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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (April 16, 2002) — Milligan College recognized 14 individuals from the Tri-Cities who were selected as regional “Leaders in Christian Service” for 2002. They were honored during a special 11 a.m. convocation service today in Seeger Chapel.
“We hope through this initiative to recognize local business and civic leaders who exemplify Christian servant leadership in their vocations and in the community,” said Milligan President Donald R. Jeanes. “These individuals represent Milligan’s mission of Christian leadership and are excellent examples for our students, alumni and the community.”
Those honored were recognized for their servant leadership and Christian example set through professional, vocational, or volunteer leadership.
Dr. Gene Rudd, associate executive director of Christian Medical and Dental Association, Bristol, was the keynote speaker. Rudd has extensive experience as a director of a maternal-fetal medicine training program and in rural healthcare practice. He has garnered several awards, including the Gorgas Medal, presented by the U.S. government for the most significant achievement in preventive medicine.
Rudd has conducted international programs in Russia, Rwanda, Belarus, Bosnia, Kazakhstan, and India. As spokesperson for CMDA see www.cmdahome.org, an association of doctors and dentists founded in 1931, Rudd hopes to “change the face of healthcare by changing the hearts of doctors.”
“Dr. Rudd knows firsthand how important it is to live out your faith in every aspect of your life, especially in your daily work,” said Jeanes.
The recipients were introduced by Milligan faculty members, who praised their Christian testimonies and encouraged Milligan students to learn from their examples.
The 14 recipients included:
* Barbara Allen, a volunteer who has served at First Christian Church in Johnson City, the Southern Appalachian Ronald McDonald House, and Woodland Elementary School in Johnson City. She has chaired various church committees, been a PTA officer, chaired special events, and teaches in the Junior Achievement program. As fundraising chairman and chairman of the board at the Ronald McDonald House, she coordinated the design, implementation and execution of a campaign which raised $1.4 million to build the House. She was nominated by Lynnis Hornsby, department director at Mountain States Health Alliance.
* Dr. Jim N. Brantner, chairman of the board and chief surgeon at Fresh Start Surgical Gifts, Inc. Brantner was nominated by Lisa Eggers, regional director at Fresh Start, a local non-profit organization Brantner founded to meet the surgery needs of underprivileged children. Through his efforts, 46 children have had reconstructive surgeries to correct physical deformities. Brantner is active at Northpoint Community Church and his family built a missionary apartment in their home to host missionary families on furlough. Since 1998, he has been a board member of the Tennessee Physician’s Research Council sponsored by Focus on the Family and the Family Research Institute.
* Cliff Corker, a general practice attorney, serves on the Tennessee Bar Association Access to Justice Committee and is a Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility Hearing Officer. Corker is a former deacon and teaches a Bible study to young couples at First Baptist Church of Kingsport, teaches Sunday School at a retirement home, and ministers to prisoners at Northeast Correctional Center with Bill Glass Ministries. He has sponsored missionaries to Asia and serves on the board of Second Harvest Food Bank. He was nominated by his wife, Alice K. Corker, also an attorney. “Corker routinely prays for opportunities to share Christ with other lawyers and the forgotten, impoverished prisoners that he frequently defends in court,” announced Mark Peacock, assistant professor of legal studies at Milligan, who introduced Corker at the service.
* Mike Eastridge, an attorney with Eastridge & Edmonds in Johnson City, is a certified mediator and has developed a mediation program in conjunction with the local courts. The program will find ways to make peace between disputing parties while also bringing justice to those who have been harmed in some way. It is targeted to those in the community who are socially at risk because of finances, education, and other related circumstances. Eastridge is on the board of trustees at Munsey United Methodist Church and serves as chairman of the board and has been instrumental in the development and growth of Buffalo Mountain Methodist Camp. He was nominated by his wife, Nancy Eastridge, of Hunter, Smith & Davis.
