Governor Perdue Names Members to State Boards and Commissions

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue made appointments today to the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission, Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dieticians, Board of Natural Resources, and the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies.

David Renz of Rocky Face, GA was reappointed to the Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission.

Four appointments were made to the Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dieticians - Joan Fischer of Athens, GA, Lula Bell Hutchinson of Albany, GA, Tracy Neely of Augusta, GA and Nancy Walters of Augusta, GA. Jessie Wright of Columbus, GA was reappointed to the board.

Bill Carruth of Dallas, GA was appointed to the Board of Natural Resources to represent the Seventh Congressional District.

Four appointments were made to the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies - Gary Baker of Macon, GA, Woodrow Blue of Milledgeville, GA, James "Tripp" Mitchell of Villa Rica, GA, and John Villines of Athens, GA.

These appointments will give the Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission, Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dieticians, and the Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies required quorums.

"I want to express my sincere appreciation to these individuals for their willingness to serve the State of Georgia," said Governor Perdue. "Each one of these devoted Georgians will be good stewards of the public trust because of their commitment to public service."

Brief biographies of the newly appointed members are provided below:

Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission
David Renz, 47, Rocky Face, GA - Renz is currently employed by Ownbey Enterprises, a gasoline distributor. He attended Georgia Tech majoring in Textile Engineering. Renz is founder and chairman of the Dalton-Whitfield Disability Awareness Council. His other civic associations include immediate past president of the Creative Arts Guild, Kiwanis Club Board Member, United Way Board Member, and the American Heart Association. He and his wife, Mary, have one daughter. They are active members of the First Presbyterian Church in Dalton.

Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dieticians
Joan Fischer, Ph.D., 51, Athens, GA - Fischer is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Foods and Nutrition at the University of Georgia. She earned her Ph.D. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Georgia where she also earned her Masters Degree in Foods and Nutrition. She completed her undergraduate studies at Michigan State University. Fischer has published several scholarly publications related to nutrition. She is a member of the American Society for Nutritional Sciences, American Dietetic Association and the Georgia Dietetic Association.

Lula Bell Hutchinson, 52, Albany, GA - Hutchinson is the Director of Food, Nutrition, Environmental Services and Linen for Palmyre Medical Centers in Albany, GA. She has over 30 years experience as a dietician. Hutchinson received a Bachelor of Science in Food Service Administration from Tuskegee University. She is a board member of the Dougherty County American Heart Association, Leadership Albany, and the Dougherty County Women's Shelter. She is also a member of the Georgia Dietetic Association and the Southwest Georgia Dietetic Association.

Tracy Neely, 35, Augusta, GA - Neely is the Associate Administrator of the Department of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) in Augusta. She is also a private consultant for nutrition and health promotion. Neely is a registered dietician with the American Dietetic Association and the State of Georgia. Her other professional affiliations include the Georgia Dietetic Association, Augusta District Dietetic Association, and Administrators of Internal Medicine Association. Neely earned a Masters of Science, Food Science and Technology/Nutrition from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from the University of Georgia.

Nancy Walters, 54, Augusta, GA - Walters is presently a dietician consultant and provides consulting services throughout Georgia. She is also a renal dietician for Gambro Healthcare, Barnwell, Aiken & Edgefield Dialysis Clinics in South Carolina. Walters received a Master of Medical Science in Clinical Nutrition from the Emory University School of Medicine and she earned her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of California at Davis. Her professional affiliations include the American Dietetic Association and the Georgia Dietetic Association. She is also a member of the National Kidney Foundation.

Jessie Wright, 53, Columbus, GA - Wright is the President and Director of Operations of Nutrition Management Services Inc. in Columbus, and has served on the Board since 1992. She received her Master of Science in Nutritional Science from Tuskegee University and her Bachelor of Science in Home Economics from Clark Atlanta University. She is a past national board member of the American Heart Association and a past graduate of Leadership Columbus. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association and the Georgia Dietetic Association.

Board of Natural Resources
William A. "Bill" Carruth, 44, Dallas, GA - Seventh Congressional District - Carruth is the owner and president of Carruth Wood Products, a retailer of engineer and survey supplies. He is also owner and president of Aiken Grady Company and Vice-Chairman of the First National Bank West Metro. In 1996, Carruth was elected Chairman of the Paulding County Board of Commissioners after having served on the board since 1990. He and his family participate in numerous local organizations and charities. The Paulding County Chamber of Commerce recently named him Business Leader of the Year. He and his wife, Laura, have three daughters. They are active members of the First United Methodist Church of Dallas.

Georgia Board of Private Detective and Security Agencies
Gary Baker, 57, Macon, GA - Baker served 28 years with the Macon Police Department. He also worked with the Bibb County Sheriff Department and as a private investigator. He served in the United States Navy and the Georgia Army National Guard. Baker is a graduate of Macon College with a certificate in Criminal Justice. He has been a member of the American Society for Law Enforcement Trainers for eight years.

Woodrow Blue, 46, Milledgeville, GA - Blue is Chief of Police for the Milledgeville Police Department. He has 24 years of law enforcement experience. Blue earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Valdosta State University and a Masters of Public Administration from Columbus State University. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, Peace Officers Association of Georgia, and the Old Capital Kiwanis Club. He is also a board member for the Communities in Schools of Baldwin County, Inc. He and his wife, Elese, have two children.

James "Tripp" Mitchell, 32, Villa Rica, GA - Mitchell is currently a certified peace officer and sworn investigator for the Fulton County Solicitor General's office. He operates his own private investigative services agency and is also licensed as a private detective through the Georgia Secretary of State's Office. He has served as Past President of the Georgia Association of Professional Private Investigators and presently serves on the Board of Directors. Mitchell earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Mercer University.

John Villines, 50, Athens, GA - Villines is Director of The John C. Villines Group that provides consulting services, training and investigations for Fortune 100 companies, federal government agencies including the Department of Justice and Department of Defense. Other clients of his firm have included shopping centers, retail businesses and other commercial properties. Villines is a member of the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners, American Society for Industrial Security, and the American Society of Criminology. He received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University and attended the Georgia State College of Law. In 1979, he graduated from the National Crime Prevention Institute.