Class of 2015

2015 Georgia Hall of Fame

Ed Benson
Career Achievement - Board Volunteer
A highly successful business owner and long-time philanthropic presence in the Classic City, Ed Benson grew up, was educated and spent much of his life in his hometown of Athens. Ed was a graduate of the University of Georgia, and in World War II with the 14th Fighter Group in England, North Africa and Italy. After the war, Ed attended UGA Grad School and the American Institute of Baking. He joined the family baking business in 1947 and became President in 1958. Under Ed’s leadership Benson‘s Bakery opened a hotel division in 1970. The hotel division now consists of four hotels in the Athens area. 
 
Ed has been extremely active in the local Boys & Girls Club community. He has served on two Capital Campaigns, chairing the first campaign in 1971 that exceeded its goal by 25% and provided funding for the construction of the first permanent home of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens. After “paying his dues” many times over and at the age of 87, he became a member of the 2008 Capital Campaign Cabinet that raised over 3 million dollars in private funds and secured 2.5 million of public sector support. Making calls with another board member, Ed was instrumental in securing several major gifts. He has been connected with the board for over 40 years, including serving two stints as Chair.
 
Ed states that his all-time major pleasures in community affairs have been serving the Athens First United Methodist Church, the Salvation Army, The Clarke County School System, the Clarke County Mentor Program (still active at age 94!), UGA (Go Dawgs!) and The Boys & Girls Clubs of Athens. We honor Ed for his extensive personal volunteerism and his dedication to serving the youth in Athens.  
Robert Ledbetter, Sr.
Career Achievement - Board Volunteer
For over 47 years, Robert Ledbetter, Sr. has played a pivotal role in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Georgia. As the organization’s longest serving Board Member, Robert has shepherded the Club since its inception as the Boys Club of Rome. Robert has served the organization in several facets, from Board and Executive Committee member to campaign chairperson and longtime donor. His work has sparked achievement and recognition, including spearheading the work to establish a Club on the south side of Rome and being recognized with the “Champion of Youth Award,” presented for 45 years of service to Boys & Girls Clubs. 
 
Robert has strengthened partnerships and credibility with corporate sponsors, all the while strengthening the organization’s business operations with his years of professional expertise. 
 
In 2013, working alongside other major donors, Robert participated in a challenge to erase approximately $275,000 of debt, acquired during the organization’s expansion to the south side of Rome. The expansion doubled the organization’s community reach, and Robert’s contributions helped to ensure young people continued to receive life-saving programming – a pillar of Robert’s passion and belief in Boys & Girls Clubs’ work. 
 
Robert is a graduate of the Darlington School, Culver Military Academy and Georgia Institute of Technology, and has served our country in the United States Navy. He holds multiple leadership positions within the community. Robert is married to Betty D. Wright. They have three sons and nine grandchildren.
Daniel Lochridge
Career Achievement - Board Volunteer
Serving more than 26 years as a founding board member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartow County, Daniel Lochridge has served in every leadership capacity within the Organization including Chairman, Resource Development Chair, Capital Campaign Chair, Executive Committee, Area Council Liaison, and currently serves as Chairman of the Financial Advisory Committee. He has been awarded the National Medallion and is a member of the 2-time winning Georgia High-Performance Board Team of the Year.
 
Daniel continues to be a steadfast supporter and advocate of the Boys & Girls Club Movement. Through his community, civic, and church relationships, he is a staunch advocate of the Movement. Daniel was a member of the Leadership Team who worked with CPO Gordon Gilley to help establish Club Organizations in Whitfield, Gordon, Murray, Pickens, and Cherokee Counties.
 
Daniel has served more than half his life as a Volunteer Leader in the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartow County. His commitment and outspoken support of the Organization manifests through thousands of youth served over the past 26 years. As the current Financial Advisory Chairman, he is leading efforts in increasing the Organization’s Endowment, Planned Giving, and expanded services with additional Units, Outreach Centers, and a Permanent Facility for Boys & Girls Clubs of Bartow County’s Adairsville Unit.
 
Married to Paige Howren Lochridge for 25 years, they have three daughters: Katie Lochridge Claxton, Betsy Lochridge, Gracie Lochridge and Son In Law Zach Claxton. He is the immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Etowah and immediate Past Chairman of the Etowah Education Foundation. As a lifelong member of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Daniel serves as Chairman of the Deacons, Chairman of the Finance & Personnel Committees, and Treasurer for the past 15 years. 
Charlie Smith
Career Achievement - Professional
Charlie has spent four decades empowering leadership with a sincere compassion for young people and their families with The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Atlanta. He has managed and supervised several locations for The Salvation Army. Charlie’s significant organizational and leadership talents, his remarkable patience and diplomacy, his keen sense of vision, and his sensitivity to the needs of the Boys and Girls of his community have earned him the respect and admiration of his colleagues and associates as demonstrated by his being the recipient of numerous awards including the Association of Boys & Girls Club Professional Award, Who’s Who Executives and Professionals Award, International Who’s Who of Professional Management Award and other Awards.
 
