Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

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

Board of Commissioners of the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia

Johnnie E. Crews, 61, Nahunta, GA, Probate Judge Representative (RE-APPOINTNMENT) - Crews is the probate judge in Brantley County and has served in this capacity for 25 years. He has been a member of the Masonic Lodge (391) for 29 years and a member of the Brantley County Lyons Club for 24 years. He has two grown children.

Board of Control for Southern Regional Education

Michael F. Vollmer, 55, Tifton, GA, Member - Vollmer is the commissioner of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. He has worked closely in the development of many of Georgia’s educational and economic initiatives for over 25 years, including service to five governors. He was recognized by Georgia Trend as one of South Georgia’s “40 Most Influential Business Leaders” in 2004 and as one of the “100 Most Influential Georgians” in 2005. Vollmer earned a bachelor’s degree from Greensboro College and a law degree from John Marshall Law School. He and his wife, Lennas, have three children.

Board of Corrections

A.D. Frazier, Jr., 61, Atlanta, GA, Fifth Congressional District Representative - Frazier serves as an attorney for Balch & Bingham where he has worked to develop a mediation practice within the firm and to assist in commercial negotiations. He has 35 years of experience as an executive manager in the for-profit, not-for-profit and government sectors. He serves as chairman of the board and chairman of the executive committee of Gold Kist, Inc, a member of the board of directors of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and distinguished visiting professor of business at Young Harris College. Frazier is a member of the American Bar Association, the Georgia Bar Association, the Atlanta Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Association. Frazier earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is married to Clair Wofford Frazier and has two children from a previous marriage.

Board of Directors of MCG Health, Inc.

David Karangu, 38, Augusta, GA, Member - Karangu is currently the president and chief operating officer of Mercedes Benz of Augusta and Fairway Ford of Augusta. Previously, he served as a sales manager at Osman Lincoln Mercury Jeep and as a quality care manager at Ford Motor Company. He is a past member of the board of directors of the Augusta Prep School and the Boys and Girls Club of Augusta. Karangu earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Morgan State University. He and his wife, Jane, have two children.

Georgia Film, Video and Music Advisory Commission

J. Michael Byrd, 62, Woodstock, GA, Local Government Representative - Byrd serves as the chairman of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners. Previously, he served as the managing director for Turner Broadcasting Systems Asia Pacific and as president of Turner International Asia Pacific, both in Hong Kong. He also served as the senior vice president for international and television operations for the Samuel Goldwyn Company and in various capacities with Lorimar Productions. Byrd earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Marshall University and completed graduate studies in accounting at California State University. He is married to Charlice Byrd.

Billy C. Johnson, Jr., 42, Douglasville, GA, State Government Representative - Johnson serves as the extradition/rewards coordinator for Governor Perdue. Previously, he held various positions with Georgia Pacific, Turner International and CNN/Sports Illustrated. He is a member of Urban Professionals, Inc., the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and Entertainment Ventures, Inc. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Tennessee State University. He and his wife, Brenda, have one child.

John Woodruff, Atlanta, GA, Business Community Representative - Woodruff is the chief executive officer and president of Ruffwood, Inc., a private investment firm that manages personal and family investments and properties. He serves as an investor of the X - 1R Corporation, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Walter F. George Foundation benefiting Mercer University, and founder of the Ruffwood Foundation. He has been on the national and state level boards of trustees for the March of Dimes since 1998 and has chaired the Atlanta motorcycle “Ride to Save Babies” fundraiser since 1992. Woodruff earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Georgia State University. He has two children.

Georgia Golf Hall of Fame

Z. Shaw Blackmon III, 32, Warner Robins, GA, Member - Blackmon serves as the president of National Bank Products, having previously served as the company’s information and chief operating officer. He is a member of the Warner Robins Chamber of Commerce, the chairman of the Middle Georgia Technical College Foundation, a member of the board of directors of Sunmark Bank and chairman of the Houston County Heritage Foundation. Blackmon played on the men’s golf team at the University of Georgia from 1991-96, earning the Scholar Athlete Award three years in a row and Varsity Letterman honors from 1993-96. He earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from the University of Georgia.

Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council

Oscar “Steve” E. Hyman, 43, Tifton, GA, Municipal Police Officer Representative - Hyman, a lieutenant, has served in various capacities with the Tifton Police Department for the last 20 years, including patrol officer, deputy sheriff, detective, field training officers’ supervisor and, currently, training coordinator. He is chairman of the Tift County Recreation Department Advisory Committee and vice chair of the Tift County Commission on Children and Youth. He was honored as Police Officer of the Year in 1990 and 1996 and Officer of the Quarter in 1998 and 2003. He earned an associate’s degree from the Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.

Dolly A. Johnson, 42, Ellenwood, GA, Municipal Police Officer Representative (RE-APPOINTMENT) - Johnson is a sergeant with the Atlanta Police Department’s S.W.A.T Unit and serves as a bomb tech supervisor and lead counter sniper supervisor. She has served with the Atlanta Police Department for 20 years and has completed several levels of management, supervision and special weapons and tactics training. She is a member of the Police Honor Guard, the Georgia Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers and the Police Benevolent Association. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Georgia State University. She has a son.