2018 Gold & White Honors Gala
2018 Honorees
For more than 125 years, Georgia Tech has educated, fostered and empowered some of the most influential people in the United States and the world at large. Not only are they engineers and designers, but they are also pioneers in business and technology and leaders in government and education.
The Alumni Association has been proud to formally recognize the many Yellow Jackets who have distinguished themselves through outstanding achievements in their fields and generous contributions to society since 1934. That year, L.W. “Chip” Robert Jr., CE 1908—for whom the Alumni House is named—was bestowed the very first alumni award for his success in industry and public service, which included helping to run U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1933 to 1936.
Now officially called the Gold & White Honors, these awards recognize career accomplishments, service to society, dedication to their communities and generosity to Tech. Let’s introduce you to the next eight Yellow Jackets we’ve singled out for their successes and whom will be honored this January at the 2018 Gold & White Honors Gala in Atlanta.
FRANCIS LOTT, TECH 58, ARCH 59
CEO OF LOTT PROPERTIES INC.
Dean Griffin Community Service Award: Recognizes alumni who have performed exemplary community service in the following ways: service in a long-term volunteer capacity, impact on the quality of life of others, leadership and creativity in dealing with societal problems, and ability to serve as a source of inspiration for others.
After graduating from Georgia Tech, Lott served five years as an officer in the United States Air Force before returning to his hometown of Douglas, Ga. (in Coffee County), and joining the family-owned Lott Builders Supply Co. In 1981, he founded Lott Properties Inc. and led his family’s diversification into real estate development, which grew rapidly.
Lott was a founding board member of the highly successful Douglas National Bank, served for 22 years on the Georgia Chamber of Commerce board and currently serves on the Community Foundation of Coffee County and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Foundation boards. He is a two-time recipient of the Georgia Economic Developers Association’s “Volunteer of the Year” award, tirelessly volunteering his time and money to drive economic growth in Coffee County. He created a local development fund with a $1,000,000 endowment and gifted a prominent building in downtown Douglas to headquarter its Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Authority.
In 2015, Lott and his wife, Diane, endowed $500,000 to the G. Wayne Clough Georgia Tech Promise Scholarship program to help provide a debt-free education for students, particularly those in Coffee County, who could not afford Tech. He’s a true ambassador of the Institute and a champion of higher education.
ANNE M. WALKER, IE 02
VICE PRESIDENT OF OTC MERCHANDISING FOR WALMART
Outstanding Young Alumni: The award is given to young Georgia Tech alumni—those who have not reached their 40th birthday by the date of the awards gala—who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to Tech, the Alumni Association, the community and their profession.
Walker is nothing less than a star at the world’s largest retailer. She joined Walmart in 2002 after “getting out” of Tech with a degree in industrial and systems engineering. She advanced rapidly within the company, graduating from the Walmart Leadership Academy and becoming a vice president at Walmart Stores in 2012. Since 2015, Walker has served as vice president of the retailer’s over-the-counter pharmaceutical and sales merchandising operations. In 2016 and 2017, she was named one of Mass Market Retailing’s “Most Influential Women.”
Despite moving a few states away, she’s remained actively involved with Georgia Tech and is a past president and treasurer of the Northwest Arkansas Alumni Club. She’s also been a member of Tech’s ISyE Advisory Board and received Tech’s Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni Award in 2017. Walker lives with her husband, Jacob, and two young children in Fayetteville, Ark.
CAREY BROWN, IE 69
FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL OF THE BENEFIT COMPANY
Joseph Mayo Pettit Distinguished Service Award: The highest award conferred by the Alumni Association, honoring alumni who have provided outstanding support for the Institute and Alumni Association throughout a lifetime and who have provided leadership in their chosen professions and local communities.
