Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following executive appointments. 

Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority

T. Eugene Dyal, 52, Alma, GA, County Government Representative – Dyal is chairman and manager of the Bacon County Board of Commissioners.  He served as president and secretary of the Alma Lions Club and on the Small and Minority Business Board.  He is a member of the Southeast Georgia Regional Development Center board and the board of directors of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia.  He serves as treasurer of the Seven Rivers Research, Conservation and Development Council board and president of the Alma Chamber of Commerce.  He and his wife, Sherrie, have two grown children and one grandchild.

Gerald H. Thompson, 72, Fitzgerald, GA, Municipal Government Representative – Thompson is the owner of Thompson Real Estate Investment and mayor of Fitzgerald.  He serves as chairman of the Fitzgerald – Ben Hill County Development Authority, the Ben Hill – Irwin Joint Development Authority and the Fitzgerald – Ben Hill County Area Solid Waste Authority. He is a member of the Georgia Municipal Association board of directors, the South Georgia Rural Development Center board of trustees and the Planters First Bank board of directors.  He served as a board member for the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia, East Central Technical College and South Georgia Chamber of Commerce.  He received the Georgia Excellence in Public Service award from Georgia Trend & UGA Institute of Government and the Georgia Partnership in Education award from the Georgia School Board Association.  He and his wife, Janet, have two grown children. 

Georgia Council for the Arts

Millie L. Bankston, 64, Williamson, GA, Eighth District Representative – Bankston is a retired school administrator.  She served as interim head of school for St. George’s Episcopal School, school improvement specialist, elementary school principal, assistant principal, coordinator for the Griffin – Spalding County school system and teacher for the Clayton County school system.  She is a member of the Griffin-Spalding Chamber of Commerce and the Pike County Council for the Arts.  She served on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools visiting committee and the Junior Guild of the Historical Society board of directors.  She was a member of the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators.  Bankston earned a bachelor’s degree from Tift College and a specialist’s and master’s degree from Georgia State University.  She is married to Hollis Bankston and has two grown children, two grown step-children and five grandchildren. 

Council on Aging

Joseph “Joe” B. Harris, Ph.D., 80, Washington, GA – Harris is president of Washington Area Faith In Action, Inc.  He is professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.  Harris is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society of Plant Physiologists, the Georgia Gerontology Society, Sigma Xi, the Central Savannah River Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council, the Rotary Club of Washington, the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce and the Washington chapter of Learning in Retirement.  He is the author of more than forty scientific publications on aging.  Harris earned a bachelor’s degree from Emory University, a master’s degree from the University of Georgia and a doctoral degree from Duke University. He is married to Dorothy Harris and has two grown children, three grandchildren and three step-grandchildren.

Bettye K. Chambers, 74, Buford, GA – Chambers is a retired high school teacher and college professor.   She taught in several high schools in Florida and Georgia as well as North Florida College and Florida State University.  She owns and operates a home-based website design and website building business.  She served as president of the Duval County Business Education Teachers Association in Florida and was a member of the Southern Business Education Association, Florida Business Education Association and Georgia Business Education Association. Chambers earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Florida State University.  She and her husband, Harvey, have one grown child and two grandchildren. 

E. Stelling Nelson II, 41, Hillsboro, GA – Nelson is divisional president of Ethica Health and Retirement Communities and a licensed nursing home administrator.  Nelson is chairman of the board of the Georgia Health Care Association and is a member of the Jones County PLAN.  He served on various Georgia Health Care Association committees, the Georgia State Board of Nursing Home Administrators and the Department of Community Health Long-Term Care Advisory Committee.  He was a member of the Milledgeville Rotary Club, the Rotary Club of Macon, the Jones County Boys and Girls Club steering committee and was chairman of the board of the Jones County/Gray Chamber of Commerce.  Nelson earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia College and State University.  He and his wife, Sandy, have three children. 

Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities

Margaret “Meg” M. Nichols, M.D., 47, Macon, GA, Parent Advocate – Nichols is a family practice physician and owner of Margaret M. Nichols, M.D. LLC.  She is a faculty member at Mercer University School of Medicine where she teaches first, second and third year students in family practice and community medicine.  She is a member of the Power House inner-city youth program advisory council, the American Academy of Family Physicians , the American Medical Association and the Medical Association of Georgia.  She is an Airforce Association community partner.  She served as chief of staff at Coliseum Northside Hospital.  Nichols earned a bachelor’s degree from the Medical College of Georgia and a medical degree from Mercer University.  She and husband, Ronnie, have nine children. 

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