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WHAT'S DON BEEN UP TO?

You asked for it, here it is: After graduation, I worked in Ocala at one of the mobile home plants as an electrician. In January 1964, I joined the U.S. Navy and went to Great Lakes Illinois for boot camp. While at GL I met my wife Eileen, who was a blind date, during a 12 hour pass to Milwaukee, Wi. After boot camp, I was sent to Bainbridge, Md. for radio/cryptography school. On completion of school I was sent to Nea Makri, Greece, where I spent 18 months at a communications station. Upon arrival back stateside, Eileen and I were married on June 4, 1966. I had been transferred to Charleston, S.C. and spent 36 months aboard two different ships. Our first son, Carl, was born while we were in Charleston, on November 9,1967. Upon being discharged from the Navy, I was employed by the IBM Corp.,in Charleston. On September 1,1969, IBM transferred us to Baxley, Georgia, where a nuclear power plant was being constructed. On March 11,1971, our second son, Mark, was born. In 1978, IBM was preparing to transfer us again and we decided not to leave Baxley, so we made the decision for me to leave the company and accept the position of Director of Marketing-North America, with a division of the Monsanto Company. In 1980, Eileen started to work for the same company and is still employed there as the Traffic Manager. Her responsibilities include all domestic and export shipping. In March of 1984, I left Monsanto and went into business with a friend of mine. We started an IBM dealership, which we built into the third largest dealership in the United States. In August of 1990, I sold out to my partner and retired. Retirement not being what it is cracked up to be, mine lasted only about three weeks and I got bored. I bought another business which I ran until October of 1994 when I sold it and retired a second time. We decided to build a new house on 60 acres of land we had acquired in 1984. I started construction on the house in December of 1994 and we moved in November of 1995. In early 1988, I started on a campaign trail and in July 1998 was elected Chief Judge of the Magistrate Court of Appling County, where I am currently employed. Both our boys have also been successful. Carl graduated from high school in 1985, was Valedictorian of his class of over 200. He went to Georgia Tech and received his degree in Mathematics. He worked in the computer industry for about two years and then went back to school and got a degree in Culinary Arts. He is currently the Pastry Chef at the Jekyll Island Hotel Club (formerly the Millionaires Club) on Jekyll Island, Ga. Mark graduated from high school in 1989 (8th in a class of 235) and received his degree in Business Management from Valdosta State University. He is currently employed as District Market Analysis Manager, Real Estate Division, Government Services Administration (GSA), of the Federal Government in Atlanta, Ga. Mark and his wife live in Dunwoody, Ga.

Other Activities and Interests: I have been a volunteer Boy Scout leader for the past 30+ years and have been awarded the District Award of Merit (highest award bestowed on a volunteer by a BSA District) and awarded the Silver Beaver Award (highest award bestowed on a volunteer by a BSA Council) and attended the 1985 and 1989 National BSA Jamborees as Contingent Scoutmaster.

I am a member of the Masonic Lodge, and am a Past Master, Past District Master, Past Director of Education, Past District Deputy to the Grand Master and currently District Instructor of Ritual.

I am a certified Methodist Lay Speaker and Sunday School Teacher.

I am a volunteer Hunter-Safety Instructor for the Dept. of Natural Resources, State of Georgia (16 yrs.) and been selected as Instructor of the Year three times.

I am a member of the Adult Literacy Advisory Board for the Altamaha Technical School in Jesup, Ga.

I am a member of the Tourism Board of Directors of Appling County.

I am a member of the Georgia Council of Magistrate Judges.

My hobbies: Hunting, Fishing, Black Powder Shooting, Golf and Cabinet Making.

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