Columbia College will honor three people with the College's highest award, the Columbia College Medallion, at a dinner and awards ceremony on Thursday, November 2, at Columbia College. (The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. Awards will be presented at appx. 7:20 p.m.) Recipients of the 2006 Medallion include Johnnie Cordell Breed of Jacksonville, FL, Dr. Belinda Friedman Gergel of Columbia, SC, and Dorothy Mae Pickett of Columbia, SC.

Johnnie Cordell Breed

Johnnie Cordell Breed is a businesswoman of distinction. Building on her entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of computer technology and transport logistics, she launched her company, GTS, or Ground Transportation Service in the late 1970s. Now a thriving $50 million-a-year-business based in Jacksonville, Florida, GTS became Transcor, with three offices throughout the United States.  It supplies virtually all the travel services for prospective recruits in all four branches of the Armed Forces.
 
She and her husband, Allen, a pioneer in the airbag industry, launched Breed Automotive Corporation to bring airbags to passenger vehicles. They earned contracts with nearly every major auto manufacturer. This dynamic couple was nationally recognized as Entrepreneurs of the Year in 1995.  
 
Johnnie Cordell Breed became interested in Columbia College while serving as the William B. Cockroft Executive-in-Residence in March 1990. The same year, she served as the commencement speaker for Columbia College’s graduating class and received an honorary doctorate in business and economics.  During that address, she announced her gift of $1 million to the College to kick-start fundraising to create a leadership training and resource center for women.  In October 1990, she was inducted into the College’s Heritage Society for her generous support and also became a member of the College’s Board of Trustees on which she served three consecutive terms.  The grand opening of the The Johnnie Cordell Breed Leadership Center for Women was in April 1993.  A second $1 million dollar gift was announced in January 1995 and was used for campus facility and technology improvements.
 
Johnnie and Allen founded the Breed Charitable Foundation supporting medical research and education. Johnnie has been involved with special projects for the American Cancer Society, especially since Allen’s diagnosis and untimely death from lung cancer in 1999.  She has led campaigns for women’s shelters, served as chair of the United Way of Florida, served as chair of the Boy Scout Council in Michigan, and served on the Board of Trustees for the University of South Florida. 

Belinda Friedman Gergel

Belinda Friedman Gergel is a native South Carolinian with a passionate love of the history of her home state and a commitment to women’s education.  She graduated from Columbia College in 1972 and went on to earn an M.Ed and Ph.D. from Duke University. In 1978, she returned to Columbia College to oversee the establishment of the Evening College, and outreach programs for professional women. From 1982 until 1984, she was assistant to President Ralph T. Mirse and helped establish the College’s first Visiting Professors Program and assisted in development activities.
 
She and her husband, Columbia attorney Richard Mark Gergel, are the proud parents of two sons, Richie and Joseph, who are presently enrolled at New York University. From 1993 until 2001, she taught in the department of history and political science and was chosen “Outstanding Faculty Member” in 1995 and 2000. As a faculty member and later as department chair, she worked to provide study abroad experiences, initiate the Women’s Studies minor, and establish the Washington Semester Program.
 
Since her retirement in 2001, Dr. Gergel has focused her attention on scholarship and civic service.  She is the author of several works on South Carolina history and is a frequent lecturer on topics of women’s history, local history, and southern Jewish history. Dr. Gergel has been appointed to several city commissions, including the City Government Restructuring Commission, and is the immediate past president of the Board of Directors of the Historic Columbia Foundation. Under her leadership, Historic Columbia launched community education programs and renewed focus on the preservation of Columbia’s historic structures. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Brookgreen Gardens, the Southern Garden Historical Society, the Congaree Council of the Girl Scouts, the State Museum Foundation, and Columbia Green.

Dorothy Mae Pickett

In 1955, Dorothy Mae Pickett was a young woman on a mission. She left her home in Lynchburg, South Carolina, in search of her future, with hopes of finding a job and a new life. Her journey brought her to Columbia College, where her aunt Martha Wilson worked at the time and knew of an opening in the campus dining room. “Miss Dot,” as she became known to the close-knit campus community, was eager to learn the workings of a professional kitchen. From her first days of setting tables, she quickly found opportunities to help in other areas. Chef Jesse Adams became her mentor and taught her the fundamentals of salad preparation, baking, and creating menus. She says, “I worked with a smile wherever I was needed, and there was always something new to learn.” It wasn’t long before “Miss Dot” became head cook, working for Marie and Cliff Hill who managed the dining hall and had a close-knit, devoted staff. With the respect of her co-workers for her skills and leadership, “Miss Dot” ultimately became head chef of the Columbia College dining service.
 
Along the way, Dorothy Mae Pickett married and her family grew. Seven children later, working at Columbia College became a family affair for the Picketts, as several of her sons and daughters worked on campus as teenagers and into adulthood. Teaching by example, “Miss Dot” inspired her own family and the students, faculty and staff of Columbia College to seek joy in their work and service to others. Her dedication, in over 41 years of service to the College, has left a lasting impression. When she retired, there was considerable discussion about what menu items would have to continue in her absence, especially cheese potato casserole and Fried Chicken Day.
 
Ms. Pickett is now enjoying her retirement living near the campus, and spending time with her children, eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She is an active member of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Columbia.