CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 01/20/16

UGA to present President's Medal to Abit Massey, late Jane Willson

By Stephanie Schupska

The University of Georgia will bestow one of its highest honors on two influential Georgians this year as it presents the UGA President’s Medal to Francis “Abit” Massey and the family of the late Jane Seddon Willson during Founders Day activities on Jan. 27.

The President’s Medal recognizes extraordinary contributions of individuals who are not current employees of UGA who have supported students and academic programs, advanced research and inspired community leaders to enhance Georgians’ quality of life.

“We are honored to recognize two great Georgians for helping to improve our state and strengthen the university,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “Through their influential vision and tremendous generosity, both Abit Massey and the late Jane Willson have had a profound impact on UGA, and their contributions will continue to benefit the university for generations to come.”

Francis “Abit” Massey

Massey graduated from UGA in 1949 and received his Juris Doctor from Emory University. Known to many as the “dean of the poultry industry,” he became the executive director of the Georgia Poultry Federation in 1960. He served in this role until 2009 when he became president emeritus.

Prior to his work in the poultry industry, Massey was head of the Georgia Department of Commerce, now Economic Development, where he created the tourist division and built the first welcome station.

His numerous honors and awards include the 1986 UGA Alumni Merit Award, the 2012 Harold E. Ford Lifetime Achievement Award from the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association and the inaugural Medallion of Honor for Service to the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He was the first UGA graduate to receive the Presidential Citation from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

He served as president of the UGA Alumni Association from 1991 to 1993, is on the board of directors of the Georgia Research Foundation and the UGA Real Estate Foundation, and is an emeritus trustee of the UGA Foundation. He has worked closely with UGA to strengthen the research, teaching and Cooperative Extension programs of the poultry industry across the state.

Massey and his wife, Kayanne, a former Miss Georgia, have more than 18 family members who attended UGA. The Massey family was named the UGA Alumni Association Family of the Year in 2014.

Jane Seddon Willson

Willson died in November 2015 at the age of 92. Together with her late husband, Harry, she established a tradition of giving at the university that spanned more than six decades.

One of the most visible and direct results of her philanthropy is the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts, which was named in honor of an endowment established by Jane and Harry Willson in 2005. The couple also funded the Jane and Harry Willson Professorship in Humanities and the Jane Willson Professorship in the Arts.

Willson was an emerita trustee of the UGA Foundation and served on the Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, the Arts and Sciences Dean’s Council, the Franklin College Advisory Board, the UGA Research Foundation, the Honors Program Advisory Board and the Georgia Museum of Art Board of Advisors, among other roles.

When Harry Willson passed away in 2004, Willson honored her husband by endowing the William Harry Willson Distinguished Chair of Business in the Terry College of Business. The same year, she made one of the largest contributions in Honors Program history, funding the Willson International Honors Scholars Program.

In 2006, UGA honored Willson with a Doctor of Laws degree, one of the highest accolades accorded any individual associated with the institution. The university then inducted Willson into the Crystal Arch Society in 2008 in recognition of her extraordinary philanthropy.

Stephanie Schupska is the communications coordinator with the University of Georgia Honors College.

Authors:
Stephanie Schupska
Experts/Sources:
Jere Morehead
Known to many as the “dean of the poultry industry,” Abbit Massey became the executive director of the Georgia Poultry Federation in 1960. He served in this role until 2009 when he became president emeritus. Prior to his work in the poultry industry, he was head of the Georgia Department of Commerce, now Economic Development, where he created the tourist division and built the first welcome station. His numerous honors and awards include winning the inaugural Medallion of Honor for Service to the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Jane Willson and her husband Harry founded Sunnyland Farms in Albany in 1948 and developed it into one of the world's largest purveyors of premium quality pecans and fine foods. Willson was an emerita trustee of the UGA Foundation and served on the Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, the Arts and Sciences Dean's Council, the Franklin College Advisory Board, the UGA Research Foundation, the Honors Program Advisory Board and the Georgia Museum of Art Board of Advisors, among other roles. When Harry Willson passed away in 2004, Willson honored her husband by endowing the William Harry Willson Distinguished Chair of Business in the Terry College of Business.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
HurricaneHeleneGreenhouseDamageCropped CAES News
UGA Extension supports resilience in Georgia farm communities after Hurricane Helene 12/19/24 Emily Cabrera
Hurricane Helene wrought sweeping devastation across Georgia’s agricultural sector in late September, leaving an indelible mark on both the land and the people who tend it, bringing focus to vulnerabilities in Georgia’s farming industry and the need for more robust safety nets. In addition to the physical destruction, the hurricane took an emotional toll on Georgia’s farmers. In response, UGA Extension has prioritized mental health support.
Janiver in sunflower field AI web CAES News
A larger-than-life legacy: CAES student’s contagious enthusiasm inspired others 12/17/24 Jordan Powers
When Miriam Edelkind-Vealey applied for a summer role at a University of Georgia pollinator biodiversity lab in 2020, the junior undergrad didn’t quite know what to expect. After being told she got the position, Edelkind-Vealy didn’t hear anything for a few weeks. It was only then that she learned a collaborator on the project, second-year master’s degree student Amy Joy Janvier, had passed away.
CAES doctoral students Sofia Varriano and Leniha Lagarde follow farmer Clay Brady to the pasture where many of his chickens are kept. CAES News
UGA researchers study how free-range chickens influence farm sustainability 10/31/24 Maria M. Lameiras
Researchers in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are studying how pastured and free-range chickens impact ecosystems on integrated crop-livestock farms. Supported by a $749,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, entomology doctoral student Sofia Varriano and her thesis advisor, agroecologist and systems biology Professor Bill Snyder, are testing the promise of integrated crop-livestock agriculture to increase the sustainability of smaller farms.
Kevan Lamm teaching undergraduate students CAES News
CAES researchers prepare students to address complex challenges of the future 10/29/24 Emily Cabrera
Over the next three years, researchers in the University of Georgia’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication aim to transform undergraduate education in agricultural and environmental sciences by integrating systems thinking — an approach that encourages students to see the bigger picture by understanding how different components within a system interact.
Helenedamage web CAES News
Hurricane Helene: Preliminary damage assessment on Georgia agriculture and forestry industry 10/10/24 Claire S. Kinnard, Matthew Agvent
Today, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, in coordination with Governor Brian P. Kemp, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and the Georgia Forestry Commission, announced the preliminary estimate of Hurricane Helene’s economic impact on Georgia agriculture is $6.46 billion. This figure represents the sum of direct crop losses, losses to businesses that support agriculture and forestry, losses to workers in those related industries, and estimated recovery and restoration costs that agricultural businesses will face.
heavily infestedToH web CAES News
CAES combats invasive spotted lanternfly threatening U.S. farms and vineyards 09/24/24 Jordan Powers
The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), an invasive insect pest that first arrived in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since spread to 16 additional states in the Eastern U.S., has state governments urging residents to be on the lookout and to use caution when moving firewood. The insect’s preference for feeding on the tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) — another invasive species — has led to significant pest reservoirs, affecting vineyards and other agricultural sectors, including hardwoods and other ornamental and fruiting trees.