Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

ATLANTA - Governor Perdue announced today his four appointments to the Joint Agricultural Education Study Committee. This committee was created in the 2005 legislative session by House Resolution 50 for the purpose of developing agricultural education instructional standards. The Governor appoints four of the seventeen members of the committee.

The Joint Agricultural Education Study Committee is charged with providing recommendations for the following: a plan to provide for a state-wide Agriculture Learning Center Model to be developed at local levels; program-standard approval for all related appropriations, such as Young Farmer, extended day/year, youth camps, food processing, and area teacher and industry certification; new program criteria available for funding; recommendations to the Governor and legislative bodies for appropriations and legislative acts to enhance the delivery of agricultural education; and the development and review of an annual report and evaluation for the agricultural education program. More information regarding the Joint Agricultural Education Study Committee may be found at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/sum/hr50.htm.

Ward Black, 18, Commerce, GA - Black serves as president of the State Future Farmers of America. He has also been involved in Beta Club, the Community Bank and Trust Youth Board and 4-H. He is a member of Maysville Baptist Church and a recent graduate of Jackson County High School. Black will attend the University of Georgia in the fall.

Hillary Smith, 27, Macon, GA - Smith serves as a law clerk for Judge Duross Fitzpatrick, United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Smith is a member of the Georgia Bar Association, the UGA Alumni Association, and the Georgia/Macon Tennis Association. She earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and a law degree from the University of Georgia.

G. Randall Pugh, 61, Jefferson, GA - Pugh serves as the president and chief executive officer of Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC). He is the chairman of the board of directors of the Region’s Bank of Jackson County, director of the Georgia Systems Operations board and a member of the Georgia FFA Foundation Board of Trustees. Pugh is the past president of the Georgia Rural Electric Mangers Association and past president of the Georgia EMC Accountants Association. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Georgia. Pugh and his wife, Patricia, have three children.

Reed Waldrep, 30, Dexter, GA - Waldrep serves as a agriculture education teacher at West Laurens High School. Waldrep was elected as the Georgia Young Ag Teacher of the Year in 2004. He was also honored as the State Level Teacher of the Year in 2004. Waldrep serves as the president of the Georgia Vocational Agricultural Teachers Association. He earned a bachelor’s degree in middle grade education from Georgia College and State University, a master's degree in education from the University of Georgia, and a specialist degree in education from Columbus State University. Waldrep and his wife, Amanda, have one child.