* David Eunson, a science teacher at Unicoi County High School, spent two years with the U.S. Peace Corp. before joining the Unicoi County High School faculty, where he has taught for 25 years and daily influences students for Christ. In the summer of 2001, Eunson and his two daughters spent three weeks in Ghana with David’s sister, Dorothy, a Milligan alum who has been a missionary for 30 years. Eunson and his family are active members at First Christian Church, Erwin, where he has served on the board and chairman of the missions committee. He was nominated by Eugene Price, retired professor of economics at Milligan.
* Mike Forrester, program director of Coalition for Kids, works with the area’s underprivileged children. With his guidance, the Coalition has grown since 1998 in number and programs, and also in testimonials of lives changed. Forrester is the 2001 recipient of the “Child Advocacy Award” from the Northeast Tennessee Council on Children and Youth and a 2001 Nominee for the State of Tennessee “Jim Pryor Award for Children’s Advocacy.” Forrester attends Poplar Ridge Christian Church and is active in the community. He was nominated by Jeffery Forrester, vice president of InterTechnics, Inc. “Mike has followed the example of Christ and gone into the highways and hedges of the Johnson City community—to the poor, weak, neglected, and needy—and has given them a hope and a remedy for some of the problems they face,” said Dr. Rubye Beck, associate professor of sociology.
* Bill Hawkins, retired chairman and CEO of General Shale, worked for the organization for more than 40 years, during which the company grew from a regional business to an international industry leader. “Hawkins led the company with Christian integrity and principles,” said Dr. Bill Greer, associate professor of economics at Milligan, who introduced Hawkins. He is currently a member of the boards of Mountain States Health Alliance, Med-tech Park, Sequoyah Council of Boy Scouts of America, ETSU Foundation, Advisory Board Bank of America, and the Visiting Committee of the Quillen College of Medicine. Hawkins has served his church, Munsey Memorial United Methodist, as chairman of several boards and as a teacher. Hawkins, who was out of town and unable to attend Tuesday’s service, was nominated by Richard Green, president and CEO, General Shale.
* Don Hill, owner and CEO of Toyota of Kingsport, has owned and/or operated 31 franchises, representing 17 manufacturers. He is active in several auto associations and was named a recipient of the 2002 Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award. “Yet for Don Hill, success in business has never been a primary goal. It has only served as a means by which he might offer service to God through service to his fellow man,” said Greer. Hill has a well-deserved reputation among missionaries on furlough as “the man to see about an automobile.” He is active with the Gideons International, traveling overseas to Africa, Poland, Brazil, and Romania to distribute Scriptures and evangelize. He is a former deacon at Calvary Baptist and has served on several committees for the Southern Baptist Convention. He is currently a trustee of Tennessee Baptist Adult Homes and is active in the community. He was nominated by Frank Crawford, pastor, Calvary Baptist Church.
* Lottie Fields Ryans, director of customer service operations at Sprint, is responsible for directing the engineering, installation and maintenance of outside plant and central office equipment at Sprint. She manages six CSO field teams, representing 790 employees and capital and expense budgets of $74 million. “Her business judgment is beyond reproach and it is evident to all that she lets the Lord guide her daily actions,” said Greer. Ryans is active in the community and is a newly elected School Board Member for Johnson City Schools. Her civic activities include past board member for Frontier Health, March of Dimes, American Lung Association of Tennessee, Volunteer Johnson City, Appalachian Girl Scout Council, and past president of the Junior League of Johnson City. She and her family are active members at Thankful Baptist Church. Ryans was nominated by Rebecca Henderson, president, Mediation Matters, Inc.
* Bobby Snyder has been a teacher and boys’ basketball coach at Daniel Boone High School since 1960. “He has impacted thousands of students by his strong Christian principles both in and out of the classroom,” said Dr. Julia Holmes, professor of education at Milligan. Snyders’ teams have won numerous championships and he has received several honors for his coaching accomplishments. His career now stands at 788 wins, making him the second winningest active coach in Tennessee and earning him statewide recognition and respect. He was inducted into the Northeast Tennessee Hall of Fame and the ETSU Sports Hall of Fame. “Coach Snyder displays genuine humility, accepts honors with grace, and gives credit to God for all his achievements,” continued Holmes. Snyder and his family are life-long members of Oak Grove Baptist Church. Snyder was nominated by James Gilbert Barker, retired, Eastman.
