SAVANNAH — Savannah Technical College’s Marketing and Hospitality Management Department head George Erwin has been selected as STC’s 2023 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year. The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors outstanding faculty members at each of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institutions. He will represent the College in the statewide competition.
“Mr. Erwin has a passion for helping students achieve their goals for college, career and life,” said STC President Dr. Kathy Love. “His legacy of leadership in the classroom and on campus has led to this honor.”
He has been a marketing instructor at Savannah Tech since 2006 and has taught hospitality courses since 2019. He was president of STC’s Faculty Senate (2012-16). He served on the TCSG State-wide Program Review Committee for both the Hospitality and Marketing programs. TCSG Statewide Articulation Committee for the Georgia DOE pathways for both the Hospitality and Marketing programs. He has worked with the Tourism Leadership Council to develop a concierge training program.
He has undergraduate and graduate degrees from The University of Georgia earning an MBA. He has 37 years of higher education teaching experience for institutions including The University of Georgia, Brenau University and Savannah Technical College.
He has been state chairman of Ducks Unlimited in Georgia and was a member of the national marketing committee for Ducks Unlimited. He has been a judge at regional DECA competitions for middle and high school students.
Marketing Management training prepares students for careers in the areas of buying, selling, merchandising, advertising, customer relations, or promotions with short-term training options for customer service, entrepreneurship, small business marketing and sales. STC’s Hospitality Management programs include hotel, restaurant, and tourism training.
The Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. Formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, the Rick Perkins Award was renamed in memory and honor of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Central Technical College, now West Georgia Technical College, who received the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death.
TCSG provides oversight for the Rick Perkins Award program through the system office’s programming staff, the presidents’ Academic Improvement committee and the state planning committee. For a list of past student, instructor, and adult education student of the year visit www.savannahtech. edu/honorees.