Distinguished Alumni to be honored

Atlanta ISD Education Foundation presents its 2019 Distinguished Alumni Awards Friday, Oct. 11 starting off at 5:15 p.m. when the honorees and family arrive at the Atlanta ISD Administration Building. There at 5:30 p.m. guests will be treated with a time of socializing and hor d’oeuvres.

At 6 p.m. the induction of honorees will begin, followed by the recognition of the Class of 1969. At 7:00 p.m. attendees will depart the administration building in the direction of the Rabbit Stadium where the honoree parking next to band hall will be. It is there one of the Atlanta Education Foundation Directors will greet the honorees and their family at the entrance and escort them to the field where special seating will be available on the track, with a later half-time Introduction to Rabbit Fans.

This year award winners are Keith Crow, Tom Watson, Babs McCoy and Dennis Stanley. This will be the 9th year they are doing the award ceremony.

Dennis Stanley

Stanley graduated in 1971 from East Texas State University (Texas A&M University Commerce) with a degree in Business Administration. In 1971 he started his career in sales working for CPC International, then at Motorola Communications in 1972.

From 1974 to present he worked with Guard-Line, Incorporated. Spartan Cap Company. Starting as a plant manager in 1974, moved back into sales from 1976 to 1980 and became the sales manager in 1986, and then subsequently in his current role as president and CEO.

Stanley has been involved with the Atlanta Baseball/Softball Association serving on the executive board for six years. He also coached boys for 6 years and coached girls for 2 years. He was involved with the Atlanta Boys and Girls Club for two years.

Stanley has served on the Atlanta Memorial Hospital Foundation board of directors for ten years and the Atlanta Economic Development Committee for twelve years. He has been a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity four fifty-one years, the Life Loyal Sig for forty-nine years and the Grand Consul’s citation for six years.

Stanley has been a member of The Baron’s an honorary service fraternity at East Texas State University for three years. He was elected as an Ambassador (service to the University) at East Texas State University 1999. He was also on the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association East Texas State University three years and the board of directors for Texas A&M University Texarkana Foundation Board for four years.

Among his professional and commercial activities included being on the board of directors for Guard-Line, Inc. for forty-five years

The citations and awards he has received include the Atlanta Man of the Year in 1995. Achieved the Atlanta Business of the Year in 2012 for his work with Guard-Line, Inc... Stanley’s contribution to Atlanta ISD includes being a proud supporter of the Atlanta Education Association with donations and a supporter of the Atlanta Education Association’s auction on February 2, 2019.

He was the Co-President of the Atlanta Band Booster Club from 1992 - 1994. He is also an avid supporter of Atlanta School’s band programs and all Atlanta Athletics

Babs McCoy

Education seems to be in McCoy’s blood as she followed in the footsteps of her father. Her dad, George Haggard was superintendent of Atlanta schools from October 1967 until the end of the school year in 1977. Babs McCoy spent most of her teaching career with Atlanta Independent School District (seventeen years) on the Elementary Campus teaching in the fifth grade classroom. Her assignments were in the field of special education and English as a Second Language.

While working at Atlanta Elementary, Mrs. Mc-Coy served as the Elementary UIL Director from 1997 – 2007. Mrs. McCoy also worked afterschool in the BLAST Program tutoring children with their homework. During Mrs. McCoy’s teaching career, she offered private tutoring to several students who were struggling with their assignments. Through the years, Mrs. McCoy was asked to be a mentor to student teachers who were assigned to the Elementary campus. At the Elementary campus, Mrs. McCoy was instrumental in the organizing of the Shadow Student Program for the fourth and fifth grade students.

Babs McCoy’s past teaching experience also includes two years at Linden-Kildare in early childhood and two years at Liberty-Eylau as a kindergarten teacher. Babs was the founder and director of the First United Methodist Church Day School in 1981 where she taught for 8 years. Babs McCoy is married to Phil McCoy (1965 Atlanta Graduate) and has two daughters, Heather and Tonya, who graduated from Atlanta Independent School District. Babs and Phil have lived in Atlanta for 49 years.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” William Butler Yeats This quote is one huge way that we may eventually make a difference in our lives, communities, and the world. In 2014, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce named Babs McCoy as the Woman of the Year. Mrs. McCoy is currently serving as the president of the Eastern Cass County School Retired Association. Babs also serves as the Vice President of the Atlanta Area Women’s Club and is a volunteer at the Atlanta Christus St. Michael Hospital. In retirement, Mrs. McCoy continues to try to make a difference not working at the school but by volunteering in the community.

Tom Watson

Tom is BKD’s South Region managing partner and oversees four states: Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma. Tom’s regional responsibilities include managing more than 600 employees located in some of BKD’s fastest growing markets. Tom has been a member of BKD’s firm wide governing board since 2014, and is also a member of BKD’s 7-person management committee.

