Joe Doyle Selected as 2009 Henry Toll Fellow

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that Joseph B. Doyle, Director of the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs and Office of Customer Service, is one of 40 emerging state leaders from across the nation selected for the prestigious Toll Fellowship Program sponsored by The Council of State Governments.

The annual week-long seminar, which will be held in Lexington, Ky., Sept.12-17, is named in honor of Henry Toll, a Colorado senator who founded CSG in 1933. The seminar seeks to develop the next generation of leaders from all three branches of state governments from across the country. This year's dynamic program focuses on trends analysis, policy development, media and constituent relations, and leadership and institutional changes. The experience gives these leaders perspectives they would not ordinarily obtain during the course of their regular governmental service.

Doyle was nominated by Governor Perdue, with endorsements from Chief Financial Officer Tommy Hills and Chief Operating Officer Jim Lientz.

“Joe Doyle has worked hard to remake the culture of state government, working closely with agencies to ensure our citizens are treated just as businesses treat their best customers,” Governor Perdue said. “His efforts have led to agencies providing better customer service often at the same or less cost, and protected Georgia consumers from unlawful business practices. I was honored to nominate him for this deserved recognition.”

Doyle was selected from many outstanding applicants by a committee of state elected and appointed officials as one of the most promising leaders of state government. This year’s applicant pool included state leaders from all three branches and represented 40 states and two US territories. Past Toll Fellowship graduates include governors, US Senators and members of Congress, as well as leaders in state government.

Doyle has been tasked by Governor Perdue to lead two state agencies:

- The Office of Consumer Affairs protects consumers and businesses from unlawful or deceptive practices in the marketplace.

- The Office of Customer Service is a unique program which engages all Agencies and state employees in improving service to citizens.  This is done by Speeding up Service Delivery (Faster); being Helpful and Courteous (Friendlier) and Simplifying Access to state services (Easier).

Doyle is the 10^th Georgian selected for the program since it began in the mid-1980s, and the first Georgia selected since 2005.

The Council of State Governments is the premier multibranch organization forecasting policy trends for the community of states, commonwealths and territories on a national and regional basis. CSG alerts state elected and appointed officials to emerging social, economic, and political trends; offers innovative state policy responses to rapidly changing conditions; and advocates multistate problem-solving to maximize resources and competitiveness. CSG promotes excellence in decision-making and leadership skills and champions state sovereignty.

For more information about the Henry Toll Fellowship Program, visit www.csg.org/leadership/tollfellows/default.aspx or contact Krista Rinehart at (859)244-8249.

###