Meet the Director

Mr. John D. Hawthorne, Jr., U.S. Army LTC (Retired)

Career Summary

  • The eldest of six children born to Rosa and John D. Hawthorne, Sr.
  • Grew up in Highlands County during the height of segregation. John was a pioneer in the integration of the all-white schools in Highlands County as the first and only African American graduate of the class of 1966 at Lake Placid High School.
  • Matriculated to Florida A& M University, then to Tuskegee Institute and back to FAMU, where he graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Commission in the US Army as a 2nd Lieutenant and a Cum Laude Graduate with a BS degree in Physics (1971). He earned an MBA from Albany State University (1984).
  • Continued with a series of firsts as an African American officer graduate of the Pershing Missile School and served as one of the first African American Commanders of a Pershing missile unit - the largest nuclear weapon in this country’s nuclear arsenal - while stationed in Germany.

Career Track

  • NASA – Apollo Saturn Space Program (Engineer Trainee);
  • Ford Motor Company – Lincoln Mercury Division (Zone Manager);
  • Procter & Gamble Company (Pampers, Material Handling, and Luvs HR Departments Manager);
  • Entrepreneur (Outer Limits Teen Center, Fallon’s Hot Dog & Ice Cream Parlor, and BP Convenience Store)
  • City of Albany, GA - served as Deputy Director - Department of Community and Economic Development / Business Incubator Manager;
  • Deputy Commandant 3294th United States Army Reserve Forces School
  • Albany State University - Business Department Adjunct Professor;
  • City of Sarasota, FL - Deputy Director of Planning and Redevelopment;
  • Highlands County Habitat for Humanity (Chief Operating Officer) and served as its CEO and Executive Director for five years
  • Sarasota Housing Authority – Construction Project Manager and Director of Asset Management (Property and Maintenance)
  • Currently President and owner of AHED Consulting Services, Inc., - Affordable Housing & Economic Development
  • Gubernatorial Appointment - Florida Housing & Finance Corporation Board Member

Military Career

  • Source & Date of Commission: ROTC–29Jul71{Distinguished Military Graduate}
  • Grade – Branch: Lieutenant Colonel, (05) FA
  • Total Yrs. Service: 26 Years (Active and Reserves)
  • Permanent Retirement: November 14, 2008

Military Schools Attended

  • US Army Field Artillery School – Officer Basic & Advanced Courses
  • US Army Field Artillery School – Pershing Missile Officer Course
  • DOD/US Army Europe Race Relations School
  • US Army Command and General Staff Officer College

Additional Information

Married to Iris Allison Hawthorne. He is a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, as well as a man of God, serving as Vice Chairman of the Deacons’ Ministry and Special Assistant to the Pastor at New Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Baconton, GA.

Mitchell County House of Hope Board Member, Camilla, GA.

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