TIFTON—Nine former Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College students will be honored at the annual ABAC Alumni Association awards luncheon on Friday, April 15. The event will be held at 12:30 p.m. in ABAC’s Gressette Gymnasium and is part of the school’s 2023 Homecoming celebration.
The ceremony will recognize ABAC alumni who impacted the college and their communities in significant ways.
ABAC Alumni Association award winners this year include Dr. Mary Ellen Hicks of Tifton, Distinguished Alumnus Award; Brittney Gunter Turner of Clermont, Outstanding Young Alumnus Award; Dr. L.C. “Buster” Evans of Bolingbroke, Outstanding Educator Award; Steve Dixon of Alapaha, Outstanding Farmer Award; Ali Ikner of Gordon, Miles A. Drummond Rising Star Award; Chad Sumner of Tifton, Outstanding Business Leader Award; Stan Hutchinson of Tifton, J. Lamar Branch Award; Dannie Sparks Family of Ray City, Family Legacy Award; and Wayne Jones of Dallas, Honorary Alumnus Award.
Hicks earned an associate degree in pre-veterinary medicine from ABAC in 1983 before obtaining her bachelor’s degree and doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Georgia. She has been a professor of animal science at ABAC for over 30 years and is the only faculty member in the college’s history to receive all three of the top awards for teaching, advising, and student engagement. She is also the faculty advisor to the ABAC Cattlemen’s Association.
Evans, a 1976 ABAC graduate, currently serves as the Executive Director of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, which serves more than 500,000 educators from the state’s public schools, colleges and universities. He previously served as the Assistant Commissioner of Education with the Georgia Department of Corrections, as Superintendent of Forsyth County Schools and as Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent for the Bleckley County School System.
Turner earned a bachelor’s degree in Diversified Agriculture from ABAC. She worked for the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and played an important role on the team that created the “Destination Ag” program. Today, she serves as the Human Resources Assistant Manager at Wayne-Sanderson Farms with responsibility for more than 900 employees. She also serves as the Chair of the ABAC School of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Council.
Hutchinson, ABAC Class of 1968, earned degrees in Agricultural Engineering from ABAC and the University of Georgia. After graduating from UGA, he served in Technical Service and Support roles and was later involved in management and as the owner of a John Deere Agriculture dealership and in management of a Case IH agriculture equipment dealership. He is retired, but still serves as the President of Shepherd Care, Inc. a non-profit organization.
Sumner graduated with his associate’s degree in business administration and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in finance from Georgia Southern University. He now owns a State Farm Insurance agency in Tifton and has been with the company for over 30 years. His wife Leigh is also an ABAC alumnus and their children, Anna Leigh and Cameron, are both currently students at his alma mater.
Ikner received her bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education and went on to earn a Master of Agricultural and Environmental Education from the University of Georgia. She currently serves as the Certification, Training and Licensing Program Manager for the Structural Pest Division of the Georgia Department of Agriculture. She is also a member of the ABAC Alumni Association and the Green and Gold Society for graduates of the last decade.
Dixon graduated from ABAC in 1979 with a degree in Agribusiness. He made the most of that ABAC degree and went on to be a successful agriculturalist, businessman, and community leader in the years that followed. Dixon, along with his wife Rhonda, started Dixon Farm Supply in 1985 and opened Dixon Gin Company in 2001. The Dixon family grows 2,700 acres of cotton; 3,000 acres of peanuts; 300 acres of corn; has 100 acres of timberland and has 1,000 acres of pasture land where they graze around 800 head of cattle.
Alton Sparks graduated from ABAC before earning his Ph.D. in Agriculture and playing a key role in establishing the Tifton Experiment Station. His wife Dannie earned her degree in 1968 and since then, 15 members of their family attended ABAC. Members of the family went on to careers in agriculture, education, healthcare, and engineering.
Jones received his bachelor’s degree in music from Shorter College and his master’s in vocal performance at the Cincinnati Conservatory and continued to complete doctoral work at the University of Georgia. He joined the ABAC faculty in 1989 and served as Director of Choral and Vocal Music for ABAC for 15 years before being named Director for the ABAC Arts Connection.
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