From STAFF REPORTS

AMERICUS — The South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) Board of Directors, SGTC President John Watford, Ed.D., and Technical College Board of Directors Association Executive Director Adie Shimandle paid tribute to retiring SGTC Board member Willie J. Patrick of Crisp County for his service on the SGTC board of directors. The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and the SGTC board of directors presented him with Emeritus Board member status. Less than two percent of the over 1,100 board members from around the state have ever received the Emeritus honor.
Patrick has served on the SGTC board of directors as a representative of Crisp County for 18 years. He was named to the board in 1997, under former SGTC President Jon Johnson. He served three three-year terms before rotating off in 2006. He was reappointed to the board in 2008, and served three additional three-year terms under SGTC Presidents Sparky Reeves and Watford before rotating off in 2017.
In addition to the Emeritus status which provides him with the privilege of attending any board meetings, conferences, and functions of SGTC as well as the Technical College Directors Association, Patrick was also recognized by the local board for his 18-years of service to SGTC. Watford presented him with an acrylic award commending him for his services and leadership.
“On behalf of the Board and everyone at South Georgia Technical College, I would like to thank Willie Patrick for his dedication and outstanding service to the Board of Directors of South Georgia Technical College,” said Watford. “He is an inspiration and one of the college’s biggest supporters. We appreciate all that he does for South Georgia Technical College.”
SGTC board incoming chairman Richard McCorkle echoed Watford’s comments and talked about the influence that Willie Patrick had provided for him personally and professionally during his service to the board. Board Chairman Janet Siders was unable to attend the meeting but was the driving force behind Patrick receiving the emeritus honor.
TCSG Executive Director Adie Shimandle shared with the group that Willie Patrick is the fourth longest serving board member in the system. The board of directors were originally founded in 1986. Patrick has served 18 years out of the 31 years that the boards have been in existence.
Shimandle also thanked Patrick for being a man of “worth.”
“Our boards are filled with people of worth and that is especially true here at South Georgia Tech. Some people have great, expansive wealth, but have little or no worth because they have done little to nothing in their lives to help others. That is not the case for Mr. Patrick. He is a man of great wealth. For every student he spoke to about attending South Georgia Tech, he helped change their lives. For every organization he told about the purpose of South Georgia Tech, he changed minds and for every adult he encouraged to take a second chance on themselves and get their GED, he changed a family or two. Willie Patrick is a man of extraordinary worth and I am pleased to have been able to work with him,” said Shimandle.
Patrick and his wife, Dorothy, were both present at the meeting. He was born in Pinehurst, Georgia, and has four children, Denise, Leonard, Dedria, and Adrian. He retired from the Warner Robins Air Force Base after 36 years and is the owner of South Georgia News, a monthly newspaper in Cordele. He also serves on the SGTC Foundation Board of Trustees.
The local board of directors of individual colleges were created by Georgia State Statute to assist the Technical College System of Georgia State Board in carrying out its mission. The primary purpose of the local board and its members is to: 1.) advise on program direction via their personal subject matter expertise and awareness of area business needs for program decisions and priorities; serve as a check and balance for the development and implementation of college goals and objectives as well as operations policies and procedures; and 3.) advocate within the community and in the state legislature on issues of importance in support of the technical college system and Georgia’s workforce development efforts.
The board is made up of community leaders representing the SGTC service delivery area, which includes Sumter, Schley, Crisp, Macon, Marion and Webster counties.
The other members of the SGTC board of directors include: Janet Siders, George Bryce, and James E. Morris of Americus, Jake Everett of Webster County, and Jimmy Davis from Macon County.