Virdette Otkins

The Basics…

Hi there, I’m Virdette. I’m a Georgia lady from one of the smaller cities, Macon. I went to Kentucky State University and graduated in 1982 with a degree in Business Administration. I joined the Army after college and served the country proudly for 16 years. After leaving the service, I moved to Florida with my husband. I began my career at In The News, Inc. in 2007 and I have enjoyed it very much. My focus usually falls in education anywhere from primary schools to universities in the southeast. I love working with people in the education industry because they are the ones making a better tomorrow, today. I also really enjoy working with individuals and families to memorialize their personal stories. I know I’m providing something they will cherish more and more as the years go on with a family heirloom. Some of my more recognizable clients include Sherry Sheppard of The Newly Wed Game and Bob Hoffman, head basketball coach at Mercer University in my hometown in Macon.

Why do I love In The News, Inc.? 

“By making these plaques we provide a lifetime preservation of some of the greatest moments in a persons life. Not only will they love it, but their loved ones will have it as a memento for the rest of their lives as well. Documenting personal stories, especially those of families, is something that has gone by the wayside for most people. In The News provides an avenue for all of those likes to be realized everyday. I love talking with people in all industries and being a source for them to preserve their business or family history. As your children become parents and grandparents, their history becomes important, and they have a thirst for where they came from and information about their heritage. It's not just about you - the generations in your family that come after want to know who you are and what you did.  If I can help people create something to show for their accomplishments then I feel like I’m doing the world a good deed.”

A little more about me…

I have four kids, all of who are in college or graduated. I am a true couponer. I shop every day and manage to spend about $25 a week on perishable goods like food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc. I could go a year without shopping and never run out of our basic needs. I'm very involved in my church. When I’m not shopping or working I’m usually reading a book or trying to spend time with my kids. 

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