Circle of Gold

The FSU Alumni Association’s Circle of Gold recognizes worthy individuals who, through their service and achievements, personify the university’s tradition of excellence. It is given to those alumni and/or friends of FSU who, through their dedication and loyalty to the University, exemplify the Alumni Association’s core values of Tradition, Leadership, Family, Spirit and Greatness.

Circle of Gold and Bernard F. Sliger Honorees will be recognized at the Florida State University Alumni Awards during Homecoming weekend.

Nominations and applications for the 2025 Circle of Gold will open Fall 2024.

2024 Circle of Gold Honorees

Javier Borges

(B.S. ’97)

College of Social Sciences and Public Policy

Pinecrest, Florida

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Javi Borges serves as the Global Media & Entertainment Leader for EY. With more than 25 years of experience, he is focused on serving some of the largest M&E organizations through EY’s assurance, consulting, strategy and transaction and tax services, helping them achieve their strategic, operational and risk management goals. Previously, he served as the Miami Office Managing Partner, a member of the firm's Regional Partner Forum and steering committee member of the Latino Professional Network. In 2016, he was honored as a Young Hispanic Corporate Achiever by the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility. He is a member of the Orange Bowl Committee in Miami and St. Brendan High School Board of Directors. Borges is the current and first Hispanic chair of the FSU Alumni Association National Board of Directors. He is a past president of the Seminole Club of Miami and the Seminole Club of New York City. Borges graduated from FSU with a bachelor’s degree in international affairs and multinational business in 1997. He and his wife Lauren (B.S. 04) reside in Miami with their two children.

Jeff Boykins

(B.S. ’92, M.Acc. ’93)

College of Business

Acworth, Georgia

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Jeff Boykins is a certified public accountant with over 30 years of public accounting experience, with the last 24 years as a dedicated transaction services professional. He has focused on providing financial due diligence services, ranging from minority investments to complex carve-outs of public entities in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America. Jeff has worked with both private equity and corporate clients across various industries throughout his career. Jeff has served on several boards, including the African American Partnership for the United Way of Atlanta, CoolGirls Inc. and the FSU Alumni Association. Jeff received a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting from FSU. Jeff, a father of four daughters, and his wife, Tiffany, have endowed scholarships supporting the CARE program and women’s athletics at FSU.

Barbara Coen

(BSN ’74)

College of Nursing

Naples, Florida

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Barbara Coen worked as a registered nurse for 19 years before retiring to raise two children. During that time, she worked at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, UF Shands Hospital, Naples Community Hospital, the Leon County Health Department, as the school health supervisor of Collier County, and as a plasma pheresis nurse at the Community Blood Bank of Naples. After retiring, Coen became an avid volunteer in her community, serving on boards for Collier County Extension Services and Collier County Junior Deputy League. She was vice-chair of the Alligator District Committee for Boy Scouts of America and a recipient of the district award of merit and the Silver Beaver award from the Southwest Florida Council of the Boy Scouts. Coen also served on the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees (2012-17) and is a founding member of The Women for FSU and the College of Nursing’s alumni and advancement councils. The Jacksonville, Florida, native earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from FSU.

Inez Cohen

(B.S. ’74)

College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

Apollo Beach, Florida

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Liz Cohen has a 40-year career of transforming education, first in classrooms nationwide and ascending to leadership roles in school districts from California to Virginia. Her journey spans various positions, including department chair, principal and central office administrator. After retiring in 2010, she became a national turnaround school consultant, supporting failing schools in urban districts as well as clients, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. She has also facilitated higher education opportunities for 10,000 first-generation scholars through the College Partnership Program. A proud alumna, she serves on the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees. She is a member of FSU’s President’s Club, Westcott Legacy Society, and the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences Development Council and a past regional director for the National Black Alumni at FSU. Cohen received FSU’s Distinguished Alumni Award from the then College of Education in 2018 and the Grads Made Good Award from the Alumni Association in 2021. Cohen received her B.S. in English education from FSU and M.S. from Chapman University. The lasting impact and legacy of her philanthropic efforts at FSU, include two endowed scholarships and her commitment to the creation of a new and beautiful holistic green space devoted to The Divine Nine, at the National Panhellenic Council Park (NPCP).