Smith has devoted innumerable hours of his time, talents, and energy toward the betterment of his community. He has given many years of superlative service with the following organizations: Northside Kiwanis Club, The Joyman Club of Atlanta, Prince Hall Affiliation, United Supreme Council, Grand Inspectors General, 33 degree, Association of Boys & Girls Club Professionals, The Academy of Boys & Girls Clubs Professionals, The Chem Lab Inc., Board Member, Certified Pool & Spa Operator Inc., and the MLW Usher Board at Mount Carmel Baptist Church. He also volunteered his service in Atlanta Public School System as a Surrogate Parent from 1980 through 1983.
 
Smith has always demonstrated a strong personal and professional commitment to Atlanta’s youths, and he has exemplified the true essence of what a leader and an adviser should aspire to be. He is a role model for all the young people he has guided over the past 44 years of service to youth. He credits his wife, Desiree, with her loving support that allowed him to give continuously to the organization. His three children Charlie the third, Orienthal, and Quianna are all club alums, and now his grandchildren are club members as well. Charlie has made his service to The Boys & Girls Club generational within his own family. Because as Smith states, “Today’s kids are our future. The risks are great if we don’t provide for them. And the rewards are great for those of us who do help them.”
Robert Soper
Career Achievement - Professional
Robert’s service to the Boys & Girls Club Movement stretches from 1977 to the present. From 1982 to 2013, Robert served as Chief Professional Office for the Boys & Girls Club of Valdosta. Robert currently provides executive coaching as a technical and field consultant through the Boys & Girls Club of America.
 
Robert is a graduate of Valdosta State University and a veteran of the United States Army. He lives in Hahira, GA with his wife, Marianne. Together they have three children: Will Soper, Bonnie Soper Johnson, and Zachary Soper and one granddaughter, Livi Johnson. 
 
Robert has been nationally recognized for his impact on the Boys & Girls Club Movement including the National Contribution to the Profession Award, Service to Youth Award for 35 years of service, and Executive of the Year for the Southeast region. He is also a member of the Academy of Boys & Girls Club Professionals at the distinguished level. 
 
During his time with the Boys & Girls Club of Valdosta, Robert led the way as the Club expanded to include a 30 acre Lake Laurie campus and completed a successful capital campaign of 12.75 million dollars for the beautiful downtown Valdosta facilities. Robert Soper’s impact at the Boys & Girls Club and in the community was so great that in 2014, the Board of Directors named the Boys & Girls Club football field in his honor: the Robert Soper Football Field. 
 
The new facilities pioneered under the leadership of Robert Soper stand as pillars of promise. They declare the continuing presence of the Boys and Girls Club in the Valdosta community. Soper worked for 38 years towards a vision of excellence for the Boys & Girls Club and for this reason and many more we are proud to induct Mr. Robert Soper into the Georgia Hall of Fame.
Preston Stokes
Career Achievement - Board Volunteer
Born in 1935, Preston Stokes was raised in Jackson, Mississippi. He graduated from Clemson University in 1957 with a degree in Civil Engineering. Preston's work history includes the design and construction of numerous high-rise buildings, hotels, hospitals, warehouses and various other structures. 
 
Preston started his volunteer work with Boys & Girls Clubs in Dallas, Texas in 1982. An active member of the Corporate Board, he worked diligently on the property committee. After his move to Atlanta in 1983, Stokes joined the Metro Atlanta team of volunteers and focused his work on the Property Committee. He was involved in the repair of Clubhouses and moreover, became an instrumental team member designing and building a new camp in Danielsville, GA, Camp Kiwanis. He was involved with the selection of the design group and contractor. He assisted the camp director in the purchase of log cabins, helped monitor construction activities for quality control, and camp operations. Stokes enjoyed his time working with the camp director until 2006.
 
2006 was a great year for Boys & Girls Clubs of North Georgia. As a fairly new BGC organization, BGCNG gained a valuable member of the team in Preston. Financial contributions started upon his arrival. By 2010, Preston was designing a new Clubhouse that thousands of youth would benefit from for years to come. Preston created the business plan, prepared cost estimates, and managed the design team. He created a facility that provided separate areas for teens and pre-teens with the goal in mind to provide a safe haven for the teen population of Pickens County. Currently, this building is under construction thanks to his leadership. 
 
Preston's impact reaches far beyond the walls of our Clubs. His passion for the Pickens County community and residents is evident through his work with Good Samaritan Health Clinic's Property & Design team and the Pickens Youth Enrichment program. He is a true believer in making a difference in our community and will continue this impact for many years to come.
 
Preston and his wife Linda have been married for 52 years. Together they have raised two children and now have five grandchildren. Preston and Linda enjoy a wide range of activities including hiking, traveling and the theater. 
Share by: