Keri Jones, a 1999 ABAC graduate, was the commencement speaker at ABAC’s December commencement ceremony. Jones told the graduates to “pursue growth and learning throughout your life. Capitalize on making your strengths stronger. Learn them and grow them. Force yourself to be around people who are not like you. It is likely that the people who are going to be keys to your success won’t be anything like you.”

Read more about the ABAC commencement, and another article recognizing APB alum Kathy Moreno as ABAC’s 2015 Outstanding Educator Award, in the latest edition of ABAC’s Focus Newsletter:

Click here to read the newsletter.

From the Tifton Gazette:

TIFTON — Keri Jones, named the ABAC Alumni Association’s 2015 Outstanding Business Leader, will be the featured speaker at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College fall commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Dec. 10 in Gressette Gym.

Now a certified public accountant at Allen, Pritchett and Bassett LLP in Tifton, Jones attended ABAC from 1997-99, earning her associate degree in business. She received her bachelor of business administration degree in marketing from Valdosta State University and her bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from Georgia Southwestern. She is a member of the ABAC Alumni Association and the ABAC Business Education Advisory Committee.

After working as the marketing director for Public Health Home Health from 2002-2007, Jones joined the Allen, Pritchett and Bassett accounting firm. She received the J. Lamar Branch Service Award from the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce in 2012, was designated as one of “40 under 40” from Georgia Trend magazine in 2014 and was part of the “10 under 40” recognized by Tifton Scene Magazine in 2014.

Jones has served on the board of directors for the Tifton Rotary Club, the Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence, the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce, Ruth’s Cottage/Patticake House, Tiftarea Young Professionals, Tiftarea Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Tift County Commission on Children and Youth, the Tiftarea YMCA, the Tifton-Tift County Salvation Army and the Tiftarea Foundation for Women’s Health.

A 2009 graduate of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leaders Program, Jones is a 2012 graduate of the Georgia Academy for Economic Leadership Development and a 2013 graduate of Leadership Georgia.

A total of 164 students are scheduled to receive their diplomas at the fall commencement ceremony.

Pictured in the lower right corner of this image is Joe Manning dancing with his wife at a recent Tift Regional Foundation “Hearts and Diamonds Gala.” The event is scheduled each February and funds are used to provide Heart Defibulators around the area. APB is proud to be a Sponsor of this event since inception.

APB has been an integral part to the Foundation from its inception in 1989 to the present. John Bassett was a charter director.

Over the years and still today, the connection has held fast with Cynthia (Mrs. Frank) Sauls serving on as a director. Currently, Keri Jones continues the APB legacy of service to the Foundation.

Strong financial backing has accompanied the outstanding leadership all along the way.

The current ‘Kudos’ sheet speaks volumes about the success of The Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence. APB

has been a leading shepherd the entire way.

ABAC Alumni Winners