Members of the University of Georgia community gathered on April 2 in Athens to celebrate the 2026 Alumni Awards honorees, recognizing alumni, friends and faculty whose leadership, service and generosity have helped shape the university’s history. The awards, a UGA tradition spanning decades, honor those whose commitment continues to strengthen the Bulldog community. The 2026 honorees are: 

• Larry R. Benson | Alumni Merit Award  
• Nancy C. Juneau | Alumni Merit Award 
• Robert E. Hoyt | Faculty Service Award 
• Rene and Jim Nalley | Family of the Year Award 
• Brian E. Harman | Young Alumni Award 

“The University of Georgia continues to reach new heights of excellence thanks to the generous support of our loyal alumni and friends,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “It is a tremendous privilege to recognize this year’s honorees for consistently going above and beyond, generating a legacy of lasting impact in every corner of our campus.”

2026 Alumni Merit Awards

Larry R. Benson is a 1974 graduate of the Terry College of Business and is the owner and chairman of Benson’s Inc., the Athens‑based parent company of Benson’s Bakery and Benson’s Hospitality Group. A third‑generation leader of the century-old family enterprise, Benson’s commitment to UGA is reflected prominently through Benson Hall in the Terry College Business Learning Community, which honors three generations of the Benson family   — Larry; his father, Ed; and his grandfather, Howard — each of whom played a meaningful role in the university’s history. Larry’s father, Ed Benson, was a devoted alumnus and university leader who served in multiple roles, including on the University of Georgia Foundation and University of Georgia Athletic Association boards. In recognition of their shared impact, Larry and his father were named the UGA Alumni Family of the Year in 2018. Larry has served as president of the Rotary Club of Athens and has contributed to the boards of the Touchdown Club of Athens, the Oconee County Industrial Development Authority and Piedmont Athens Regional Foundation. In 2024, he received the University System of Georgia’s Regents’ Alumni and Distinguished Friends Award, recognizing exceptional service and support. Through personal giving and the Lawrence R. Benson Foundation, Larry has supported a wide range of UGA priorities including the Terry College Business Learning Community and the new School of Medicine’s medical education and research building, reflecting a lifelong commitment to the institution that shaped him. 

Nancy C. Juneau is a 1982 graduate of the Mary Frances Early College of Education and is a trustee of the UGA Foundation and a board member of the University of Georgia Real Estate Foundation. A dedicated advocate for student success and innovation, she also serves on the advisory board for the university system’s Innovation and Entrepreneurial Strategies initiative and on the board of the Georgia Independent College Association. A sought‑after public speaker, Juneau regularly shares industry insight at conferences, panels and business forums, including engagements with UGA’s Terry College, the National Association of Women in Construction and the Engineering News‑Record Groundbreaking Women in Construction Conference. She is a committed mentor and has been named one of the Most Influential Women in Georgia Engineering by Engineering Georgia Magazine for several years and was honored as one of Atlanta’s Most Admired CEOs by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She also received the Women of Distinction Award from the March of Dimes in 2018. In 1997, Juneau and her husband, Les, co‑founded Juneau Construction Company. With more than 200 employees, Juneau Construction ranked No. 2 on the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Top Women‑Owned Firms list in 2023 and 2025. The Juneaus are longtime supporters of UGA, contributing to projects such as the Russell Hall renovation, Rutherford Hall and Building 1516 residence hall. Their philanthropy includes the Juneau Construction Professorship in Civil Engineering, Georgia Women Give and multiple Georgia Commitment Scholarships, reflecting a lasting commitment to strengthening the university. 

