Several Tifton citizens will be honored Friday, April 4, at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College’s annual Alumni Awards Luncheon.

Daniel Griffin, Chris Earls, Dr. Jerry Baker, Dr. Brad Lindsey, and the Ross family are among the 10 award winners being recognized for their accomplishments and achievements by the ABAC Alumni Association as part of the 2025 Homecoming Celebration at 12:30 p.m. in ABAC’s Gressette Gymnasium.

These awards are given to individuals who have distinguished themselves through professional achievement, community service, and service to the college.

Griffin, President of The Griffin Automotive Group, has been named the Outstanding Business Leader for 2025. He graduated from ABAC with an associate degree in business administration in 1982 and is a strong community supporter, regularly donating time and money to various programs and causes around Tift County. His wife, Tammy, and their two children, Daniel and Alyssa, also attended ABAC.

Earls has been chosen as the 2025 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award winner. Earls is a lecturer in ABAC’s biology department and serves as the women’s soccer coach. He is also the advisor to Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. Along with his athletes and students, he does community service around the area. He is an active supporter of ABAC through various endowments and events. He graduated from ABAC with an associate degree in agricultural education in 2010. His wife, Savannah, also attended ABAC.

Lindsey, a neurologist at Southwell, has been selected as the Outstanding Healthcare Professional. He graduated from ABAC with an associate degree in 1991 and donates in support of several foundations for medical research and support. He is an avid traveler and regularly attends events at ABAC.

Baker will receive the Honorary Alumnus Award. The Alumni Association presents this award to an individual who did not attend ABAC but has made a profound and lasting impact on the institution. Baker came to ABAC as the Dean of the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources in 2014 before being named Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs in 2017. He retired in 2022 but returned in 2024 to serve as the interim Provost. He is currently serving as the interim Dean for the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The J.O. Ross, Jr. Family will be awarded the Family Legacy award. This award was established in 1998 to recognize families with five or more family members spanning two or more generations who have attended ABAC and made a significant contribution to the college, thereby creating a legacy for their own family and leaving a lasting impression on ABAC. The Ross family has sent four generations, over 25 students, to ABAC starting in the 1930s, and multiple members of the family have served as faculty, staff, and on various boards.

For information on tickets or Homecoming Week activities, including the rodeo, visit www.abac.edu/homecoming or call the Office of College Advancement at (229) 391-4900.