LAKELAND, Fla. (March 14, 2006) – Dr. Anne B. Kerr, president of Florida Southern College, will present Alumni Achievement Awards to Ed McMullen Sr. of Orlando, Fla., a 1958 graduate of FSC, and Tom Petcoff of Lakeland, Fla., a 1970 graduate of FSC, March 21 at 11 a.m. in Branscomb Auditorium as part of the college’s Founders Day Celebration. The FSC Alumni Achievement Award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their chosen professions and a commitment to ethical standards.

“Ed McMullen Sr. and Tom Petcoff were impressive student leaders at Florida Southern College. They have achieved notable career success and are highly regarded in their industries, which has garnered important recognition for their alma mater,” said Kerr. “It is a privilege to honor Ed and Tom for their many contributions to their professions and to the communities where they reside. These men are exemplars of our College’s mission to prepare individuals to make positive and important contributions to society. I know our current students will be inspired by their accomplishments and the stellar example they have set throughout their careers.”

Ed McMullen Sr.
Ed McMullen Sr. is the senior partner at Edwin H. McMullen & Associates and the chairman of Vacation Insurance Products, Inc. A leader in the national and international resort development industry, he formed the American Resorts Corporation which later merged with the Marriott Corporation to create Marriott Ownership Resorts, the industry’s world leader with 57 international resorts and a base of over 100,000 owners. He and his partners later formed Hilton Grand Vacations Company, now thriving with 23 resorts worldwide. Past chairman of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), he was the founding member and chairman of the Vacation Ownership Council of the American Hotel and Lodging Association and a 26-year member of the Resort Development Committee for the Urban Land Institute. McMullen serves on numerous boards of directors. His recognitions include ARDA’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and FSC’s Citrus Alumni Achievement Award and Business Alumni Achievement Award. Three of McMullen’s four children are FSC graduates.

Tom Petcoff
As the chairman of Baron Realty, Inc., Tom Petcoff owns and manages quality commercial properties in prime office and retail locations. In his varied career, he established with C.C. “Doc” Dockery (a 1961 FSC graduate) Summit Consulting, Inc., one of the nation’s largest, most successful third-party administrators and service agencies for workers’ compensation self-insurers plans; served as founder and president of the Lakeland Air Center, attracting more than $35 million in airport funding, and tripling sales; and served as president and broker of Baron Realty, Inc. and a managing member of Baron Management, LLC, providing management and insurance consulting. Petcoff has served on several boards of trustees, has membership in many business associations, and has been actively involved in the Lakeland community. He is past director of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Big Brothers and Sisters of Polk County, among other charitable organizations, is past director and founding member of the Lakeland Margarita Society, and is the founding chairman of the Leadership Lakeland Alumni Association. Petcoff and his wife Sally live in Lakeland. They have two children.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 25 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors and by the Princeton Review as a “Best Southeastern College.” Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.