Kennesaw State University hosts 80th commencement
Kennesaw State University will host its 80th commencement honoring more than 1‚300 graduates in…
Georgia (May 9, 2006) — Kennesaw State University hosts 80th commencement
Karen Kennedy
Abstract
Contact: Frances Weyand‚ Director of University Relations at 770−423−6203 or fweyand@kennesaw.edu
MEDIA ADVISORY
Kennesaw State University will host its 80th commencement honoring more than 1‚300
graduates in three separate ceremonies.
Speakers will be Sunny Park‚ CEO of General Building Maintenance and Global Sun Investments;
Oz Nelson‚ retired chairman and CEO of UPS; and Ingrid Saunders Jones‚ senior vice
president of The Coca−Cola Co. and chair of The Coca−Cola Foundation. In addition‚
the honorary doctorate will be presented to Jack Dinos. Dinos and his family endowed
two eminent scholar chairs in KSU’s Coles College of Business.
This will be Dr. Betty L. Siegel’s final commencement appearance as Kennesaw State
president.
When:
Thursday‚ May 11‚ 10 a.m.
Speaker: Sunny Park
Graduates from the Bagwell College of Education and the College of Science and Mathematics
will be honored.
Thursday‚ May 11‚ 2 p.m.
Speaker: Oz Nelson
Graduates from the College of the Arts‚ the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
and University College will be honored.
Friday‚ May 12‚ 10 a.m.
Speaker: Ingrid Saunders Jones
Honorary doctorate presented to Jack Dinos
Graduates from the Coles College of Business and the WellStar College of Health and
Human Services will be honored.
Where:
Convocation Center
Kennesaw State University
Bios of speakers and honorary doctorate follow.
Speakers:
Sunny K. Park
CEO‚ General Building Maintenance & Global Sun Investments
Sunny Park‚ the 2004 USO Patriot Award winner and one of the 2005 Most Influential
Atlantans according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle and James magazine‚ is CEO of
General Building Maintenance‚ a nationwide commercial facility maintenance firm and
Global Sun Investments‚ an international real estate investment firm.
General Building Maintenance‚ founded by Park in 1983‚ is a nationwide building maintenance
service provider with branch operations in 21 major U. S. cities.
Since 1986‚ Park’s Global Sun Investments has been investing in and developing land
in Georgia and Florida for retail shopping centers‚ residential subdivisions and an
office complex. He successfully assisted Morgan Stanley Real Estate and Aetos Capital
of New York in investing in Korean and Japanese real estate.
Park served on the White House Commission on Asian Americans. In addition‚ he is secretary
and treasure of the Georgia Ports Authority and was a 2004 elector of Georgia.
To encourage immigrants to become active in community affairs‚ Park founded the Good
Neighboring Campaign. With the “If Sunny Can‚ I Can” program‚ he mentors high school
dropouts through the Youth Challenge programs of the National Guard in several states.
Park is a former president of the Federation of Korean American Associations in the
United States and was chairman of the 1991 Overseas Korean Conference in Berlin‚ Germany.
As a result of his leadership‚ the United States and South Korea enhanced their relationship
in both the business and civic arenas‚ leading to measurable economic and social benefits
for both nations. In 1996‚ he founded the America Korea Friendship Society to increase
understanding between the two nations.
The Daughters of the American Revolution recognized Park’s volunteer work with the
Americanism Medal and the National Guard Association presented Park with the distinguished
Patrick Henry trophy for his decade−long nationwide efforts for high school dropouts.
The president of the Republic of Korea has presented Park with the National Peoples
Merit medal. Other accolades include the Small Businessman of the Year Award from
the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (1992) and the Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2000)
by Women Looking Ahead magazine. He was inducted a laureate of Junior Achievement
of Georgia’s Atlanta Business Hall of Fame in 2004.
Mr. Park’s board memberships include Good Neighboring Foundation‚ Georgia Ports Authority‚
Junior Achievement of Georgia‚ Berry College‚ Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta‚
Georgia Public Policy Foundation‚ National Museum of Patriotism‚ Shepherd Center‚
USO Council of Georgia‚ Emory University and Public Broadcasting Atlanta.
Park has no college degree. He attended Indiana University‚ the Kellogg School of
Management and U.S. Army War College National Security seminars.
Kent C. (Oz) Nelson
Chairman and CEO‚ United Parcel Service‚ retired
Oz Nelson is the retired chairman and chief executive officer of United Parcel Service‚
a position he held from November 1989 to December 1998. He continued to serve on the
board until 2002 when he stepped down and ended 43 years of service with UPS.
During his period with UPS‚ the company made major investments to broaden its global
position and its leadership role in logistical services. Among those investments were
significant commitments in information technology to assure instantaneous global communications
regarding shipment activities.
While at UPS and since his retirement‚ Nelson has been active with numerous not−for−profit
organizations including the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. He serves on the boards
of the Carter Center of Emory University‚ the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Foundation‚ the Annie E. Casey Foundation‚ the Jim Casey Youth Opportunity initiative‚
the National Museum of Patriotism‚ the HCA Corp. and the Ball State University Foundation.
He has been active in a number of educational initiatives. He chaired the Partnership
for Kentucky School Reform for six years as well as the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Education Committee. Nelson was appointed to the Georgia Governor’s Education Reform
Commission and still serves on the Georgia Education Leadership Committee.
A native of Kokomo‚ Ind.‚ Nelson received a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration
from Ball State University in 1959. Ball State has honored him with two awards: the
Distinguished Alumni award in 1991 and the Business Hall of Fame Award in 1990. He
holds honorary doctoral degrees from several universities. He currently serves as
a guest lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Nelson resides in Atlanta with his wife‚ Ann Starr‚ two cats and a dog. They have
three children and five grandchildren.
