Distinguished Alumni

List of 24 items.

• 2002 - Jerry B. Blackstock '62

  A trial lawyer in Atlanta for almost 40 years, Blackstock was named the 2002 recipient of the Georgia State Bar Tradition of Excellence Award and the Atlanta Bar Association’s Leadership Award in 2006.

  Read More

• 2003 - E.J. Salcines '56

  E.J. was a career federal and state prosecutor for 22 years, followed by 13 years of private practice before being appointed as judge of the appellate court by then-Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles in 1998.

  Read More

• 2004 - Bobby W. Bush '49

  Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Duke University.

  Read More

• 2005 - Frederick J. Kennedy '64

  Noted for his military service which began with graduation from The Citadel and service in the U.S. Army as an infantry and Special Forces officer earning the Bronze Star for Valor.

  Read More

• 2006 - John W. Jacobs Jr. '40

  He was part of the group responsible for founding Gainesville, Georgia radio station WDUN.

  
  

  Read More

• 2007 - John L. "Judge" Beaver '29

  The son of long-time RMA President Sandy Beaver, John served RMA as a faculty member, superintendent, and trustee.

  Read More

• 2008 - Jeffrey H. Weiner '66

  Jeff Weiner graduated from Chicago-Kent in January 1974. At Chicago-Kent, Jeff was president of the Student Bar Association, a Moot Court winner, and editor of The Kent Commentator.

  Read More

• 2009 - John F. Mandt '56

  Mandt is retired from a five-generation restaurant business in West Virginia.

   

  Read More

• 2010 - John R. Wood '47

  John, an Arkansas native, returned home for college after graduating from Riverside in 1947 as president of the senior class. He earned his undergraduate degree from Henderson College in Arkadelphia and his law degree from the University of Arkansas.

   

   

  Read More

• 2011 - Errol Bisso '61

  Errol spent over 60 years at Riverside beginning as a cadet in 1955 and continuing through years of service as a teacher, coach, registrar, director of alumni relations, and assistant athletic director.

  Read More

• 2012 - Abraham A. Mitchell '52

  Together with his brother Mayer Mitchell, also a RMA graduate (1949), they created The Mitchell Company, which became one of the southeast’s largest real estate companies.

   

  Read More

• 2013 - Ira J. Middleberg '66

  Mr. Middleberg is a longstanding member of the Louisiana legal community.

   

  Read More

• 2014 - Irwin A. Molasky '45

  Molasky was one of the country’s most prolific real estate developers with the bulk of his work in California and Las Vegas, his hometown since 1951.

   

  Read More

• 2015 - Felipe A. Valls '50

  A native of Cuba, Valls is emblematic of the remarkable economic success of Cubans in the US. 

   

  Read More

• 2016 - Bernard M. Freeman '58

  Freeman was a businessman and engineer.

   

  Read More

• 2017 - Seth Wagner '56

  Wagner attended The University of Chicago for two years, served in the U.S. Army, and then attended and graduated from Roosevelt University having studied economics and business. 

   

   

   

  Read More

• 2018 - Gregory F. Werd '56

  Werd graduated from the College of Arts & Science at Vanderbilt University in 1960 with a degree in physical sciences.

  He was very successful in the steel industry and held top-level executive management positions with U.S. Steel Corporation.

   

  He was charter chairman of the Riverside Board of Visitors and was recognized by the Academy as the 2018 Distinguished Alumnus.

  Read More

• 2019 - Geoff Hurdle '87

  Hurdle is owner of Hurdle Land & Realty.

   

  Read More

• 2020 - Rutledge A. Griffin, Jr. '62

  At the young age of 26, Griffin became the President and Chief Executive Officer of Parramore & Griffin Seed Company due to the untimely death of his father. 

   

  Read More

• 2021 - Ernest T. Lopez III '84

  Lopez leads a successful career in the paving and construction industry conducting large scale business in 26 states, 275 cities across the United States, and internationally in Canada and Ecuador.

   

  Read More

• 2022 - Ruben A. Barahona, Sr. '89

  Barahona is a founding member and partner of Camara & Asociados in Cancun and Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

  Read More

• 2023 - Wallace L. "Mac" McLendon '58

  McLendon held many top positions throughout his career in law enforcement and public service, including Chief of Police in St. Cloud, Florida. 

   

  Read More

• 2024 - Andrew C. Zager '88

  Zager is Managing Director and Financial Advisor, specializing in retirement planning, at Friedman Zager Wealth Management, UBS Financial Services. 

   

  Read More

• 2025 - Daniel G. "Bud" Oakey '75

  Bud has extraordinary experience assisting and growing strategic business relationships with local, state and federal governments.

   

  Read More