FSU PC celebrates 30 years of Notable Noles

In 1996, in conjunction with Homecoming, a tradition was established to honor Florida State University Panama City alumni who made outstanding contributions to the university, to the community and within their careers.

Each year, distinguished alumni are honored as FSU Panama City Notable Noles and recognized at the annual Alumni Reception and in the campus magazine. While each honoree has distinct accomplishments, these outstanding alumni have one thing in common: They demonstrated excellence and dedication as students and have continued to exhibit these qualities in every aspect of their lives. Here is a list of all 100 Notable Noles: https://pc.fsu.edu/notable-noles-recipients.

Notable Noles are selected by a panel comprised of FSU Panama City alumni, staff and supporters. Criteria used to select the Notable Noles may include, but is not limited to:

• Demonstration of excellence and dedication while attending FSU Panama City.
• Contributions and involvement in their community.
• Professional and career accomplishments.

To nominate an FSU Panama City graduate as a Notable Nole, fill out the form at the website, pc.fsu.edu/notable-nole. Note that the previous year’s nominations also will be considered in subsequent years. However, additional information may be added using this form.

Past Notable Noles established an endowed scholarship to support the next generation of alumni. For giving information on this scholarship, visit FSU.academicworks.com.

JASON CROWE, ’00, ’04

Jason Crowe is the president of the Florida Division of Community Bank, where he has worked for nearly 21 years. An established bank executive with experience growing and managing a $500 million bank, Crowe has a proven business development background. He has extensive background in management, market strategy and lending, and he successfully opened and operated six banking locations across the Florida Panhandle.

“I’ve been really fortunate to be in some good positions at an early age,” he said. “In 2006, I started a bank from scratch in Destin, and we grew it over to Bay County in 2013.” That gave him the chance to return to Panama City, where his extended family lives.

He first came to the Panama City area as a teenager; his father retired from the Navy in 1992 and took a job at Tyndall Air Force Base. Taking night courses while working as a teller in a local bank, Crowe earned his bachelor's degree in Business Management from the Herbert Wertheim College of Business at FSU Panama City in 2000. His MBA in Finance followed in 2004. 

“One of the benefits is the smaller size of the campus, the opportunity for more personalized attention and having a closer relationship with the faculty,” he said of FSU PC. "I had a great relationship with instructors and administration, and I had an opportunity to serve on Student Government when I was here. … And there are so many more things to do here now than when I was in school.”

Crowe is the husband of Elizabeth Crowe, Ph.D., the assistant dean of Academic Affairs at FSU Panama City. Married for more than 25 years, they have two children, Elias and Katie.

“There are a lot of family ties here,” he said. “Both my sister and father are graduates of FSU PC, so it sort of runs in the family. My sister did some teaching here as well.”

Crowe was nominated by Gail Robbins, who described him as an outstanding example of the heart and character of Seminole spirit.

“Having known Jason Crowe for many years, I am excited that Jason is being recognized as a 2026 Notable Nole. As a respected business and dedicated community leader, Jason has made a real difference in the life of our community. He exhibits integrity and empathy in all he does, which I greatly respect.”

BROOKE LOYED, ’99

In April 2026, Patronis Elementary School Principal Brooke Loyed was named Florida’s Principal of the Year for 2025-2026. A former Bay High School teacher and Mosley High School assistant principal, she received her Education Specialist degree from FSU Panama City in 1999, taking night classes led by professors bused from Tallahassee.

“My last class of my Ed Specialist degree was on my wedding day,” she said. “I went straight from that to get married. I was dedicated. I wanted to graduate.”

A native of Early County in Georgia, Brooke Loyed is married to Jim Loyed, and they are the parents of Tarver and Tracey. A Bay County educator for 29 years, Loyed received the state honor for demonstrating commitment to student success, academic excellence, and a positive school culture. Under her leadership, Patronis Elementary has maintained an “A” school grade for the past four years and in 2025 achieved a high proficiency rating in Language Arts and math.

“Our students read 174 million words last year,” she said in a discussion of the Patronis reading program. “That’s the way to move the needle. If we can get that knocked out, it’ll set the tone for science, social studies, even math. We push reading for homework. If nothing else, let’s read every night.” 

A Bay District Schools statement said Patronis Elementary is an example “of what’s possible when high expectations are paired with genuine care for students, staff, and families.” Loyed’s focus on building strong relationships, supporting teachers, and creating an engaging learning environment has made a lasting impact on the entire school community. She leads with purpose and heart, always keeping students at the center of every decision.

“My leadership style is: I hire the best, and then I get out of their way,” she said. “I’m in the classrooms, I have my finger on the pulse, but I’m not a micro-manager. There’s a million things we do—there’s not one silver bullet. There’s a lot that goes into a successful school.”

She advises her students, who she described as resilient and flexible, to always strive to be their best. “You do the things when no one’s looking. You do the things because you want to do them. You’re not doing it to get the award … you’re doing it because it’s what’s right, it’s what is in your heart,” Loyed told reporters when her state award was announced.

“Brooke leads with heart, integrity, and joy, putting her students, teachers, and staff at the center of everything she does every single day,” said Kelly Hodges, who nominated Loyed. “Her unconditional love for the people around her builds trust and allows for excellence to grow and thrive.”

