Social Butterfly

UGA’s business school honors three while raising money

Three award winners were honored at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business gala the other night, but there were many more reasons to cheer. The event packed the ballroom at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead, and the crowd of 700-plus raised more than $422,000 for the school.

Notables in attendance included local artist Steve Penley, whose painting of Uga was among the hot live-auction items, H.E.R.O. for Children co-founder Garrett Gravesen and UGA sideline reporter Loran Smith. Both of Georgia’s U.S. senators attended. We spotted Julianne Chambliss straightening husband Saxby’s bow tie just before the event. (Even senators need a little help sometimes, it seems.) Honorary hosts included Gov. Sonny Perdue, who was not able to attend; UGA Athletics Director Damon Evans; and former UGA football players Matt Stinchcomb and David Greene.

The crowd heard from Dean Robert T. Sumichrast as the evening began. Honorees were Augusta native Davis Knox, co-founder and owner of Fire and Flavor Grilling Co., a company he runs with his wife, Gena; Camden Real Estate Co. CEO John F. McMullan; and Kessel Stelling, president and CEO of the Bank of North Georgia.

“It’s not too often these days that a banker gets an award for anything,” quipped Stelling, of Cobb County.

McMullan, who shared memories of his first job and his first airplane trip, since they coincided, spoke in calming words about our current economic woes.

“In my 49 years of business, we’ve been through five major financial crises,” the Athens native said. “This is the sixth. It’ll pass. The country will grow.”

The after-party was sponsored by Terry’s Young Alumni Board, which is headed by Jay O’Meara of CB Richard Ellis. The crowd included Jay’s wife, Sandy, and Matt and Barbara Royal, Chad and Karen Whittemore, Samara Strauber, Lauren Washington, Trevor Wooden, Allison O’Kelly and Jodie Lawton. Oh, and Tillman Douglas, who turned heads in a lined tux jacket, jaunty stadium trousers and black velvet pumps with little red devils on them. “I’m kind of famous,” he declared. Indeed.

Here and there

Atlanta Braves second baseman Kelly Johnson and his wife, Lauren, will host the 2009 Prevent Child Abuse Georgia Celebrity Golf Classic on June 29 at White Columns Country Club in Milton. Registration and warm-up will begin at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start at 1 p.m. A reception, dinner and auction of sports and entertainment memorabilia will be held afterward. Sponsorships range from $250 to $40,000. Individual spots are $750 per golfer. Info: www.pcageorgia.org, 404-870-6589 or abbottcom@ mindspring.com… .The donor party for Zoo Atlanta’s 2009 Beastly Feast was April 30 at the home of Brad and Cynthia Hammond. The crowd included Denny and Renee Hopf, Neil and Mary Johnson, Tom and Celeste Jones, Mark and Ashley Preisinger, Glenn and Danielle Rollins, Joanne Truffelman, Ginny Brewer, Mickey and Carolyn Brown, Chris and Merry Carlos, Bill and Liz Cary, Bob and Jennifer Garlow, Kathi Goddard, Hilton and Robin Howell, Michael and Elizabeth Klump, Liz Lazarus, Mark and Christy Roberts, Ken Smith and Mark and Terry Street. Co-chairs for the May 16 event are Bill Torres and Jack Sawyer and Lovette Russell. Info: 404-624-5908 or www.zooatlanta.org.