Governor Perdue Announces Appointments to the Rural Development Council and the State Board of Occupational Therapy

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today appointments to the Georgia Rural Development Council (RDC) and the State Board of Occupational Therapy.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of these dedicated Georgians who are willing to commit to the high calling of public service,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “We are fortunate that Georgia is rich with talented and thoughtful individuals ready to give of themselves for the good of our state and all of our citizens.”

The RDC advocates for rural Georgia, champions new development opportunities, and partners with public and private initiatives to strengthen rural communities. In addition, the Council serves as a clearinghouse for policies and initiatives affecting community and economic development in rural Georgia. Governor Perdue will serve as the Chairman of the RDC.

The purpose of the State Board of Occupational Therapy is to safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare; to assure the availability of occupational therapy services of high quality to persons in need of such services; and to provide for the regulation of persons offering occupational therapy services to the public. With these appointments, all state licensing boards now have a quorum.

The newly appointed board members and a brief biography of each are provided below:

Georgia Rural Development Council

Gary Ward Black, 44, Commerce, GA - Black is the President of the Agribusiness Council, Inc., a trade association that addresses the fiber and food industry. Black’s main focus is managing the legislative and regulatory areas representing agricultural interests. Black also manages FOODPAC, a research consortium for Georgia’s food processing industry in addition to AgriTrust of Georgia, a workers compensation insurance program self-funded by the Council. Black received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Georgia College of Agriculture. Black, his wife, Lydia, and children, Ward and Caroline, are active in the 4-H and FFA cattle shows. Black is active in the Maysville Baptist Church.

Phyllis Jeanette Bowen, 49, Jesup, GA - Bowen is the current Executive Director of The Sapelo Foundation. Bowen is also the Founder of the Georgia Rural Philanthropy Initiative in addition to serving on the Georgia DNR Coastal Advisory Council, the Southeastern Council of Foundations’ Increasing Philanthropy Committee and the Jesup Kiwanis. Bowen resides in Jesup, Georgia with her daughter Meredith.

Clarence Brown, 60, Cartersville, GA - Brown is currently the Bartow County Commissioner and is now serving his third full term as Sole Commissioner. He attended Southern Tech and Berry College. He is the President of the ACCG Board of Managers, Chairman of the Coosa Valley Regional Development Center and Chairman of the Coosa Valley RDC Private Industry Council. Brown and his wife, Carol, have three children and six grandchildren.

William Lee Brown, 63, Montezuma, GA - Brown is the owner and operator of a 5,000 acre farm that is involved in the production of peanuts, cotton, corn, vegetables, peaches, nuts and timber. He received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Georgia. Brown serves on the Board of Directors for Wachovia Bank, Georgia Farm Credit, and Flint Energies. He and his wife, Debra, have four daughters and one son.

Brian Keith Burdette, 41, Greensboro, GA - Burdette is the President of Glasstech Services, Inc., a CAD company for the glass and glazing industry and President of Blueprint Conversion Technologies, a subsidiary of Glasstech Services. He received a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Design Engineering Technology from Penn State University. Burdette is married to his wife, Patricia W. Burdette.

Leonard Roy Campbell, Jr., 73, Thomasville, GA - Campbell is President of Roy Campbell Chevrolet. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alabama. He is the former Mayor of Thomasville, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Georgia Automobile Dealers, past President of the Macon Kiwanis Club, and past President of the Suwannee River Area Council Boy Scouts of American. Campbell is also a member of the National Automobile Dealer Association and the Georgia Municipal Association. Campbell and his wife, Dorothy, have three children and three grandchildren.

William "Bill" Henry Chapin, 49, Lookout Mountain, GA - Chapin is President/CEO of See Rock City, Inc. that operates Rock City Gardens on Lookout Mountain, GA. He earned a degree in economics from the University of Virginia. Chapin is active in several community organizations including the Board of Directors of SunTrust Bank, the Hospital Authority of Walker, Dade and Catoosa Counties, the Chattanooga Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Walker County Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife, Joan, have four children.

Dennis Lamar Chastain, 41, Toccoa, GA - Chastain is the Vice President of Economic Development for Georgia Electric Membership Corporation and Oglethorpe Power Corporation. He received a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Georgia and is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma. Chastain is Vice Chairman of the Georgia Academy of Economic Development, a Board Member of the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and a Board Member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife, Lucy, have two children.

Senator Jack Hill, 59, Reidsville, GA - Hill is a Georgia State Senator from the 4th District and is Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He also serves on the Ethics and Government Reform, Natural Resources; Reapportionment and Redistricting; Regulated Industries and Utilities; and Rules committees. Hill is past-president of the Reidsville Lions Club, Jaycees and the Tattnall Chamber of Commerce. He served for 33 years in the Georgia Air National Guard as a unit commander and as State Inspector General. Hill was named Citizen of the Year by the Georgia Air National Guard in 1979. Hill and his wife, Ruth Ann, have three children, Lance, Dawn and Amy.

Susan Dykes Holmes, 60, Monticello, GA - Holmes is Mayor of the City of Monticello. She received a Bachelor of Science of the University of Georgia and 160 hours in leadership courses from the Municipal Training Institute of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Holmes is First Vice-President of the Georgia Municipal Association, Board Member of the Northeast Georgia Regional Development Council and Board Member of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development Board. She and her husband, Paul, have three children.

