Newspaper Page Text
THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
GALA
from page 1A
dedicating MGTC’s new
library in Edenfleld’s name.
Tom Arnold, chairman of
MGTC’s Foundation, pre
sented Edenfield with an
artist’s rendering of the
campus for the outgoing
president to take home, and
a portrait which will hang in
the college’s board room.
Jack Steed presented
Edenfield with an eagle stat
ue thanking him for “stead
fast support of the Air Force
Association and its mem
bers.”
Warner Robins business
man Eddie Wiggins present
ed Edenfield with round-trip
tickets to Europe, on behalf
of himself and Sonny
Watson.
And Edenfield’s wife,
Ginger, was presented with
a key to the city of Warner
Robins by Mayor Donald
Walker, who also proclaimed
Friday as Billy G. Edenfield
Appreciation Day in his city.
At the end of the evening,
Edenfield took the podium
to thank those whom he had
worked with through the
years at both the state and
Some of the speakers' remarks about Edenfield:
Dr. Ken Breeden, former commissioner
of the Georgia Department of Technical
and Adult Education, on Edenfield’s tenure
at MGTC:
“It has been the most astounding transi
tion of any technical college in the history of
Georgia and probably the United States.”
Mike Vollmer, commissioner of the
Georgia Department of Technical and
Adult Education:
“Billy, in one word, it’s leadership. ... You
are a true, true leader. ”
Michael Thurmond, commissioner of
the Georgia Department of Labor:
“There is not a man who is as committed,
who works as hard as he has, who believes
in technical education as much as Billy
Edenfield. ... “Ultimately he we not be
judged by bricks and mortar ... but by the
tens of thousands of lives ne has changed. ”
Jack Steed, representing the Carl
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Steve Williams (right) expresses well wishes for Edenfield as Theresa Williams looks on.
EDENFIELD
From mpage 1A
successfully.”
Edenfleld said that he has
yet to make any structured
plans for his retirement.
“I really don’t know what
I will do,” he said. “I kid a
lot about becoming a greeter
at one of the local stores, but
I don’t think I would do too
good a job at that. I do need
to do something to keep me
organized, so I will probably
do some volunteer work a
couple of days a week.”
Edenfleld said that his
wife Ginger is of two minds
about his career move.
“I think that she is a little
concerned about having me
around the house all the
time, but she is pleased that
we will have more time to do
more things together,” he
said. “We do hope to do some
traveling.”
Edenfleld said one thing
stands out from his 15-plus
years at MGTC.
“The number one accom
plishment we made during
my years here has been the
construction of the new
campus,” he said. “We were
landlocked at our old site
and had no room to expand.
We moved to the new site in
1998 with the help of our
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Billy Edenfield speaks Friday during his retirement cele
bration.
local level, as well as those
who attended.
“You have truly honored
Vinson Memorial chapter of the Air Force
Association:
“In his roles as a member of the Air Force
and as president of the Middle Georgia
Technical College, he has not only educated
the public but he has also supplied the Air
Force with highly trained technicians,
enabling it to carry out its mission. He has
consistently set a sterling example for all of
us."
Rep. Larry O’Neal:
‘You indeed, sir, are a great American."
Larry Walker:
“Billy, I doubt we'll ever have anybody in
this position as long as this school lasts
who’ll ever do as good a job as you have."
Paul Hibbitts, MGTC board of directors:
"When you talk about paving the way for
the future, there’s a whole bunch of people
in this room whose futures have been paved
by this man.”
local legislators and the
General Assembly.
“The new site is very
pleasing to the students as
well as the people who work
here. We have state-of-the
art equipment to train the
students, as well as a great
faculty and staff,” said
Edenfleld.
MGTC has set some sort
of record by posting 12
straight years of increasing
enrollment. Edenfleld
attributes the growth to a
number of factors.
“I think that the new cam
pus helped that as well as
our being designated a tech
nical college by the state,”
he said. “That allowed us to
teach young people the skill
they need to get a job or
career and that has become
more and more important
over the years.
“A college can have the
largest enrollment in the
world, but if it doesn’t teach
the skills necessary to com
pete in the workplace, it
won’t do anybody any good,”
Edenfleld said.
“Kids today realize that
they need more than a high
school diploma to get any
where in the world,” he said.
“The HOPE Scholarship
me tonight,” he said. “I
thank you, all of you, for
being here this evening.”
program has played a role in
getting more kids into high
er education, but that is not
the whole story. It is mostly
a need for further education
in order to get a better job.”
Edenfleld said that he
wanted to thank everyone in
the community and the fac
ulty and staff of MGTC.
“I want to thank the
Department of Adult
Education, the General
Assembly and the gover
nor,” he said. “We have one
of the best higher education
systems in the country and I
am proud to be a part of it. I
hope to remain a part of it
even though I will not be
involved in the day-to-day
operation.”
For Edenfleld, the emo
tion of retirement has yet to
set in.
“I have been working all
of my life so it has not yet
hit me really,” he said. “I
guess it will probably set in
next week.”
Edenfleld noted he is a lit
tle embarrassed by all the
attention he has been get
ting.
“I appreciate everything
everyone has done, but I
wish they wouldn’t have put
in all of that work,” he said.
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Jack Steed presents Edenfield with an eagle statue thanking him for his support of the
Air Force Association.
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Houston County Schools Superintendent Danny Carpenter embraces Billy Edenfield as
Houston County Commission Chair Ned Sanders looks on.
Charity Bass Tournament & Raffle
Saturday, March 12, 2D05
Fish Beginning at Daylight - Any Body of Water
Weigh-in at GA National Fairgrounds & Agricenter
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Registration
Perry Rotary Chib First Annual Charity Bass Tournament He Raffle
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Names of Team Members
Addresses
Phone
Cell Phone/Emergency
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Registration and entry fee must be received no later than 12:00 PM, March 11, 2005. Make
checks payable to: Perry Rotary Club and mail to Southeast Electrical Supply,
Attn: Fishing Tournament, 472 Perry Pkwy., Perry, GA 31069. (478) 988-8888.
Perry Rotary Club
IS
TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2005 ♦
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