YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — At the most recent board meeting, Young Harris College’s Board of Trustees elected Derek B. Goshay, Rev. D. Thad Haygood, 1992, and William B. “Bill” Jones as new trustees, and the Board welcomed Jane Roberts, 1970, as Alumni Board President and an ex-officio trustee.
Derek B. Goshay
Goshay is a business professional with more than 25 years of leadership experience. He is the Vice President of Safety and Sustainability at Genuine Parts Company. He has worked with Genuine Parts for 18 years, and prior to that, he worked with Synovus Financial Cooperation and Shaw Industries.
Goshay grew up in Columbus, Georgia, and he graduated from Brookstone High School. He began his college career at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering in 1993. He was a member of Georgia Tech’s 1990 National Championship football team. From there, he went on to graduate with a Master of Science in Management from Troy State University in 2000. His college career continued to Ball State University, where he earned a Master of Business Administration in 2009.
He has extensive professional training, including Emory Executive Leadership Development, and he is a Certified E.L.E. Civil Treatment Trainer. He spends much of his time volunteering for a plethora of organizations, including: the Board of Directors for the United Way of Metro Atlanta; the American Cancer Society; Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, Cobb County; and East Cobb YMCA.
Goshay and his wife Kay have three children: Karmen, a high school senior at Lassiter High School; Kevin, a sophomore at Harvard University; and Derek, a senior at Yale University.
“Derek’s leadership and business experience is essential to the Young Harris College Board of Trustees,” states Dr. Drew L. Van Horn, president of YHC. “We look forward to everything Derek will be able to teach us.”
Rev. D. Thad Haygood, 1992
Haygood serves the congregation of St. Luke United Methodist Church in Columbus, Georgia, as senior pastor. This is his sixth appointment since graduating from Candler School of Theology at Emory University in 1998.
In 1990, Haygood graduated from Thomasville High School and went on to earn his associate degree at Young Harris College. He continued on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Georgia. He used this degree as a music director at Providence United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, Georgia. While directing music, he earned his Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He is a recipient of the Margaret A. Pitts Award (2000) and participated in Leadership Georgia (2016) and Leadership Albany (2018).
Haygood has a longstanding connection to Young Harris College. He is the son of YHC Emeritus Trustee Rev. David T. Haygood, Sr., 1960. After graduating in 1992, Haygood was a member of the YHC Alumni Association Board and served as a YHC Class Coordinator. Aside from YHC but aligned with the Wesleyan tradition, he is also on the Board of Trustees for Epworth By The Sea, a United Methodist retreat center on St. Simons Island.
Haygood’s wife, Laura Douglas Haygood, is from Columbus, Georgia, and together, they have two daughters: Gentry, a freshman at Auburn University, and Ruth, a high school junior.
“Rev. Haygood comes from a long line of Methodists, the very tradition that began Young Harris College,” shares YHC President Dr. Drew L. Van Horn. “We look forward to his perspective and insight as a member of the Board of Trustees.”
William B. “Bill” Jones
Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of the Jones Petroleum Company in Butts County, Georgia. What began as a small retail market has grown into a national group of companies in various lines of work. Jones’s primary business is petroleum, but he and his family have many other ventures, including: retail, convenience store and fast food operations, and other forms of work with grocery stores, construction, and insurance. He is a former Butts County teacher and superintendent, and he was once the youngest superintendent in Georgia. Jones was elected to a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives in 1976, and he served eight years in the Georgia General Assembly. He opened his own law office the year he was elected to the House, while continuing to expand his petroleum business.
Jones grew up in Butts County, Georgia with Paul Beckham, 1963, who was a long-time trustee of Young Harris College. Jones graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia in 1966, a master’s degree in school administration in 1970, and a juris doctor degree from Atlanta Law School in 1973. He was admitted to the bar in 1974.
Jones is married to Martha Jones, and the two of them reside in Jackson, Georgia. Bill Jones paved the way for his family in Georgia politics. Burt Jones, Bill and Martha’s youngest son, now serves as a Georgia State Senator, in addition to having started and expanded Jones Petroleum’s insurance firm. Bryan Jones, Bill and Martha’s eldest son, oversees construction, maintenance, and transportation for the Jones Petroleum Company. Daughter Natalie Jones oversees the company’s retail, fast food, and convenience operations. While Jones Petroleum has grown immensely over the years, Bill Jones takes pride in the fact that it remains a family business.
William B. “Bill” Jones looks forward to dedicating great time and effort to the institution of Young Harris College in his role as a trustee. “Bill’s business acumen will be an asset to Young Harris College,” shares Dr. Drew L. Van Horn, YHC president. “We are elated to have him join the Board of Trustees.”
Jane Roberts, 1970
Roberts is well known at YHC for her consistent alumna participation. She started as a Class Coordinator for her graduating class approximately 15 years ago. She has served on the YHC Alumni Board since 2015, working closely with Senior Director of Alumni Engagement and Outreach Dana Ensley, 1997. Roberts’s work earned her positions on the College’s Alumni Board, including Vice President (2018), President Pro Tempore (2019-2020), and now Alumni Board President.
Roberts grew up in Bainbridge, Georgia. She graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1968 and graduated from Young Harris College with an Associate of Science degree in 1970. She continued her higher education at the University of Georgia and graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in Education, specializing in secondary math education. She soon went on to earn her master’s degree in education at the same institution.
Roberts began teaching high school mathematics in Dekalb County in 1972. She was a member of the math curriculum board for Dekalb County and belonged to the Archdiocese of Atlanta. She was a member of the Home and School Boards and the Board of Education for Catholic Schools.
She is married to Paul Roberts, who works in international corporate finance. The two of them reside in Brookhaven, Georgia. They have three sons and four grandchildren.
“Jane has been involved with Young Harris College for quite some time, and we are so grateful to have her serve our alumni in this capacity,” says Dr. Drew L. Van Horn, president of YHC.
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College has four academic divisions: Fine Arts; Humanities; Mathematics, Science, and Technology; and Professional Studies. More than 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
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