Thomas M. “Tommy” Holder, IM 79
Visionary Business Leader
Joseph Mayo Pettit Distinguished Service Award
Tommy Holder’s favorite memory from Tech was graduation day because he “got out.” Part of the “look to your left, look to your right” generation of Yellow Jackets, Holder never expected to be the one still there come graduation. But he persevered, found lifelong friends in Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and ultimately earned his degree. “There wasn’t anything I was afraid to take on after I got through Tech,” he says.
That mindset served him well in his career, where he became a leader in the construction industry and grew Holder Construction into a premier contractor with over $8 billion in annual revenue. Under his leadership, the company has transformed Atlanta’s skyline with projects from the expansion of the Georgia World Congress Center and the headquarters of Norfolk Southern to Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the International Terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport.
Holder joined the company, started by his father, when he was at Tech in 1976. He rose through the ranks to become president and CEO in 1989, was named chairman and CEO in 1997, and has continued as chairman since 2021.
Philanthropy is one of his fundamental values. “With success comes the responsibility to pay back and invest in your community,” he says.
A dedicated alumnus, Holder has given back generously to his alma mater both with philanthropic support and leadership. He is past chair of the Georgia Tech Foundation and serves on the Scheller College of Business Advisory Board and the Campaign Steering Committee for Transforming Tomorrow, the Campaign for Georgia Tech. He has served on the Building Construction Advisory Board and the Alexander-Tharpe Board. His leadership extends to several community and nonprofit organizations, including serving as chair of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Board, and as a member of the Westside Future Fund, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Research Alliance.
In 2014, the Alumni Association recognized him with the Dean Griffin Community Service Award. In 2025, he received the prestigious Four Pillar Tribute Award for his contributions to Atlanta.
“I didn’t get here by myself. Georgia Tech prepared me for life,” Holder says.
Miller Templeton, Phys 61, MS ANS 63
Assistant Dean and Beloved Tech Mentor
John B. Carter, Jr. Spirit of Georgia Tech Award
Helping people live richer, fuller lives has always been Miller Templeton’s mission. Templeton once envisioned becoming a minister. But when Georgia Tech entered the picture, his directionshifted.
What began as a quest for a degree became 60 years of devotion to the Institute: 10 as a student, 30 as an employee, and 20 as a volunteer. As a student, Templeton joined Tau Kappa Epsilon (with John B. Carter, Jr., IE 69, who this award is named after), Omicron Delta Kappa, and Outdoor Recreation Georgia Tech (ORGT). He served as a resident assistant and was part of the ANAK Society, which wasn’t a secret then. “You’d get a ticket to a basketball game for a specific seat. At halftime, the lights dimmed, and members in black robes tapped you in. It was an honor.”
As assistant dean of students and international student advisor, he revitalized ORGT into the Southeast’s premier collegiate outdoor program. He founded the Oxford Program in the early 1990s and launched the Pacific Program in Australia and New Zealand, opening global doors for generations of students. He delivered health lectures to hundreds and developed a popular talk on the traits of happy people—shared for nearly a decade. Before retiring in 1998, he directed the Office of International Education and even helped manage campus housing.
Beyond campus, Templeton became the beloved landlord at 469 10th Street. For 30 of the 43 years he owned the house, he rented it to Yellow Jackets—hosting an estimated 200 tenants and engaging with nearly all of them.
Templeton credits his life’s work to Georgia Tech. Receiving the John B. Carter, Jr. Spirit of Georgia Tech Award affirms his lifelong mission: helping people achieve a higher quality of life. “Georgia Tech gave me that opportunity,” he says.
Admiral James A. “Sandy” Winnefeld Jr., AE 78
Military Leader, Professor, and Published Author
Dean Griffin Community Service Award
Admiral James A. “Sandy” Winnefeld Jr., AE 78, credits Georgia Tech for giving him an unfair advantage that he leverages every single day. “I’ve used the technical, problem-solving, and leadership skills Tech gave me at every level of my military service and afterwards in the business world,” he says.
Winnefeld came to Tech knowing very little about the Institute or Atlanta. “I couldn’t understand why everyone had ‘To Hell With Georgia’ bumper stickers on their cars,” he reminisces. Yet, the academic rigor he experienced and the community he gained have shaped his entire life. As a student, Winnefeld bonded with fellow Yellow Jackets in his fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha, the ROTC unit, and his “small but mighty” class of other Aerospace Engineering students.
When he graduated, Winnefeld received his commission, which began his 37-year career in the U.S. Navy. In nearly four decades of service, Winnefeld rose through the ranks, became a four-star admiral, and went on to serve as the ninth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff—the second-highest-ranking military officer in the nation. His service often included leadership roles that shaped national security.
Winnefeld flew the F-14 Tomcat, served as an instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School, commanded the USS Cleveland, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, and the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group. He also commanded the NATO Joint Command Lisbon, the United States 6th Fleet, and the North American Aerospace Defense Command. In 2022, Winnefeld was appointed chair of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board.