2026 Family of the Year Award

Jim, a 1965 graduate of the Terry College, and Rene Nalley are longtime champions of UGA, with decades of support that have shaped the university’s academic programs, campus facilities and athletic excellence. Their philanthropy reflects a multigenerational commitment to education, leadership and investing in institutions that strengthen communities. A third‑generation automotive leader, Jim Nalley joined the family business in 1971, continuing a legacy that began in 1918 when his grandfather opened the first Nalley dealership. The Nalley family’s entrepreneurial spirit continues through the next generation. Their sons — Clay (BBA ’03), Slater and Street (BBA ’01) — founded SONS Auto Group. Clay’s sons, Chase and Camden, now carry the Bulldog tradition forward as current UGA students. The Nalley family’s impact is visible across campus. They have been major supporters of the Terry College, athletic association, the Jere W. Morehead Honors College and the medical education and research building for the new School of Medicine. Their generosity has helped name the Marilyn Overstreet Nalley South Gallery at the Georgia Museum of Art, establish the Nalley Family Golf Championship and endow both the Nalley Distinguished Chair in Business and the Nalley Distinguished Chair in Finance. A former chair of the UGA Foundation, Jim also played a pivotal role in establishing the UGA Real Estate Foundation and has served as a practitioner and lecturer in the Terry College. He was honored with UGA’s Alumni Merit Award in 2000 and the Blue Key Service Award in 2008 and continues to serve as an emeritus trustee and alumni leader. 

2026 Faculty Service Award

Robert E. Hoyt’s career spanned nearly four decades of service to UGA, leaving a lasting impact on the Terry College and generations of Bulldog students. He joined UGA as a faculty member in 1988 and retired in December 2025 after a distinguished tenure marked by excellence in teaching, leadership and mentorship. Hoyt served as interim dean of the Terry College in 2007 and led the college’s department of insurance, legal studies and real estate for 23 years. He held the Dudley L. Moore, Jr. Chair of Insurance and was a professor in the C. Herman Terry Risk Management and Insurance Program, where he taught corporate and enterprise risk management. As instructor of the program’s capstone Corporate Risk Management course, Hoyt taught every undergraduate RMI student between 1994 and 2025. For more than 25 years, he organized the RMI Careers Day that connected over 400 students annually with industry recruiters. He also oversaw student selection and mentoring for the Annual Insurance Management Seminar, where participants present to dozens of industry executives each year. Hoyt’s contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Terry College Outstanding Teaching, Research and Service awards, the Richard B. Russell Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the Walter H. Buce, Jr. Memorial Award for Insurance and Risk Management Professional of the Year. Along with his wife, Patti, Hoyt has supported UGA through gifts to Terry College, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Redcoat Band and the establishment of the Hoyt Family Scholarship. Since 2021, he has served as a mentor with the UGA Mentor Program. 

2026 Young Alumni Award

Brian E. Harman is a 2011 graduate of the Terry College who exemplifies excellence both on the golf course and in service to UGA. A Savannah native and former standout student‑athlete, Harman has remained deeply committed to UGA through his volunteerism, philanthropy and support of student opportunity. While at UGA, Harman was a member of the Men’s Golf Team where he lettered and earned recognition as a three-time Second-Team All-American, a Presidential Scholar and an SEC Honor Roll honoree. He turned professional in 2010 and captured his first victory at the Manor Classic on the eGolf Professional Tour. His career reached a defining milestone with his victory at the 2023 Open Championship. Harman, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, has represented the U.S. at the 2023 Ryder Cup and the 2024 Presidents Cup, reached a career‑high world ranking of No. 8 in August 2023 and recorded multiple top 10 finishes during the 2025 season. Harman’s philanthropic journey with UGA began as a founding donor to the UGA Alumni PGA Tour Professionals Georgia Commitment Scholarship. Building on his passion for conservation and natural resources, he established the Harman Family Forestry Field Course Experiential Learning Scholarship in 2024, expanding access to immersive, hands‑on learning experiences that connect students with the forestry industry from harvesting to processing. Beyond the university, Harman founded the Brian Harman Foundation Inc., which supports organizations including the Coastal Coalition for Children and the Frederica Foundation. 

“Our 2026 recipients have given so much to the University of Georgia, and it is a privilege to recognize them,” said Jill S. Walton, vice president for development and alumni relations. “Their dedication reflects the very best of UGA, and we are deeply grateful for their continued service and partnership as we build an even stronger future together.” 

More information about these distinguished members of the UGA community, including video spotlights, is available at alumni.uga.edu/alumniawards.