John Sedlock Inducted into SFSC Panther Alumni Society Hall of Fame

With the thousands of alumni and exceptional graduates that SFSC has nurtured since 1965, selecting an outstanding alumnus to the SFSC Panther Alumni Society Hall of Fame is a difficult task. SFSC’s most prestigious alumni honor was awarded on Thursday, Dec. 7, during the SFSC Foundation’s annual Christmas Luncheon at the Hotel Jacaranda in Avon Park. The award was presented to John L. Sedlock.

“We are excited to honor John Sedlock as our 2023 Panther Alumni Society Hall of Fame inductee,” said Anastasia Fuchser, coordinator, SFSC institutional advancement and alumni development. “He has made his mark here in Avon Park and the surrounding area as a local business owner and strong supporter in this community. We congratulate him and welcome him to the Hall of Fame.”

Sedlock is president of Sedlock and Heston Construction, Inc. in Avon Park. He earned his Associate in Arts from SFSC in 1978 and had been recruited from a high school in Vienna, Va. to play as a pitcher for the SFSC Panther Baseball team from 1977 to 1978. In more recent times, Sedlock and Heston Construction have sponsored entertainment presented through SFSC’s Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts. Sedlock’s son and daughter earned their Nursing degrees from SFSC.

Sedlock’s love of sports has continued over the years. He and business partner, Terry Heston, have supported sports on every level in Avon Park throughout the last four decades. They’ve coached Dixie Youth Baseball, fed hundreds of steaks to Avon Park High School football players before home games, and have come to the aid of athletic complexes in Avon Park when they needed equipment or facilities upgrades, such as a batting cage or a concession stand.

“John is that steady, behind-the-scenes leader who makes things happen but is never in the spotlight,” said Dr. Michele Heston, who nominated Sedlock and is SFSC vice president for academic affairs and student services. “He’s just a lovely person. I believe that he deserves this particular award, because his whole career started out on SFSC’s baseball field. I feel that it’s important to honor people who have that staying power in a community. He came here from Virginia and realized that this is where he belonged and he’s been here ever since.”

For more information about the Panther Alumni Society Hall of Fame, call the SFSC Alumni Association at 453-3133 or email alumni@southflorida.edu.