Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following appointments.

Board of Directors of the Georgia Lottery Corporation

George Anthony “Tony” Campbell , 53, Thomasville , GA , Member - Campbell currently runs Broad Street Group, LLC, a private equity investment firm.  Previously, he served in various capacities for Flowers Industries, Inc. (which later became Flowers Foods, Inc.), including chief legal officer, general counsel and secretary.  Before that, Campbell practiced law as a partner with the firm of Thompson, Mann & Hutson and served as legislative counsel to the chairman of the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  He began his career as an administrative assistant and later chief of staff to United States Senator Strom Thurmond and served as chief minority counsel to the United States Senate Judiciary Committee.  Campbell attended the United States Naval Academy , earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the University of South Carolina .  He has two children.

Celeste G. Osborn, 52, Atlanta , GA , Member - Osborn serves as the deputy chief financial officer to Governor Sonny Perdue where she assists in the development and administration of the state's fiscal policies and long-term financial strategies.  Osborn has 31 years of financial, management, and executive experience in state government and the private sector.  She has served in various capacities throughout her career, including director of administration of the Office of Education Accountability, executive director of the Office of School Readiness, assistant director for intergovernmental relations of the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget and vice-president for financial management of the Georgia Lottery Corporation.  She has been recognized by Atlanta Magazine as one of Atlanta 's top chief financial officers.  Osborn earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Berry College .  She is married to Bruce Osborn. 

Board of Economic Development

Philip A. Wilheit, 60, Gainesville , GA , Tenth Congressional District Representative - Wilheit is the president of Wilheit Packaging, LLC, which specializes in corrugated packaging, poly films, folding cartons, and fabricated forms.  He has been employed at the company in various capacities for almost 40 years.  He is the chairman of the board of GB&T Bancshares and Gainesville Bank & Trust, chairman of the Northeast Georgia Health System, chairman of the Gainesville-Hall County Development Authority and past chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce.  Wilheit earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of the South.  He and his wife, Mary, have two grown children.

Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Authority

Jaime C. Kaplan, 43, Macon , GA , Member - Kaplan is currently the director of tennis and promotions at Healy Point Country Club.  She has been active in competitive tennis since childhood and has won several tournaments and awards.  She won the Southeastern Conference Doubles Championship in 1981 representing the University of Georgia and later went on to participate in the NCAA Tennis Championships in both singles and doubles representing Florida State University .  Between 1983 and 1989, Kaplan won five doubles titles and participated in all four Grand Slam tournaments, including five appearances in Wimbledon where she reached the Round of 16 in mixed doubles.  In 1995, she was a National Hardcourt Champion in Women's 30 Doubles and was chosen for the Georgia Senior Cup Team in 1996.  She was honored by the Georgia Tennis Association as the Professional of the Year in 2004 and by the United States Tennis Association with the Outstanding Facility Award for Healy Point Country Club Tennis.  Kaplan's charity events have raised over $1.5 million since 1989.    Kaplan was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.   

Bobby A. Pope, 60, Macon , GA , Member - Pope is currently the athletic director at Mercer University and has served in this capacity for over 15 years.  His prior experience includes four years as associate vice president for development at Mercer University and over 20 years in various positions at WMAZ-Radio/Television, including reporter, anchor, sports director and account executive.  He is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Directors Association, the Atlantic Sun Conference Sports Policy Committee and the Macon-Bibb County American Cancer Society Leadership Council.  Pope earned a bachelor's degree from Georgia College and State University .  He and his wife, Carol, have two grown children.