Former UGA standout Ros named Hartman recipient

ATHENS -- Frank Ros, the captain of Georgia's 1980 national championship football team and an executive with the Coca-Cola Company, has been chosen as the 2009 recipient of the Bill Hartman Award.

Named for the late Bill Hartman, Georgia's long-time kicking coach and chairman of the Georgia Student Educational Fund, the Hartman Award is one of the highest honors given to a former UGA student-athlete. The Hartman Award has been presented annually since 1992 and recognizes former Georgia student-athletes who have demonstrated excellence in their profession and/or in service to others by 20 or more years of superior performance after graduation. Only former varsity athletes who have received a baccalaureate degree from Georgia can be considered for the award.

Ros is currently Assistant Vice President for Latin Affairs for Coca-Cola. His duties include developing and implementing the strategy for having the company recognized as a leading corporate citizen within the Latino community. Ros is a past recipient of the Coca-Cola Company¹s Chairman's Exemplary Award.

A three-year letterman from Greenville, S.C., Ros helped the Bulldogs roll up a 27-7-1 record in 1978, 1979 and 1980. As a senior, Ros played linebacker and captained the Bulldogs to a 12-0 record and the national championship. In the 17-10 Sugar Bowl win over Notre Dame, Ros led the Bulldogs in tackles.

Ros was an academic standout as a Bulldog as well, earning Academic All-SEC and Dean's List honors. He was inducted into such honor societies as Sphinx, Blue Key, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, Delta Pi Epsilon and Gridiron Secret Society.

Ros earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1982, then earned a Masters degree with honors in 1984. He is a past recipient of the University of Georgia Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Post-Graduate Award.

Ros is married to the former Jan Floyd and they have two sons, Frank VI and Bryce. Bryce is a rising redshirt freshman tight end for the Bulldogs.

Previous Hartman Award winners include former NFL quarterback Fran Tarkenton (1992); Atlanta Olympic Committee CEO Billy Payne (1992); former Gov. Carl Sanders (1993); Atlanta developer Tom Cousins (1993); legendary former tennis coach Dan Magill (1994); former high school coach Billy Henderson (1995); former Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard (1996); noted amateur golfer Jimmy Gabrielsen (1997); physician Dr. Andy Roddenbery (1998); Athens businessman Hilton Young Jr. (1999); Harvard University Department of Dermatology Chief of Staff Dr. Becky Birchmore Campen (2000); vascular surgeon Dr. Thomas Lawhorne (2001); endoscopic laser surgeon Dr. Thomas Lyons (2002); neurosurgeon and former team physician Dr. Robert E. Dicks III (2003); Atlanta businessman William Young (2004); longtime juvenile court judge, the Hon. Aaron Cohn (2005); housing developer Keith McSwain (2006); Athens transportation executive Mack H. Guest III (2007); and pulmonary and critical care specialist Dr. Kathy McMinn (2008).