Holy Innocents' Presents Service, Alumnus Awards

One member of the Holy Innocents’ community who’s been a guiding light to the school since 1999, and another who has become a beacon of hope to hundreds of foster children in Georgia were both honored April 21 during the State of the School luncheon at the Cherokee Town & Country Club.

John D. Snodgrass, managing director of Great American Holdings who served on the HIES Board of Trustees from 1999–2002, was given the Distinguished Service Award. And J. Zachary Blend ’02, executive director of the Goshen Valley Foundation, was presented with this year’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.

The Distinguished Service award recognizes an individual who has provided outstanding service and loyalty to the school, and Snodgrass has demonstrated that over many years—from being a former member of the Board of Trustees to a visionary for the school’s expansion.

“There are so many dedicated supporters of the school's evolution that I've had the privilege to work with through the years who are just as deserving, and many of them are there today continuing to contribute,” Snodgrass said humbly. “But thank you. I appreciate this recognition.”

Snodgrass is the former chief executive officer and chief operating officer of some of the world’s most dynamic companies. In 1998, he founded Future Technologies, which provides secure wireless support to the cellular industry and to all branches of the U.S. military and government agencies. He is the non-executive chairman of the holding company for Chem-Dry and N-Hance franchise brands, and he serves on the board of the parent company of Maaco and Meineke. In 2013, Snodgrass also became the co-founder and CEO of Jet Linx-Atlanta.

Snodgrass graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial management, and he is a member of the Buckhead Heritage Society, Northside Methodist Church and other local charities.

Zach Blend, 2016 recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, is making the world a better place through his child welfare work at the Goshen Valley Foundation, headquartered in Canton. The foundation provides strategic leadership and direction to three programs: the Goshen Valley Boys Ranch, Goshen New Beginnings, and Goshen Homes. These three programs provide care for some 80 young men, women, and children living in the state foster care system.

Blend has mentored many foster youth, six of whom now serve in the U.S. military. Most importantly, he has assisted in facilitating several adoptions at Goshen Valley.

“I am as humbled as I am honored to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from Holy Innocents',” he said. “I am grateful that my peers find my accomplishments working on behalf of the state's foster children worthy of such recognition.

“My twelve years at Holy Innocents' certainly shaped who I am as a person, and my life of service. I hope my work in the Metro Atlanta community will continue to shine a positive light on the school and its impact on me and others.”

After earning a diploma from Holy Innocents’ in 2002, Blend attended Rollins College. He graduated in 2006 with a B.A. in Sociology and later earned a graduate certificate from Fuller Theological Seminary. Blend is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Reinhardt University.

He was a member of Leadership Cherokee in 2012, and in 2014 was named to the Cherokee County “Top 10 In 10” leaders by the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce. Later that year, Zach was also named to Georgia Trend Magazine’s prestigious “40 Under 40” list.

Blend is a member of the Rotary Club of Canton and was elected to the organization’s board in 2015. He is also on the board of the Cherokee County Educational Foundation, and he was named to the President’s Circle at Chattahoochee Technical College in 2014.

Zach Blend and his family live in Canton and attend Hillside United Methodist Church in Towne Lake.