GMC News

Georgia Military College alumni and friends met October 17 and 18 to celebrate Alumni Weekend 2008. One of the highlights of the weekend was the luncheon held to honor a select group of individuals with Georgia Military College Alumni Awards. The recipients of these prestigious awards are selected annually from submitted nominations.

This year’s award recipients were: William Terrell “Terry” Baggett (Distinguished Alumnus), Levi W. Hill, III (Alumni Achievement Award), Dudley Rowe (Honorary Alumnus), Joe Mobley (GMC Service Award), and Randall A. New (Community Service Award). These five extraordinary people are representative of the fine character and countless acts of excellence displayed by the alumni and friends of Georgia Military College. GMC is fortunate to have been a part of the lives of each of these fine people. The contributions of the 2008 Alumni Award recipients have, without a doubt, made the world a better place.

Distinguished Alumni Award
WILLIAM TERRELL “TERRY” BAGGETT – JC 1958
Douglasville, Georgia

The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes alumni whose lives have embodied the ideals of Georgia Military College including discipline, moral character, and learning, whose accomplishments have made a conspicuous and positive impression on those who will follow their lead, and whose lives are examples of extraordinary accomplishment.

After graduating from Georgia Military College, Mr. Baggett earned a Bachelor of Science from North Georgia College & State University followed by a Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia, completing an education which contributed to his success in the business world. After a twenty-nine year career with Bank of America, which included positions in the controllers department in regulatory reporting, in the commercial real estate department, and in the bank holding company, he retired in 1993 as Senior Vice President of Finance in Treasury Operations where he was responsible for the equity and debt funding at the holding company level in Atlanta, Georgia.

Almost concurrent with his career in business was Mr. Baggett’s thirty year military career in the U.S. Army Reserves. Beginning in 1964, he moved through several assignments, serving as Group S2 and Director, Security, Intelligence Plans and Training for Theater level depot; as Assistant Chief of Staff, G5, Third U.S. Army for civil military operations in CENTCOM area of operations; and as Deputy Chief of Staff, Resource Management 81st Army Reserve Command. He retired in 1990 after serving his last assignment as Chief of Staff of the 81st U.S. Army Reserve Command, Atlanta, Georgia, where he was responsible for the Georgia and Florida areas of operations.

Since retirement, Mr. Baggett has entered into civic and volunteer areas of interest. He is currently serving on the Development Authority of Douglas County; is President of Rotary Club of Douglas County; and is Past Georgia State President of Reserve Officers Association of the United States. He also serves on the boards of several local organizations: the Boys and Girls Club of Douglas County; the Douglas County Public Education Trust Fund, which works for the improvement of the public schools and teaching staff; and SHARE House, a service related to elimination of domestic violence and support for its victims.

Mr. Baggett is married to Laurie Cowell from Panama City, Florida, his wife of 45 years. They have three daughters and four grandchildren.

Alumni Achievement Award
MR. LEVI W. HILL, III – JC 1946
Augusta, Georgia

The Alumni Achievement Award is designated for an alumnus who has attained notable success in his chosen field or profession, and whose achievement might serve as an inspiration to anyone considering entering that chosen field or profession, or might serve as inspiration to anyone to excel in his chosen field or profession because of the example set by the recipient of this award.

Mr. Hill left his home town of Sandersville in 1945 to attend junior college at GMC where he made lifelong friends. From there he went on to the University of Georgia, graduating in 1950 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He was employed by E. I. DuPont at its Savannah River Nuclear Plant prior to entering the U.S. Air Force as a 2LT. Mr. Hill attained the rank of Captain before his honorable discharge in 1953, at which time he became a resident of Augusta, Georgia.

Then his business career began anew when he was employed by Richmond Supply Company, a family business whose primary sales are of industrial products – particularly rubber conveyor belts and hoses. Industrial paint is also a specialty. Mr. Hill rose to the position of President in 1956 and ultimately became Chairman of the Board in 1978, in which capacity he still serves. During his tenure, he has greatly expanded the company’s employee base, its facilities, and its locations.

Concurrent with his active and successful business career, Mr. Hill has distinguished himself as a community leader, contributing unselfishly by serving on numerous boards and holding positions of leadership in such organizations as: Kiwanis Club of Uptown Augusta, University Hospital Authority, Governing Board of University Hospital, Augusta Country Club, Brandon Wilde Life Center, Richmond County Museum, Augusta Preparatory School, and the GMC Foundation. He also served for 18 years as a director of First Union National Bank of Georgia and its predecessor, Georgia Railroad Bank & Trust Company. In 2007 Mr. Hill received the Distinguished Service Award from the Georgia Hospital Association for “Significant Contributions in Improving Health Care for the People of Georgia,” one of only four people from Augusta to receive this award since 1950.

In 1958, Mr. Hill married the former Emily Carter from Toccoa, Georgia, who had attended the Women’s College of Georgia, now GCSU. They had two children, Levi IV and Emily, who now each have three children, making Mr. Hill the proud granddad of six. He is a long-time member of the St. John United Methodist Church.

Honorary Alumnus
Dudley Rowe
Milledgeville, Georgia

The Honorary Alumni Award is bestowed upon individuals who are not alumni of Georgia Military College, but who have rendered special or exceptional service to the school or to its Alumni Association, and who, by virtue of their service, are worthy of the designation of GMC Alumnus and all that the designation entails.

Mr. Rowe was born and raised on his family farm in the southwestern part of England. At age 16 he joined ECC. PLC, a large British international minerals and chemicals company, as a student engineer. This started a career that lasted 45 years and took him to all parts of the world.