Few alumni have given so much of themselves to Georgia Tech—both as a student and alumnus—as Carey Brown. While at Tech, he served as president of the Student Government Association (SGA), the Ramblin’ Reck Club, ANAK Society and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, as well as chair of the Alexander-Tharpe Fund. After graduating, Brown participated on the ISyE Advisory and Georgia Tech Athletic Association boards, and served three, three-year terms as a board member of the Alumni Association.
He’s given back plenty to his community, too, by serving on the boards of the Tommy Nobis Center, Buckhead Rotary Club, Literacy Action, Georgia State Golf Association, and the Cherokee Art Endowment Trust, among others. Brown and his wife, Sally, had three children: Natalie, who graduated from the College of Charleston, as well as Brent, IM 96, and Tyler, IM 01, HTS 01. During his service as a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army Airborne Rangers, Tyler was killed in action in Iraq in 2004. Like his father, Tyler was a student president of the SGA and they both received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the Alumni Association. Carey, Sally and numerous Tech friends created an endowed scholarship in Tyler’s name which is given each year to an outstanding graduate of the Woodward Academy who will attend Tech the succeeding fall.
MARC DASH, AE 66, MS AE 68
RETIRED PARTNER & ADVISORY DIRECTOR FOR GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
Joseph Mayo Pettit Distinguished Service Award: The highest award conferred by the Alumni Association, honoring alumni who have provided outstanding support for the Institute and Alumni Association throughout a lifetime and who have provided leadership in their chosen professions and local communities.
Dash started his career as a co-op at NASA during the height of the Apollo missions, but his true calling turned out to be business. While at Tech, he was heavily involved in student government, ultimately elected president of the Graduate Student Senate, and worked to integrate the undergraduate and graduate student governments. He was the first graduate student elected to ANAK.
Dash and fellow Gold & White honoree Carey Brown, helped develop a plan to build a student rec facility that eventually became today’s Campus Recreation Center. This experience led Dash to Harvard, where he earned his MBA, and then embarked on a long career with Goldman Sachs on Wall Street. He retired as a partner and joined the faculty at Tech where he taught in the Scheller College of Business.
His service to the Institute is extensive, including 22 years as a trustee of the Georgia Tech Foundation, and positions such as founding chair of the College of Engineering Advisory Board and member of the Campaign Steering Committee. He has been extensively involved in philanthropy, and with his wife, Patty, created the Dash Family Foundation. They have two sons, one of whom, Eliot, earned his MBA from Tech in 2014.
JIM LIENTZ, IM 65
PARTNER WITH SAFE HARBOR CONSULTING LLC
Joseph Mayo Pettit Distinguished Service Award: The highest award conferred by the Alumni Association, honoring alumni who have provided outstanding support for the Institute and Alumni Association throughout a lifetime and who have provided leadership in their chosen professions and local communities.
After "getting out of Tech" in 1965, Lientz served two years as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He joined the Citizens and Southern National Bank in 1968, and worked with the bank and its successor, Bank of America for 35 years. In 2001, he retired as president of Bank of America’s Mid South Banking Group. Following this first retirement, Lientz was named the first-ever chief operating officer for the state of Georgia in 2002. In this role, he held responsibility for all operating units of the state government and led a cultural change to become more result-oriented, accountable and customer-focused. He retired again in 2010 only to become a partner with Safe Harbor Consulting, where he coaches senior executives toward higher levels of leadership and accomplishment.
After "getting out of Tech" in 1965, Lientz served two years as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He joined the Citizens and Southern National Bank in 1968, and worked with the bank and its successor, Bank of America for 35 years. In 2001, he retired as president of Bank of America’s Mid South Banking Group. Following this first retirement, Lientz was named the first-ever chief operating officer for the state of Georgia in 2002. In this role, he held responsibility for all operating units of the state government and led a cultural change to become more result-oriented, accountable and customer-focused. He retired again in 2010 only to become a partner with Safe Harbor Consulting, where he coaches senior executives toward higher levels of leadership and accomplishment.
