The Winner of the 2021 Tom Wise Award
Jim Mullins

Kathy Fowler, Regional Publicity Director, presented the Tom Wise Award to James Mullins at our fall meeting on October 7, 2023.  This award is provided by Region 5, to recognize those individuals who give of themselves unselfishly; perform service in support of both local and regional activities; and though never wavering in their dependability, they do whatever needs to be accomplished outside the limelight. James Mullins joined Region 5 AHS in 2002 and has supported his local clubs along with regional and national activities with outstanding service since then. He is a true ambassador for daylilies by supporting the activity of growing daylilies and the institution of our daylily society. He serves as an Exhibition Judge and Garden Judge. He has also donated many daylily plants over the years to help support the finances of Region 5 and local daylily clubs. He has been known to take several plants of ‘Mayor of Munchkinland’ to a club auction, which usually draws very high prices, and turn around and donate the high auction price back to the club. There is one activity that he is really an expert on, which is being an Exhibition Judges Instructor. He began by participating in an Exhibition Judging Clinic as a student in 2004. Educating folks about judging has become a special mission of his. He has trained many judges here in Georgia and at ADS National Conventions. He had a keen interest in judging for distinction in seedlings.  James Mullins was very innovative in developing his own “cheat sheet” to help him and others judge distinction in seedlings by point scoring the entire scape with bloom. This led to the development of a distinction worksheet involving a few other instructors. He spent many hours and months perfecting the skill of point scoring seedlings. When a person gives you their time to an undertaking, they can give you no more valuable gift. That statement exemplifies the efforts this person has given to Region 5 AHS and echoes those biblical sentiments of selflessness and commitment to a greater cause.