Atlanta - Governor-Elect Sonny Perdue today announced that Senator Bill Stephens of Canton will serve as the new spokesman for the Transition Team.

"Bill Stephens' experience and knowledge will provide excellent communications support during our transition period," said Perdue. "His background as the former Communications Director for Governor Zell Miller and his four years of service in the state Senate, will certainly be of value to all."

Stephens will replace Dan McLagan, who served as Perdue's campaign spokesman. McLagan is returning this week to his home in Washington, D.C. to pursue opportunities in the corporate sector.


BIOGRAPHY OF SENATOR BILL STEPHENS

Senator Bill Stephens, a businessman from Canton, was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1998, to represent the 51st District.

Senator Stephens serves on the Banking and Financial Institutions; Economic Development, Tourism and Culture Affairs; Insurance and Labor; Reapportionment; and Retirement Committees.

Senator Stephens has authored legislation in several areas, specifically focusing on school safety, education, economic development, growth and budget issues.

At the beginning of his second term in the Senate in 2000, Senator Stephens' Republican colleagues elected him as chairman of the 24 member Republican Caucus.

Stephens is a native of Morganton in Fannin County where his family has lived for five generations. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Georgia in 1978. He earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Georgia State University in 1983.

He has four sons, Joshua, Jordan, Conner and William. He is married to Shannon Walshe Stephens, a reporter at WSB-TV in Atlanta. They are members of the First United Methodist Church of Canton.