Darlington presents Distinguished Alumni Awards

Darlington School is pleased to announce that Claude Booker (’50) and the late Dr. Joe Johnson (’47) have been named the 2010 Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients. They were recognized today during a special luncheon and chapel service, kicking off the school’s Alumni Weekend celebration.

“Each of these fine gentlemen achieved great success since graduating from this school more than 50 years ago, and we are honored to recognize them both today,” said Headmaster Tom Whitworth.

During Booker’s years at Darlington, he was a member of the Glee Club, Jabberwokk yearbook staff, baseball team and “D” Club. After graduating, he went on to earn a B.S.I.M. from Georgia Tech and an M.B.A. from Emory University. He later served two years active duty in the U.S. Air Force, attaining reserve commission of Captain.

After completing additional studies at Louisiana State University’s School of Banking of the South, Booker embarked on what would become a very successful banking career. In 1964, he became president of Peachtree Bank & Trust Co. in Chamblee, Ga. After three years, he was named executive vice president of the Trust Co. Bank of Savannah (now SunTrust Bank) in 1967. He spent four years there before becoming president of First National Bank & Trust Co. of Augusta, Ga. (now SunTrust Bank) in 1971. After six years with First National, he was named executive vice president of the Trust Co. of Georgia (now SunTrust Bank) in 1977, a position he held until his retirement 13 years later.

Civically, Booker currently serves as a director of the Communities of Coastal Georgia Foundation and the Sea Island Property Owners Association. He has also been a trustee for the Georgia Council on Economic Education, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Augusta, chairman of the Richmond-Columbia Counties and North Augusta United Way, president of the Boy Scouts of America’s Georgia-Carolina Council, a member of the Medical College of Georgia President’s Advisory Council, a director of the American Cancer Society’s Richmond County Unit, president of the U.S. Army’s Greater Augusta/Fort Gordon Chapter Association, a director of the Georgia Heart Association of Richmond County, state chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Student Teacher Achievement Recognition Program, a member of Emory University’s Board of Visitors, chairman of Georgia Tech’s Parents Committee and president of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce.

A former trustee of Darlington School, Booker is also a class agent and member of the J. Daniel Hanks Sr. (’27) Heritage Society. He and his wife, Judy, live in Sea Island, Ga. He has three children and two grandchildren.

“When Alumni Council President Tim Morgan (’87) called to inform me that I had been selected for this extraordinary recognition, I was surprised and astounded to say the least,” Booker said. “I asked him if he had me confused with a couple of other fellows and he assured me that he did not. I am humbled to have even been considered for this award, and I feel truly touched and honored to have been selected.” 

Unfortunately, Booker was unable to attend Alumni Weekend due to unforeseen medical circumstances, so his classmate and good friend Martin Turbidy (’50) accepted the Distinguished Alumnus Award on his behalf.

“I’m just ‘pinch hitting’ for a friend,” Turbidy said. “I use baseball terminology because Claude was the ace of the pitching staff at Darlington his last couple of years as a student. With each ensuing year, Claude has become more and more involved. He is the epitome of a Distinguished Alumnus and is very deserving of this award.”

Director of Alumni Relations Vicki Vincent and Chief Advancement Officer Joe Montgomery have already made arrangements to visit Booker in November and present the award to him at that time.

“While we are disappointed that Claude could not be here to accept this award and celebrate his 60th reunion with classmates, we are so thankful that he is on the road to recovery,” Vincent said. “We look forward to visiting him next month and also welcoming him to campus later this year so that he can speak to students during chapel. I know he will have some wonderful words of wisdom to share with them.”

As a student at Darlington, Johnson was well known as a campus leader. In addition to playing football, basketball, tennis and baseball, he was also a member of the “Y” Cabinet, Glee Club, Rifle Club, and the Jabberwokk and Darlingtonian staffs. After graduating, he went on to earn his B.A. and M.D. from Vanderbilt University. He then served two years active duty with the U.S. Navy.

In 1957, Johnson began his residency in Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins, where he was a fellow in the division of infectious diseases and immunology, an Osler chief resident, a faculty member in infectious diseases, and assistant dean for student affairs. In 1966, he was appointed chief of infectious diseases for the department of medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine. While there, he advanced to professor of medicine and also served as associate dean.

In 1970, Johnson spent a year in England studying infectious disease immunology at the Clinical Research Centre in London. Upon returning to the U.S., he was appointed professor and chairman of the department of medicine at Wake Forest University’s Bowman Gray School of Medicine, where he remained until 1985. He served as dean of the University of Michigan Medical School from 1985-90 and as a professor of medicine there from 1985-93. Then, he became senior vice president for membership of the American College of Physicians, serving as interim vice president in 1994-95 and subsequently as senior vice president and special advisor to the executive vice president of the college. He was president-elect of the International Society of Internal Medicine, serving as president from 2000-02, and then on the Executive Committee until 2004. By 2004, he had also written over 100 articles, contributed numerous book chapters and edited three books.

Johnson’s distinguished medical career earned him many honors. He was appointed a Markle Scholar in Academic Medicine and elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine; Fellow of the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars; member of the Société Française Tuberculose et des Maladies Respiratoire, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Clinical and Climatological Association; and granted Mastership in the American College of Physicians. In 2003, the American College of Physicians established the Joseph E. Johnson Leadership Award in his honor to recognize young physicians who demonstrate qualities which foster excellence and professionalism in the practice of medicine.

Johnson, who passed away in April of this year, was predeceased by his wife, Judith. They have three children and two grandchildren. His daughters, Julie and Judy Johnson, accepted the Distinguished Alumnus Award on his behalf.

Nominees for the Distinguished Alumnus Award must have distinguished themselves in one or more of the following areas since graduating from Darlington or Thornwood – notable achievement within a professional field; service to his or her community, state or nation; service to the arts, sciences or humanitarian causes; or loyalty to Darlington. After nominations have been solicited from the alumni body, the award recipient is selected by an Executive Committee of the Alumni Council, composed of the president of the Alumni Council, the chairman of the Board of Trustees and the director of alumni relations.

“All of our Distinguished Alumni have had a deep sense of leadership; it was ingrained in them,” said Dr. Frank Stegall (’62), chairman of the Board of Trustees. “They understood the value of teamwork, assembling around them a good team that would get the job done. They had a sense of ethical behavior and personal vision for their lives. They knew what they wanted to be and they did it. They knew the importance of friendships and relationships. They had a profound sense of volunteerism – a social mission to better the lives of others. Our winners also had a tremendous gratitude toward Darlington’s influence on their lives and they showed this through their service and support of the school later in life.”