2024 Alumni of the Year

Alumnus of the Year - Barry Mason '86

Barry Matson

 

Barry Matson, 2024 Alumnus of the Year, is an accomplished Alabama attorney who has served as Executive Director of the Alabama District Attorney’s Association, Alabama Office of Prosecution Services, National Computer Forensic Institute, and the Alabama District Attorneys Foundation.  Mr. Matson’s office administered cutting edge programs that fought domestic violence, impaired driving, crimes involving digital evidence, crimes against women and children, as well as training and certifying victim services professionals.  He is a career advocate for justice with more than 34 years of litigation experience in the courtroom as well as a teacher, legislative advocate and policy maker with an intense focus on protecting citizens by spearheading the passage of important legislation such as Alabama’s national model Computer Crimes Act, Protection Against Online Solicitation of Children Act, Human Trafficking Act, Safe Harbor Act protecting juvenile victims of Human Trafficking, and many others.

 In 2010 and 2012, Mr. Matson was invited to present testimony before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee and subcommittees concerning the nature of computer forensics and dangers of child pornography, abuse and exploitation of women and children, as well as the 2009 National Academy of Sciences report’s impact upon forensic sciences. 

Mr. Matson was one of three people that originally envisioned and proposed federal funding and state partnerships to create the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI).  This one-of-a-kind national facility is dedicated to training state and local law enforcement, judges and prosecutors in digital computer forensics, network intrusions, social media, cell phone forensics, vehicle black box forensics, data skimming, constitutional law, court procedure and evidence admissibility.  Every high-profile case and ordinary criminal investigation and prosecution across the United States have been impacted by the NCFI and its efforts.

Under Mr. Matson’s directorship, the OPS team created the first ever statewide program utilizing highly trained dogs to assist and comfort vulnerable victims.  Several states, as well as Australia, have visited Alabama to learn about this HERO program.

Matson is a proud and grateful alumnus of Jacksonville State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Birmingham School of Law, Juris Doctorate, National College of District Attorneys, Houston Texas, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Denver Colorado, American Prosecutor Research Institute, Charlottesville Virginia, and the Drug Enforcement Agency, Opioid Diversion Training, Quantico Virginia.

Mr. Matson met his wife, Amy, while they were students at Jax State and have been married for 37 years.  He is an amateur historian, avid reader and book collector.

Alumna of the Year - Wenona Jones Switzer '64

Susie Pinkard

 

Wenona Jones Switzer, 2024 Alumna of the Year, was the first female in the southeastern United States to become a field agent for the Internal Revenue Service. Mrs. Switzer was named to the Outstanding Young Women of America, in addition to receiving several superior performance awards by the IRS.

Born and raised in Guntersville, Alabama, Mrs. Switzer graduated from Marshall County High School (now Guntersville High) in May 1960. After paying her way through college, Mrs. Switzer graduated from Jax State with the highest honors with a double-major in Business and English. While at Jax State, Mrs. Switzer was named to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities,” served as Dorm Counselor in Pannell Hall, was the Editor of the Student Directory, President of Phi Beta Lambda, an officer in Sigma Tau Delta, an officer in Kappa Delta Pi, State Treasurer of Phi Beta Lambda, a member of the Mimosa Staff, Miss Mimosa Candidate, Senior Class officer, and placed in the Top 5 in the nation for “Miss Future Business Executive” through national Phi Beta Lambda.

In addition to her career accolades, Mrs. Switzer served her community of Huntsville, Alabama in multiple ways. She was the first female trustee in church history at First Baptist Church Huntsville, serving three terms as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. She also served two terms as President of the Historic Huntsville Foundation and was President of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild, Charter member of the Gothic Guild, President of the Huntsville High School Parent Teacher Association, President of the Jones Valley Elementary Parent Teacher Association, and chaired two major fundraisers for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra—the Crescen-Dough Auction and Silver Tea. Mrs. Switzer was also appointed to the Mayor’s Advisory Board for Huntsville City Schools. She served as an officer in the Huntsville Museum of Art Guild, Huntsville Botanical Garden Guild, Tennessee Valley Genealogy Society, Alabama Constitution Hall Village, Azalea Garden Glub, Greenwyche Garden Club, Twickenham Town Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Constitution Hall Village Society. She also served as a Little League Baseball Pitching Coach.

Mrs. Switzer married John Bowman Switzer on April 29, 1967 in Huntsville, Alabama and they celebrated their 57th anniversary this year.
 

