Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following appointments to the Capitol Asset Management Advisory Council. The council was created in December 2004 by Executive Order. Its purpose is to provide information, knowledge, feedback, innovation, and policy advice to the State Properties Officer.  The advisory council consists of seven members, including the State Properties Officer. All members are appointed by the Governor.

Capital Asset Management Advisory Council

J. Ray Crawford , Jr., Marietta , State Property Officer - Crawford, has served as executive director of the Georgia Building Authority since March 2003 and executive director of the State Properties Commission since June 1973. He is also a member of the MARTA Board of Directors, Sapelo Island Heritage Authority, State Board of Equalization, and various high school and community programs. Crawford earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham , Alabama . Following law school, he was an artillery officer in the United States Army where he received two Army commendation medals for outstanding service. Crawford and his wife, Susan, have three children.

Gena L. Abraham, Ph.D., Sharpsburg , GA , Member - Abraham is the executive secretary of the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission and director of the construction division.  Previously, she served as an assistant professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology where she taught an undergraduate course in construction planning, estimating and scheduling.  She is also the former chief engineer for the Georgia Building Authority.  She is a member of the Georgia and National Association of State Facilities Administrators, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the Building Owners and Managers Association.  Abraham earned a bachelor's degree and a doctorate in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  She has one child. 

James B. “Jim” Carson, Jr., Atlanta , GA , Member - Carson retired from active management and ownership at Carter & Associates in 2002.  He served at Carter & Associates and its predecessor companies for 34 years, holding a variety of senior management positions, including president and chief operating officer, vice chairman, chairman and chief executive officer .  He is the chair of the New Georgia Commission Capital Construction Task Force and a member of the Atlanta Board of Realtors, the Regional Leadership Forum and the Emory University Board of Trustees.  Carson earned a bachelor's degree from Emory University and a master's degree in business administration from the Harvard Business School .  He and his wife, Anne, have three grown children.

Charles L. “Chip” Davidson, III, Atlanta , GA , Member - Davidson is the chief executive officer and co-founder of the Brookdale Group, LLC, a commercial real estate investment company.  Previously, he worked with the Houston-based real estate company, Hines, where he served as executive vice president/regional partner.  He is the vice chairman of the board of directors of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers, a board member of the Real Estate Roundtable, a founder and past chairman of the Georgia Center for Children, and a former member of the State Properties Commission.  Davidson earned a bachelor's degree from Davidson College and a master's degree in business administration from the Harvard Business School .  He and his wife, Donna, have two children.

Lawrence L. “Larry” Gellerstedt, III, Atlanta , GA , Member - Gellerstedt became the president of the office/multi family division of Cousins Properties, Inc. following its acquisition of his firm, The Gellerstedt Group, in June 2005.  He serves as chairman of the Quality Growth Coalition, executive committee member of the Midtown Alliance, and member of the board of directors of the Central Atlanta Progress, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Piedmont Park Conservancy.  He has earned many honors, including Ernst & Young's 1992 Entrepreneur of the Year, Atlanta Business League's 1993 CEO of the Year and one of Georgia Trend Magazine's 100 Most Influential Georgians. Gellerstedt earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .  He and his wife, Carol, have two children.

Robert “Bob” Irvin, Atlanta , GA , Member - Irvin is a senior partner at an international consulting firm, giving business strategy and organization advice to senior executive teams of Fortune 500 companies.  Prior to his consulting work, he practiced law in the Atlanta area.  He is a former member and minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives where he served from 1972-1978 and again from 1993-2002.  He is a member of the board of trustees of the Atlanta Historical Society and a founding member of the Roswell Historical Society.  Irvin earned a bachelor's degree from the College of William and Mary, a law degree from Emory University and a master's degree in business administration from the Harvard Business School .  He is married to Lynn Irvin.

Paul H. Michael, Roswell , GA , Member - Michael serves as the director of land resources for Hampton Island Preservation, LLC where his primary duties include land acquisition, conservation, planning, permits and approvals, governmental affairs and new business development. He serves on the Wildlife Resources Division Steering Committee and has been appointed to serve on an advisory committee to develop a coastal comprehensive plan with the Department of Community Affairs.  Previously, he served as the chief of real estate for the Department of Natural Resources where his responsibilities included land acquisition, feasibility analysis and strategic planning.  Michael earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia and a master's degree in business administration from Kennesaw State University .  He and his wife, Malinda, have two daughters.