ATLANTA, Ga. Friday, August 21, 2026- The Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) is proud to announce the recipients of this year’s prestigious GAB Honors Awards, which will be presented at the association’s annual convention, GABCON, September 25-26 at the Gas South District Convention Center in Duluth, Georgia. The 2026 honorees are:
Jesse Cole of the Savannah Bananas, Georgian of the Year
State Representative Clint Crowe, Legislator of the Year
Michael Williams of WSB-TV, Ditty-McLemore Engineering Award
Estelle Parsley of WRDW-WAGT, Golden Mic Award
The GAB’s Georgian of the Year Award is presented annually to an outstanding individual who has made a significant and lasting impact on the citizens and state of Georgia.
This year’s recipient, Jesse Cole, is the founder of Fans First Entertainment and owner of the Banana Ball Championship League, including the world-famous Savannah Bananas. With a “Fans First. Entertain Always” philosophy, Cole has transformed the Savannah-born team into an international entertainment phenomenon. The Bananas have sold out every game since their inaugural season and have built a ticket waitlist of millions of fans around the world.
Banana Ball now reaches a massive global audience, with more than 35 million social media followers and features on The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, HBO Real Sports, 60 Minutes and ESPN+. Cole is also a best-selling author and international keynote speaker.
The GAB’s Legislator of the Year Award honors a Georgia lawmaker whose leadership and dedication strengthen local broadcasting and its service to communities across the state.
State Representative Clint Crowe represents Georgia House District 118, which includes Butts County and portions of Monroe and Newton counties. First elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2020, Crowe currently serves as Chairman of the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee and serves on the Banks & Banking, Judiciary Non-Civil, State Planning & Community Affairs, Technology and Infrastructure Innovation, and Ways & Means committees.
Prior to his service in the General Assembly, Crowe spent a decade in law enforcement and has worked in the real estate industry for more than 20 years. He holds both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration from Mercer University’s Stetson School of Business and Economics.
The GAB’s Ditty-McLemore Engineering Award recognizes individuals for exceptional contributions to broadcast engineering.
Michael A. Williams, Senior Manager of IT at WSB-TV in Atlanta, brings more than 30 years of experience in the broadcast industry. Williams has been with WSB-TV for more than 18 years, beginning his career with the station in 2008 as a Maintenance Engineer before advancing to his current leadership role.
His career with Cox Media Group began a decade before joining WSB-TV, when he worked as an engineer at a CMG radio station. In total, Williams has spent more than 28 years with Cox Media Group, building a career spanning both radio and television broadcasting.
The GAB’s Golden Mic Award recognizes individuals whose efforts and support have made a lasting impact on the GAB and Georgia’s broadcasting industry.
Estelle Parsley, Vice President of News for WRDW-WAGT in Augusta, has spent more than three decades in local journalism, building a newsroom culture centered around investigative reporting that creates meaningful change. Under her leadership, WRDW-WAGT has earned 10 National Edward R. Murrow Awards, 40 regional Murrow Awards and 14 Southeast Emmys. Parsley herself has earned four National Murrow Awards and six Emmys and has been inducted into both the NATAS Silver Circle and the Georgia Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Her newsroom’s investigative work has helped drive federal oversight of military housing, prompted policy changes surrounding emergency response systems and held public officials accountable. Beyond her own accomplishments, Parsley has made developing the next generation of journalists a priority, with dozens of journalists who began under her guidance going on to report and anchor in Top 10 markets and at major national networks.
“These four honorees represent the very best of Georgia… from broadcasting and public service to innovation and community impact,” said GAB President Randy Gravley. “We are proud to recognize their accomplishments and look forward to celebrating each of them this fall at GABCON 2026.”
The 2026 GAB Honors Awards will be presented during GABCON, the Georgia Association of Broadcasters’ annual convention. The Legislator of the Year Award will be presented during the “Breakfast with Counsel” event at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 26th. The Georgian of the Year, Golden Mic Award, and the Ditty-McLemore Award will be presented during the Honors Luncheon at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 26th.
To register for the “Breakfast with Counsel,” Honors Luncheon, or any other GABCON events, please click here.
About The Georgia Association of Broadcasters: The Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) is the state’s official broadcast association, dedicated to ensuring the vitality and growth of Georgia’s broadcasting industry by advocating for the interests of radio and television broadcasters.
