Faces and places
Local business gets international award
Curt Reynolds, owner of Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Middle Georgia, received the Rookie of the Year Award from the Mr. Rooter Plumbing corporate office during the international conference.
The award is presented to the franchisee who, in the first 12 months, has demonstrated outstanding performance in sales and building the organization.
Outstanding Mercerians receive awards
More than a dozen Mercerians were recognized recently for their contributions to Mercer University at the inaugural alumni awards dinner.
The Distinguished Alumnus Award, given to an individual who serves his or her profession in an outstanding manner and, in doing so, brings honor to the individual and the University, was presented to Benjy Griffith III of Macon.
Griffith, a 1977 graduate of the College of Liberal Arts, is president of Southern Pine Plantations and has contributed to the redevelopment of neighborhoods around Mercer. He also serves on the university's Board of Trustees and generously funds scholarships that allow economically disadvantaged students from Bibb County to attend Mercer.
The Alumni by Choice awards were created to recognize individuals who did not graduate from Mercer but have demonstrated loyalty to the university over the years. This year's recipients were Joan Godsey, Carolyn McAfee and Beverly Olson, all of Macon.
Medcen Community Health Foundation becomes Navicent Health Foundation
The Medcen Community Health Foundation, Navicent Health, the philanthropic entity of the Macon-based health system, announced it will update its name to the Navicent Health Foundation.
Founded in 1973, the foundation serves as the fundraising arm of Navicent Health. Through community philanthropic endeavors and partnerships, the foundation supports a variety of programs to improve the health of those living in the region that Navicent Health serves.
The foundation's charitable efforts include, but are not limited to, Navicent Health services such as Carlyle Place, the Children's Hospital, the Medical Center of Peach County, the Peyton Anderson Cancer Center, Pine Pointe Hospice and Rehabilitation Hospital. Navicent Health Foundation also awards grants to other charitable organizations in the region to fund a variety of health-related programs and services.
Flint Energies donates to FireStarter Entrepreneurship Council
Flint Energies donated $53,000 to the new FireStarter Entrepreneurship Council. FireStarter organized in 2015 to be a community of entrepreneurs that is growing ideas and jobs in Middle Georgia. Flint made the contribution from funds generated by its former members' unclaimed capital credits.
The FireStarter group has been meeting with innovators over the past 10 months to build the community. The FireStarter group has affiliated with MIT's International FabLab network to create a location in Houston County where inventors can congregate and build out their concepts. The FabLab has joint support from the Houston County Board of Education, the Houston County Career Academy, Central Georgia Technical College and Middle Georgia State University.
Board members are Michael Chambers, Spherion Human Resources; Tony Bass, Tony Bass Consulting/Super Lawn Technologies; John Luppino, Luppino Family Foundation/Flint Energies Foundation; Art Recesso, Middle Georgia State University; Dale Richmond, First Response Services; Heather Hall, Cox Communication; Chrissy Miner, 21st Century Partnership, Museum of Aviation Foundation; and Jay Flesher, Flint Energies.
- Angela Woolen
This story was originally published November 2, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Faces and places ."