Congratulations to WUGA-91.7/97.9 FM, the university’s Public Broadcasting radio station, for winning several awards for excellence in programming from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters.  The station collected four first place Gabby Awards for various news, features and documentaries, and two Gabby Merit Awards for the news/feature show “Georgia Tool Guy.”  WUGA also shared a Gabby Merit Award with WNEG-TV, the university’s television station, for the weekly live show “It’s Friday!” hosted by WUGA’s program director Robb Holmes ‘86.  WUGA station manager is Steve Bell ‘79.

I am so excited to recognize two University of Georgia grads who were recently honored with a 2010 Governor’s Award in the Humanities.  One recipient, Mary Ellen Brooks ‘69, ‘71 of Athens, worked for more than 35 years at UGA’s Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library.  The other is Ellie Loudermilk of Houston County, who recevied her education specialist degree from UGA in 1985.  For more than 30 years, Ellie taught history at Perry High School.  In a letter Gov. Sonny Perdue ‘71 DVM said the Humanities Awards “play a unique role in our state, honoring the achievements of those whose work in literature, philosophy, history and ethics better help the democracy in which we live.”  Congratulations.

Dink NeSmith ‘70 has been appointed to a three-year term on the board of directors of MCG Health Inc., the non-profit corporation that operates and manages MCG Health Medical Center and the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.  Dink is president of the Athens-based Community Newspapers, Inc. and currently serves as a member of the University System Board of Regents.  He also is a very loyal and faithful Bulldog, having served as Alumni Association president a few years ago.

Former UGA tennis great John Isner outlasted Frenchman Nicolas Mahut Thursday in a first-round marathon match at Wimbledon that took 11 hours and five minutes over three days.  John took the fifth set 70-68 because there is no last set tie-breaker at the All-England Championships.  Several records were not just broken but shattered, including 112 aces served-up by the 6′-9″ Bulldog.  It’s also now in the books as the longest match in tennis history.  Even in the post-match press conference John was wearing a red UGA t-shirt.  The only thing left to say is GO DOGS!

A big Alumni Association congrats to the following Bulldogs:

-Steve Green ‘71, President and CEO of Stephen Green Properties in Savannah, has been re-elected a third term as Chairman of the Georgia Ports Authority Board of Directors.

-Benjie Jones ‘73 was recently named the Southeast Designer of the Year, an award presented by the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center.

-Mike Sale ‘94 has joined The Commercial Bank in Crawfordville in Oglethorpe County as President and CEO.

Bulldog golfer Russell Henley survived a tough Pebble Beach golf course last weekend and finished tied for 18th at the prestigious U.S. Open.  The rising senior from Macon also tied for low amateur honors, finishing a grueling four days at 8-over par, 292.  This was Russell’s first major championship.  He is currently on his way to Northern Ireland where he’ll play in the Palmer Cup.  UGA teammate Hudson Swafford didn’t fare so well in California.  He missed the cut by only one shot.

I highly recommend reading Lauretta Hannon’s book, The Cracker Queen – A Memoir of a Jagged, Joyful Life.  This 1992 UGA grad has been dubbed “the funniest woman in Georgia” by Southern Living magazine.  You can meet Lauretta this Friday evening (June 25) as our Jackson County Alumni Chapter hosts a book signing and reading with her at the Civic Center in Jefferson, Ga.  This is a free event, but please click here for information and to register for the event.

A national survey of fast-food restaurants has rated Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers as one of the top chains in the country for customer satisfaction.  Todd Graves ‘94 is founder and CEO of the Baton Rouge-based chain that was rated “excellent” by nearly 60 percent of its customers.  Raising Cane’s, located on Baxter Street in Athens, also was recognized for outstanding service and operations.

Members of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents have chosen UGA alum Felton Jenkins ‘63, ‘65 as the board’s vice chairman for the upcoming fiscal year.  The Madison, Ga. resident was appointed to the board by Gov. Sonny Perdue ‘71 in 2006.  Felton is retired from the Atlanta law firm of King and Spalding.  His term begins July 1.

We hope you’ll join former Bulldog football greats David Greene ‘04 and brothers Matt ‘98 and Jon Stinchcomb ‘02 as they host the Dawgs for Kids auction this Saturday from 7:00 – 11:00 p.m. at Maggiano’s Little Italy restaurant in Buckhead.  Benefitting the Georgia Transplant Foundation, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Children’s Tumor Foundation and the UGA College of Education,  the auction is part of the larger Countdown to Kickoff fan day that is scheduled for Saturday, July 17 from 3 – 6 p.m. in Athens at the UGA football practice fields.  Click here for more auction info and here the complete run down about fan day.  We hope you’ll support this worthy cause.