National FFA Organization presents Mike Tighe with honorary degree
March 28, 2022
Michael Tighe, a founding member of Callison Tighe & Robinson law firm, has received the Honorary American FFA Degree.
“The Honorary American FFA Degree is the highest degree bestowed upon an individual by the National FFA Organization,” said Scott Stump, CEO of the national organization – formerly known as Future Farmers of America – in a letter to Mr. Tighe. “It stands in recognition of your contributions to agriculture, agricultural education and FFA at the national level.”
The degree was awarded in person at a state FFA gathering at the South Carolina State House on Feb. 23, 2022. The north steps of the capitol were filled with members in their blue FFA jackets. It was the first such meeting since the start of the pandemic, and it was a welcome sight to Mr. Tighe, who said, “I think it’s wonderful to see so many people interested in agriculture, and I’m sure you all will have wonderful careers.”
This acknowledgement of a lifetime of public service comes at a particularly meaningful time, in the year after he celebrated his 80th birthday, and the firm he helped found marked its 50th anniversary.
In addition to being a practicing attorney, Mr. Tighe is a timber farmer and manager of a stream mitigation credit bank. More than that, he has long helped promote and advance the work of the FFA.
In nominating him for the national degree, South Carolina FFA Executive Director Jillian Lash wrote in part:
“Mr. Tighe has served as legal counsel for the SC FFA Association for many, many years. He was instrumental in the founding and development of the SC FFA Foundation and in guiding the SC FFA Foundation in land purchases and sales, as well as advising the SC FFA Association on all legal matters….”
A certified mediator and arbitrator and experienced litigator, Mike Tighe has represented title insurers and their insureds, as well as lenders and major developers, in real estate-related litigation in state and federal courts in South Carolina, and in transactional matters since 1971.
About Callison Tighe & Robinson, LLC
The attorneys of Callison Tighe & Robinson, LLC, represent clients in matters involving Commercial Disputes; Personal Injury; Title Insurance claims; Workers’ Compensation; Complex Criminal Defense; Court-Martial Defense; Banking and Commercial Finance; Business Organizations and Succession Planning; Commercial Real Estate; Tax, Probate, Trusts and Estate Planning. For more information, visit callisontighe.com.
