Back to News 
Milligan College, Tenn. (Oct. 24, 2007) – Milligan College will honor several alumni at its annual Celebrate Milligan Awards Dinner this Friday, Oct. 26, at 6:30 p.m. in McCormick Dining Center. The dinner is part of the college’s Homecoming weekend festivities.
Congressman David Davis (’91), of Johnson City, Tenn., will be named the 2007Distinguished Alumnus in recognition of a lifetime of committed Christian service and professional accomplishments. Raised in Limestone Cove, Tenn., Davis worked as a respiratory therapist before starting his own business, Advanced Homecare, which earned national recognition for patient care. After selling that business in the early 1990s, Davis started another healthcare company, Shared Health Services, where he continues to serve as president. In 2006 Davis was elected to the 110 th Congress to his first term as the representative of the First Congressional District in Tennessee. Davis is a member of the Small Business Committee, Education and Labor Committee, Homeland Security Committee and the Republican House Policy Committee. He is a member of Central Baptist Church in Johnson City, Tenn.
Dr. Jim and Ivy Rice will receive the George W. Hardin “Spirit of Milligan” Award to honor the example they have set in service to others and to Milligan. The Rices are founding members of Dutch Fork Christian Church where they are still active members today. Jim has been a Milligan Trustee since 1992, and both have volunteered with Restoration Crew each summer to help prepare for students to return to campus. Additionally, the Rices have been avid recruiters for the school.
Henry and Emerald Webb of Johnson City , Tenn. , will be honored with the Milligan Heritage Award . This award recognizes those who have started and sustained a Milligan tradition for their family. The Webbs are the parents of three Milligan alumni: Karen (Webb ’67) Smith, who married Lynn Smith (’65); Mark (’72), who married Beth Wattwood Webb (’73); and Wendy (Webb ’78), who married R. Mark Webb (’78). Five grandchildren also attended Milligan: Kirsten (Koeniger ’93) Binkley, Brenden (‘98), Corey (’01), Lauren (Webb ’03) Herring, and Rachel (Webb ’04) Speas.
Professional Excellence Awards will be presented to Tembra Chaplain Aldridge (’81) of Johnson City, Tenn., Rod Irvin (’70) of Kingsport, Tenn., and Warren Miller (’72) of Puyallup, Wash. This award honors alumni who have excelled in their vocational field.
Aldridge began her career working as a teller at First American National Bank and in less than five years moved up to the position of properties administrator for 13 of the bank’s facilities. Over the next 15 years, Aldridge managed all 27 of First American National Bank’s properties and later served as director of facilities at Tusculum College, where she had oversight of 37 full-time staff and managed over 475,000 square feet of college facilities. For the past four years, she has worked for Glimcher Realty Trust, serving first as operations director and presently as general manager of The Mall at Johnson City.
Irvin’s first job was as director of communications at Milligan College. Following nearly a decade service to his alma mater, Irvin moved to Eastman Kodak Company, where he worked as a public relations representative and manager in various departments. In 1994, he began working for Eastman Chemical Company, where he now serves as director of government relations. Irvin serves on the Board of Directors for the Public Affairs Council and is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America, the first person in East Tennessee to receive this status. He is a member of the President’s Executive Council at Milligan College and takes part in his community as a part of the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce. Irvin has been presented several prestigious Public Relations Society of America awards, and his publications have received numerous national accolades.
In 1976, Miller earned his M.D. from Indiana University School of Medicine. He did his Family Practice residency at St. Vincent Medical Center in Indianapolis from 1976 to 1979 and was board certified in Family Medicine in 1979. Miller has practiced at Summit View Clinic, Puyallup, Wash., since 1979. The third physician to join the practice, the group now includes eight family physicians. Miller has served as a board member and medical consultant to Christian Missionary Fellowship for 20 years. In this capacity, he has made field visits to Africa, England, Mexico and China.
Thomas Dillard (’99) of Elizabethton, Tenn., and Jodie Iwanusa Freetage (’94) of Canton, Ohio, will be inducted to Milligan’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
A baseball player, Dillard was TVAC All Conference from 1996-1999. As a freshman, he earned TVAC Freshman of the Year and was named to Mid South All-Star Team. In 1998, he also was recognized as TVAC Player of the Year. Following graduation Dillard worked as a professional baseball player for the Minnesota Twins for two seasons, playing the position of catcher. Dillard is currently serving as an investigator in the criminal investigations department for the Johnson City Police Department.
Fretage played the number one singles position for the Lady Buffs tennis team from 1991 to 1994. During her first three years, she was 30-2 in singles and was the singles conference champ in both 1991 and 1992. She was also conference champ in the number one doubles position in 1991 and 1992 with Angi Cox, and again in 1993 with Cindy Little. In 1993, she was All-District 24 in doubles, making it to District Finals. Freetage was chosen MVP by her teammates each year she played. After years of work in the insurance business, Freetage currently is a stay at home mom.
For more information about the Celebrate Milligan Awards Dinner, call 423.461.8756 or visithttp://www.milligan.edu/alumni/awards.htm.