Governor Perdue Announces Appointments to State Boards and Commissions

Atlanta - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following appointments to State Boards and Commissions.

Board of Commissioners of the Georgia Student Finance Commission

Ann Crowder, 60, Savannah, GA, First Congressional District - Crowder is Executive Vice President and Senior Credit Officer at First Chatham Bank. Crowder is currently on the board of Goodwill Industries of Savannah, among others. Crowder received her B.S. in Business and Economic Education from Winthrop College and M.A.T., Business and Distributive Education from the University of South Carolina. Crowder and her husband, James, have two children.

Harry Sims Downs, 77, Conyers, GA, Thirteenth Congressional District - Downs has an extensive career in the education system in Georgia - including Chancellor Emeritus of the University System of Georgia and President Emeritus of Clayton State College. Formerly, Downs was Chairman of the State Crime Commission, Consultant to Colleges and Schools, Southeastern States, California Test Bureau and Visiting Professor at Michigan State University. Downs was a Naval Aviator in the United States Naval Reserve from 1944 - 1947. Downs received his B.S. in Education, major in Mathematics and minor in Science from the University of Georgia. He further achieved an Ed.D. in Student Personnel from Michigan State University. Downs is married to Melba Kicklighter Downs; they have three children and eleven grandchildren.

State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Utility Contractors

John Pearson, 41, Cumming, GA - Pearson is currently Vice President of Pecos, Inc. and Paramount Grading Company in Cumming, Georgia. Pearson has been a member and Deacon Chairman of his church, Resthaven Baptist, for 18 years. He is also a member of the Executive Board, North East GA Council Boy Scouts of America. Pearson attended the Accounting and Pre-Law Program at Ohio Northern University and received an Associates Degree from the Rock of Ages Bible Institute in 2000. Pearson is married to his wife, Sandy Cofer Pearson, and together they have three children.

Maudine Wright, 65, Douglas, GA, (Re-appointment) - Wright is co-founder and current co-owner of Douglas Electric & Plumbing Company. Wright has been a member of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board since 1998. She is a past president of AARP, local chapter and current member of South Georgia College Foundation. Wright attended South Georgia College. She has three children.

David Rawson, 40, Roswell, GA - Rawson is currently a specialist with Yates Insurance Agency. Rawson previously managed the Trust Division of the S. Hammond Story Agency, a subsidiary of Alexander & Alexander, where he administered the Georgia Highway Contractor's Association, The Alabama Road Builder's Association and American Apparel Contractor's Association group self-assured funds. Rawson received his degree in Risk Management and Insurance from the University of Georgia. Rawson and his wife, Rachel, have two sons.

James D. Belk, 53, Kennesaw, GA - Belk is a member of the firm Welker & Associates. Belk's diverse expertise includes administration, scheduling, planning, design and construction of numerous projects including water and wastewater treatment facilities and pipelines. Belk is a member of the American Water Works Association, the Georgia Water and Pollution Center Association and the Georgia Rural Water Association. Belk received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at North Carolina State University. Belk and his wife, Suzanne, have four children.

Michael J. Miller, 31, Douglasville, GA, Public At-large Consumer Member for All Divisions - Miller is a member of and participates in a variety of civic groups: American Bar Association, Georgia Bar Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Douglas County Rotary Club. Miller received a B.S. in Economics from the State University of West Georgia and his J.D. from the Cumberland School of Law, Samford University.

State Board of Veterinary Medicine

James Charles Lance, Jr., 48, Butler, GA, Public-at-Large Seat - Lance is currently Corporate Secretary and Construction Estimator at Peed Brothers, Inc. Lance is past president of Georgia Utility Contractor's Association and Chief of the Butler Volunteer Fire Department. He was a former member of the Butler City Council. Lance received his B.S. in Biblican Literature from Wesley College. James and his wife, Angela, have two children.

State Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Steve Singletary, 52, Blakely, GA, Group IV Seat - Singletary is currently the Director of the Bank of Early in Blakely, GA. In addition to managing his family farm, Singletary Farms, he serves as District Supervisor with the Flint River Soil & Water Conservation District as well as President of Georgia Association of District Supervisors. Singletary received his B.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Liza, have two daughters.

Georgia Development Authority

Jacob F. "Jake" Redmon, 57, Warner Robins, GA, Agriculture Seat - Redmon is currently General Manager of Houston Fertilizer & Grain Company. Formerly he taught Vocational Agriculture at Perry High School. Redmon was past president of Georgia Plant Food Educational Society and Georgia Crop Alliance. He received his B.S. in Agricultural Science from the University of Florida and a master's degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Georgia. Redmon and his wife, Gale, have four children.