  

Young Alum of the Year - Keaton Brooks Glass '17 & '21

Keaton Glass

 

Keaton Brooks Glass, 2024 Young Alum of the Year, is a two-time Jax State graduate from Leeds, Alabama.  Mr. Glass completed his undergraduate degree in Secondary Education, Mathematics in 2017 and a Master of Business Administration in 2021.  As a student, Mr. Glass was heavily involved in campus life and serving Jax State in numerous ways, including becoming a member of Freshman Forum, the JSU Ambassadors, Gamecock Orientation Leader and Coordinator, Kappa Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society, and was named “Intern of the Year” by the Phi Delta Kappa Teacher’s Honor Society.  Mr. Glass began his career in higher education in 2018, and currently serves as Director of First and Second Year Experience at Jax State.

Mr. Glass serves as an advisor to Freshman Forum, Lambda Sigma Sophomore Honor Society, and the Gamecock Orientation program, where he helps welcome over 2,000 new students to Jax State every year.  Since working in higher education, Mr. Glass has focused on building leadership and service skills for students.  Each year, the Lambda Sigma Sophomore Honor Society Mr. Glass advises hosts a bed drive in partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc.  The sophomore honor society has raised over $16,000 over the past four years and has built over 150 beds for Calhoun County children who do not have a bed of their own.  He currently serves as Vice President for Lambda Sigma on the National Executive Board and was recognized by the national office as the “Outstanding Advisor for the 2022 Academic Year.”  He has served as the state coordinator for the state of Alabama’s National Orientation Directors Association, as well.  Mr. Glass has also worked with various community service projects during his time at Jax State including Behind the Smile, Inc (suicide prevention and awareness), the Wounded Warrior Project, and community cleanup days.

Mr. Glass met his wife, Jesi, at Jax State in 2018 at the Alabama and Friends Benefit Concert.  They reside in Jacksonville with their two boys, Brooks and Kyler.  In his free time, Keaton enjoys being outside with family and friends at the lake.

Military Alumnus of the Year - COL. Manuel F. Ramirez '98

Colonel Peter Hu

 

Colonel Manuel F. Ramirez, Military Alumnus of the Year, is the Deputy National Security Agency Senior Representative to United States Central Command.  He received a commission as a military officer in 1998 through Jacksonville State University’s ROTC program while earning a master’s degree in biology.  As part of the Army’s Branch Detailing program, he initially served as a chemical officer and in 2002, Col. Ramirez became a military intelligence officer. 

Col. Ramirez served in a variety of tactical command and staff assignments at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and Fort Hood, Texas.  While stationed in Hawaii, he deployed to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt as part of the Multi-National Force and Observers mission.  Later, while stationed in Texas, he deployed twice to combat operations.  In 2003, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 2 as a targeting office rand intelligence planner.  In 2005, he again deployed and commanded the Headquarters Service Company of the 303rd Military Intelligence Battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08.

In 2008, Col. Ramirez attended the Air Force Command and Staff College in Maxwell Airforce Base, Alabama.  The following year, he was selected by the Army to attend the Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies where he focused on advanced military studies and military strategy.  Upon completion of the program, he deployed for a year-long combat tour in Iraq as an intelligence planner in the United States Forces-Iraq’s Intelligence Directorate (J2) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

In 2011, Col. Ramirez began to work for the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland, and from 2014 to 2016, he acted as a commander of a remote technical site in Alice Springs, Australia.  Upon returning to the states, he commanded the 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, and in 2019, Col. Ramirez graduated from the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barrack, PA. 

Col. Ramirez has received a host of awards and decorations including one Legion of Merit Medal, two bronze stars, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, one Army Commendation Medal, three Joint Service Achievement Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, one Joint Meritorious Unit Award, one Meritorious Unit Award, the Air Assault Badge and the Army Space Badge.

Colonel Ramirez and his wife, Helen, have three children: Liliana, Aurora and Gabriel.

Do You Know an Outstanding JSU Grad?

To nominate someone for the 2025 Outstanding Alumni of the Year Awards, complete the nomination form by April 25, 2025.

 

 

Criteria for Awards:

Alumnus and Alumna of the Year Awards:

  1. Recipient must have received a degree from JSU
  2. Recipient must have evidence of support of Jax State in one or more of the following areas: a) promotion b) recruiting c) financial or d) public relations
  3. Recipient must be able to receive the award at an appropriate event on the campus of JSU, but not necessarily at Homecoming
  4. Recipient must have shown outstanding achievement in his/her chosen profession and/or community service and civic activities
  5. There must be "specific reasons/examples" given as to why you feel the nominee should receive the award

Young Alum of the Year:

Must meet all of the above requirements and:

  1. Recipient must be 40 years of age or younger at time of nomination
  2. Recipient must have shown outstanding achievement in post-graduate work.

Military Alumnus/Alumna of the Year:

Please visit the ROTC Network website for nomination criteria. Nominations should be sent to the Network VP or any Network Officer/Director as listed on website.