Master Sergeant Todd Daunhauer of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Police Department holds a unique position at the college, one that he greatly enjoys.

Part of his duties include being a security specialist, a job which covers all forms of access to the school. He handles all employee ID cards and office keys so at one time or another, all ABAC’s faculty and staff come into contact with Daunhauer.

“We’re like a family here,” he said. “When you work here, you see that it has a family feel to it. We’re a small college so it’s a lot easier to get to know people and we have a lot of employees who have been here for a long time.”

Daunhauer’s love for his job is evident and noticed by others. The 15-year ABAC veteran was recently honored by the Exchange Club of Tifton as its ABAC Officer of the Year for 2022. Daunhauer believes his unique background is an asset in his current position.

He has always had an interest in computers and earned his associate degree in Business Information Technology from ABAC in 2003. But at that time, jobs in that field and in this area were tough to find so he worked as a freight conductor with CSX. Eventually, he was hired by his alma mater in the Information Technology department and worked there for six years.

In 2013, the ABAC Police Department had an opening, and the ideal candidate would have experience in law enforcement and computers. Daunhauer spent six years working in law enforcement and was interested in transferring departments. It was a good fit for both.

“Todd’s knowledge and experience in IT is a huge asset to the department,” said ABAC Police Chief Frank Strickland. “He is a fine fellow, and I couldn’t do it without him.”

His tenure as a staff member and student at ABAC provide him with a keen insight into why he believes it is a special place. And he has passed that down to his daughter Danielle, an ABAC student studying to be a veterinarian.

“There are a lot of other people like me who went to school here and wanted to come back and work here,” Daunhauer said. “I think that says a lot about the kind of school we have.”