Throughout his career, Lientz has served as a director on numerous corporate boards and civic organizations. He served as chair of both the Atlanta Metro and Georgia chambers of commerce, and for 12 years as vice chair of the Georgia Ports Authority. Lientz is an emeritus member of the Georgia Tech Foundation and former chair. He received the Dean Griffin Community Service Award in 2007 from the Alumni Association. Lientz and his wife, Peggy, reside in Atlanta and have three daughters and 10 grandchildren.
BILL TODD, IM 71
PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE FOR GEORGIA TECH’S SCHELLER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Joseph Mayo Pettit Distinguished Service Award: The highest award conferred by the Alumni Association, honoring alumni who have provided outstanding support for the Institute and Alumni Association throughout a lifetime and who have provided leadership in their chosen professions and local communities.
Todd ranks among the top faculty members at Georgia Tech—winning acclaim for his teaching in both the Scheller College of Business and Institute-wide, as well as the deep admiration of his students. He returned to his alma mater in 2011 to share the expertise he gained in the healthcare and technology management industries over his 40-year career, the last eight of which he served as president-CEO of the Georgia Cancer Coalition. He was also the founding president of the Georgia Research Alliance, where he played an instrumental part in fostering innovation in science, medicine and technology throughout the state.
Todd is an emeritus board member of the Georgia Tech Foundation, past chair of the Alumni Association, and a former member of numerous other boards and programs across the Institute. He’s a past recipient of the Dean Griffin Community Service Award, and was named to Georgia Trend’s “100 Most Powerful and Influential People in Georgia” list for seven years in a row.
BRUCE HEPPLER
GEORGIA TECH MEN’S GOLF HEAD COACH
The Honorary Alumni Award: This award bestows a long-due honorary degree to those who didn’t earn a degree at Georgia Tech but have devoted themselves to the greater good of the Institute.
Unequivocally ranking as one of the top collegiate golf coaches in the nation, Heppler is now in his 23rd year as head coach of the men’s golf team. He’s led the Yellow Jackets to 11 Atlantic Coast Conference championships, including eight in the past 12 years, 16 trips to the NCAA Finals and four trips to match play in the NCAA Championships over the last eight years. Heppler has been named the ACC Coach of the Year a whopping eight times.
Eleven of his former student-athletes are currently active members of the PGA or Web.com tours, and many other graduates have their eyes on the top levels of pro golf. What’s even more impressive is that Heppler has also coached his players to a perfect APR score—which measures academic eligibility, graduation and retention—12 years in a row. Though he may be an alumnus of Brigham Young University, Heppler has proved that he’s a Ramblin’ Wreck through and through.
STEVE SWANT
GEORGIA TECH EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE
The Honorary Alumni Award: This award bestows a long-due honorary degree to those who didn’t earn a degree at Georgia Tech but have devoted themselves to the greater good of the Institute.
Swant joined Georgia Tech in 1996, and has served as the chief business and financial officer of the Institute, overseeing all administrative, facility and budget activities since 2008. He has played an invaluable role in Tech’s rise to being ranked among the best universities in the world and has an impeccable record of shrewd decision making when it comes to strategic planning, capital budgeting, facilities management and campus operations.
Swant joined Georgia Tech in 1996, and has served as the chief business and financial officer of the Institute, overseeing all administrative, facility and budget activities since 2008. He has played an invaluable role in Tech’s rise to being ranked among the best universities in the world and has an impeccable record of shrewd decision making when it comes to strategic planning, capital budgeting, facilities management and campus operations.
He has long been a champion of sustainability at the Institute, helping to position Tech as a national leader in environmental, social and fiscal endeavors. Engineering News-Record named Swant one of its “Top 25 Newsmakers of 2014” for his leadership in sustainability. He’s made many other contributions to Tech, serving on the boards for the Athletic Association, the Alexander-Tharpe Fund, the Georgia Tech Foundation, the Georgia Tech Applied Research Corporation, GT Facilities Inc. and Georgia Advance Technology Ventures Inc.