Fourteen community leaders who served on Boards of Trustees of the Foundations of Middle Georgia State University's predecessor institutions now belong to a single circle of honor.
 
They have been named Trustee Emeriti of Middle Georgia State University Foundation.
 
Dr. Raymond Carnley, Executive Director for the Foundation said, “It is important to recognize that by devoting their time and energy to strengthen the legacy institutions of Middle Georgia College and Macon State College, these individuals helped to establish today’s Middle Georgia State University. Each represents a tremendous legacy of service to the University, its predecessors, and the University System. They set a great example for the Foundation’s current Trustees and for those who will follow. We will always be grateful for their service.”
 
In early 2012, the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents recommended the consolidation of Middle Georgia College, which was founded in 1884 in Cochran, Ga., and Macon State College, which was founded in 1968 in Macon, Ga. The consolidation became official on January 8, 2013, creating Middle Georgia State College, a baccalaureate-granting institution with campuses in Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman and Warner Robins. The Foundations of the two former colleges also linked together.
 
Dr. Christopher Blake became Middle Georgia State’s first permanent president in January 2014. On March 18, 2015, the Board of Regents approved the elevation of the institution to state university and changed its name to Middle Georgia State University, effective July 1, 2015.
 
In December, the Middle Georgia State University Foundation's Board of Trustees designated Trustee Emeriti from the predecessor institutions as Trustee Emeriti of the new University’s Board of Trustees.
 
The Trustee Emeriti are:
 
Waddell Barnes, M.D. (deceased)
Dr. Barnes served as a physician of general internal medicine and medical oncology.  He served on Macon State as an advisor to health education administration, as well as chaired the Macon State College Foundation Board of Trustees from 1998-2008. He was the driving force behind development of the Botanical Gardens, which, in 2003, the Board of Regents approved naming the Botanical Gardens after Dr. Barnes. The Macon State College Foundation established an endowment in Dr. Barnes’ name to support further enhancement and maintenance and develop related educational programs. Dr. Barnes and Executive Committee began the annual Spring Symposium and Fall Lecture for garden enthusiasts, two programs still in place today. In 2006, he received the Legacy of Leadership Award, the highest honor bestowed by Foundation.
 
Col. Earl H. Cheek (deceased)
Lt. Col. Earl H. Cheek, Sr., USAF, was a 1935 graduate of Middle Georgia College and past trustee of the former Middle Georgia College Foundation.  Received a degree from the University of Georgia with academic honors, taught vocational agriculture for 37 years, served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve rising to the rank of Lt. Col., and was an Administrative Assistant to Sen. Sam Nunn and field director for Congressman Richard Ray.
 
Lola Harris Ellis (deceased)
Lola Harris Ellis (1937-2012) was a longtime member of The Middle Georgia College Foundation having joined during the tenure of Louis C. Alderman as College President. Lola H. Ellis maintained a life-long interest in MGC having grown-up and lived most of her life “across the street” from the college. She was a great-granddaughter of Peter Lewis Peacock, who along with J. E. Oberry, donated the land for the initial New Ebenezer College, later Middle Georgia College. Her grandfather, Samuel Calhoun Speer, was head of the Commerce Department at New Ebenezer College in the 1890s. Wallace L. Harris, Sr., her father and the person for whom Harris Hall is named, was a supporter of numerous students who attended Middle Georgia College. Lola H. Ellis was devoted to music and playing the organ and piano all of her life. She graduated from Wesleyan College in Macon in 1958 with a bachelor of music degree in church music. She was organist and pianist for Cochran First United Methodist Church for over 30 years. She also played for services at other churches and for countless events in the local community, which included hundreds of weddings and funerals, a monthly Methodist service at the local nursing home, and weekly Rotary Club meetings. In the 1970s, she served as accompanist for the Middle Georgia College Vocal Ensemble and frequently played for graduation ceremonies. Following in her father’s footsteps, she helped many students receive an education through her support of the Wallace L. Harris and Virginia Speer Harris Scholarship Fund, as well as the MGC Foundation and athletic programs.
 
