SPECIAL PHOTO

On Friday evening, the Albany Technical College Foundation honored former Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond durings its annual roast, which featured a silent auction fund-raiser. Thurmond is an attorney, author and lecturer. His latest book, Freedom: Georgia’s Antislavery Heritage, 1733-1865, was awarded the Georgia Historical Society’s Lilla Hawes Award and the Georgia Center for the Book listed Freedom as one of The 25 Books All Georgians Should Read. He is on the Board of Curators of the Georgia Historical Society. Roasters for the evening included Albany Technical College President Anthony Parker; Panzer Hall, retired employment marketing representative for the Department of Labor; Gene Washington, communications/outreach specialist for the Department of Labor; Ron Jackson, commissioner for the Technical College System of Georgia; and Albany Mayor Willie Adams. Pictured, from left, are state Rep. Winfred Dukes; Parker; Thurmond; Jackson; Adams; and Washington.