Savannah State University (SSU) is pleased to announce the 25th Anniversary Scholarship Gala will be held on Saturday, May 4, at 7 p.m. at the Marriott Savannah Riverfront. The Gala provides a meaningful opportunity for the community to support students with financial assistance as they work to earn a college degree. Nearly 90 percent of the students at Savannah State University utilize some form of financial aid to achieve a college degree.

This year’s theme is “The Masquerade Gala: An Evening of Scholarship and Splendor.” The evening will feature an Awards of Excellence presentation, honoring a select group of distinguished individuals (alumni and friends of the university) for their contributions to Savannah State and the greater community. Honorees will be recognized for exemplary contributions in the areas of leadership, philan- thropy, scholarship, service, arts and entertainment, and entrepreneurship.

Mr. Michael Williams and Mr. David Paddison will serve as this year’s Gala co-chairs. Williams, a 1980 SSU graduate, is president of Jetaire Group, an Atlanta based full-service avionics and aircraft engineering firm providing services to clients in the aviation and aerospace industries. Established in 1984, Jetaire specializes in fuel-tank safety and ignition mitigation and serves customers in 51 countries. In 2020, the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s International Trade division joined Governor Brian Kemp to recognize Jetaire Group as a winner of Georgia’s 7th annual GLOBE Awards. The award highlights companies that have entered new international markets and have had a significant impact on the state’s economy. Williams is also the recipient of the 2021 Epps Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award.

Paddison, a native of Savannah, is president of Sterling Seacrest Pritchard, one of the largest employee-owned risk management and insurance brokerage agencies in the nation. The firm provides business insurance and employee benefits solutions, risk management services, and surety and bonding products for major contractors, national retailers, and large property management firms across the United States. Paddison holds a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. Active in the local insurance and business community for more than 30 years, he is an advocate for community involvement and civic participation. He was recognized by Junior Achievement as an inductee into the Savannah Business Hall of Fame in 2017. A graduate of Leadership Savannah, he has held numerous leadership positions on several boards throughout the city.

SSU’s inaugural gala was held in 1999 under the administration of the university’s 11th president, Dr. Carlton E. Brown. It was the Hill Hall Gala, a community-wide fundraiser to generate funds for the restoration of Hill Hall. Built in 1901, it is the oldest remaining structure on the campus. From that initial event the Gala has grown to become one of the city’s most celebrated events of the year.