Wayne Edwards

(B.S. ’63, MBA ’68)

College of Business

Tallahassee, Florida

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Wayne Edwards spent 35 years providing financial planning services to clients and the public through his newspaper column and television appearances. He founded Professional Financial Planning Inc., which later merged with MMHP Investment Advisors, a registered investment advisor firm. As Tallahassee's first Certified Financial Planner (CFP) practitioner, Edwards initiated the required CFP preparatory course at FSU, where he served as an adjunct professor. He has also served on the boards of the Seminole Boosters and FSU Alumni Association and as chair of the College of Business Alumni Board and the School of Theater Patrons Board. Edwards received a B.S. in finance and an MBA from FSU. Edwards’ service to the Tallahassee community is extensive, having served on numerous boards, including the Rotary Club of Tallahassee, where he received the Frederick Clifton Moor Award. He also founded the Rotary Action Club for Diabetes. He is the only Rotarian in the district's history to receive all three of Rotary International’s highest awards: The Distinguished Service Award, Citation for Meritorious Service and the Service Above Self Award.

Lou Taormina

(B.S. ’96)

College of Arts and Sciences

Mount Kisco, New York

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Lou Taormina is a managing director at Frederic W. Cook & Company, where he has spent close to 25 years providing executive compensation consulting services to corporate boards of directors and senior management. He is a frequent speaker at compensation forums throughout the country and has authored numerous research reports and featured articles on compensation-related topics. He is also a member of the New York State Bar Association and The Florida Bar. Lou received a B.S. in Biology from FSU (1996) and both an MBA and J.D. from the University of Florida (2000). He is a current member of the Seminole Booster Board, occasional guest lecturer at the FSU College of Business and previously served on the FSU Foundation Board of Trustees. Lou resides in Mount Kisco, New York, with his wife, Mariana, and their two children, Alessandra (12) and Vincent (10). In his free time, he enjoys building/DIY projects, coaching little league baseball and flag football and following all things FSU-related.

Nomination Information

Requirements:

Individuals must be recognized for their service and achievements.
They should personify the university’s tradition of excellence.
Recipients must demonstrate dedication and loyalty to the university.
Exemplifies the Alumni Association’s core values, which include: Tradition, Leadership, Family, Spirit and Greatness

A complete nomination includes:

Nomination form: Please provide accurate and current information for the nominee and the nominator.
Statement of nomination: Please provide a statement of nomination describing the nominee's devotion to Florida State University.
At least two letters of support: A completed nomination will include at least two Letters of Support. A strong nomination will contain at least one letter from a respected colleague in the nominee's area of professional distinction.

Nominations:

Nominees must be placed in formal nomination each year with a completed online nomination form. Nominations can be made by anyone. Nominations will be solicited through the Florida State University Alumni Association’s newsletters, social media and alumni chapters and networks. All nominations must be received by the Alumni Association upon the designated due date each year.

Important Dates:

November 22,2024 - Nominations open
February 9, 2025 - Nominations close
Late January-February - Verification and review process
Spring/Summer 2025 - Honorees are notified
Fall 2025 - Honorees are recognized during Homecoming

Process: A committee appointed by the Alumni Association National Board of Directors selects the recipients of the Circle of Gold. Each year’s recipients are notified upon approval of the Engagement Committee in Spring 2024. If a nominee is not selected in a particular year, they may be re-nominated in succeeding years.

Self-nominations and FSU faculty/staff will not be considered. Exceptional nominations for non-degreed friends of Florida State University will be considered.

Florida State University Alumni Association reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to determine the final list.

Circle of Gold Members

1993 Honorees

Bernard F. Sliger

1994 Honorees

Charles D. Ausley
Robert C. Bowden
William M. Durham Jr.
Charles W. Ehrhardt
Daisy P. Floruy
Donald A. Gifford
Katherine B. Hoffman
Bolley L. Johnson
Leslie V. Pantin, Jr.