John Giddens III
Mr. Giddens attended High School at Glynn Academy in Brunswick Georgia, Georgia Military Institute and Georgia Southern University, graduating in 1964.  He is a CPA and Managing Partner of Giddens, Bennett & Company, PC in Cochran.  John served as a Director for Middle Georgia College Foundation for 30 years and Treasurer for 28 years.  His community activities include Past President and Treasurer of the Cochran Rotary Club (38 years), Past President and Past Director of the Cochran-Bleckley Chamber of Commerce (34 years), Georgia Southern University Business Advisory Council of the College of Business Administration – School of Accountancy (12 years) and was Georgia Southern University College of Business Alumnus of the Year (1994-5).  He has held numerous positions with the Georgia Society of CPA’s since 1982 including Middle Georgia Chapter President (1985-6) and State President (1994-5).  He is also active in the American Institute of CPA’s, a national association, serving as Chairman of the Uniform Accountancy Act Task Force and member of the AICPA Governing Council.
 
Robert F. Hatcher Sr.
Mr. Hatcher serves as President, CEO and Director of MidCountry Financial Corp. He has served as immediate past chair of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation of Central Georgia, and an appointment by the governor to co-chair the Commission for a New Georgia. He was named Citizen of the year in 2005 by Macon Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Hatcher served as trustee Macon State College Foundation for eight years 1998-2006; helping to lead the board reformation. Credited with initiating the “Stick-Around” Scholarship, designed to encourage Macon State’s associate’s degree graduates to stay here to continue their education. He was appointed to Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia by former Governor Perdue in 2006 and served as vice chair in 2008 and chairman in 2009. Bob, working with Mansfield Jennings, was instrumental in the consolidation of MGC and MSC to create Middle Georgia State and led the charge for Middle Georgia State to become a university.
 
Barney Hendricks
Mr.  Hendricks joined the Middle Georgia College Foundation Board at the invitation of Dr. Alderman and served for many years as the college expanded its reach and its programs.  He has many distinctive ties to the Cochran campus:  his uncle served on the Board of Trustees for Ebenezer College, his mother was the first Home Economics teacher in 1920 and Barney is both an alum (1947) and a retiree (1990) of Middle Georgia College.  Barney has most recently served as co-chair of the Foundation’s Retiree Campaign.
 
W. Mansfield Jennings Jr. (deceased)
W. Mansfield Jennings Jr. graduated from Hawkinsville High School and attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a BS degree in industrial management. He later earned an MBA from Emory University and pursued further studies at Georgia State University and London School of Business.  A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Mansfield served as an officer both on active duty and in the reserves. Mr. Jennings has served a number of civic organizations; serving as past president of the Hawkinsville-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce and also of the Hawkinsville Rotary Club, past District Governor of Rotary International. Mansfield served on a number of boards in the Middle Georgia area including the South Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Museum of Aviation, United Pulaski, Inc., and Taylor Regional Hospital, where he was chairman. He was a long-time member of the Board of Trustees of the Middle Georgia College Foundation and supported the University System of Georgia by serving as a member of the Board of Regents for ten years. Mansfield, working with Bob Hatcher, was instrumental in the consolidation of MGC and MSC to create Middle Georgia State and led the charge for Middle Georgia State to become a university. Mansfield was recognized for his community service by being selected Citizen of the Year two times.
 
Charles H. Jones (deceased)
Mr. Jones served as Chairman, CEO and Founder of Ocmulgee Fields. He also served on numerous boards, such as first chairman of the Macon/Bibb County Hospital Authority, vice chairman of the Macon Hospital Commission, chairman of the Macon/Bibb County Industrial Authority, president of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, chairman of “Return of the Creek Indians” Commission, co-founder of New Town Macon, president of the Macon Lions Club, and fist chairman of the Board of Governors of Mercer Medical School. He also served on the Board of Regents of University System of Georgia from 1994 – 2001. He gave the lead gift of $1.5million to Invest in Success, Macon State’s first comprehensive campaign. In June 2003, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the request to name an academic building in his honor.
 