Loyed said education was in her blood and she would probably still be involved with schools after she retires. “I think that’s where our hope lies,” she said. “That’s where the possibilities are.”

MARK SMITH, ’86, ’22

Mark Smith, chief of the Panama City Police Department, first moved to Panama City in 1963 with his family. He grew up here, went to school here, and eventually began his law enforcement career in 1981 with the Panama City Beach Police Department.  When FSU came to Panama City in 1982, he saw a path to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Criminology (1986).

“Living here and having access to the school provided easy access to continue my education while advancing my career goals,” he said. “Through the encouragement of family and employer, I decided to obtain my master’s degree.  I chose Law Enforcement Intelligence as a natural addition to my bachelor’s degree and law enforcement career.”

Smith credited his professors—specifically calling out Banyon Pelham and Scott Ervin—for providing valid and up-to-date information that matches actual workplace practices. “Each course seamlessly ties from one to another, threading the information and knowledge provided,” he said.

Law enforcement is in Smith’s blood: His great-grandfather was a U.S. Marshal in Arizona, his grandfather served 37 years with Long Beach police, his father worked for Bay County Sheriff Doc Daffin, and his two older brothers were also police officers. Smith rose to the rank of lieutenant before retiring from the PCBPD in 1997. He joined the PCPD in 2004, working through the ranks of the agency and serving in all aspects of supervisory capacity. He was sworn in as the Chief of Police in 2021 and received his master’s in Law Enforcement Intelligence in 2022. 

“It’s what I knew I wanted to do when I was in junior high and high school,” Smith said.

He is also a graduate of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Senior Leadership Academy, and the Florida Police Chiefs Association Future Chiefs Seminar. He has served as an adjunct instructor with Gulf Coast State College for 43 years and with FSU PC for 12 years.

Smith offered this advice to FSU Panama City students: “Continue through the struggles, keep moving forward through the classes. The future is brighter with the knowledge and experience obtained through the educational experience. … The networking opportunities with students and faculty provides insight and support through the process.”

Pelham, the assistant dean of Applied Studies, said Smith has made profound impacts on the PCPD since becoming its chief. “He has upgraded all vehicles. … From Hurricane Michael he learned many lessons and found that they were not as prepared as they believed.  He has procured mobile response capabilities, including mobile living quarters, mobile bathroom and shower facilities, mobile kitchens and specialty vehicles to support disaster responses locally and abroad. All of this was accomplished without using any local funds, all from state and federal resources, such as FEMA.”

He also ranked Smith as one of the most accomplished investigators to have worked in Bay County, investigating hundreds of child sex crimes and numerous homicides.  “He is a dedicated leader, who is most proud of his ability to assist his community as a law enforcement officer for over 45-years.”

STEPHANIE WOOD, ’07

As program coordinator for the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Stephanie Wood leads the development, expansion and operational oversight of multiple home-visiting programs serving expecting and new parents across the region. Since May 2017, she has grown the agency’s service capacity, secured and managed diverse funding streams, and built staffing and infrastructure to meet increasing community demand.

Wood came to Panama City as a high school student when her father retired from the U.S. Air Force. She had long held a dream of attending FSU, and discovering FSU PC close to home provided a unique opportunity.

“We were already Seminole fans through and through,” she said. “I was very young when I started, but no one treated me that way. Everyone was welcoming.”

She wanted to become a criminal investigator but found a job in social work along the way that influenced her direction in life. Beyond that, a psychology class shifted her perspective on the reasons humans behave the way they do.

Wood received her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology in 2007, the same year she wed Jeremy Wood (FSU ’05). She said her psychology training shifted her understanding of the reasons humans behave the way they do.

Married 19 years, Stephanie and Jeremy Wood are the parents of a teenage daughter who also has her sights set on attending FSU.

She worked for the Children’s Home Society of Florida, Children’s Medical Services and Healthy Start before beginning her work with GCCAC. She was also a consultant with the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice.

Nominator Frank Hall said her “career reflects the values long associated with FSU Panama City: service, leadership, community engagement, and a commitment to improving the lives of others. … Throughout her professional career, she has consistently applied that education in ways that have directly benefited vulnerable children, parents, and families across Northwest Florida.”

Most recently, in July 2025, Wood began coordinating Healthy Families Florida-Bay, establishing program operations, staffing and systems for a prevention-focused model aimed at reducing child abuse and neglect. She supervises a team of 16 staff across multiple programs that operate as a continuum of care, intentionally housed under one roof to improve accessibility, efficiency and outcomes for families.

“Her commitment to the community was especially evident following Hurricane Michael,” Hall said. “In the days and weeks after the storm, when Bay County was devastated and basic necessities such as power, communication, fuel, and clean water were limited, Stephanie spent countless hours traveling throughout the community attempting to locate clients and families to ensure they were safe and connected to available resources and support. … She consistently placed the needs of vulnerable families ahead of her own.”

Wood has dedicated her career to serving children and families across Northwest Florida through leadership, advocacy and community service. Her professional accomplishments, continued involvement in the community, and long-standing commitment to improving the lives of others reflect positively on both FSU Panama City and the community she continues to serve.

“My plan for the future is to continue to try to prevent child abuse, keep bringing programs to the area that we don’t have, and hope to save some children before it’s too late,” Wood said.