92 Chronicle Fall02 for Web - Berry College

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ALUMNIFROM BERRY COURTSHIP TO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATIONA TALE OF TWO: AUBREY & JUDY SILVEYAubrey (60c) and Judy Silvey (61C)Theirs is a love story.It is a saga peppered withsuccess — they have children andgrandchildren they adore and a thrivingcompany that does $50 million inbusiness annually throughout theWestern Hemisphere. But when it comesright down to it, theirs is a tale of two —of true life partners who have taken thebad with the good, weathered the upsand the downs, and enjoyed the ride asmuch as the destination.And it all started at Berry …Judy Muschamp (61C) was still inhigh school when Berry Collegefreshman T. Aubrey Silvey (60c) spottedher while working on a student workprogram crew in 1956. The daughter ofthen Berry purchasing director HerbertMuschamp, Judy had grown up oncampus. Aubrey, although unsure of hisfuture direction, came to Berry fromBreman, Ga., on the recommendation ofthe Carroll County extension agent.If it wasn’t love at first sight, it wasthe next closest thing — at least forAubrey. He discovered Judy’s identityand spent several months attempting tomeet her, always fearing he would saythe wrong thing and ruin his chances.When he finally made his move – a“blind” date arranged by his roommate,things went well, but he nearly blew it.“He didn’t call for two weeks after wewent out,” Judy moaned. “I later learnedhe didn’t have any money to take meanywhere and had to wait until he gothis pay.”And so their shared livesbegan. But it wasn’t easyat first.Aubrey decided to leaveBerry after a year. Heworked in the machineshop at Southwire inCarrollton, Ga., a job thatwas dirty and hot. “I couldsee an air-conditioned,glassed-in room where themen wore ties, and I askedwhat jobs they had,” hesaid. “They wereengineers, and I knew thatwas the kind of job Iwanted.”Aubrey ended up atwhat is now SouthernPolytechnic StateUniversity earning adegree in civil engineering,while Judy studied homeeconomics at BerryCollege. “I made tracks toBerry every weekend,” hesaid.“My mother told me time and again,‘Don’t you keep that boy from gettingan education or you’ll regret it the rest ofyour life,’” Judy stated.Judy and Aubrey were married theday after his graduation — at Berry’sFrost Chapel. But things still weren’teasy.Aubrey headed right to boot camp forthe Marine Corps Reserve, while Judystill had a year to finish at Berry —where married students were not yetpermitted. Judy requested permissionfrom the college’s board to finish hereducation. “I was the first legal marriedstudent at Berry,” she chuckled.The couple eventually settled nearCarrollton where she initially workedwith the local extension service and hefor Richards and Associates, the parentfirm of Southwire. They reveled in theadoption of son, David, in 1966, anddaughter, Julie, in 1968. Life was good,and by 1971, Aubrey had risen toassistant vice president in charge ofsubstation construction. When his bossdied unexpectedly, however, Aubreychose to strike out on his own — orrather with Judy.The couple took every cent of their lifesavings, $24,000, to start a substationconstruction company. He began totravel extensively. With a baby indiapers and hands already full, Judyjoined in, handling all the paperwork andother necessary details so her husbandcould be on the road. A full six monthslater they landed their first job —building a substation in a soybean fieldin South Carolina.The new company prospered — atfirst from their dining room table andthen from an office behind their home —and took a significant risk in 1983 whenit purchased a substation connectorsupplier. Following his 1985 graduationfrom a three-year Harvard BusinessSchool Owner/President Managementprogram, however, Aubrey began toexpand the business in earnest, alwayswith Judy at his side.Today, Aubrey Silvey Enterprises Inc.has five divisions, three subsidiaries,250 employees and operations in bothNorth and South America and isconsidered one of the premierconstruction, manufacturing andengineering companies serving theelectric utility industry. And not only is ita successful corporation, it is a companybuilt on a foundation of ethics, withextensive succession planning.Ethics are important to both of theSilveys and something they credit Berryfor helping to solidify in their lives.“The values that are the core of Berrymay not have seemed important to mewhen I was there, but they have stuckwith me and have had a large impactand influence on my life,” Aubrey said,listing them as honesty, integrity,truthfulness, friendship and faith. Theyhave fostered success: He has receivednumerous honors applauding his style ofleadership.The Silveys now have handed thecompany’s presidential reins to theirplanned successor and turned thecompany over to its employees via anEmployee Stock Ownership Plan.Aubrey remains chairman of the board,while Judy serves on the boards of theparent corporation and its subsidiaries.Both are extremely active in civic andchurch organizations. Aubrey also isvice chairman of the Berry College Boardof Visitors.While they have stepped back a bitfrom the torrid pace of their early years,the Silveys remain extremely active.“Our children told us they don’t everwant to have to work as hard as wedid,” Judy said. “I told them not to feelsorry for us — we did what we wantedto do.”And they still do. Today they travelextensively, improve their lovely 450-acre estate and spend as much time aspossible with the new lights of their lives— their four grandchildren. And they arealways looking forward to the next oflife’s adventures — together. ■— KARILON L. ROGERSSPOTLIGHT10