Prior to becoming regional managing partner, he served as the managing partner of BKD’s DFW practice for seven years, where he was responsible for administration, planning, personnel and operations for partners and professionals. Before assuming the managing partner role, Tom served as BKD’s South Region health care industry leader and provided audit and advisory services to some of BKD’s most complex clients, with an emphasis on health care organizations. Tom is a frequent speaker, providing training to clients, boards and industry groups. Tom began his career with BKD in Little Rock in 1992. He relocated to Houston in 2004 and Dallas in 2010.

Tom earned one of the highest scores ever achieved on the CPA exam in Arkansas and received the Elijah Watt Sells Award for outstanding performance on the exam. He is a Fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (FHFMA) and a member of the President’s Council at Harding University.

He is active in the DFW community through involvement in numerous organizations. He serves as finance chair and board member for Dallas Summer Musicals and also serves as a board member for the Dallas chapters of The First Tee, American Heart Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. He is also a board member of the Dallas Regional Chamber.

Tom is married to Leigh Anne Watson and they have two children. Parker

(21) is a senior at the University of Arkansas where he is studying mechanical engineering. Jared (17) is a senior at Frisco High School.

Tom is a 1992 graduate of Harding University, Searcy, Arkansas, with a B.B.A. degree in accounting. He is a 1988 graduate of Atlanta High School.

Keith Crow

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” These words describe the life of Keith Crow.

Keith graduated from Atlanta High School in 1974 then went on to graduate from East Texas State University in Texarkana (now Texas A&M-Texarkana) in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. For many people, once they get a degree they choose a field and stay with it until retirement. However, Keith was not like most people. His career ranges from selling insurance, to selling cars, to selling real estate, and eventually owning his own businesses. Every single business endeavor took place in Atlanta, Texas, not because he never had the opportunity to leave, but because he bled maroon and wanted to live, work, and serve in the place he truly loved to call home.

While the business side of Keith’s life was varied, there was one thing that was always a constant: His sense of responsibility and service. Keith was not one who was willing to just sit around and wait for others to volunteer.

In order to help make the town of Atlanta everything he dreamed it could be, Keith joined several committees and civic groups including the Atlanta City Development Corporation/Economic Development Board, the Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Forest Festival Board, the Lion’s Club, the Airport Board, and the Atlanta Hotel/Motel Tourism Committee.

Wanting to be in a position where he felt he could do the most good for Atlanta, Keith ran for mayor and was elected. He served in that position for twelve years until his unexpected death in 2017 . During his term he promoted all things Atlanta.

He was instrumental in not only recruiting new businesses, but the building of the Atlanta Baseball/ Softball Complex. While some people did not see the need, Keith knew the students of Atlanta deserved to play in a facility in which they could be proud.

This complex has hosted hundreds of tournaments and games which has brought people to Atlanta. More importantly, it has provided a place for families to make memories that last a lifetime. Keith made a difference in Atlanta, but he was most proud of the part he played in securing a billboard on Highway 59 which states “One City Under God”.

Keith was also very involved in Atlanta ISD. He knew that if a town’s school was not successful, the town would not be successful. He was an active member of the Atlanta Athletic Booster Club and the Atlanta Band Booster Club.

He served on various Site-Based Committees and could be found in the press box of every home game assisting his friend Dale Perkins who is the voice of Atlanta football. Even though he never sat in the stands, he continued to purchase two season tickets so he could share them with anyone who needed them. He was a founding donor of the Atlanta Education Foundation and promoted anything connected with the school.

Raised a preacher’s kid, Keith knew his true purpose in life. He was an active member of Walnut Hill Baptist Church where he was a youth leader, choir member, Sunday School teacher, and music minister. He moved his membership to First Baptist Church Atlanta where he sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, served as a sponsor for many youth choir tours and youth camps, as well as serving on many committees. Keith’s Christian walk was a part of every aspect of his life. He used his various contacts with people in the community as a way of inviting them to church and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Keith’s list of accomplishments is long and distinguished. Due to this he was named Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year in 1985-86 and KPYN Man of the Year in the 2000’s. However, if you asked him these would not be the things he would tell you were the most important in his life. Without a doubt he would tell you two things: he loved the Lord and he loved people.

Keith lived his life to make sure that above all else people knew that about him. He loved to laugh, sing, and play jokes on people. When he was around there was never a dull moment because you never knew what he would do. There has never been anyone like Keith Crow and unfortunately there never will be.

Keith lived a life welllived and made his mark on the world. He will never be forgotten. For all of these reasons and more, Keith Crow is deserving of this Distinguished Alumni Award.