The Fayette Citizen-Prime Timers Page
Wednesday, September 2, 1998
Peachtree City men put their heads together

By JANET McGREGOR
Contributing Writer

When the lives of Chuck Lehman, 56, and Jim Price, 58, intersected in Peachtree City, good things started happening. The latest collaboration of the pair has resulted in the opening of a new satellite campus of GMC Community College in Union City. The new campus targets students of all ages and from all walks of life in Fayette County, Coweta County, Clayton County, South Fulton and surrounding counties.

The pair share many similarities including a contagious enthusiasm for life and a penchant for taking over discussions. However, their backgrounds and the path they took to Peachtree City and GMC were completely different.

Both families traveled throughout the United States, moving frequently. The Lehman family moved often due to Chuck's work requirements, the Price family was transferred as Jim served in the United States Army.

Although both officially "retired" from their respective jobs, neither stayed retired for long. Both profess to the precept that if "you slow down, you stop." And so they keep on going.

Chuck Lehman and family have lived in Peachtree City since 1981. Lehman's company at the time, High Brands, brought him to the area. When High Brands, which was owned by Sara Lee, moved the operation from the corner of Ga. Highway 54 and Ga. Highway 74 in Peachtree City to Ft. Worth, Texas, the family chose to remain in the city they'd grown to love.

Chuck and wife, Myrna, grew up in Goshen, Ind. Chuck received his degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and his MBA from the University of Cincinnati. Myrna received her degree from Bowling Green State University at the age of 42. Chuck's traveling resulted in the delay and Myrna having to attend seven different colleges before earning a bachelor of science in Education.

Myrna teaches ESL (English as a Second Language) in Fulton County and tutors Japanese students in Peachtree City. The pair have two children, both living in Peachtree City. Daughter Michelle Brinkley is a fifth grade teacher at Oak Grove who recently had a daughter, Megan, who was born April 1997. Son, David, works as an analyst with Delta Air Lines.

Chuck was introduced to Jim through a mutual friend. Jim's neighbor attended Chuck's church and suggested that he talk to Jim about teaching at GMC. In talking, Jim and Chuck found their paths had crossed indirectly a number of times. Chuck's daughter, Michelle, and Jim were in the Peachtree City Running Club and in addition the two worked closely on the Peachtree City Olympic Torch committee.

Lehman had been teaching for a number of years. His 35 years experience in marketing combined with his teaching credentials made him a "perfect choice" for teaching business courses at GMC. He has taught at Indiana University, Bowling Green State University, Chattahoochee Tech and other colleges.

In addition to teaching at GMC, he will be flying to Maryland on weekends to teach. He is teaching communication at Cecil Community College in Elkton, Md., and is approved to teach at three or four other colleges including Notre Dame and John Hopkins. He will be teaching courses on leadership, communication, writing skills and other related courses. The undergraduate and graduate programs can be completed in five weekends spread over three months.

While he will continue teaching, his current duties at GMC include being the "campus coordinator" for the new Union City campus. Price approached him regarding the additional "job" because he "wanted someone knowledgeable and effective in dealing with people" and, said Chuck, "I had the time."

In discussing the change from a full-time, successful, marketer to an instructor, Lehman stated, "I don't make as much money as I did before, but I have a different outlook. I have a feeling of self-satisfaction doing this and education is fun."

The Lehman family attends Peachtree City Methodist Church.

Jim Price and family chose Peachtree City to live in when Jim was transferred to Ft. McPherson. Price made a choice to retire in Peachtree City rather than making another move to Europe. He retired as a colonel in 1984, having moved to Peachtree City in 1983.

Price was born in Philadelphia, Penn., and grew up in Ocean City, N.J. He entered the military as a private in November of 1959. He was in the 101st Airborne Division, serving in Vietnam and Panama and throughout the world.

After retiring from the military, Price went to work as vice president of operations for an architectural engineering firm. After five years, he branched out on his own for four years as a trainer and consultant. The frequent traveling was not entirely to his liking, so, when a job opened at Fayette Senior Services, he interviewed and was hired as director.

He was with Fayette Senior Services for four years and said, "I thoroughly enjoyed working at Fayette Senior Services. I can truthfully say it was one of the highlights of my life and certainly extremely satisfying."

He had been teaching accounting, economics and finance for GMC and St. Leo's on Ft. McPherson since retiring from the military. When the director at GMC retired "to play golf," he was asked to interview for the job and was offered the position. According to Price, "It was a tough decision. However, I don't regret it. I enjoy every day."

Enjoying every day could almost be said to be Price's trademark. His zeal for his work at GMC and life in general is apparent in any discussion with him. Trying to pin him down to interview meant putting on track shoes and moving fast. Three weeks ago "things came together" regarding the new GMC campus at Union City. He and Lehman are on the go continually keeping up with their normal work load and getting the new campus ready for students.

Price is sincere in his desire to bring education to the community. He emphasized that GMC would continue to offer quality, convenience and "be the most affordable accredited college in the state of Georgia" as long as he worked with them.

"I think the more education people have, the more they can enjoy life," Price said. "Why? Because they are more aware, can have a higher quality of life and have a higher potential. Education simply opens more doors and presents more opportunities."

According to Price,"GMC is the 'no excuses' college. We've taken away every excuse for not getting a degree. Of course, the time commitment and need for hard work are not going to go away!"

Price's wife Cindy has been an interior decorator for about 10 years in Peachtree City. Jim has three children, the oldest, Debbie, is a teacher in Montgomery, Ala. She has two children, ages 8 and 9. The middle child, Jim, is a builder for John Wieland and lives in Peachtree City. He has two daughters, ages 1 and 2. The baby of the family, Alyson, attended McIntosh High School, graduated from Berry College and is now teaching first grade at East Coweta Elementary school. She recently married Jeff Biles and lives in Senoia.

Jim's hobbies include fishing and flying. He received flying lessons as a birthday gift from Cindy for his birthday two years ago and completed his licence last year. Cindy gave him the gift after hearing him "whine" for years about the fact that he had more hours in an airplane than most pilots. Jim made numerous flights and jumped out of many airplanes during his military career.

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