AWARDSALUMNIALUMNI ASSOCIATION SALUTESTHREE OUTSTANDING BERRY GRADSDR. E. DWIGHT ADAMS (53C)Distinguished Achievement Award• One of the world’s foremostauthorities on low-temperature physics.His micro-Kelvin laboratory at theUniversity of Florida is one of thepremier low-temperature centers in theworld and one of only two such facilitiesin the United States.• Recipient of numerous awards,including the Jesse W. Beams Medal forDistinguished Research and theOutstanding Florida Scientist Medal.• Active in promoting recycling ofsolid wastes. Served as chairman of theNational Sierra Club Committee on SolidWastes.FAYE JUNKINS GIBBONS (61C)Distinguished Achievement Award• Nationally celebrated children’sbook author. Her first novel, Some GladMorning, was chosen by the DixieCouncil of Authors and Journalists asGeorgia’s 1983 Book of the Year inChildren’s Literature.• Critically acclaimed books includeNight in the Barn, a SmithsonianMagazine Notable Book and winner ofthe Alabama Library Award; King Shoesand Clown Pockets, chosen as one ofthe best books for kids in 1989 by USAToday; and Mighty Close to Heaven, a“Best Book of 1985” according to theAmerican Library Association.NETTIE RUTH BROWN (52C)Distinguished Service Award• Longtime 4-H coordinator in St.John’s County, Fla., who has dedicatedher life to helping children and adultsbecome outstanding citizens and caringcommunity leaders. Under herleadership, the St. John’s County 4-Hyouth program grew to 1,000 membersannually, with a significant numberreceiving district, state and nationalawards.• Honored by St. Augustine assomeone who is always ready to be ofservice to others. Received distinguishedservice awards from both state andnational extension home economistsassociations.2003 ALUMNI AWARDS: CALL FOR NOMINATIONSYou may submit nominations for more than one award. Descriptions of each award are listed below.Shortly beforegoing to press inJuly, we learned of thedeath of Mrs. CorellaBonner, whoestablished the BonnerFoundation with herhusband, the lateBertram F. Bonner.Through theirgenerosity, the Bonnershave touched countlesslives, including those ofthe Berry students whohave received Bonnerscholarships during thepast decade. Thatlegacy will live on asBonner studentscontinue to contributethousands of volunteerhours in the localcommunity each year.THE DISTINGUISHEDACHIEVEMENT AWARD is given foroutstanding leadership within alocal or a national organization orfor distinguished accomplishmentswithin an occupationalfield. The nominee must haveachieved success far beyond whatmight be recognized as normal oraverage.THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICEAWARD honors selfless service tohumanity over and beyondone’s normal obligations. Theservice must have been ofsignificant value, although itmay have attracted little publicattention or recognition.NOMINATION FORM2003 ALUMNI AWARDSPlease PrintNAME OF NOMINEE: ___________________________________________________________________________________________SUBMITTED BY: _______________________________________________________________________________________________PLEASE CHECK: ❑ Distinguished Achievement Award ❑ Entrepreneurial Spirit Award❑ Distinguished Service Award❑ Outstanding Young Alumni AwardIf possible, provide names and addresses of two additional references who may provide support for this nominee.Reference Name: ___________________________________Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRITAWARD recognizes and honorsalumni who have demonstrated acommitment to turn a dream intoreality, the vision to create anenterprise, the courage to assumerisks, and the ability to makechanges and take advantage ofnew opportunities.Reference Name: __________________________________________Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________Please attach a brief statement highlighting the reason(s) that this alumna/alumnus is deserving of an Alumni Association Award.Return by Nov. 30, 2002, to:Berry Alumni Office • Attn: Jennifer TuckerP.O. Box 495018 • Mount Berry, Georgia 30149-5018THE OUTSTANDING YOUNGALUMNI AWARD recognizes andhonors young alumni (graduatedwithin the past 20 years) whohave distinguished themselvesby unusual success andsignificant accomplishment.✁11
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