Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

ATLANTA, GA - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following executive appointments:

Board of Natural Resources

Earl D. Barrs, 53, Cochran, GA, 3rd District Representative—Barrs is a licensed professional forester, real estate broker and certified appraiser. He owns and manages several companies focusing on forestry and real estate investments. Barrs was appointed by Governor Perdue to serve on the board of directors of the Georgia Department of Economic Development in 2003. He serves as president of the UGA Warnell School of Forest Resources Alumni Steering Committee. Barrs is a member of the executive board of the Georgia Forestry Association, the Middle Georgia College Foundation Board of Trustees, the Society of American Foresters and the Forest Landowner Association. He was nominated “Socially Responsible Entrepreneur of the Year" by Merrill-Lynch in 1996, and received the Middle Georgia College “Town and Gown” award in 2003. Barrs received his bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia's Daniel B. Warnell School of Forest Resources. He is a graduate of Leadership Georgia and Leadership Bleckley. Barrs and his wife, Wanda, have two children.

Board of Trustees of the Teachers Retirement System

Joseph J. Redden, 61, Marietta, GA, Administrator Representative—Redden is the Superintendent of Schools for Cobb County. He is a retired Lieutenant General of the United States Air Force. Redden is a member of the American Association of School Administrators, the Georgia School Superintendents Association and the Georgia Association of Georgia Educational Leaders. He also serves on the Cobb Education Consortium board of directors and the Metro Regional Educational Service Agency board of directors. Redden is involved with various community groups, including the Marietta Rotary, the Cobb Symphony Orchestra, the Cobb Youth Museum, and the Cobb Unit of the American Cancer Society. He earned his undergraduate degree from the United States Air Force Academy and his master’s degree from Auburn University at Montgomery, Alabama. Redden and his wife, Shirley, have two children.

Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority

John D. Gibb, 60, Buford, GA, Gwinnett County Representative—Gibb is the vice president of sales and marketing for Formetco, Inc. He is a founder of the OAAA (Outdoor Advertising Association of America), Suppliers Association of America, and served as its first president. Gibb has served as chairman of the OAAA Operations and Standards Committee, chairman and vice chairman of two OAAA national conventions and has been a member of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia since 1972. He also owns a restaurant and operates the Vines Botanical Gardens in Loganville. Gibb has served as a Sunday school teacher, youth leader, stewardship campaign chairman and building campaign chairman at Sugar Hill United Methodist Church. Gibb and his wife, Pam, have two children.