Provided to The McDuffie Mirror

The Georgia Mining Foundation, an educational endowment, recently announced that it had established a college scholarship in honor of Alex Cawthon, the executive vice president of Thiele Kaolin Co. in Sandersville, Ga. The foundation annually awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors.

Cawthon and his wife, Wanda, are residents of Thomson.

Cawthon has been active in promoting mining in Georgia for many years. He served as president of the Georgia Mining Association on a number of occasions and served on the board of directors for the foundation. He was named Miner of the Year and the recipient of the association's Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Georgia Mining Association is made up of the 40 mining companies in Georgia and more than 150 suppliers to the industry. It is the mining industry's voice at the state capital and in Washington, D.C.

Cawthon also served on the board of directors for the China Clay Producers Association and was chairman many times.

Lee Lemke of the Georgia Mining Association said that Cawthon "had given countless hours and dedication to the industry and to the endowment." He went on to say that "Cawthon had been a tremendous asset in many regards. He has a wealth of business savvy and a devotion to the industry that is unmatched."