Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

Friday, August 15, 2008

Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following executive appointments.  Brief biographies are provided below:

 

9-1-1 Advisory Committee

W. Christopher “Chris” Jones, 58, Roswell, Wireless Representative – Jones is executive director, public policy for Verizon Wireless’ South Area. He is responsible for state regulatory and legislative policies and issues advocacy in eleven southeastern states. Prior to entering the telecommunications industry, Jones worked in radio broadcasting and was an award winning news and sports reporter with WRFC radio in Athens, Georgia and with Atlanta’s WSB-AM. He serves as secretary-treasurer of the Board of Visitors of Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications of the University of Georgia. He is an accredited member of Public Relations Society of America. He is former director of the Florida Telecommunications Industry Association, former president of the Wireless Industry Association of the Southeast and former vice-president of the Cellular Association of California. Jones earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Toni, have two grown children. 

 

Board of Early Care and Learning

Katie S. Ward, 29, Guyton, Twelfth Congressional District Representative – Ward is a ninth grade English teacher, literary and drama coordinator and competition cheerleading coach at Effingham County High School.  She is a member of the National Council for Teachers of English, Georgia Association of Educators, Georgia Cheer Coaches Association and the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association.  She is executive director of the Miss Georgia Southern University Scholarship Pageant and is a Miss America Scholarship Pageant certified judge.  Ward earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and is pursuing a master’s degree from the University of Phoenix.  She and her husband, Michael, have one child. 

 

Certificate of Need Appeal Panel

Melvin M. Goldstein, 60, Marietta – Goldstein is an attorney with his own firm, Melvin M. Goldstein, P.C. He is a former assistant attorney general for the State of Georgia, where he represented the Department of Human Resources, the Secretary of State and the Public Service Commission. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia administrative law section and the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. Goldstein earned a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and a law degree from Wayne State University. He and his wife, Carol, have two grown children.

 

William “Bill” C. Joy, 61, Stone Mountain, Vice Chairman – Joy is an attorney with his own firm, William C. Joy, P.C.  He is a former senior assistant attorney general, where he represented the Department of Human Resources, Department of Community Health and other state agencies. He has been a speaker for CLE seminars in ethics and professionalism for twenty years. Joy earned his bachelor’s degree and law degree from Emory University. He and his wife, Dianne, have two grown children and four grandchildren.

 

Ellwood “Ebb” F. Oakley III, 63, Atlanta, Chairman – Oakley is an associate professor of legal studies in the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Georgia State University. He has taught the MBA program at Georgia State since 1988.  Prior to this, he was a partner in the Atlanta law firm Dodd, Connell, & Hughes, where he practiced business and healthcare litigation. Oakley serves as a senior arbitrator and mediator on panels of the American Arbitration Association, the National Association of Securities Dealers and the American Health Lawyers Association. Oakley has participated in medical and legal programs as a faculty fellow at Dartmouth College and the Medical University of South Carolina. Oakley earned a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University, a master’s degree from Emory University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He and his wife, Lois, have two grown children.

 

LakeLanier IslandsDevelopment Authority

Alan C. Gravel, 62, Marietta, At Large Representative – Gravel is president of Willow Construction, Inc. Prior to starting his own business, Gravel was president of the Trescon Corporation and served as a US Air Force Captain in Vietnam. He is vice-president of the National Utility Contractors Association and the chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Utility Contractors Association Foundation. He is a member and former president and chairman of the Georgia Utility Contractors Association and he is also the secretary of the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association. Gravel has received awards such as “Engineer of the Year in Construction” from Engineers of Greater Atlanta and “Contract Member of the Year” from the Georgia Utility Contractors Association. Gravel earned a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana Tech and earned a master’s degree from the University of Texas.  He and his wife, Sheri, have two grown children.

 

State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia

Z. Shaw Blackmon III, 35, Warner Robins, At Large Representative– Blackmon serves as the president and CEO of National Bank Products.  He also served as a district sales manager, information officer and chief operating officer for the company. Blackmon is a vice chairman of the Warner Robins Chamber of Commerce and formerly served as chair of the Middle Georgia Technical College Foundation.  He is a member of the board of directors of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, Sunmark Bank, the Museum of Aviation and the Houston County Heritage Foundation.  He also served as a member of the Georgia Board of Community Affairs.  Blackmon earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia, where he also lettered four years and made scholar athlete as a member of the golf team.  

 

State Workforce Investment Board

Elizabeth P. Brock, Atlanta, Business Representative – Brock is the chief executive officer of Pallets, Inc. She has served as director of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, director of Volunteer America and president of the Georgia Industry Association. She also served on the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority. She earned an undergraduate degree from East Tennessee State University. Brock has one child.

 

 

 

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