CLASSNOTES
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WHY give 1980-1984
SPECIAL
The Lindner family celebrates after Blake’s graduation from UGA earlier this year. From left, Rusty, Mary Faith, Jones, Blake (AB ’15), Rebecca (AB, AB ’12) and Mimsy.
Bulldogs by choice When their children enrolled at UGA, the Lindners joined the Bulldog Nation by Kellyn Willis (ABJ ’09) Neither Russell “Rusty” Lindner, nor his wife, Mimsy, are graduates of the University of Georgia. He earned degrees from Johns Hopkins University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the George Washington University Law School; she graduated from the University of Kentucky. But all four of their children have attended UGA. Their two eldest, Rebecca (AB, AB ’12) and Blake (AB ’15) have already earned degrees at UGA, and their younger children, Mary Faith and Jones, are currently enrolled. The Lindner family lives in Washington, D.C., and had never visited Athens until encouraged by a close friend, former U.S. Representative W.S. Stuckey Jr. (BBA ’56, JD ’59). After Rebecca was admitted they became involved with the university; today Rusty is a trustee of the UGA Foundation and a member of the Terry Dean’s Advisory Council. Since their initial contact with UGA in 2007, the Lindners have supported the university’s academic mission with an ongoing series of gifts and pledges. “To some extent, we’ve followed the example of our parents, who always believed it important to support education,” Rusty says. “The value of a UGA education far exceeds the tuition we pay—as does the cost the university bears to provide such an exemplary education. We feel it is our duty to cover that gap, and then some.” Rusty and Mimsy appreciate their children’s positive experiences at UGA, and they plan to continue providing gifts that will afford similar opportunities for other students. “Beyond the fiduciary duty to support UGA, our passion is fueled by the magnificent experiences our children have enjoyed, inside and outside the classrooms; the terrific colleagues and leaders Mimsy and I have met by virtue of our association with UGA (many of whom have become cherished friends); and our desire to help other students—current and future—enjoy the benefits of a superior UGA education,” Rusty says. —Kellyn Willis is former director of communications for the division of development and alumni relations.
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GEORGIA MAGAZINE • www.ugamagazine.uga.edu
Mary Eilleen Bulkeley (Lyon) Cleary (ABJ ’81) of Grand Rapids, Mich., won two bronze Telly Awards and four Public Relations Society of America Awards in May for videos she produced as associate vice president for university communications at Grand Valley State University. Victor Wilson (BSW ’82, MEd ’87) of Athens was elected to Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity’s national board of directors in September. Wilson serves as vice president for student affairs at UGA. Christopher Phillips (BSFR ’83, MFR ’85, JD ’88) of Savannah was included in Best Lawyers in America 2016, an annually published list of top-rated lawyers in the U.S. Phillips is an attorney with the HunterMaclean law firm. Douglas Ashworth (AB ’84, JD ’87) of Royston was elected to the executive committee of the Association of Continuing Legal Education Administrators. Ashworth serves as director of programs for the Athens-based Institute of Continuing Legal Education. Thomas Austin Jr. (AB ’84) of Atlanta joined the law firm Berman Fink Van Horn P.C. in September. Austin specializes in bankruptcy, creditors’ rights and collections, as well as other financial law areas. Jeffrey W. Frazier (ABJ ’84, JD ’86) of Atlanta was appointed magistrate judge of Fulton County State and Superior Courts. Rachel Iverson (AB ’84, JD ’87) of Alpharetta merged her eponymous law firm with McManamy McLeod Heller LLC, a professional title and closing firm in Atlanta, where she was also named partner. Mark Murphy (BS ’84) of Savannah was named to the Governor’s Commission on Medical Cannabis. Murphy is a senior partner with the Center for Digestive and Liver Health and assistant professor of internal medicine at Mercer University’s School of Medicine in Savannah.
1985-1989
Robert Cheshire (BSAE ’85) of Register was confirmed as deputy city manager of Statesboro in August after serving as interim city manager for 13 months. Kurt Lawrence (BSAE ’85, MS ’87, PhD ’97) of Bogart was selected as a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in July. He is a supervisory agricultural engineer at the