1995 Honorees

Gordon W. Blackwell
Milton S. Carothers
John E. Champion
Talbot D' Alemberte
Mary D. Findley
Mary P. Hutchinson
Betty Lou W. Joanos
James E. Joanos
J. Lester Kaney
George R. Langford
Dale W. Lick
J. Stanley Marshall
James H. Melton
Avery Roberts
T.K. Weatherell

1996 Honorees

Cassandra D. Jenkins
James E. King Jr.
Sarah L. Marxsen
R. Andrew Miller
Mary Loud Norwood
William M. Parker
William G. Smith Jr.
Guy M. Spearman
Beverly B. Spencer
June F. Strauss
H. Kenza van Assenderp

1997 Honorees

Reubin O' D. Askew
Richard W. Brinson
E. Eugene Deckerhoff
Paula S. Fortunas
Mark Hillis
Terry A. Johnson
James E. Kirk Jr.
Michael D. Martin
Sherry A. Quarello
C. David Smith
Gus A. Stavros
Stephen S. Winters

1998 Honorees

Joseph L. Camps Jr.
Steve Edwards, Jr.
Grace I. Fox
Charles D. Hall
Betty L. Harrison
Douglas L. Manheimer
James L. Miller
James E. Pitts
Melvin L. Pope, Jr.
James C. Smith
W. Godfrey Smith
Alan C. Sundberg
Norman E. Thagard
Cynthia S. Tunicliff

1999 Honorees

Charles E. Barnes II
Huge H. de Beaubien
Sue C. Boynton
C. Raymond Cottrell
N. Frank Fain
Davis P. Gaines
J. Sherman Henderson
L. Gregory Phifer
Wilma M. Rosenbloom
John E. Thrasher
Winston E. Scott
Don A. Veller

2000 Honorees

Roderick M. Brim Sr.
Thomas O. Goldsworthy
Sue D. Hall
Thomas C. Haney
W. Douglas Henderson
David F. Lyons
Mina Jo Powell
Ronald R. Richmond
William A. Tanner
Pearl Tyner
Thomas G. Wright

2001 Honorees

Michael D. Andrews
Robert L. Bannerman
JoAnne A. Graf
Robert A. Holton
James W. Horne
Wiley L. Housewright
A. Lawton Langford
John M. McKay
Guy A. Moore
Barbara J. Palmer
Durell Peaden, Jr.
Sherrill W. Ragans
Burton L. Reynolds
Patricia G. Smith
Nancy A. Turner
D. Eugene Walden

2002 Honorees

Lawrence G. Abele
Cheryl S. Beckert
Maxwell Carraway, Jr.
Clifford R. Hinkle
Lynda Keever
Walter T. Massey, Jr.
David D. Mobley, Jr.
Mabel Jean Morrison
Billy G. Smith
Thomas A. Waits

2003 Honorees

Ronald B. Diamond
W. Andrew Haggard
Louis Hill, Sr.
Mart P. Hill
Lee. F. Hinkle
Ryals E. Lee, Jr.
Susan D. McHenry
J. Michael Pate
Stephen C. Reilly

2004 Honorees

James M. Clark
Mary B. Coburn
Allen D. Durham
Linda A. Henning
Franklin D. Murphy
Ronald G. Smith

2005 Honorees

Allen G. Bense
Derrick D. Brooks
Bridget M. Chandler
Robert O. Fohl
DeVoe L. Moore
Shirley M. Moore
Thomas F. Petway,III
A. Gary Walsingham

2006 Honorees

Robert L. Akers
Kevin W. Cashin
Lee R. Corso
David B. Ford
Sandra A. Johnson
Donna H. McHugh
Eldon J. Nosari
Paula P. Smith
Larry O. Strom