Mable Clarke Jenkins, 62, Millen, GA - Jenkins is retired from the John C. Wilson Company, Inc., a farm service center, as President and half owner after 32 years of employment. She is currently the owner of Hanging Rocks Plantation with her husband, Robert E. Jenkins, Sr. She has a degree in business from Bolen Business University. Jenkins and her husband have one son.

Jeff Lukken, 48, LaGrange, GA - Lukken is Mayor of LaGrange, Georgia as well as President and Owner of Lukken Chevrolet, Inc. Lukken was instrumental in City of LaGrange receiving the Intelligent City of the Year Award from the World Teleport Association and the Executive Leadership Award from Government Executive Magazine and Cities of Excellence Award from the Georgia Municipal Association. Lukken presently serves on the Information & Technology Task Force and the Board of Directors for the Georgia Municipal Association. Lukken received his accounting degree from the University of Notre Dame and his Law degree from the University of Georgia. Lukken and his wife, Cindy, have three children, Mollie, Megan and Jeffrey.

Ocie Blanche McCorkle, 34, Warrenton, GA - McCorkle is the President and Executive Director of the Warren County Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority. She received a degree in Finance from the University of Georgia. Her professional memberships include the Georgia Economic Developers Association, Sandersville Regional Technical College Board Member, and Leadership Georgia. McCorkle and her husband, Chris, have two children.

Carolyn Ragan, 66, Hawkinsville, GA - Ragan is a retired teacher of the Pulaski County Schools system since 2000 and has served at Hawkinsville High, Pulaski Middle School, Alternative School (Hawkinsville), and Baker Academy in the fields of English and Special Education. Ragan graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education at Columbus College and State University and is a State of Georgia certified teacher in English and Special Education. Some of Ragan’s honors include STAR Teacher, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and Torchbearer for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Ragan has three children, Tim, Debra, and Tammy.

Austin Scott, Tifton, GA - Scott is the Georgia State Representative from the 138th District. Scott is a member of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee; Governmental Affairs and Ways and Means Committees. Austin Scott is in the Insurance field.

Ben J. Tarbutton III, 31, Sandersville, GA - Tarbutton is Assistant Vice President for the Sandersville Railroad Company. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Tarbutton is a member and past President of the Washington County Chamber of Commerice, President of the Washington County Alliance for Literacy “Life Program” and member of the Sandersville Rotary Club. He is also a graduate of Leadership Washington County and the Georgia Academy for Economic Development.

William G. "Jerry" Usry, 35, Albany, GA - Usry is Executive Director of the Flint River Regional Water Planning and Policy Center and was previously Executive Director of the Georgia Peanut Producers Association. He received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Georgia and a Masters of Public Administration from Albany State University. He and his wife, Sonya, have four children.

D. Scott Wilson, 38, Elberton, GA - Wilson is currently the City Manager for the City of Elberton. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Georgia. His civic activities include Habitat for Humanity of Elberton, Elbert Theater Foundation and Treasurer of Rotary International. Wilson and his wife, Gale, have two sons.

F. Stone Workman, 48, Monticello, GA - Workman is the State Director for Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to this position in March of 2001. Workman earned a Bachelor of Arts from Clemson University and several certificates in economic and leadership development from the Carl Vinson Institute at the University of Georgia and the Georgia Technical Institute. He is a Board member of the Georgia Academy of Economic Development, Georgia Tourism Product Board and the Georgia Cities Foundation. He and his wife, Jeane, have one child.

State Board of Occupational Therapy

Kendyl Rudd Brock, 38, Cleveland, GA - Brock is Co-owner of Professional Therapy Services, LLC and Director of the Gainesville Hand Clinic where he directs and oversees therapeutic services to patients. Brock serves as National Speaker for Advanced Rehabilitation Services. Brock received her BS, OT from the University of Central Arkansas. Brock and her husband, Warner, have four children, William, Robert, Reagan and Rachel.

Karen L. Cadaret, 55, Alpharetta, GA - Cadaret is a team member of North Fulton Regional Hospital. She serves as Staff Occupational Therapy Assistant, Supervisor of OT Technicians and Coordinator of the Community Re-Entry Program. Cadaret was previously Baylor Intradisciplinary Staff Therapist at Children’s HealthCare of Atlanta. Cadaret is a member of both the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Georgia Occupational Therapy Association. Cadaret received her Associate of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy at St. Mary’s Junior College. She and her husband, Edward have two children, Melissa and Julie.

Kathleen Hampton Conyers, 56, Jonesboro, GA - Conyers is currently the Director of Rehabilitation at Integra Rehabilitation, Inc. in Stockbridge, Georgia. Conyers is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Black Occupational Therapy Caucus, among many others. Conyers received her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University and her Masters in Education from the College of New Jersey. She and her husband, Vance, have two grown children, Vanessa and Vance Charles.

Donna Jeanne Domyslawski, 57, Evans, GA - Domyslawski is Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy in the School of Allied Health and Sciences at the Medical College of Georgia. There, she teaches pediatrics, human development and clinical reasoning. Domyslawski is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and both the Georgia and South Carolina Occupational Therapy Associations. Domyslawski received her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University and Masters of Arts in Education from the University of Colorado. Domyslawski is married to husband, Raymond and has two children, Sharon and David, as well as three grandchildren.