* Joel Stauffer, senior minister of East River Park Christian Church, Elizabethton, has been involved in numerous para-church ministries and organizations throughout his ministry. In 1994 and 2000, he traveled on short-term mission trips to Ghana, West Africa, where he taught at Ghana Christian College, taught in the villages, and helped build the new campus for the college. Stauffer started a chaplaincy program with the Elizabethton Police Department, taking the needed training to become a certified police chaplain, and leading a weekly Bible study for the officers. He also teaches a class on Ethics in Law Enforcement for the police department’s annual in-service and annually attends a conference for police chaplains. He was nominated by Hazel Clemons, retired teacher, Carter County.
* John Vann, has been at Clinical Trial Management Services since 1990, moving from senior vice president to eventually president and CEO in 1999. “He cares deeply for his employees, putting them first in all situations,” reported Dr. Diane Junker, professor of chemistry at Milligan. Vann is an active member of the United Way Board of Directors, serves as an elder at First Presbyterian Church and teaches a Sunday School class for children. “By leading several mission trips to minister to some of the poorest people in Brazil, Vann is leading the way in encouraging other adults to sacrifice a week or two of vacation time to travel to areas of need in the name of Christ,” continued Junker. Vann was nominated by his employees.
* Marcy Walker serves on the Johnson City School Board and coordinates the Growing Healthy Program—a healthcare curriculum used by more than 6,000 students in 28 elementary schools in the region. She also spearheaded the creation of the Spirit Gala Family Carnival to entertain and educate young people in support of The Children’s Hospital at JCMC. More than 300 children and families attended the event in 2002 and helped to raise more than $100,000 for children. She is active with the American Red Cross board of directors, American Heart Association, Kids on the Block puppeteers, and Town Acres Health Station volunteer. She was nominated by Freddie Malone, chair of the Mountain States Health Foundation.
* Kathryn Wilhoit, vice president and chief nursing officer at Mountain States Health Alliance, has worked in nursing for the Johnson City Medical Center since 1981. She is a member of several professional associations for nursing and has served on numerous boards, including the board of directors for Tennessee Association of Nursing Homes and Services for Aged. She is the recipient of the Golden Apple Award from Nursing Education and the Tennessee Hospital Association Meritorious Service Award. She is active in the community, serving on the boards of Asbury Center and the Homeless Clinic in Johnson City. Wilhoit is active at Cherokee United Methodist Church and is a member of the Health and Welfare Committee of the Holston Conference. In 1999, she was presented with the Methodist Women’s Special Mission Recognition. She was nominated by Tom Hornsby of VisionWorks, Inc. Wilhoit was out of town and unable to attend today’s service, but was represented by Laura Sholes, director of patient care services at Johnson City Medical Center.
The college first announced its “Leaders in Christian Service” program in February and requested nominations from the community. Jeanes said more than 30 nominations were received. The college had a group of external evaluators from the community review the nominations and help narrow the field. He said it was a challenging task, as many good nominations were received.
“Entire books have been written about leadership in all of its ramifications. The model for Christian leadership is found in the example of Jesus Christ. Therefore, serving others is inherent in Christian leadership – it’s really about servant leadership,” said Jeanes. “Our call is both to lead and to serve. It is a call that is rooted in the Great Commission. It is also rooted in our charge to be salt and light, wherever we are and whatever our vocation is.”
Milligan will also recognize “Leaders in Christian Service” from the Christian churches / churches of Christ, the church group of which it is affiliated. Those honors will be announced, in partnership with Standard Publishing, at the North American Christian Convention in June in Columbus, Ohio.