ALUMNI PROFILE
Getting his “kid fix” Mike Hackett is making a difference in the lives of Athens’ children by Denise Horton There was a time when Mike Hackett (BSHE ’81) was rising through the executive ranks of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. As chief professional officer for the organization’s Jacksonville, Fla., location, he oversaw a $3-million budget for 14 different clubs. He wore a coat and tie each day to his downtown office building instead of heading out to the front lines. “I was managing 300 employees, but I only knew maybe a dozen by name,” he recalls. ROBERT NEWCOMB When the opportunity came in 2003 to head the Boys and Girls Club of Athens, which has a far smaller Mike Hackett works with (left to right) Ontario Wilson, Keymari Baughens and Zakiyaa Lunpkin. budget and only eight full-time employees, Hackett jumped at the chance. He has been in Athens ever since, overseeing three clubs in town plus several in Barrow and Elbert counties. 1975-1979 As a college student, Hackett started off as a general arts and sciences Michael Simpson (ABJ ’75) produced major and spent some time as a speech communication major. By the time the 2009 Academy-Award winning movie he was a junior, Hackett was coordinating the Big Brother/Big Sister program Crazy Heart. Dewey N. Hayes Jr. (AB for the university—arranging for his fellow students to mentor underprivileged ’76) is one of the Top 100 Trial Lawchildren in Athens-Clarke County—which prompted him to transfer into child yers in Georgia, according to American development. Trial Lawyers Association. James W. Following graduation, Hackett worked as a counselor at a residential treatBarge (BBA ’78) is the chief financial ment center for adolescents. officer of Viacom Inc. Martha Weldon “After three years in that field, it was apparent that it was a mismatch for Pirkle (BSHE ’78) is a senior director me,” he says. “We were trying to repair kids after the damage was done rather of development and college relations for than doing things when there are still other paths they can choose. I realized LaGrange College. John K. Cline (ABJ that I wanted to find something in the preventive field.” ’79) is CEO of unithink NV, a company specializing in eClinical software and When he arrived in Athens he was based at a club that didn’t have a swimtechniques. ming pool, was in dire need of upgrading and wasn’t located near the children who attended. Within a year, he was engrossed in the details of raising money 1980-1984 for a new club. The final result is a $4.6-million building that features top-ofKen Couture (BSA ’80) is president-elect the-line equipment, the capability to reconfigure space on a moment’s notice, of the National Association of Agriculture and a look designed to appeal to the children who attend the club daily. Educators. He is an agricultural educaHe is also involved in the redevelopment of a second, smaller club in tion teacher at Killingly High School. Athens that will occupy a building that once housed Athens’ African-American Mark Esoda (BS ’81) was inducted into high school. the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. Esoda Although much of his focus is on the day-to-day operations of a millionis a certified golf course superintendent dollar business, Hackett has not lost his passion for child development. and nationally recognized expert in “I have to get my kid fix,” he says, smiling as he walks through the golf course maintenance practices and building. “If one of our counselors isn’t able to work, I’ll jump in and help the procedures. David Gammon (BSPh ’81) middle-schoolers during homework time. During the summer, I’ll take a couple is working as a part-time clinical oncolof the kids to lunch just so I can listen to them. That’s one of the things we ogy pharmacy specialist at Woman and don’t do a good enough job of—talking to kids.” Infants’ Hospital in Providence, R.I. He is also consulting for OncologyPharmacist. —Denise Horton is the director of communications for the net and Waste Management/PharmE College of Family and Consumer Sciences. cology. Robert J. Gibson (AB ’81) was
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