (2010) By David Donovan [pen name of Terry T. Turner (BSA ’67, MS ’72, PhD ’74)] A coming-of-age story about a boy in South Georgia growing up during the civil rights movement and the Cold War, complete with reflections from the boy as an adult about how those changes affected him. Iraq: Seeing the Real War Blue Marble Books (2010) By Maxwell Wood (JD ’85) Wood served as a justice department attaché in Baghdad. This book gives his Christian perspective on the experience and details the cultural and spiritual clash ongoing between Islamic militants and western Christians.
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About Lawrenceville Southern Lion Books (2010) By Mary Frazier Long (BSEd ’54) A historical compilation about Lawrenceville, the author’s beloved hometown, researched through Gwinnett County newspapers from the time and regional archives. Dancing on the Rim Brick Road Poetry Press (2009) By Clela Dyess Reed (MA ’74) Reed, a former educator, has released a book of her poems about a wide range of human relationships, from family members to romantic loves. The Creative Crone: Aging and the Poetry of May Sarton and Adrienne Rich University of Missouri Press (2010) By Sylvia Henneberg (PhD ’97) This book examines how May Sarton and Adrienne Rich, two contemporary female poets, have critically evaluated and embraced their roles as elder poets and “creative crones”—and in doing so offer a powerful resistance to age discrimination by highlighting new dimensions in their works. Turtles of the Southeast University of Georgia Press (2008) By Kurt Buhlmann (PhD ’98), Tracey Tuberville (MS ’98, PhD ’08) and Whit Gibbons This book provides color photographs of 45 species of turtles found in the Southeast, as well as habitat information and diet and behavioral descriptors. It also gives general information on turtle conservation, the lives of turtles and the history of these long-lived reptiles. ONLINE Find more books by UGA graduates at www.uga.edu/gm SUBMISSIONS Submit new books written by UGA alumni to simmonsk@uga. edu. Please include a brief description of the book and a hi-res pdf or tiff of its cover.
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CLASSNOTES
I
WHY give “We had many wonderful years at UGA and in Athens. It felt like it was the right thing to do to honor our years of being a part of such a special place—a place where we grew as young adults, a place where so many of our dreams were formed, a place where they began to come to fruition, a beginning to a life that would become one of success for both of us and we treasure those years that we spent there together.”
—Lois Shortt (BSEd ’46)
ROBERT NEWCOMB
Lois Shortt Lois Shortt’s gift to the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Education will create the William J. and Lois J. Shortt Fellowship Endowment that will fund fellowships for up to five graduate students each year. William Short (BBA ’48) died on April 7, 2010. Want to give? Go to www.externalaffairs.uga.edu/os/makegift.
From pigskin to pedals Former UGA football player Jerome Rossetti (BSA ’85) teamed with three friends to form the Georgia Chain Gang bike team, raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. With Dave Armento, Frank Fuerst and Tony Myers, Rossetti participated in the Race Across America, an annual 3,000-mile crossJerome Rossetti
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country bike race. They finished the race in June in 7 days, 9 hours, 37 minutes, and
raised more than $100,000. The team also raced in 2009, raising $80,000. Rossetti, who now lives in Atlanta and is vice president and partner of DeLany/ Rossetti Construction, quit football with a knee injury and took up cycling as part of his knee rehabilitation. Get more on the team at http://pages.teamintraining.org/ga/raceacro10/GeorgiaChainGang or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gachaingang.
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ALUMNI PROFILE
Swinging for the fence
virtually ended his collegebaseball career. “We were warming up, in the snow, at the old Louisville fairgrounds,” he recalls. Former Diamond Dawg “A coach hit me a deep fly leads Bulldog 100 with ball. I put out my hand to sports protection gear stop myself and caught it on the old metal lettering by Denise Horton they still had on the fence. It ripped a hole in my hand Justin Niefer (BS ’05) wasn’t that resulted in nerve damsure where his future lay. Having age.” completed his eligibility with the “I consider it a blessing,” UGA baseball team, he spent the he says now. “If that hadn’t summer of 2005 in Illinois with happened, I might be playing the minor league Windy City in the minor leagues and Thunderbolts but realized that this [he motions around his professional baseball lacked the Evoshield office] might not ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER camaraderie he found most aphave happened.” pealing about sports. In 2007, Niefer traveled After returning to Athens to spring training in Florida for his final semester of classes in ANGELINA BELLEBUONO to introduce the gear. The consumer economics, Niefer befirst seven major league (from left) Neifer’s dog Ollie, Stan Kanavage, Justin Niefer, gan a part-time job that evolved baseball teams he met with Stan Payne, and David Hudson. into a full-time dream. placed orders. Back home, The part-time job was with the Georgia baseball team began wearing Evoshield products All Sports Training, owned by fellow Bulldog Stan Kanavage and word soon filtered to UGA quarterback Matthew Staf(M ’78). The full-time dream came a few months later when ford (M ’10) and his football teammates. Kanavage announced that he was starting a new business, one “What we heard was that the players felt faster and focused on developing sports-protection gear made of a new more protected in Evoshield gear,” Niefer says. Independent lightweight and malleable substance that hardens to fit the testing has in fact shown that Evoshield disperses energy wearer’s body and disperses impact. Kanavage invited Niefer rather than absorbing it, which is what occurs with tradiand Stan Payne (M ’97), another All Sports employee, to join tional foam and plastic gear. David Hudson and himself in establishing this new company. The company now includes 12 different products and For Niefer, the product, originally dubbed All Sports Ar80 college and professional teams as customers. mour, offered the opportunity to be in on the ground floor of a Kanavage speaks with pride about the accomplishments commercial