CLASSNOTES Grange and Terry inducted into Army ROTC Hall of Fame Two retired generals who are UNG alumni are among the 2021 Army ROTC Hall of Fame inductees. Retired Brig. Gen. David Grange, ’69, and retired Lt. Gen. James Terry, ’78, both pointed to their time at UNG as the foundation for their long and decorated Army careers. Each commissioned into the Army’s infantry Retired Brig. Gen. David Grange branch from UNG. “You learn how to lead when you’re in the Corps of Cadets,” Terry said. “You can’t help but do so. That set me on the course I’m on today.” Grange, who served in Vietnam, said his time in Dahlonega reaped tangible benefits for his soldiers in Retired Lt. Gen. James Terry the midst of war. “In Vietnam, what I learned at UNG helped keep me and my soldiers alive,” Grange said. The ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 2016 as part of the ROTC Centennial celebration. The Hall of Fame honors graduates of Army ROTC who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. UNG now has six inductees, including retired Lt. Gen. Burton Patrick, ’57, Mr. Bob Mathews, ’71, retired Maj. Gen. Alan “Bud” Thrasher, ’72, and retired Col. James “Tom” Palmer, ’73.
1980s Mark Landon, ’86, was appointed deputy director of the Office of Professional Development for the Georgia Department of Corrections. He began his career with the department as a public safety training manager in 2015. Joey Pirkle, ’86, retired from the Forsyth County School System after 35 years. He started teaching at Orwell Middle School in Cumming, Georgia, in 1986 after earning his education degree from UNG.
1990s Charity Clark, ’98, was appointed director of the Personnel Services Department for Forsyth County. Previously, she served as the risk and safety manager and was named Risk Professional of the Year in 2018 by the Georgia Public Risk Management Association.
2000s Robert Fowler, ’03, was presented with the Guardian of Ethics award by the Gainesville Rotary Club. He also was named Man of the Year. Fowler is CEO of Turner Wood & Smith Insurance and currently serves as chair of the North Georgia Community Foundation. Jason Brock, ’07, was named the director of school improvement and data analytics for Floyd County Schools. He previously worked in school systems in Whitfield and Gordon counties. Allison Grubbs, 07, was named the new director of the Broward (Florida) County Library. She had served as the interim director since February 2021. Prior to that, Grubbs had been the assistant division director since joining the library in 2019.
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