Denis McKinnon Sr., and the McKinnon family, have a long and decorated history with the College and the Pensacola community. On Thursday, May 4th, the whole family joined PSC in support of the annual Big Break Golf Classic – with some family members even flying in from out of town to share in the fun! Denis McKinnon Sr. was joined by Kyle Wilson, Ronnie Vinson, Carla Comer Downs, Maureen McKinnon, Tammy St. Mary, Wade Wilson, Kevin Hubbard, Emily Ioakim, Denis McKinnon Jr., Denis McKinnon III, Scott McKinnon, Lisa McKinnon, Andrew McKinnon, and Max McKinnon.
McKinnon Sr. attended then PJC from 1960 to 1961, leaving the area to begin his 20-year career in the United States Marine Corp as a naval aviator, during which he served 2 tours in Vietnam, earned over 30 personal combat decorations (including a Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal), and accompanied President Ford briefly as an aide.
Following his career as a Marine, he pushed himself to continue higher education completing a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and post-graduate studies at different universities across the southeast. Through his studies at PJC and other accreditations, he was able to experience success and quickly establish himself as a community leader upon his return to Pensacola.
Since then, he has held presidential positions with First State Bank, Wells Fargo, the Sacred Heart Foundation, the United Service Organization, and Veterans National Homecare and received recognition and awards from Kiwanis and PACE. He served the Pensacola State College Board of Trustees from 1999 to 2003, during which time he developed and built the PSC childcare center, and has been a member of the PSC Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2019.
Denis McKinnon Sr. and his family have been strong supporters of the College for more than 26 years. The McKinnons have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to PSC’s first-generation students through the First Generation Matching Grant Scholarship and students with disabilities through the McKinnon Memorial Endowed Scholarship.
Denis McKinnon Sr.’s granddaughter, Emily Ioakim, shared that “Pensacola State College means so much to [her] grandfather.”
Emily, who volunteered at the annual Big Break Golf Classic fundraiser in May, was alongside several members of her family who also chose to volunteer or play in the tournament. “He really enjoyed the day,” Emily said of McKinnon Sr.
For more information on volunteering and supporting the Pensacola State College Foundation, contact us at (850) 484-1560 or foundation@pensacolastate.edu
L to R: Kyle Wilson, Ronnie Vinson, Carla Comer Downs, Maureen McKinnon, Tammy St. Mary, Wade Wilson, Kevin Hubbard, and Emily Ioakim at Big Break 2023