Larry Dennis, as he is more commonly known, was one of the best golfers ever to play for Stivers. He was a 3 year letterman and the number one player for the Tigers during his junior and senior years. In 1957, Larry was the runner-up in the Dayton Amateur Golf Association Junior City Championship Tournament.
After his graduation from Stivers, Larry enrolled at the University of Dayton, but in 1958 he decided to join the US Navy and continued his golf career. He played for the US Navy Station in Bermuda. His team won the US Service Force Atlantic Fleet Tournament in 1960 and 1961. Individually, he won the base championship in 1960 and was runner up in 1961. He qualified with a four handicap for the Atlantic Fleet Tourney in ‘60 and ’61.
Larry continued his education after being discharged from the Navy in 1962. He earned his B.S. in Accounting in 1965 from Newberry College, his Masters of Science in Accounting in 1969, and his Doctorate in Business Administration Accounting in 1976. Larry has also been a Certified Public Accountant since 1967.
Larry has had a very distinguished professional career at North Georgia College and State University. Among his honors and awards are the Georgia Business Assoc., Educator of the Year, 1989; the Georgia Society of CPA’s, Educator of the Year, 1991; and Phi Kappa Phi, Honorary Scholastic Society, 1992. He was the North Georgia College and State University faculty athletic representative to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics from 1973 to 1998, was their district eligibility chairman from 1975 to 1994, and served on the national eligibilty committee from 1979 to 1988. He was presented with the NAIA Meritorious Service Award in 1993.
Larry has been married to his wife, Mary Ann, since 1963. They have two daughters, Mary Elizabeth Lerner and Melissa Ann Bixler. They are the proud grandparents of Emily Lerner and Carter Bixler.