[022] MTSU ALUMNI OF DISTINCTION

Release date: July 17, 2009


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
MTSU Alumni Relations contact: Michelle Stepp, 615-898-2922

MTSU ALUMNI OF DISTINCTION
Mitchell, Frost, Vance named Distinguished Alumni;
Agee recognized as Young Alumni Achievement Honoree

(MURFREESBORO) — The MTSU Alumni Association has announced its three Distinguished Alumni and one Young Alumni Achievement Award recipients for 2009-10.
The Distinguished Alumni recipients include:
• David Mitchell (’73) of Franklin, Tenn., who is being honored in the Professional Achievement category;
• Tom Vance (’76) of McMinnville, Tenn., who is being recognized in the Service to the Community category; and
• George Frost (’56) of Hendersonville, Tenn., who is being saluted in the Service to the University category.
The Young Alumni Achievement honoree is:
• Lauren Agee (’01) of Murfreesboro.
All four will be recognized during Homecoming 2009 activities Oct. 24 and other times during the next year.
The MTSU Alumni Association annually seeks and accepts nominations for the Distinguished Alumni and Young Alumni Achievement Awards. The selection is made from candidates who have distinguished themselves by obtaining a high level of service to their profession, their community and/or MTSU.
Mitchell was named commissioner of the Department of Safety by Gov. Phil Bredesen in January 2007 and has served as director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security since November 2005. He had a 26-year career with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which included serving in New Orleans, New York City, Atlanta and Milwaukee field offices, and in the FBI Washington, D.C., headquarters as supervisor of domestic terrorism investigations in 1987 and 1998 as an inspector. In his current capacity, Mitchell’s efforts helped establish a statewide program called Interdiction Plus, he has overseen the reorganization of the Department of Safety and programs implemented during his tenure have helped reduce traffic fatalities.
Mitchell, a political science major while at MTSU, and wife Rosie have two children and five grandchildren.
Vance, president and CEO of First National Bank of McMinnville and First McMinnville Corporation since 2006, has been in the banking business since 1977. He spent a number of years in banking in Murfreesboro, and was president and executive director of the Middle Tennessee Medical Center Foundation from 2002-06.
Vance is a member of the Noon Rotary Club of McMinnville. He has held board and officer positions with the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee, United Way of Rutherford County, Boy Scouts, Middle Tennessee Christian School, Rotary Club of Murfreesboro, Paul Harris Fellow, Tennessee Bankers Association, MTSU selection committee for the Weatherford Chair of Banking and tournament chair for the Weatherford Chair of Banking Golf Tournament.
Vance, who graduated with a B.B.A. degree, and Nancy Florida Vance, his wife of 35 years and herself a 1974 MTSU alumna (B.S. in education in 1974), have two grown children, Ashley Vance Jensen (’01) and Andrew Thomas Vance.
Frost is president of Frost Insurance Agency, a company he has owned for 39 years. During this time, he trained two sons, two son-in-laws, two grandsons and one granddaughter in the business, continuing the legacy of the agency.
Frost’s service to the university runs deep and wide through campus. He helped endow the Tommy Martin Chair of Insurance by arranging a $30,000 gift from Cigna Insurance. He served as chair of the Insurance Steering Committee for five years. He was president of the MTSU Foundation in 1987 and Blue Raider Varsity Club in 1990. Frost has served on the Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee numerous times and been a Blue Raider Athletic Association member 10 years. He was a donor in the capital campaign for the Kennon Hall of Fame and director of athletics Ring of Honor 2007 recipient. He played football and ran track for the Blue Raiders from 1952-56.
Frost, who was an economics major at MTSU, and his wife, Mattie Sue (’55), have been married more than 50 years. He is a former Little League baseball and youth basketball coach, 25-year member of the Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce and served on the Connell United Methodist Church finance committee for three years.
Agee serves as senior policy adviser for State Sen. Jim Kyle, for whom she has worked since February 2005. She oversees all administrative duties in the office. She meets regularly with constituents, advocacy groups and lobbyists regarding legislative and policy issues. Agee assists Democratic senators during Senate floor proceedings and monitors senate and house committee meetings. She oversees passage of senator’s and governor’s yearly legislative package, including the annual state budget. Additionally, she helps formulate policy and legislation for the senator and democratic caucus.
Agee worked from May 2002 until January 2005 as executive assistant and scheduler for Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, who represented California’s 16th district. From July 2001 until February 2002, Agee worked as scheduling coordinator in the Andy Womack for governor campaign. She also held three positions in the Office of Legislative Affairs at the White House in Washington, D.C., from May 1999 until December 2000.
Agee earned her B.S. in political science (public administration emphasis) and minors in English and mass communication. She and husband Kelly married in 2006. Her father, the late Dr. Cliff Gillespie (’71) was a 2001 Distinguished Alumnus. Her mother, Gayle (’72, ’74) teaches at Homer Pittard Campus School.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.

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Note: High-resolution photos of the Distinguished Alumni and Young Alumni Award recipients are available upon request. Contact MTSU News and Public Affairs by calling 615-898-2919.