Governor Perdue Announces Appointments to State Boards and Commissions

ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the followingappointments to State Boards and Commissions:

Board of Community Affairs

Fernando Mera, 57, Atlanta, 4 th Congressional District - Mera is currently the President of Trade Latin LLC, which provides products and services to industries in Latin America.  He has served as Director of International Corporate Development at ForestExpress, which is a leader in e-commerce solutions.  He is a board member and mentor for the Hispanic American Center for Economic Development, an advisor for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce on International Investment and Trade, and is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Latin American Association.  Mera received an undergraduate degree from UNA University, Lima, Peru, and a graduate degree from North Carolina State University.  He and his wife, Margaret,have seven children.

Board of Natural Resources

Thomas H. Wheeler, 58, Atlanta , 5 th Congressional District, Reappointment - Wheeler has worked for over 35 years in all phases of real estate and was company President and equity partner in numerous properties.  He is past president and founding member of the Council of Quality Growth and has been a member of ICSC since 1972 and served as its Georgia Governmental Affairs Chairman from 1993-94.  Wheeler has extensive experience in construction, zoning, property management, and governmental affairs.  He is a founding member and current President of Gwinnett Foundation Inc., which is a charitable community foundation.  Wheeler received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Georgia State University.  He and his wife, Maria, havetwo children.

Jekyll Island State Park Authority

Richard Wood, 58, St. Simon's Island , Coastal Seat - Wood retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent in 1997.  During employment with the FBI, he managed major criminal and undercover cases and served as Senior Resident Agent in Valdosta and Brunswick, Georgia.  Wood also served as a Firearms Instructor and prepared cases for prosecution.  Wood graduated from Florida State University's Department of Criminology.  He and his wife, Lisa, have4 children.

Professional Standards Commission

Jean Ebron, 53, Columbus , Teacher Seat - Ebron is presently a mathematics teacher at Fort Middle School in Muscogee County.  She has taught mathematics at Fort Middle School since 1978 and has served as Chairperson of the Mathematics Department and Vice President of the local school council.  Ebron was recognized as Teacher of the Year for Fort Middle School in 1999 and 1982.  She has directed or chaired several organizations such as the Senior Citizens' Seniors-On-Move Ministry, Deacons' Wives, and FBG Youth Orchestra/Band.  Ebron received her undergraduate degree from Bennett College in Greensboro, NC, and her graduate degree from Columbus College.  She and her husband, David,have two children.

Stephen Dartt, 54, Lilburn, Teacher Seat - Dartt is currently a mathematics and chemistry teacher at Shiloh High School in Gwinnett County.  Before teaching, Dartt worked for 19 years as a chemical engineer and authored over a dozen articles published in professional journals.  Dartt served as a faculty consultant for the Educational Testing Services/College Board in Princeton, NJ, as well as a member of Shiloh High School's Academic knowledge and Skills Continuous Quality Improvement task force.  He was named Shiloh High School's Star Teacher for the 2002-03 and 2003-04 school years and was also the winner of Channel 11 NBC's Class Act Award and Toyota's Most Inspiring Teacher Award given by Gwinnett County's Board of Education.  Dartt received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and his graduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  He and his wife, Phyllis, have one child.

Lee Muns, 42, Martinez , Board of Education Seat - Muns is presently the CEO of Muns Welding and Mechanical, Inc.  He is a member of the Mechanical Contractor Association of Georgia and the National Federation of Independent Business Leadership Council of Georgia.  He and his wife, Kimberly, have three children.

Board of Trustees of the Employees' RetirementSystem of Georgia

Ned Windsor, 48, Dunwoody, Citizen Seat - Windsor is currently the Assistant Treasurer of Corporate Finance for the Treasury Department of the United States Parcel Service (UPS).  He has also served in several other capacities at UPS such as a Business Planning Manager for the UPS Corporate Development Group and Director of Finance for UPS e-ventures.  Windsor is a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Finance Committee for Atlanta Ballet, Inc.  He received his undergraduate degree from DartmouthCollege and his MBA from Cornell University.  Windsor has two children.

Office of the Child Advocate

Kathy O'Neal, 53, Warner Robin , Nonprofit Agency Seat - O'Neal is presently the Executive Director for the Family Counseling Center of Central Georgia.  She has previously worked as Executive Director for the Rainbow House Children's Resource Center and as a coordinator for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and for the Juvenile Mediation Program.  She has served on the Board of Directors for Georgia CASA and the Board of Trustees for Houston County Kids Journey and was past President of the Georgia Network of Children's Advocacy Centers.  O'Neal was awarded the Family Connection Community Achievement Award for Outstanding Achievement as Collaborative Chairperson in 2003.  She received her undergraduate degree from Texas Tech University and her graduate degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.  O'Neal and her husband Larryreside in Warner Robins. 

Georgia State Board of Architects and Interior Designers

Henry James Mehserle, Jr., AIA, 46, Perry, Architect Seat - Mehserle is a Registered Architect in the State of Georgia. He has designed and administered construction on a wide variety of project types including medical and office buildings, convention centers, education facilities, and university and exhibit facilities. Mehserle is a National Council of Architectural Registration (NCARB) Certificate Holder and Associate Member of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Design and a Master of Architecture from Clemson University. Mehserle and his wife, Meg, have twochildren.

Anne K. Smith, AIA, 50, Savannah, Architect Seat - Smith is currently employed by Lominack Kolman Smith Architects and has served as the State Director of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). She is a member of the Architect's Foundation of Georgia, past Chairman of the Women in Architecture in Savannah, and a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Smith was awarded the Bronze Medal by the AIA and received the Woman of Achievement from the Oglethorpe Business and Professional Women. She received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Smith and her husband, Edgar, have one child.

Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists

Janet H. Lenard, 50, Evans, Social Worker Seat - Lenard currently directs the Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) comprehensive rehabilitation program at Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center. She serves as the Southeast Regional Medical Center Consultant for nine Army Substance Abuse Programs and one partial hospitalization program. Lenard is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Georgia Addiction Counselor's Association, and the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium. She received her Bachelor of Sociology and Psychology from Knoxville College and an M.S.S.W. in Clinical Social Work from the University of Tennessee.

Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians

DeeDee G. Williams, 49, West Point , Consumer Seat - Williams is currently Associate Director of Employee Relations at Total System Services, Inc. She is a Senior Professional in Human Resources and a Certified Instructor of ELI Civil Treatment Series. Williams is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) and serves on the board of the West Georgia Technical College. She received her undergraduate degree in mathematics and business administration fromLaGrange College. Williams and her husband, Calvin, have two children.

State Board of Pharmacy

Robbie T. Dial, 27, Woodstock , Consumer Seat - Dial is currently a Distributor Research Analyst for Coca-Cola Company. He was previously employed by Crawford Investment Counsel, Inc. as a Portfolio Accountant. Dial has been on staff with Per-Se Technologies, Inc. and Sun Trust Bank. He is attending Richards College of Business, State University of West Georgia, working towards a Bachelor ofBusiness Administration. Dial has one child.