Despite a busy career, Winnefeld remains connected to campus. He is also a Distinguished Professor of the Practice in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs. He’s a published author and podcast host, too. Winnefeld’s memoir Sailing Upwind: Leadership and Risk from TopGun to the Situation Room details his experience as an F-14 pilot. The Adrenaline Zone, the podcast Winnefeld co-hosts with alumna astronaut Sandra Mangus, PhD CerE 96, explores the lives of people who seek out challenges most would avoid. He also co-founded Atlanta-based Rule 1 Ventures Fund II, which focuses on early stage defense technology.
Winnefeld has received countless awards, including the Defense Distinguished Service medal, Defense Superior Service medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service medal, Engineering Hall of Fame, Air medal, and five Battle Efficiency awards.
“I simply could not have succeeded without Georgia Tech. Why not give back to the amazing institute that did so much to mature and train me? It’s a no-brainer.”
“I’m deeply honored that my alma mater would recognize anything I did. [Service] is part and parcel of who we are, and perhaps, the award will inspire others to find a way to serve.”
Rani Tilva, BA 18
Trailblazing Strategist, Leader, and Alumni Connector
Outstanding Young Alumni
Never settle—that mindset has propelled Rani Tilva, BA 18, from her Student Alumni Association days to her leadership as president of the Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Advisory Council and her current role as director of Talent Management at The Coca-Cola Company.
While late-night dorm decorating sessions and homecoming wins are some of her fondest memories, her alumna experience shaped her even more. Through GOLD, the Alumni Association Board of Trustees, and countless GT-logo-inspired encounters, Tilva has met more Ramblin’ Wrecks than ever. Tech didn’t just provide her with an education—it gave her a lifelong community.
At Coca-Cola, Tilva drives talent strategy for six functions and 900 associates, leads three key talent processes annually, and has deployed digital tools that cut process time by 50%, empowering leaders to make data-driven decisions. Though her dynamic resourcing models earned a Brandon Hall Group HCM Innovation Award, her proudest achievement is leading the Coca-Cola Georgia Tech Alumni Corporate Network. Known as the “GT Connector,” she has orchestrated over 40 programs, including career panels, office tours, and a scholarship fund, all with the goal of connecting alumni, students, and campus partners.
Tilva’s also a “connector” on campus. She leads a group of 28 alumni volunteers and is actively involved in the Alumni Association’s strategic plans to increase initiatives and engagement among recent graduates.
Receiving the Outstanding Young Alumni distinction is a full circle moment. Years ago, as a student leader, Tilva introduced the recipient of this exact recognition. That night planted a seed in her mind: I could do that, too. Now, she has.
“Success isn’t a finish line—it's something you define for yourself. This award tells me I’ve left a mark on Georgia Tech and reminds me that there’s more work ahead.”
Chris Hall
Restauranteur, Champion of Tech
Honorary Alumnus
Chris Hall, partner and “chief raconteur” of Unsukay Restaurants, is known for his big personality, but even more so for his big heart.
As he and his cofounders have grown Unsukay Restaurants’ impressive portfolio—which includes an array of iconic restaurants around Atlanta, such as Muss & Turner’s, Eleanor’s, Local Three, Warhorse Investments, and Roshambo—they’ve always looked to pay it forward.
Hall is the cofounder and vice chairman of the Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit that he and his partners founded in 2013 that has changed the lives of more than 35,000 food service workers in crises and provided more than $16 million in financial assistance. In 2016, Hall was named a Cornerstone Humanitarian by the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation, and in 2019, the Giving Kitchen received the prestigious James Beard Humanitarian of the Year Award. Hall has devoted his talents and resources to dozens of community causes—too many to list—helping to raise significant support for each. He has served as a longtime board member of Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, and in 2022, the organization recognized his service and generosity at the Hearts and Hands Gala.
Hall’s drive to uplift those around him and his ability to show up for those in need extends to Georgia Tech, where his connections run deep. Not only did his mother, Barbara Fisher Hall, work at Tech for 20 years; his brother and sister-in-law are both Tech alumni; and so is his wife, Julie. Before proposing, Hall even asked for her father’s blessing while the two stepped out for a break during her Tech graduation.
“I have met so many amazing people who went to Tech or are associated with Tech who have had a profound impact on my life,” Hall says. “Watching the philanthropy of Jimmy and Helen Carlos change Atlanta, learning about life and how to live it from Walt Ehmer, and seeing stewardship in action through John Carter have changed the way I think about the world.”
When it comes to supporting the Georgia Tech community, Hall is always the first to say yes. His live auction “Waffle Horse” has brought in more than $120,000 for student programs, and he’s hosted many Tech events over the years at his restaurants. He is as much a champion of Georgia Tech as any Yellow Jacket. Before opening Local Three, he even ran a Georgia Tech football blog called “Barrel of Rum.” And he upholds a strict “No Barking” rule in his Warhorse dining club restaurant.
When he reflects on the impact that Tech has had on his life, it always comes back to the people. From tailgates and trips around the country to see the Yellow Jackets play to eating French toast at Junior’s and receiving advice from Tech entrepreneurs, Hall says it’s the people who have made the most difference.
“Tech has enriched my life beyond measure.”
Photography by Kaylinn Gilstrap