phenomenon that could someday be as well known of Niefer and Payne in growing Evoshield from an idea into as Gatorade. By the end of 2006, chest and back protectors were a business that was listed last year as the second-fastest-growin production and in 2007 Niefer proposed a new name for the ing business in the Bulldog 100, a program sponsored by company—Evoshield. the UGA Alumni Association that rates companies by their “The ‘Evo’ stands for how the material evolves from a soft compounded annual revenue-growth rates during the past material into a hard shell, but it also stands for our vision of three years. evolving the world of sports and the way athletes are protected “They’ve worked diligently, developing ideas, selling during competition,” he says. and showing. They’ve done everything that needed to be Niefer spent his childhood in Buffalo, N.Y., but moved to done,” Kanavage says. “Whatever Justin does, he does with Cumming with his family during his senior year of high school. passion, and he’s been very passionate about what we do and After graduation he went to the University of Cincinnati on a how we do it. He’s matured into someone who could today baseball scholarship. There he became captain and was named start and run his own company.” to the All-Conference USA Team. After three years he transferred to UGA and quickly es—Denise Horton is the director of communications for the tablished himself with the Diamond Dogs, moving into the top College of Family and Consumer Sciences. 10 hitters in the country. But a freak accident in Louisville, Ky.,
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ALUMNI PROFILE
From the South to South Pacific UGA alumnus and former state senator explores new territory as ambassador to Singapore by Matt Weeks (ABJ ’05) On April 2, former Georgia State Senator David
Adelman (ABJ ’89), moved his family from their DeKalb County home to Singapore, a tiny southeast Asian country with a big economy. The move was business related. The U.S. Senate recently confirmed Adelman as the newest ambassador to Singapore. “It’s a great post,” he says. “To me, there is no greater honor than to represent our country in another country. Asia is an increasingly important part of the world and Singapore is one of the most important places in Asia. It was my first choice. You don’t always get your first choice in life.” Adelman, who delivered the keynote address at UGA’s summer commencement, has been active in politics since 2002, when he was first elected as a Democratic state senator from the 42nd district. Serving for eight years under the gold-plated dome of the Georgia Capitol, Adelman built a reputation for hard work and cross-party collaboration—skills he hopes to rely on during his diplomatic turn in the South Pacific. “I feel as though for the United States, Southeast Asia is going to be critical for our future prosperity and security, and Singapore is what everyone sees as the center of Southeast Asia,” he says. “I wanted to be somewhere where the mission presented a lot of challenges, but great opportunities for success. There are opportunities to make real progress in our friendships with Asia, and our friendship with Singapore can lead the way. I see it as our anchor in this part of the world.” Although it’s a country of only 5 million, Singapore boasts one of the world’s most robust economies. It stands out as a business hub even within Asia’s bustling economic climate. It’s also an island nation with a strategic location between the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. Those two realities combine to make Adelman’s job hinge on both the public and private sectors. “The two critical elements to our relationship with Singapore are security and trade,” he says. “We have very important strategic naval operations here in Singapore, and an excellent military-to-military relationship, so
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I spend time on security issues. Secondly, this is a country where business is king. So I’m spending a lot of my time working with both American and Asian businesses trying to strengthen the trade and commerce connection between the U.S. and Singapore. I promote American goods and services in Asia, but I’m also looking for direct foreign investment in the United States.” Like the U.S., Singapore is a former British colony, and its national language is English. So when Adelman moved with his wife, Caroline (ABJ ’88), their three kids and two dogs, the transition felt easy, he said. “There are more than 20,000 U.S. expats here. There’s an even larger community of British expats, Australian expats. And it’s quite safe,” he says. “Singaporeans have a very favorable view of Americans. It’s a very easy transition of ambassador. Home for us will always be Georgia, but we’re settled here and hard at work.”
—Matt Weeks is a senior reporter for the UGA News Service.
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ANDREW J. HEROD
Professor, geography, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Adjunct professor, international affairs, School of Public and International Affairs Adjunct professor, anthropology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Director, Paris Study Abroad Program B.Soc.Sci. in geography, University of Bristol, England M.A. in geography, West Virginia University Ph.D. in geography, Rutgers University William A. Owens Creative Research Award, Georgia Research Foundation, 2009 Athens-Clarke County Board of Commissioners, 2007-present Photo shot on location at the UGA Geography Building by Peter Frey.
“I
grew up just outside London so literally one way I looked you could look right into London and turn 180 degrees the other way and you’re looking at the countryside. I was always interested in looking at the landscape, particularly the farmers’ fields, and thinking about all the people that had farmed that land from the iron age farmers to the Romans to the Saxons to medieval peasants to 19th century agricultural laborers and all of them had had an impact on physically shaping the landscape. But a lot of them were, in terms of their names and faces, really lost to history. I thought it was kind of interesting to think about all the people who had an impact on shaping that landscape but are really forgotten to history.” —Andrew Herod on how his childhood in Britain influenced his decision to study and teach geography.
SEPTEMBER2010 2010 •• GEORGIA GEORGIAMAGAZINE MAGAZINE 56 56 SEPTEMBER
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