Dwight C. Jones
Mr. Jones serves as President and CEO of Ocmulgee Fields, as well as Chairman and CEO of the Charles H. Jones Family Foundation. He served on the Macon State College Foundation Board of Trustees from 2004 – 2011; chairing the Finance and Investment Committee and served as board chair. He continues to serve as a invited member of the foundation’s finance and investment committee, as well as serving as a trustee for the Middle Georgia State University Real Estate Foundation. He has served as chairman of First Presbyterian Day School, board member of Macon Economic Development Commission, chairman of Friends of Pleasant Hill, chairman of the annual charity clay shoot for Boy Scouts, advisory board member for Hutchings Career Center, and is an elected member of the Board for Macon Water Authority.
 
Buckner F. Melton (deceased)
Mr. Melton worked as a local lawyer and served as former mayor of Macon. He served on the Board of Directors of Filmworks U.S.A Inc., as well as president of the Macon Bar Association and the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce. In 1979, the Georgia Municipal Association presented the Motie Wiggins Award to Melton for his work with that organization and the cities of Georgia; past recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, given by Mercer University for Outstanding Public Service; and Georgia Trend Magazine recognized Melton in the early 1990s as one of the 100 most influential people in Georgia. Melton served on Macon State College Foundation Board of Trustees from 1998-2008
 
Anne Whipple Alderman Murphey
A native of Cochran, Mrs. Murphy spent much of her life on or near the Cochran campus.  She received two degrees at Wesleyan, an MA at Northwestern and attended MGC in the summers of 1945-46. Later she married Louis C. Alderman Jr., who was President of Middle Georgia College (1964-1987). During his tenure she was engaged in college life, hosting events for faculty and students and traveling extensively with Dr. Alderman.  In addition to her involvement with Middle Georgia College, she raised four children, taught English in the Bleckley County Schools, and taught Sunday School at the First Baptist Church.  She was active in a number of organizations including:  Daughters of the American Revolution (State Regent), Hawkinsville Chapter of the DAR (State Regent), Daughters of Colonial Wars (State President), Magna Carta Dames (State Regent), Children of United Daughters of the Confederacy (Macon Director), and was awarded Georgia’s Mother of the Year (1977).  Currently Mrs. Murphey resides in Macon where she has been active in the Vineville Garden Club of Macon, Macon History Club (past President) and Christ Episcopal Church.
 
Dr. Don Parkerson (deceased)
Dr. Don Parkerson graduated from Eastman High School, the University of Georgia and Palmer College of Chiropractic.  He served as president of his college class and was a former high school biology teacher and football, basketball, baseball, and golf coach.  He was a Chiropractor in Eastman for 33 years and served as president of the Georgia Chiropractic Association, Palmer College Alumni Association, Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners, Gideons, Lions Club, Shriners, and Dodge County Booster Club.  He also served on the Board of Trustees of Middle Georgia College and on the Board of Regents of Liberty University.  He served 31 years as a sportscaster for Dodge County sports.  He was a professional speaker, ordained deacon, and the author of two published books.
 
Glenn Sawyer
Mr. Sawyer is an accomplished businessman, self-employed for 53 years.  His firm, Sawyer’s Enterprises, Inc. has been a partner in a number of commercial ventures throughout the Middle Georgia region.  Currently he is developing a 49-room assisted living facility in Kingston GA, and is a partner in three hotels including the Cochran Inn & Suites, a strip mall and smaller regional commercial properties in the region.  Mr. Sawyer served on the Board of Middle Georgia College for 6 years.  
 
Joe E. Timberlake III
Joe is a retired businessman; formerly serving as president of Timberlake Grocery Company. He has been involved with and supported the university since 1968 – the founding of the legacy institution Macon State College. His father was a founding member of the Macon State College Foundation Board of Trustees. He is well-known and respected throughout community as philanthropist and civic ambassador. He has given generously of his time, influence and gifts to help build College and Foundation, including a long tenure of service to the Foundation Board of Trustees.  Joe chaired the college’s first comprehensive fundraising effort, the Invest in Success Campaign. In 2006, he received the Foundation’s Legacy of Leadership Award.