University of Georgia:

Henry M. "Hank" Huckaby Finance and Administration Employee Recognition Support Fund

The Finance and Administration Recognition Program, established in 2006, provides the opportunity to express the University’s appreciation for the years of loyal service provided by hundreds of dedicated staff members and to honor a select few for exemplary performance.

Huckaby addresses the crowd at the first annual employee
Recognition Ceremony held in May 2006.

The Finance and Administration celebrated its third annual Recognition Ceremony on May 15, 2008, at which time more than 160 F&A staff members were honored for achievement of years of service milestones. In addition, four Merit Awards for individual service excellence were presented in the categories of Customer Service, Unsung Hero, Tough Dawg and Newcomer. The creation and maintenance of a recognition program had long been a goal of former Senior Vice President Hank Huckaby. In 2004, he established a Recognition Committee composed of representatives from each of the seven divisions in Finance and Administration to research recognition programs and to provide a recommendation for a new program for F&A employees. The group’s recommendations formed the genesis of the first Recognition Ceremony held in May 2006. Nearly 1,300 employees attended the inaugural event, held at the Tate Student Center, and more than 1,100 employees received awards for years of service at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 year levels. The Recognition Committee, with new staff members named yearly, continues to plan and execute this worthy event.

Huckaby retired as UGA’s senior vice president for finance and administration shortly after the inaugural ceremony. His long career spanned more than 40 years of service to the state of Georgia, the last six as senior vice president. He had previously served as the director of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia. Before joining UGA, Huckaby was director of the state Office of Planning and Budget, the highest financial position in state government. He also served as executive director of the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority and was commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and director of the Georgia Fiscal Research Program at Georgia State University. In November 2002, Georgia Governor-Elect Sonny Perdue appointed him as a member of his transition team and subsequently as interim chief financial officer for the Office of Planning and Budget. Huckaby served in this dual role for eight months before returning full-time to his duties at the University of Georgia.

The University of Georgia Alumni Association honored Huckaby with a Faculty Service Award, which is given to faculty or staff members for distinguished service to the university in 2007.

The Henry M. “Hank” Huckaby Employee Recognition Fund, established in honor of Huckaby upon his retirement, now provides a source of perpetual support for the program. President Michael F. Adams designated $25,000 from the President’s Venture Fund as a lead gift in support of this worthy initiative, and many others have contributed. These donations help to purchase employee awards, ranging from certificates at the five year level to rocking chairs for employees with 30 years of service to the University. Such recognition gifts must be provided through private resources, as state funds cannot be used for this purpose.

For information on how to contribute to the Henry M. “Hank” Huckaby Finance and Administration Employee Recognition Support Fund, please contact Kathy R. Pharr, Assistant Vice President for Finance and Administration, at 706-542-1361 or at pharr@uga.edu.