FSU PANAMA CITY ANNOUNCES ALUMNI NAMED AS 2024 NOTABLE NOLES

Florida State University Panama City announced today the 2024 Notable Noles. This year’s honorees include Collegiate School teacher Ted Czupryk, City of Panama City Manager Jonathan Hayes and Beachy Beach Real Estate owner/broker Karen Key Smith.

As part of a nearly 30-year campus homecoming tradition, the award is given to FSU Panama City alumni who demonstrated excellence as students and have made outstanding contributions to the community and within their careers. Since the award’s inception in 1996, FSU Panama City has recognized 91 Notable Noles, accounting for less than 1 percent of the campus’s alumni.

The Notable Noles were celebrated during a luncheon at FSU Panama City on Nov.19. Following is a brief biography of the honorees.

TED CZUPRYK, ‘84

Ted Czupryk was nominated by the faculty and staff of The Collegiate School at FSU Panama City, where he currently teaches social studies and dual enrollment courses. His path to Florida State University Panama City was unique, as he was one of the first students to transition from the University of West Florida when its campus in Panama City became FSU PC in 1982.

“We were halfway through a social studies degree and our question was what was going to happen to us?” Czupryk said. “Dr. (Larson) Bland was kept on as the director, which made the transition a lot easier. FSU worked really hard to match us up with programs it had here. Turns out, FSU had a fantastic Social Sciences Interdisciplinary program, and it helped me because I ended up teaching many different things.”

Czupryk said he has had the opportunity during his career to likewise help others through unexpected transitions, including his high school students. But he added, “Teaching young people is not work, it's a blessing.”

A 1979 University of Florida College of Education graduate and a 1984 FSU Panama City graduate of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Czupryk founded the Mosley High School Advanced Placement Program for Success (MAPPS) and later became the Collegiate Studies program director at Arnold High School. He has served as the Bay Council for Social Studies president and has taught numerous dual enrollment classes at Gulf Coast State College and FSU Panama City.

“Ted has contributed a lifetime of work and service to students and schools in Bay County,” the nomination statement said.

In 2016, Czupryk retired from Bay District Schools with 38 years of service, but he came back to Mosley to teach fulltime before retiring again in 2022. In 2023, he and his wife, Sherry, were named Bay District Schools Teachers of a Lifetime for their profound impact on local students.

Today, his influence continues to be felt at The Collegiate School at FSU Panama City, where he returned from retirement yet again to teach collegiate studies and dual enrollment courses for high school students at the laboratory charter school.

“We really have a huge responsibility for these rising juniors to come in here and be successful across the board,” he said, describing the obligation he feels toward the dual enrollment students he currently teaches. “I like challenges.”

JONATHAN HAYES, ‘05

Born in Greenwood, Mississippi and raised in Panama City, Jonathan Hayes is a fourth-generation resident of Bay County. He currently resides in Panama City with his wife, Tammy, and their five children. His grandfather, James E. Hayes, served as Panama City commissioner of Ward IV in the 1950s. “He was instrumental in selecting the site for then-Gulf Coast Junior College with the desire for higher education to have a footprint here in west Panama City,” Hayes said.

Hayes received his Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from FSU Panama City in 2005. He credited the influence of his advisor, former professor Gary Bliss, for encouraging him while he was taking night courses and working full-time. “He’ll still send me notes every now and then, 20 years later.”

“Twenty years ago, it looked a bit different from what it is today,” Hayes added. “It was smaller, more intimate, just a couple of buildings. But even though it has grown a lot, I still feel like it has that intimate feeling.”

Hayes related his memories of night classes, punctuated by visits to a coffee machine by the old bookstore for a cinnamon-mocha drink to provide a burst of energy. “Part-time nontraditional students are often the backbone of our college communities. In our busy lives, many of us juggle family responsibilities, fulltime jobs or other commitments as I did. We sometimes find ourselves walking an unconventional route to higher education, but our journey is just as significant as any student who walks the traditional road.”

He thanked the professors who would ride over in a shuttle from Tallahassee to lead those classes each week. He also praised the “seamless” transition from Gulf Coast to FSU Panama City.

“I remember how, as I wrapped up my associate’s at Gulf Coast, I literally walked across the street and said, ‘I was thinking about maybe overlapping?’ and they were like, ‘Sure! No problem!’” he said. “It was seamless and super-easy. It was flexible, and it allowed me to meet a goal, which was finishing up my degree while continuing to work.”

After working in the Washington, D.C., area, Hayes initially returned to Panama City as director of Logistics for the city, and he transitioned to the position of director of Public Works in April 2022. Following an extensive search for a new city manager, the Panama City Commission selected Hayes in December 2023 and approved his contract in January 2024.

“It is a tremendous honor to partner with the city commission, city staff and, most certainly, the community as we lead Panama City into its next chapter,” said Hayes. “I will take my intimate and deep knowledge of Panama City’s history, geography, people, communities and politics and hit the ground running.”

Panama City Commissioner Janice Lucas (’89 and a 2020 Notable Nole) said Hayes had proven himself “to be steadfast” and he brought experience to the manager’s role.

KAREN KEY SMITH, ‘95

“Education sometimes is the thing you get that you didn’t know you needed,” said Karen Key Smith, a 1995 graduate of FSU Panama City, who was nominated for recognition by Brian Baber, Entrepreneur in Residence at the Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship. 

A dynamic businesswoman, Smith is known for her community impact through dedicated service. At 50, Smith established Beachy Beach Real Estate, growing from 3 to 130 team members and recently partnered with Premier Property Group, combining for more than 250 agents.

“She firmly believes in the unique touch each of us possesses, urging us to make a difference in our own special way,” said Baber. “Beyond merely motivating and inspiring, she leads by example, catalyzing action and inviting us to contribute positively to the world.”

Getting her degree was a huge confidence booster, Smith said. “I was always proud to tell people I was a graduate. As a person who went back to school, as an older person, it meant way more to me. Especially because I had three children and full-time job. It was one of the most worthwhile things I’ve ever done.”

Smith has served as president of Beach Care Services; board member, vice president and president of the Panama City Beach Chamber; and leader of Food4kidz’s fundraising arm. She is engaged in fundraising for Back Pack Blessings, Florida Panhandle Golf Therapy Alliance and the Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy Center, and used her offices to hold pet adoptions.

Some of her awards over the years include Broker of the year, Panama City Beach Most Influential Woman and Women of Distinction award.

After Hurricane Michael, Beachy Beach temporarily shut down to serve the community and help in the rebuilding process. Smith also helped a friend with financial support of Save The Closet, which helps people who have lost their clothing and belongings due to storms.

She is also proud of her involvement in the artistic community. Beachy Beach has hosted many art events, giving artists an avenue for promoting and enhancing their careers while raising thousands of dollars and attracting hundreds of attendees. Her office remains a revolving local art gallery.

Because Smith spent many years struggling, her company philosophy is one of service and giving back to the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith started a podcast to inspire and encourage others, titled “My Happy Ass Life.” She is also a speaker, writer and blogger who loves to encourage with her words.

Passionate about the transformative power of recovery, Smith shares her story of triumph over family addiction. Grace and gratitude drive her "rags to riches" journey, encapsulated in her mantra: "The only people we have to get even with are those who have helped us!"