Ingrid Saunders Jones
Senior Vice President‚ The Coca−Cola Company
Chairperson‚ The Coca−Cola Foundation
Ingrid Saunders Jones is senior vice president of The Coca−Cola Company and chair
of The Coca−Cola Foundation. In her capacity as senior vice president of corporate
external affairs‚ Jones directs the vision and involvement of The Coca−Cola Company
in community‚ philanthropic and civic affairs.
As chair of The Coca−Cola Foundation‚ she leads the company’s philanthropic commitment
to education. Under her leadership‚ the foundation has contributed more than $180
million to education including scholarships and programs for students of color‚ first
generation college scholarships and initiatives to increase the academic success of
students in public and secondary schools. In addition‚ Jones serves on the board of
The Coca−Cola Scholars Foundation‚ which provides scholarships to high school students
from across the country‚ and Camp Coca−Cola‚ a year−round program of leadership development‚
camping‚ community service and education‚ which prepares young people for success.
Earlier in her career‚ Jones spent three years as executive assistant to Maynard Jackson‚
then mayor of Atlanta‚ and two years as legislative analyst for the president of the
Atlanta City Council‚ Carl Ware. She is a former executive director of the Detroit
Wayne County Child Chare Coordinating Council and also taught in the public schools
of Detroit and Atlanta.
A native of Detroit‚ Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Michigan State
University and a master’s degree in education at Eastern Michigan University. In recognition
of her work in the corporate world‚ as well as her many contributions to civic and
community causes‚ Jones’ alma mater‚ Michigan State University‚ presented her with
an honorary doctor of humanities degree‚ an award she has also received from the Atlanta
College of Art.
A teacher by training‚ Jones’ commitment to education and community development extends
beyond the doors of the Coca−Cola corporate headquarters. She is a board member of
the Apollo Theater Foundation‚ Clark Atlanta University‚ Congressional Black Caucus
Foundation‚ Girls Inc.‚ the Ohio State University President’s Council on Women‚ the
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University and the Woodruff
Arts Center. She also is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and on the board
of the Rotary Club of Atlanta.
Recognition of her work and contributions include the 2005 “365 Black” award sponsored
by the McDonald’s Corporation‚ the National Urban League’s 2004 Leadership Award;
the American Jewish Committee — Atlanta Chapter’s Institute of Human Relations Award;
the Woman of Achievement Award from the YWCA of Greater Atlanta; the National Council
for Research on Women’s Women Who Make A Difference Award; the President’s Award from
Morehouse College; the Ohio State University Foundation’s John B. Gerlach Development
Award; Georgia State University School of Business Hall of Fame; and the NAACP Legal
and Education Fund’s National Equal Justice Award — among others.
Honorary doctorate:
Jack A. Dinos
CEO‚ Southern Tea Co.‚ retired
Jack Dinos and his family have endowed two Eminent Scholar Chairs in Kennesaw State
University’s Coles College of Business‚ the Chair of Private Enterprise and the Chair
of Entrepreneurial Management.
Dinos was born in Atlanta‚ Ga.‚ in 1930‚ the son of John and Gina Dinos. After completing
public schools in Atlanta‚ he attended the University of Georgia’s Atlanta Division
graduating with a bachelor of business administration degree in marketing in 1952.
He was a member of Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity and a founding
member of Pi Sigma Epsilon professional sales fraternity. Following graduation‚ he
was commissioned in the U.S. Navy and served as engineering officer on the USS Earl
K. Olsen‚ DE 765‚ during the Korean Conflict.
Upon completing his active duty military obligation‚ Dinos returned to Atlanta and
joined the 50−year−old family business‚ Mocha Coffee Co. In 1958‚ he was named president
of the company and held that position until the company was sold in 1968. Also in
1958‚ he and his brother founded the Southern Tea Co. With Dinos as CEO‚ that company
grew to become the second largest packer of tea products in North America‚ producing
private brand teabags for most of the country’s food chains and foodservice suppliers.
In 1990‚ when the company was sold to Tetley Inc.‚ Dinos retired and moved to his
Sea Island‚ Ga.‚ home.
Dinos was active in numerous trade associations serving as president of the Southern
Coffee Association‚ the Tea Association of the USA and the Tea Council of the USA.
He also served as a trustee of the Brandon Hall School in Atlanta‚ the Georgia State
University Foundation and on the boards of the Family Enterprise Center and the Coles
College of Business at Kennesaw State University. He is also a trustee of the Kennesaw
State University Foundation and an honoree of Beta Gamma Sigma and he is a founding
director of the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation.
In addition to the endowments presented to Kennesaw State‚ Dinos has also endowed
a Master Teacher’s Chair at the Lovett School of Atlanta. Also receiving endowments
are the Brandon Hall School‚ Coastal Georgia Community College‚ the McIntire School
at the University of Virginia and the University of Georgia‚ where he is a member
of the Heritage Society for having given major unrestricted gifts and two endowed
athletic scholarships.
He is a past commodore of the Allatoona Yacht Club‚ a member of the Sea Island Club‚
the Ocean Forest Golf Club and the Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta.
Dinos has been married for 52 years to the former Mary Ellen Butler of Atlanta. They
have four children: John L. Dinos Sr.‚ Virginia D. Reed‚ Susan D. Roche and Bart C.
Dinos‚ all of Atlanta‚ and nine grandchildren.
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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing
student population exceeding 18‚500 from 132 countries. The third largest state university
out of 34 institutions in the University System of Georgia‚ KSU offers more than 55
undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
