Back to News 
MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (Apr, 2004) — The man who helped introduce cell phone technology to South Africa will be the keynote speaker at Milligan’s commencement ceremony next Sunday, May 9, at 2 p.m. in Seeger Memorial Chapel.
Dr. John Temple, a native of South Africa and a successful businessman responsible for the establishment and growth of numerous international companies, is currently chairman of Saratoga Software, parent company of Saratoga Technologies Inc. of Johnson City, Tenn. A Christian who has established several schools and churches in South Africa, Temple also supports Christian training needs and promotes the distribution of Christian literature in Southern Africa.
In 1993, Temple was advisor to the South African Cabinet on the introduction of cellular telephones. He has been described as a businessman who is particularly keen on strategic, financial and marketing aspects of business. Most of his career has been spent in international companies or building a multinational business in Southeast Asia.
Temple holds a Ph.D. in electronic engineering from London University and later earned an MBA. His career started in 1963 with steel producer Iscor, where he rose through various engineering executive ranks. He has since served as CEO of McKechnie Brothers, the largest nonferrous metal producer in South Africa; Almex, a subsidiary of Metal Box South Africa; and most recently at Plessey South Africa.
Temple, who now lives in England and shares his time between the UK, USA and South Africa, retired in 1998 as chief executive of Plessey. During his tenure the company grew 20-fold from a small subsidiary of a British company to a significant multinational electronics company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. During his tenure there, Temple led the establishment of Plessey’s overseas interests, notably operations in Malaysia and Australia.
Since his retirement as CEO of Plessey, he has served as chairman of several Plessey subsidiaries, including Tellumat and PlesTel. He continues as a director of numerous other companies, including chairman of Saratoga Software and Synergy Computing, a business intelligence software company.
Throughout his career, Temple has served on numerous industry associations and was founder and president of both the Aerospace Industries Association and the Arms Industry Association. In 1988, he was voted “Computer man of the year for the Western Cape.” From 1990 to 1994 he served on the State President’s Advisory Council on Science and Technology.
Temple has also been an active proponent for higher education throughout his life. In addition to teaching at various institutions in both London and South Africa, he has served on the Council of the Peninsula Technicon and given numerous addresses and papers at technical conferences and universities in South Africa. He also helped establish four schools and three churches.
Baccalaureate
Milligan’s 10 a.m. baccalaureate address will be presented by Cam Huxford, III, senior pastor of Savannah Christian Church, Savannah, Ga., and father of Cam Huxford, IV, a member of this year’s graduating class. Mr. Huxford is a graduate of Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City and serves on the boards of Christian Standard Publishing Committee, Atlanta Christian College, and Church Planting Ventures. He is a popular speaker for men’s retreats, ministers’ conferences, church leadership and growth conferences, and marriage seminars across the United States.
Class of 2004
The graduates of the class of 2004 include 33 bachelor of arts (B.A.), 77 bachelor of science (B.S.), 11 bachelor of science in nursing (B.S.N.), two master of education (M.Ed.), and three master of science in occupational therapy (MSOT). Top majors of study for the class of 2004 include business administration, communications, biology, nursing and psychology.
Twenty-one members of the Class of 2004 have already been accepted to graduate schools, including Mercer University’s Southern School of Pharmacy, the University of Texas-Austin, the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Duke Divinity School, Towson University, Eastern Kentucky University, and the University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences.
Due to limited seating, a ticket is required for entry to the main level and balcony of Seeger Chapel for the 2 p.m. commencement ceremony. General seating will be available in Lower Seeger where live viewing will be provided via video projection. The main level and balcony will be open for general seating at 1:45 p.m. Tickets are not required for the 10 a.m. baccalaureate service.
The weekend’s activities also include a pinning ceremony for the bachelor of science in nursing graduates on Saturday, May 8, at 4 p.m. at Hopwood Memorial Christian Church. The annual senior program will be at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday in Seeger Chapel. A complete schedule of graduation weekend activities is available online at www.milligan.edu or by calling 423.461.8415.
GRADUATES
BACHELOR of ARTS: John Anliker, cum laude; Darrell Asche, Amanda Aubrey, magna cum laude; Ross Bader; Shelby Banion; Amanda Black; Thomas Davis, III;Nicholas DeGroot, magna cum laude; Michele Dietz, cum laude; Damon Edwards;Aaron Fusselman; Mary Helms; Jara Henderson; Bradford Hitch, cum laude; Robin Holtman, magna cum laude; Adah Hutchcraft; Thomas Huxford, IV; Dimitri Jansen;Erin LaVallee, Rachel Ledbetter; Allison Conner Marino, cum laude; Michelle Moore;Amber Neill, magna cum laude; Carol Oaks; Jamie Osborne, cum laude; Grete Riggs, magna cum laude; Aaron Scott; Rachel Snepp; Andrew Spayde; Eric Starr, magna cum laude; Sara Wallingford, cum laude; Paige Wassel, summa cum laude
BACHELOR of SCIENCE: Kaitlyn Anderson, cum laude; Stephanie Baldwin, magna cum laude; Amy Barnett; Rachael Bloch; Charlotte Bowers; Alyson Bowman; Leslie Bresnock, cum laude; Phillip Brock; Lisa Buckley; Theresa Butler; Joshua J. Callaway; Adam Campbell; Jaime Carn; Jessica Carter; Lindsey Carver, magna cum laude; Russell Cassens; Michael Caudill, Jr.; Joyce Clark; MeLissa Crockett, magna cum laude; Janae Davenport; Kurtis Davis, cum laude; Anthony Dunning; Cara Estep, cum laude; Tracy Fleenor, magna cum laude; Stacy Flynn; Junia Gindlesperger;Amanda Greene; David Guyer, cum laude; Paul Hobbs; Wesley Holly, Jr.; Terrance Holtman, Jr., cum laude; Nicole Jessen; James Johnson; Laura Jones, magna cum laude; Samuel Kariuki; Andrew King, cum laude; Mitchell Kohlmann; Katie Lorencen, magna cum laude; Stephanie Lyons, cum laude; Melodee Maas; Richard Markland;Sarah Martin, cum laude; Sarah Mason; Katie Massey; Bethany Mayes, magna cum laude; Keely McInturf; Cristine McMahan; Heather McMullen; Kristina McNeely; Mary Meek; Jessica Miller; Meggan Musaus, cum laude; Shane Oakleaf, cum laude; Myra O’Dell, magna cum laude; Brian Okumu; Rachel Peterson; Bobby Quillen; Roy Richmond, Jr.; Jennifer Sharpe; Sarah Smith; Shannon Smith; Todd Speas; Bianca Spoto; Anthony Stanton; Ellen Stoots; Angela Swaim; Derek Thomas; Ann Tipton, magna cum laude; Steven Tolley; Samantha Van Duyn; Cheryl Vandergriff, summa cum laude; Amy Vincent, cum laude; Victoria Watts, cum laude; Rachel Webb; Stresa White, summa cum laude; Brian M. Worstell, cum laude; Evan Young
BACHELOR of SCIENCE in NURSING: Andrea Henriott Breece; Misty Byrd; Anita Cannon, cum laude; Vera Conkin; Jessica Hauck; Kristina Kayser, cum laude; Megan Money; Katherine Nice; Rachel Pratt, cum laude; Carissa Rogers; Hannah Stout
MASTER of EDUCATION: Cathy Trapp, John Wright, Jr.
MASTER of SCIENCE in OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: Brenda Sells Deyton, Nomita Hybels, Susie Wright