Atlanta - The Georgia Technical College Foundation Association (TCFA) recognized its 2008 Benefactor of the Year and Volunteer of the Year award winners during the February meeting of the state board that oversees the Technical College System of Georgia.

The TCFA 2008 Benefactor of the Year, Dr. Robert L. Wright, Jr., was nominated by the Columbus Technical College Foundation.  Dr. Wright’s support of Columbus Tech led him to make a history-making donation in 2008 of over $1 million to the college’s Tomorrow’s Workforce…Today campaign.  His gift paved the way for the groundbreaking of the college’s new, 80,000 square foot Dr. Robert L. Wright, Jr. Health Sciences Center.

The TCFA 2008 Volunteer of the Year, Cathy Harrison, was nominated by the Coosa Valley Technical College Foundation.  Ms. Harrison’s vision, persistence and tenacity encouraged community leaders in Calhoun and Gordon counties to commit to raising $1 million toward building the Gordon County campus of Coosa Valley Technical College.  Ms. Harrison also helped to raise $2.5 million for the college’s Education for Work campaign.

The mission of TCFA is to increase local support for the colleges of the Technical College System of Georgia institutions by increasing the advancement capacity of the colleges’ foundations.  The TCFA’s Benefactor of the Year and Volunteer of the Year awards recognize the outstanding commitments that the recipients made to their respective colleges. 

Dr. Wright and Ms. Harrison both embody the ideals of philanthropy, leadership and volunteerism in their service to their local technical college and to technical education in general.  A $1,000 donation from the TCFA was made in their names to their college foundation. Both also received a Frabel glass sculpture to commemorate their awards.  

Other nominees for the TCFA’s 2008 Benefactor of the Year Award were: the late John F. Collins, Jr. and Ann Felton Collins (North Metro Tech Foundation); Leon Jr. and Vickie Farmer (Athens Tech Foundation); Ronnie Jordan (West Central Tech Foundation); the Raymond King family (Coosa Valley Tech Foundation); Jean Matthews (Ogeechee Tech Foundation); the late Pierce Merry and the Merry Foundation (Augusta Tech Foundation); and Ed Nichols (North Georgia Tech Foundation).  

Other nominees for the TCFA’s 2008 Volunteer of the Year were: Paul Battles (North Metro Tech Foundation); Tommy David (Ogeechee Tech Foundation); Cathy Harrison (Coosa Valley Tech Foundation); Marvin Scobee (North Georgia Tech Foundation); Lewis Vann (Augusta Tech Foundation); and Carol Williams (Athens Tech Foundation).

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