2007 Honorees

F. Allen Boyd, Jr.
Warrick D. Dunn
Lucy Ho
Robert M. Johnson
Jeffrey D. Kottkamp
J.D. Rayburn, II
Wayne L. Rubinas
Hans W. Tews
Thomas L. Williams, III

2008 Honorees

Kathy Atkins-Gunter
Scott F. Atwell
Margaret H. Bindhardt
Dennis O. Boyle
Robert T. Carnes
Charles K. Hill
Ronald H. Hobbs
Maury R. Kolchakian
Christopher L. Kraft
Elvin G. Lightsey
W. Russell Morcom
Thomas M. Woodruff

2009 Honorees

Lucy M. Baer
Donald L. Eddings
Nancy C. Hillis
James A Riscigno
John Roberge
Betty J. Steffens
Kathleen A. Villacorta
Thomas A. Warren

2010 Honorees

Eric J. Barron
David K. Coburn
John E. Dailey
Carl J. Domino
Gordon D. Gaster
Jeffrey L. Hill
J. Wayne Hogan
Charlotte E. Maguire
Melquiades R. Martinez
Laurel A. Moredock
William L. Proctor
Janet. L. Stoner

2011 Honorees

James W. Apthorp
Richard G. Fallon
Patrick W. Hogan
Sally P. Karioth
John R. Marks
Jane W. Meigs
Joseph S. O’Shea
Sandra W. Rackley
Leo Sandon, Jr.
Mary Ann Stiles
Rosa Lee D. Tomberlin
Dorothy D. Whittle

2012 Honorees

Diane S. Ervin
Garrett W. Johnson
Joel C. Padgett
Sean A. Pittman
E. Ray Solomon
Gordon J. Sprague
Donald E. Stone
Gary D. Wilson

2013 Honorees

Michele M. Adair
John R. Carnaghi
Marie E. Cowart
Kyle R. Doney
Hugh N. Durham
Mark J. Edenfield
Ricky L. Polston
Eugene E. Stearns
Charlie Ward Jr.

2014 Honorees

Donna Lou Askew
Chip Baker
Bruce B. Blackwell
Ray Fielding
S. Dale Greene
Anne Hamilton
Connie Jenkins-Pye
Billie J. Jones
Richard A. Kurras
Mary L. Pankowski
Myron L. Rolle
Janet Wells
David F. Westberry
Virginia Wetherall
Mark T. Zeigler

2015 Honorees

Ruth Ruggles Akers
Billy R. Close
Stella S. Cottrell
Jim Gladden
R. Martin Hall
Gordon S. Holder
Thomas V. Hynes
Robert G. Perrone
Sue P. Semrau
Jesse W. Solomon

2016 Honorees

Sam Ambrose
Steve Brown
Yvonne Brown
Gerald Ensley
Tonya Harris
Jim Jones
Jerry Kutz
Jack McCoy
Max Oligario
Steve Pattison
Delores Spearman

2017 Honorees

Florence Ashby
Molly Barron
Mary Champion
Ben Crump
Julie Dunn Eichenberg
Ritesh Gupta
Marilyn Lick
Craig Lynch
Shirley Marshall
Patsy Palmer
Billy Sexton
Greta Sliger
Jean Thrasher

2018 Honorees

Ed Burr
Alicia Crew
Janice Finney
Eric Friall
Odell Haggins
Billy Francis
Judy Pate
John Rivers
Max Zahn
Don Weidner

2019 Honorees

Keith Carr
John Crowe
Kathleen Daly
J.D. Doughney
Doby Flowers
Melvin Stith
Brian Swain
Jesse Wexler

2020 Honorees

Jean Accius
B. Dan Berger
Christopher Iansiti
Karen Laughlin
Bill Montford

2021 Honorees

Kenneth Austin
James L. Lee
Scott E. Wiegand
Marilyn J. Young

2022 Honorees

Craig Dewhurst
Dave Lane
Dazi Lenior
Nancy McKay
Ahli Moore

2023 Honorees

Peter Collins
Jeanne Curtin
Fred Flowers
Maura Hayes
Kathy Mears
Fred Tresca