Honorees

He is the director of corporate services at the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), a national organization headquartered in Atlanta, where it was established in 1979 by the U.S. nuclear power industry to set performance standards for all commercial nuclear plants. Since joining the company as a graphic designer in 1996, King has risen through the ranks within the Institute. In his current position, he leads the Institute’s communications and administrative services teams to ensure effective support across the organization and the nuclear industry.

In recognition for his above-and-beyond contributions to the company and outreach to the industry, King received the President’s Award.

He also works as the communications program director for the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) Atlanta Center, which represents more than 120 members operating over 430 nuclear power reactors through four regional centers in the U.S. and around the world. As part of his job responsibilities, King partners with peer directors from global regional centers (Moscow, Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, London) to guide and implement global communications strategies and change initiatives.

He and his wife Leah ’91, have two adult children, Carson and Kyndal.

Emily Joy Thigpen McCarthy ’04 received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design and Photography from LaGrange College.

She is the Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director for her eponymous fashion brand Emily McCarthy, founded in 2007 in Savannah, Georgia. Originally focused on stationery and home décor items, the company expanded into women’s clothing in 2019. Since that time, it has grown to an eight-figure business with 400+ retailer locations.

McCarthy has served as a keynote speaker for the University of Georgia’s SBDC Women’s Summit and Club Car Championship’s Executive Women’s Day event. She also received the honor of being named the Junior League Savannah Volunteer of the Year.

In the community, McCarthy has served on Leadership Savannah and Blessed Sacrament School Board and volunteers with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Dress for Success, Union Mission, PACK Savannah, Buy Local, Parker’s House and Tharros Place. She also serves as a mentor for The Southern Coterie for other women in business.

She and her husband, Patrick ’04, have two children, Rhett and Lillian.

Robert L. Allen Jr. ’19 received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from LaGrange College and a Master of Global Policy Studies with concentrations in Security, Law and Diplomacy from the University of Texas at Austin.

He is a foreign service officer assigned to the U.S. Consulate General in Shenyang, China, which borders North Korea and Russia. Among Allen’s primary responsibilities are providing consular services and cultivating relationships with officials and citizens of the host country.

Previously, he interned with the Department of State’s International Organization Bureau in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Embassy Riyadh’s Public Affairs section in Saudi Arabia. Allen earned these opportunities after receiving the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship, which prepares graduate students for careers in foreign service. He was among the less than four percent of applicants chosen as one of only 45 fellows.

His public service work includes serving as a U.S. Peace Corps English education volunteer in the Republic of Moldova from 2019-2020.

Marcia Langham Brown received a bachelor’s degree in drawing and painting from Guilford College and a master’s degree in printmaking from the University of Georgia.

She came to LaGrange College in 1987 as an adjunct assistant professor of art and design. During her tenure, Brown served the college as professor and chair of the Art and Design Department and the Fine and Performing Arts Department. She oversaw the creation of the design major as well as hosted an interim printmaking trip to Paris with LaGrange College students in 2004.

In the community, Brown held the role of director for the Visual Arts Alliance of LaGrange from 2010-2012. She also assisted with organizing the All-State Festival of Art and Design for high school students at LaGrange College in 2005. Her artwork has been shown in several local and regional exhibitions.

Brown received the Vulcan Materials Company Teaching Excellence Award in 2022.

Since her retirement in 2023, she enjoys traveling, visiting family and friends, cooking and reading.