Donald H. Newsom
President's Award
Donnie Newsom’s term as president of the National Alumni Association (NAA) has been highlighted by the Centennial Celebration of the University of West Georgia. Newsom represented the NAA at each event from the opening Gala Ball to the closing of the time capsule. In addition, he and other members of the NAA executive board have participated in all graduation commencement ceremonies to induct each graduating class into the NAA.
Under his leadership, the NAA is positioned to be a vital part of the University for the next 100 years.
Newsom graduated from West Georgia in 1973 with BBA in marketing and management. He began his career at Caraustar Industries in Austell, where he retired as the vice president of Information Technology after 38 years of service. He is now a business consultant in Buckhead for one of Fran Tarkenton’s companies, GoSmallBiz.
As a member of the South Cobb community, Newsom currently serves as the chairman of the Cobb Chamber’s South Cobb Council, vice-chairman of Wellstar’s Cobb Regional Health Board, chairman of the Administrative Council of the Clarkdale UMC. In addition, he serves on two Cobb school councils, is a director on the South Cobb Business Association and is on the local draft board for the Selective Service System. He is also the current vice president of the West Georgia Booster Club.
For his community service, Newsom was selected by the South Cobb Rotary and South Cobb Council of the Cobb Chamber as its “Citizen of the Year” in 2006. In 2002, the Austell Business Association presented him with the M.L. Lifetime Achievement Award. South Cobb High, his former school, named him to its Alumni Hall of Fame in 1999 and the NAA presented him with its Distinguished Service Award in 2005.
He married Gayle Farmer in 1974. They were together for 27 years and raised two sons: Matthew ’00, who is married to Erin, and Wesley ’02, who is married to Maggie ’03. In 2001, Gayle died of cancer. In 2003, Newsom remarried and is now living in Austell with his current wife Betty.