Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

ATLANTA, GA - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following executive appointments:

Board of Human Resources

James E. “Jimmy” Talbot, DDS, 46, Ellijay, GA, Tenth Congressional District Representative – Talbot is a private dental practitioner in Ellijay. He is a member of the Northwestern District Dental Society, the Nursing Home Task Force and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Talbot is the legislative liaison for the Gilmer County Board of Education, chairman of the Gilmer County Development Authority, chairman of the Public Relations Committee for the Georgia Dental Association, the grassroots action team leader for the American Dental Association, parliamentarian of the Georgia Dental Association House of Delegates and delegate of the Georgia Dental Association House of Delegates. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Northwestern University Dental School. Talbot and his wife, Barbara, have three children.

Board of Juvenile Justice

Van Ross Herrin, 41, Waycross, GA, First Congressional District Representative – Herrin is the general manager for Imagistics International Inc. He currently serves on the Brantley County Board of Education and the Long Range Planning Committee of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church in Waycross. Herrin is a former member of the Brantley County Development Board. He attended Armstrong State College and Valdosta State University. Herrin and his wife, Sherri, have two children.

Lake Lanier Island Development Authority

Donald E. Free, Sr., 66, Perry, GA, At Large Member – Free is a broker for the Donald Free School of Real Estate and a broker/co-owner of Coldwell Banker Robbins Free Realty and Century 21 Williams Realty. He is a member of the Georgia Association of Realtors, Central Georgia Board of Realtors, Kiwanis Club of Perry, and First Baptist Church of Perry. Free attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia. He and his wife, Judy, have three children.

Stone Mountain Memorial Association

Brent M. Brown, 34, Atlanta, GA, At Large Member – Brown is the director of the government division for Risk Management Alternatives (RMA) in Duluth, Georgia. He has previously served as vice president of operations for eAttorney and president of Landmark Publishing Corporation. Brown received his bachelor’s degree in management from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his master’s degree in business administration from the University of Georgia, where he specialized in marketing, advertising and entrepreneurship. His wife is Pamela Brown.

Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame

Oliver C. Bateman, 81, Macon, GA, REAPPOINTMENT – Bateman is the president of Bateman Co., Inc. and a farmer. He served as a pilot in the military for ten years and in the State Senate for eight years. Bateman serves on the board of advisors for the Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base and on the board of directors for the 14th Air Force Association. He received a bachelor’s degree from The Citadel and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School. Bateman has four children.

State Children’s Trust Fund Commission

Laudis R. “Rick” Lanford, 46, Juliette, GA – Lanford serves as both vice president of development of the Methodist Children's Home and executive director of the Methodist Home Foundation. He also serves as senior chaplain for the state of Georgia under the Office of Homeland Security, chaplain for the Water and Soil Commission, the Bibb, Jones and Monroe County Sheriff’s Departments, the Macon Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He is a board member for the Georgia Sheriff’s Chaplain’s Association, the Internal Review Board for Middle Georgia Hospital, the Downtown Council of Macon, Quail Unlimited and Turkey Unlimited. Lanford is an advisory board member to the Junior League of Macon, Inc. and the chair for the public relations committee for the United Methodist Association. He received an associate’s degree from Oxford College, a bachelor’s degree from Emory University, a Master of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology and a Doctorate of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary. Lanford and his wife, Kim, have two children.

Amos Theodore “Ted” Beason, 64, LaGrange, GA – Beason works at Smith Barney. He is a board member of the Troup County Community Foundation and DASH for LaGrange. Beason also serves on the leadership council for LaGrange College and is the founder for Big Brothers Big Sisters for Troup County. He received a bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University. Beason and his wife, Ann, have two children.

Board of Corrections

J. Tyson Stephens, 52, Swainsboro, GA, REAPPOINTMENT – Stephens is serving his sixth term as sheriff for Emanuel County. He is a member of the Georgia Association of County Officers, the National Sheriff’s Association, the State Board of Corrections and the Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce. Stephens is a past president of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association and currently serves on the board of directors and the legislative and public relations committees. He also serves on the Emanuel County Child Abuse Protocol committee and the Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Home State Board. Stephens is the chairman of the Control Group for East Central Georgia Drug Task Force and serves on board of trustees of Herrington Homestead. In 2000, he received the award for Georgia Sheriff of the Year. Stephens graduated Cum Laude from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Susan, have three children.