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[Perry Tomlinson, Executive in Residence] I have for years thought that when I reached about 60 that I would really love to teach and teach at the college level. Some of that comes from my experiences particularly with BB&T that I have been called on over the years to lead different and facilitate different sessions.

I probably taught within BB&T hundreds of folks either through retail formats, commercial formats or just facilitated with different members of executive management and the feedback is that it connects and resonates so I guess that I felt as I reached the end of my working career that it would be something I wanted to do.

The Mike Cottrell College of Business is a perfect connection because I spent the last 11 years really right here in Dahlonega and part of north Georgia region. The school has always been close to me and quite frankly, it may be driving some of the other connections, is that I've had such great experience with the graduates that have come to work for the company.

I remember at one time when I was making a call on the school and university, that we surveyed how many folks had come from this school. And it was very impressive. I could tell you about several that have been very successful within BB&T that are graduates and attended the campus here in Dahlonega.

That reputation, seeing how these folks have worked out and how they've been successful within BB&T, my desire to do it, it just seemed kind of natural. It came a little earlier than I had expected but I feel like this...sometimes things are just meant to be. For me and that it being the University of North Georgia Mike Cottrell College of Business seems to fit.