University of Georgia Foundation Chairman's Letter

Spring 2008
by Bill Young, Jr.

Dear Friends

Spring is always such a wonderful time of year at the University of Georgia. There’s no better time to take a walk around campus in Athens than when the trees are budding and flowers are beginning to bloom. From that setting, we have much to tell you in this edition; from the very sad news about the passing of a beloved trustee to happier news about the dedication of the university’s campus in Costa Rica. I also want to remind all trustees that our dinner honoring the holders of chairs and professorships funded by the University of Georgia Foundation is coming up at 6:00 p.m., April 16 at Athens Country Club. We look forward to a wonderful evening and hope to see all of the honorees and our trustees. To those of you who, through your generous gifts to the foundation, have made it possible to attract and retain world-class faculty such as those being honored later this month, my sincerest thanks for your continued support in helping the foundation in its mission to further enhance academics at the University of Georgia!

Bill Young, Jr.

Trustees Help Dedicate Costa Rica Campus

Dear Friends - It was a beautiful February day in Costa Rica when Trustees Gail Hunnicutt and Rachel Conway, and Emeritus Trustee Pat Pittard, participated in the official dedication of the University of Georgia Costa Rica Campus. The campus is owned by the University of Georgia Foundation and provided to the university for a wide range of student educational opportunities, research and eco-tourism. Hunnicutt, who serves as president of the Costa Rica Corporation and pulls double-duty as chair of the Development and Public Affairs Committee delivered remarks on behalf of the foundation prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony. Thanks Gail and Rachel for representing the foundation with your usual class and dignity at this event, we sincerely appreciate your efforts!

I N M E M O R I A M

We were deeply saddened in February by the passing of Jack Turner, a truly remarkable individual who gave so much to the University of Georgia and to the foundation. Jack was a great friend, a trusted advisor and a highly valued member of our board. He took every duty related to his board position with a sense of seriousness and responsibility; and considered every vote he cast, every opinion he offered, as a sacred responsibility in assuring donor gifts were managed properly and would offer the greatest good to the University of Georgia. Jack was an active member of the investment committee and was one of the trustees who helped the foundation achieve such superb investment returns over the years. In the spring meeting of that committee, one participant observed, “Jack had the unique ability to disagree without being disagreeable.” That is a statement that underscores the respect and love we all had for Jack and he will be remembered fondly by all of us that had the honor of knowing him.

Prestigious Appointment for Trustee Peter Shedd

We are so honored to have Peter Shedd, one of the University of Georgia’s truly great faculty members, on our board. His insights have proven extremely valuable to those of us on the board as we have worked to enhance the university’s academic mission even more in recent times, and it is obvious that the respect we have for him is shared by many others. Peter, who is director of the MBA program in the Terry College of Business, was recently awarded the title of University Professor – an honor reserved for faculty members who have had a significant impact on the university. This impact may be in the areas of policy development, teaching, curricular change, innovative programs or academic leadership in support of the university’s missions. No more than one University Professor is named in any year and we think they made a fine choice in 2008. Congratulations Peter!

First Foundation Chair in Biological Sciences Named

Susan R. Wessler has been named as the first University of Georgia Foundation Chair in the Biological Sciences in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. The chair was made possible by unrestricted funding that the trustees of the foundation approved to endow the chair. A member of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Wessler is known around the world for her studies of transposable elements in plant genomes and of their contributions to gene and genome evolution. She is one of the university’s most honored faculty members. “Dr. Wessler has demonstrated excellence during her tenure at the University of Georgia in all functions, and her accomplishments are superb,” said Arnett C. Mace, Jr., UGA senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “This chair is a highly deserved recognition of her expertise in instruction, research, graduate education, service to UGA and her profession, and a multitude of contributions.”

Elite Compete at Foundation Fellows Interview Weekend

Emeritus Trustee Honored by Georgia Links Supporters

Emeritus Trustee Jimmy Blanchard, who served the University of Georgia Foundation with distinction, continues to offer his gifts and service to the university. At the Tee Off Club’s recent board dinner, Jimmy was honored with the Eddie Sams Award, given annually to a former golf team letterman for outstanding contributions in support of the golf team. The Tee Off Club was formed in 1998 with a goal of creating an endowment that ensures the stability of the University of Georgia golf team into perpetuity. Jimmy and current UGA Foundation Trustee David Boyd (a past recipient of the Eddie Sams award himself) were teammates on the SEC championship-winning 1961 and 1962 golf teams. David was the SEC’s individual champion in 1961, was named All-America in both seasons and is a member of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.