ATLANTA, Ga–
The Georgia Association of Broadcasters is proud to announce the recipients of this year’s awards. These awards are given each year at the GAB’s annual convention, GABCON during the Honor’s Luncheon. The awards are in honor of individuals who provide necessary support to the broadcasting industry in Georgia. These awards are made up of the Golden Mic Award, Legislator of the Year, Georgian of the Year, and the Ditty-McLemore Engineering Award. Each of our award recipients will join us at the Honor’s Lunch for a panel along with Georgia Power’s Audrey King, who is the Vice President of the South Region.
Tom McCall is a grain and livestock farmer and former State Representative from Elbert County, Georgia. He has been farming since 1976 and first served Georgia Farm Bureau in 1982 when he and his wife, Jane were state Young Farmer and Rancher Chairs. Tom was elected to the GFB Board of Directors (1984 – 1996) representing the organization’s 2nd District.
President McCall served in the Georgia House of Representatives starting in 1994 and after 26 years of service, retired at the conclusion of the 2020 session as the Chairman of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.
Mr. McCall graduated from Elbert County High School and went on to achieve an Agriculture Degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) and later obtained a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy from the University of Georgia.
McCall and his wife, Jane, are the proud parents of three children: Bud, Al and Katie. Their son, Al, is married to Rachel, and they have two sons named Winn and Wilkes. Their daughter, Katie, is married to Bristol Archer and are the proud parents of McCall Kate Archer – the McCall’s first granddaughter.
While Mr. McCall is gratified by the success he has enjoyed in his farming and political endeavors, his greatest joy is his family.
Earl L. “Buddy” Carter is an experienced businessman, health care professional and faithful public servant. For over 32 years Buddy owned Carter’s Pharmacy, Inc. where South Georgians trusted him with their most valuable assets: their health, lives and families. While running his business, he learned how to balance a budget and create jobs. He also saw firsthand the devastating impacts of government overregulation which drives his commitment to ensuring that the federal government creates policies to empower business instead of increasing burdens on America’s job creators.
A committed public servant, Buddy previously served as the Mayor of Pooler, Georgia and in the Georgia General Assembly where he used his business experience to make government more efficient and responsive to the people. Buddy is serving his fifth term in the United States House of Representatives and is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Budget Committee. As a pharmacist serving in Congress, Buddy is dedicated to working towards a health care system that provides more choices, less costs and better services. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee.
A lifelong resident of the First District, Buddy was born and raised in Port Wentworth, Georgia and is a proud graduate of Young Harris College and the University of Georgia where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Buddy married his college sweetheart, Amy. Buddy and Amy now reside in Pooler, Georgia and have three sons, three daughters-in-law and six grandchildren.
Gretchen Corbin was appointed President and CEO of the Georgia Lottery Corporation starting January 1, 2018. As president and CEO of the Georgia Lottery, Corbin’s business goal is to fulfill the Corporation’s mission to maximize revenues for HOPE and Pre-K, ensuring that Georgia’s students continue to have access to these important educational programs.
Currently, the Georgia Lottery provides $1.5 billion to the state of Georgia each year for Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. Since its inception in 1993, the Georgia Lottery has returned more than $26.8 billion to the state of Georgia for education. More than 2.1 million students have benefited from HOPE scholarships and grants, and more than 2 million 4-year-olds have attended lottery-funded Pre-K.
Prior to her role at the Georgia Lottery, Corbin served as commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). Corbin joined TCSG from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), where she served as commissioner.
With her leadership experience at these agencies, Corbin has a unique understanding of the way education and business must join together to ensure that Georgia has a globally competitive workforce. Global giants like Porsche, Caterpillar, Gulfstream, Mohawk and Shire are just some of the hundreds of companies she has helped grow in Georgia through providing economic, community and workforce development assistance.
Corbin is involved in a number of professional and civic organizations, including Leadership Georgia, where she has served as president and chairman. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Atlanta Board of Directors and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is the lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium and recently served a two-year term as president of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL). Corbin has been named the last 10 years as one of Georgia Trend magazine’s 100 Most Influential Georgians, she was named one of the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Top 20 Women Who Mean Business, and she is one of James magazine’s Most Influential Georgians for the last six years.
Corbin, her husband, David, and their two daughters are proud to call Georgia home.
