Nine Mercerians were recognized for their contributions to Mercer University during the 11th annual Alumni and Friends Awards held Oct. 30 during Homecoming.
The Mercer Alumni Association honored recipients of the Thomas Sewell Plunkett Young Alumnus Award, Meritorious Service Award and Distinguished Alumna Award, and it recognized five individuals as Alumni by Choice.
The Thomas Sewell Plunkett Young Alumnus Award, given to an alumnus who has graduated within the last 10 years and demonstrated continued support of the University, was presented to Timothy M. Lewis, CLAS ’17.
Lewis, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in law and public policy, is director of undergraduate recruitment at East Tennessee State University, where he provides strategic leadership for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. At Mercer, Lewis was deeply involved in campus life. He served as a Mercer Ambassador, peer advisor, member of the Admissions Student Leadership Team and Student Government Association officer. A recipient of Mercer’s James T. McAfee Jr. Endowed Vision and Leadership Scholarship, Lewis also has been recognized as a Tri-Cities 40 Under 40 recipient and was selected to participate in Leadership Tennessee NEXT. He and his wife, Hope Lewis, BUS ’19, are members of The President’s Club.
The Meritorious Service Award, given to an individual who supports the Alumni Association and the University through contributions of time, talents and financial resources, was presented to Raymond M. “Thad” Warren III, CLAS ’86, and Darlene Warren, BUS ’86.
For more than four decades, the Warrens have shared a deep connection to Mercer and a commitment to serving the institution that brought them together. Thad Warren, CEO of Warren Environment, has an extensive record of volunteer leadership, including service as a member and former chair of the Mercer Board of Trustees and chair of The President’s Club. Darlene Warren has remained deeply engaged in church and civic life, including founding the Ivy Ridge Garden Club in Atlanta and serving as president and chair of the Lake Rabun Association. The Warrens continue their commitment to education as members of the Lake Rabun Foundation Board, which provides college scholarships to deserving high school students in Rabun County.
The Distinguished Alumna Award, given to an individual who serves her profession in an outstanding manner and, in doing so, brings honor to the individual and University, was presented to Cathy Callaway Adams, TIFT ’81.
Adams — who earned a Bachelor of Arts in piano performance from Tift College, which merged with the University in 1986 — currently serves as chair of the Mercer Board of Trustees. In addition, she has served organizations including The Atlanta Opera, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Baroque Orchestra, Columbia College, Theatre in the Square and South Arts. She is an accomplished collaborative pianist and retired banker, including 33 years with the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. Adams, who earned a Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University, has received numerous honors for leadership and service, including Tift College’s Distinguished Alumna Award. She and husband Mark Adams are Life Members of The President’s Club.
Alumni by Choice
The Alumni by Choice Awards were created to salute individuals who did not graduate from Mercer but have demonstrated loyalty to the University over the years. This year’s recipients were Jason Elkins, Julie C. McAfee, Nancy Moye, Diana Mather Murphy and James N. Pettis.
Elkins, who serves as the Bibb County agency manager for Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance, is the husband of Mercer President Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D. He has been one of the president’s strongest supporters and an enthusiastic champion for the University. Together, they consider themselves “Team Elkins,” sharing a deep commitment to Mercer students and the community.
McAfee comes from a family legacy of service. She is married to J. Thomas “Tom” McAfee, BUS ’00, a former Board of Trustees member. Along with her husband and his mother, Mercer Life Trustee Carolyn Townsend McAfee, Julie McAfee helped provide the founding endowment for the Townsend School of Music. She also serves on the Board of Visitors for the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings.
Moye is married to William A. “Tony” Moye, PHA ’73, who is a past chair of the Board of Trustees. Together, they are Life Members of The President’s Club. Their commitment to the University is reflected in the Moye Athletic Complex on the Macon campus and Moye Pharmacy and Health Sciences Center on the Atlanta campus, which were named for their generous support.
Murphy, an accomplished business leader, is connected to Mercer through her late husband, Reg Murphy, a former member of the Board of Trustees. Mercer’s Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism is named in his honor, reflecting his commitment to journalism education and the profession. Diana Murphy has continued her friendship with and support of the University.
Pettis is married to Rosemary Reehling, CLAS ’92, longtime member and current president of the Mercer Athletic Foundation Board and Life Member of The President’s Club. Pettis is president of the Pettis Group, which owns and operates assisted living and adult day healthcare facilities. He played an instrumental role in bringing a Mercer Medicine health clinic to Taylor County.
