UGA Alumni Association: Executive Director's Blog

National Peanut Board Names UGA Alumnus Bob Parker President & CEO

Despite being known as the “Peach State,” one of Georgia’s hottest commodities is the peanut. Our state produces 49 percent of the country’s peanuts. Our peanut claim to fame is why I’m so pleased to share that our very own Robert T. “Bob” Parker IV (BSA ’77) has been named the new president and CEO of the National Peanut Board (NPB).

Parker’s experience in the peanut industry began in Climax, Ga., where he managed a family-owned farm service, supply business and farm. He sold that company to Golden Peanut Company in Alpharetta, and joined them as area procurement manager. He steadily moved through the company’s ranks, eventually becoming the current vice president of industry relations and seed.

Parker has been heavily involved in peanut industry activities, serving as chairman of the American Peanut Council, American Peanut Shellers Association, The Peanut Institute, and the Peanut Administrative Committee. He also served on the boards of The Peanut Foundation and the Peanut Standards Board.

On behalf of the UGA Alumni Association, I extend my congratulations to Bob. Thank you for leading Georgia toward continued agricultural success. Best of luck taking the helm of the NPB!

Recent Entries

05.17.2013

Betsy Crossley (BS ’77, MS ’80) elected mayor of Nashville suburb

Congratulations to newly elected Brentwood, Tenn., Mayor Betsy Crossley (BS ’77, MS ’80)!

Elected as a Brentwood City Commissioner in 2007, Crossley previously served as mayor from 2009 until 2011. She has been a member of the city's Historic Commission, Planning Commission, Tree Board and Library Board. For the past five years, she has served as a member of the Tennessee Municipal League's Board advocating on behalf of municipalities. On the state level, Crossley was appointed to a three-year term on the Tennessee Water and Wastewater Financing Board by the governor in 2011. In 2012, the Speaker of the House appointed her to a two-year term as a member of the Tennessee Local Development Authority. Crossley was the first woman ever appointed to serve in that position.

The alumna moved to Brentwood in 1999. Prior to her public service there, she was a medical researcher and teacher. Her community involvement includes Christ United Methodist Church, the Williamson County Education Foundation Board, Leadership and Youth Leadership Brentwood, Williamson County Chamber of Commerce, Brentwood Rotary Club, and the American Heart Association.

She has been married for more than 30 years to her husband, George. They have two sons who graduated from the University of Tennessee (we’ll let that slide).

We are so impressed with Crossley’s commitment to her community and are impressed by her continued leadership in the Nashville area. Best of luck in this term, Betsy!

05.16.2013

Spotlight on the Jane and Harry Willson Center for Humanities & Arts

The UGA Willson Center for Humanities & Arts is a showcase for faculty innovation and achievement. It facilitates intellectual exchange with the University and the public by the encouragement of interdisciplinary activity, which extends to the sciences and other orders of knowledge.

The Center is named for Jane Willson, the owner of Sunnyland Farms, Inc., the largest mail-order pecan business in the country, and her late husband Harry Willson, who was the chairman and CEO of Sunnyland Farms before his death in 2004.

The Willson Center for Humanities and Arts was founded as the Humanities Center in 1987 and named thereafter the Center for Humanities and Arts (1997) and the Jane and Harry Willson Center for Humanities and Arts (2005).

The Center coordinates a number of wonderful programs, including today’s special event with Ambassador James A. Joseph titled “Leadership as a Way of Being: Reflections on Nelson Mandela, Servant Leadership and Personal Renewal.” Joseph was the U.S. ambassador to South Africa from 1995 to 1999, the only person in that office to present his credentials to President Nelson Mandela. He served in the administrations of four presidents of the United States.

If you aren’t acquainted with the Willson Center, I encourage you to visit its website at www.willson.uga.edu to learn more about upcoming events. Our University is blessed to have such an incredible resource on campus – another reason it’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog!

05.15.2013

Alumnus leads Columbus, Ohio, arts council

Early last month, Tom Katzenmeyer (AB ’76) took over as president and CEO of the Greater Columbus (Ohio) Arts Council. The organization distributes funds for the arts, and advocates and markets the Central Ohio arts community. In this role, Katzenmeyer will oversee a staff of 11 and a budget of more than $6 million. His fellow Columbus cultural leaders say he is a strong choice for the position because of his expertise in navigating politics and business.

Just prior to joining the Arts Council, the alumnus served as senior vice president for university communications for The Ohio State University. At Ohio State, Tom oversaw university-wide communications and reputation management.

Before joining Ohio State, he was senior vice president of investor, media, and community relations for Limited Brands, Inc. He was responsible for the company’s relationships with investors and analysts, local media, national business and trade press, and the nonprofit and philanthropic community.

Prior to joining Limited in 1990, Katzenmeyer served as executive assistant for legislative affairs to the Governor of Ohio for four years. His public service career spans nearly 15 years, including time on the staff of Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Department of Development.

Congratulations to Tom as he takes on this new role – I have no doubt he will help the Greater Columbus Arts Council continue to thrive!

Information for this post was sourced from the Greater Columbus Arts Council website and The Columbus Dispatch.