Rickman and Wallace are Alumni Pacesetters
Scali joins Alumni Office Justin Scali (’05 M), familiar to many current students and recent alumni from his work with the Admissions Office and as an assistant baseball coach, has joined the Institutional Advancement office as an associate director of development. Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Justin is a graduate of Methodist University, where he earned his B.S. degree in Sports Management and a minor in Business Administration. He earned an M.B.A. degree at Piedmont in 2005 and has worked as an admissions counselor for the past two years. He is also entering his fifth season as an assistant baseball coach under head coach Jim Peeples. “Piedmont is such a friendly place. From the first day I got here everyone has made me feel like I am a part of the Piedmont College family. Piedmont is a special place, and I am honored to be working here.” In the Alumni Office, Justin replaces Kelly Woodall, who was recently named director of admissions at Tallulah Falls School. Justin will work with associate director of development Brandy Aycock in planning alumni events and fundraising.
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The Alumni Association took time during Alumni Weekend to recognize two graduates who have exhibited outstanding leadership early in their careers. Mountain Judicial Circuit district attorney Brian Rickman (’98) of Tiger and Habersham Central High School soccer coach Ric Wallace (’97) of Sautee-Nacoochee each received the association’s Pacesetter Award. Dr. Stephanie Almagno, one of Rickman’s professors at Piedmont, presented the first award and said she first recognized Rickman’s “boundless intellectual curiosity” after he chose to Brian Rickman (’98) accepts the Pacesetter Award from Dr. Stephanie Almagno. Rickman was named District Attorney for the Mountain Judicial Circuit by Gov. research Supreme Court Sonny Perdue in January. Justice Thurgood Marshall for a first-year assignment. “That’s not the usual fare for a freshman 102 paper,” she said. After graduating in 1998, Rickman entered law school at the University of Georgia and began his practice in Clayton. He was serving as an assistant district attorney for the Mountain Judicial District when he was selected by Governor Sonny Perdue to be the new district attorney, following the retirement of D.A. Michael Crawford. Rickman also teaches government at Piedmont as an adjunct professor. “Piedmont College for me was life changing,” Rickman said. “I came here to get a piece of paper and go on to something else. But as I was here, my goals changed; what I wanted to do in life changed. Piedmont prepared me for law school and the bar examination. I tell my students, there is nothing you can’t do with a Piedmont degree; there is nowhere else you can get a degree that is going to mean your choices are more open than they are at Piedmont, and I am certainly living proof of that.” John Krippner (’94) presented the second Pacesetter Award to Ric Wallace of the Class of 1997. Wallace teaches technology classes at South Habersham Middle School and is coach of the Habersham Central High School men’s soccer team, which he led to the state playoffs last year after winning 21 straight matches enroute to the 8-AAAA region title. Wallace earned a degree in biology at Piedmont and played four years on the soccer team. After graduation he worked in pharmaceutical sales for three years before deciding to change careers to teach and coach. In 2002, he and a Piedmont soccer teammate, Scott Borchers (’00), opened the Borwall Soccer Academy, which now enrolls 300 players a year in three area counties. At the high school, and the camps, and with the North Georgia Soccer Association, Wallace has “done more for soccer in Habersham County than anyone else,” Krippner said. Wallace said he never imagined he would be teaching and coaching today. “Piedmont and coach Jason Smith gave me the opportunity to play college soccer, and I don’t think that I could have made a better choice than to leave pharmaceutical sales and enter teaching,” he said. Ric Wallace (’97), left, accepts an Alumni Pacesetter award from John Kripner (’94).