Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

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

Georgia Real Estate Commission

David J. Burge, 48, Atlanta, Consumer Member – Burge is a partner with Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP.  He practices commercial real estate law and is a past chairman of both the Real Property Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia and the Real Estate Section of the Atlanta Bar Association.  Burge is a board member of the Georgia Superior Court Clerks' Cooperative Authority and the Atlanta Area Boy Scout Council.  He also serves as Scoutmaster for Troop 74.  Burge earned a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and a law degree from the University of North Carolina. He and his wife, Sally, have two children.

State Board of Nursing Home Administrators

W. Dennis Taylor, Jr., M.D., 53, Dublin, Medical Doctor Representative – Taylor is a physician and the owner of Southeast Geriatrics. He is a member of the American Medical Directors Association, Medical Association of Georgia, and Southern Medical Association and is past president of the Georgia Medical Directors Association. He is certified in internal medicine and geriatrics. Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He and his wife, Jenny, have two children.

Georgia Board of Nursing

Janice K. Flynn, DSN, 60, Marietta, Nursing Educator Representative – Flynn is interim associate director of the WellStar School of Nursing at Kennesaw State University. She has been a nurse educator for over twenty five years, including the past 15 years at KSU. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, the Georgia Nurses Association, and Sigma Theta Tau. She is a long standing member of the Kennesaw State University Assurance of Learning Council and Consulting Team and is a recipient of the College of Health and Human Services Distinguished Teaching Award. Flynn earned a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern State University of Louisiana, a master’s degree from Emory University and a doctoral degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She has three children.

Julie C. Smith, 31, Atlanta, Consumer Member – Smith is director of external affairs, southeastern region for Verizon Communications. She previously served as director of external affairs for Governor Perdue and served in the offices of Congressman Bob Barr and Nathan Deal.  Smith serves on the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s Regional Education Committee and recently served on the Local Host Committee for the 2008 National Conference on Volunteering and Service. She served as chairman of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education’s Annual Bus Trip and actively volunteers with Buckhead Church and the Atlanta Union Mission. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia.

Linda W. Smith, 54, Thomasville, Registered Nurse Representative – Smith is vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer for John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital. She is a member of the Georgia and Southwest Georgia Organization of Nursing Leaders. She is also a member of the Thomas University Professional Nursing Honor Society and Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State College and a master’s degree from the Medical College of Georgia.

Board of Corrections

Rose M. Williams, 59, Gray, At Large Representative – Williams recently retired from the Department of Corrections after thirty four years of service. She is a lifetime member and former president of the Georgia Prison Wardens’ Association. She is a graduate of Leadership Georgia and Leadership Pulaski and is a member of the Association of Women Executives in Corrections and the board of directors of the Correctional Officers Association. Williams attended Albany State College.  She and her husband, George, have one grown child.

W. Bradley Carver, 37, Atlanta, Fifth Congressional District Representative – Carver is a partner with Hall, Booth, Smith & Slover, P.C. He is a member of the American, State and Atlanta Bar Associations.  He is also a member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Economic Developers Association and the Energy Bar Association. Carver serves as secretary of the German American Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Reserve Officers Association.  He continues to actively serve in the U.S. Army Reserves in the rank of Major as the Personnel Officer of the 335^th Theater Signal Command, headquartered in East Point, GA.  Carver earned a bachelor’s degree from Duke University and a masters and law degree from the University of Georgia.  He is married to Michelle Carver.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Warm Springs Memorial Advisory Committee

C. Dexter Jordan, Jr., 68, Columbus (Reappointment) – Jordan is retired from Hughston Sports Medicine Foundation, where he served as president and chief executive officer. He serves on the advisory board for the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and is on the board of visitors for The Brookstone School. He is director of the Columbus Museum, Historic Columbus Foundation and the St. Francis Hospital Foundation. Jordan also serves on the board of advisors of the John B. Amos Cancer Center and is director of the Columbus Archives and History Center. Jordan earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Pat, have three grown children and five grandchildren.

Connell C. Stafford, Jr., 60, Atlanta (Reappointment) – Stafford is director of public strategy at Troutman Sanders Strategies. Prior to this, he served for twenty five years as a governmental affairs executive for The Coca-Cola Company. Stafford serves on the board of trustees for Georgia Southern University. He also serves on the Smithgall Woods Foundation and the Jekyll Island Foundation. Stafford earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Southern University and a master’s degree from American University. He and his wife, Shay, have two children.

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