He graduated as an electrical engineer from Plymouth Institute of Technology and received further education at Manchester University and other business schools. After graduation he worked in a number of management positions in various parts of the world, living in England, Italy, and India before coming to the United States of America. His role expanded as the company grew, and he was appointed to the Board of ECC International. Before his retirement as a senior executive, he was promoted to Executive Vice President, responsible for approximately 4500 people in 20 plus countries.

Mr. Rowe has served on many business, professional, and civic boards and committees around the world, being president of some. In 1993, he became a United States citizen, giving him dual citizenship with the United Kingdom. In the same year, the State of Alabama House of Representatives recognized him for his services to business development in the state.

He has served as a director of Century Bank & Trust since 2001 and as a Century Bancorp director since 2002. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Century Bancorp. He also is current President of the Lockerly Board of Trustees, serves on the GCSU Foundation Board and the Business School Advisory Council, and was a past Senior Warden of Saint Stephens Episcopal Church.

Mr. Rowe serves as 2nd Vice Chairman of the Georgia Military College Foundation Board of Trustees, Vice Chairman of the Development Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee. He has been instrumental in organizing a grants program for the Foundation and providing invaluable leadership to the organization.

He and his wife Jenny have lived in Baldwin County since 1990. They have two children, Gary and Lisa, and two grandchildren, Alexandra and Samantha.

GMC Service Award
JOE MOBLEY – HS 1963, JC 1965
Milledgeville, Georgia

The GMC Service Award is designated for an alumnus or friend of Georgia Military College who has rendered special service to the school or to any of its ancillary organizations including the GMC Alumni Association, the Bulldog Club, the Booster Club, or the GMC Foundation, Inc.

Mr. Mobley entered GMC as a barracks cadet, and after graduating, went to work for Georgia Power Company in the water chemistry department at Plant Harllee Branch in 1965. He was promoted to Assistant Chemist at Plant Yates and moved with his wife, Tondra, and their three children to Carrollton, Georgia in 1970. While living there, he returned to school at West Georgia College and received a BBA degree. In 1976, he moved his family back to Milledgeville, where he worked in the Safety & Health Department at Plant Branch.

His children, Valerie, Jay, and Stephanie, all attended GMC, graduating in 1983, 1986, and 1987, respectively. All three also went on to graduate from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. While his children attended GMC, he was involved with many programs. He served as president of the Bulldog Club, was a member of the Alumni Association, and chaired the annual Bulldog Club barbecued chicken fundraiser. He was committee chair for the sale of ads and printing of the Friday night football programs and filmed the home games. During this time, he also drove one of the buses for the junior college basketball team.

In 1989, Mr. Mobley was promoted to Manager of the Safety & Health Department for power generation plants statewide. This promotion required another move, sending Tondra and him to Peachtree City this time where he worked out of the general office. After moving back to Milledgeville in 2001, he continued to work out of the general office until his retirement in 2003 with thirty-eight years of service

After his return to Milledgeville, Mr. Mobley became involved with a GMC project for the new baseball field, which needed transmission poles for lighting. He made some contacts and was able to secure enough poles to provide lighting for the baseball, softball and soccer fields. He followed this initial re-entry into GMC service by then becoming a member of the GMC Foundation Board, for which he leads the engraved paver project at the new barracks. In 2007 he accepted the position of vice president of the Alumni Association and has been very involved with Alumni Weekend and the Will Robinson Road Race, for which the Alumni Association has become a co-sponsor.

He is a member of the “1879 Circle of Friends,” which provides scholarships for children and grandchildren of GMC alumni. Even with a long list of commitments, he still finds time to also give back to his community by serving as one of the guides on Milledgeville’s Trolley Tours, during which GMC’s
campus is featured.

Mr. Mobley and his wife, Tondra, are the proud grandparents of two boys and five girls.

Community Service Award
RANDALL A. NEW – HS 1971, JC 1973
Milledgeville, Georgia

The Community Service Award is given to Georgia Military College alumni who, through leadership, inspiration, teamwork, or hard work in the spirit of volunteerism or in their professional activities, have taken the lessons of GMC’s Character Education beyond the classroom and whose actions are characterized by a history of exemplary service resulting in unquestionable improvements within their community.

Mr. New, a life-long resident of Baldwin County, subsequently received his Bachelor of Science in Economics and Management from Georgia College & State University after graduating from GMC. Following three years service in the U. S. Army, he began putting his education directly to use in his hometown where he is currently the Vice President and Co-owner of Bayne’s Army Store in downtown Milledgeville as well as the Co-owner and Managing Partner for B & N Investments. In 1992, he accepted the honor of being Small Business Owner of the Year. In addition, he is a partner in the Old Capital Gun Club and is an NRA qualified instructor in five disciplines.

In addition to his business activities, Mr. New is very involved in community affairs and events. He has been a member of the GMC Board of Trustees since 1992 and has served as Chairman of the Board since 1998. He is also a member of the Georgia Military College Oak Leaf Society. Mr. New has been a member of the Exchange Bank Board of Directors since 2005. He is a founding board member and former treasurer of Milledgeville Main Street/DDA, a founding member of the Downtown Merchant’s Council, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

For the past 18 years he has served as the chairman for the Empty Stocking Fund, a project that feeds needy families in the community. Donations from the community allow the Fund to help these families not only during the holiday season, but year round. Along with chairing this philanthropic project, he has served as a volunteer coach with the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Recreation Department for 10 years, and his NRA qualifications serve him well in his role as a mentor for youth involvement in the hunting sports.

Mr. New and his wife, Cynthia, have two children, daughter, Diana, son, Corey, and a daughter-in-law, Leslie.