Governor Sonny Perdue Recommends Glenn Cornell As New Commissioner of Industry, Trade and Tourism Department

Atlanta - Governor Perdue today announced plans to recommend Glenn Cornell to the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism (GDITT) board to serve as the agency's new director. Cornell currently serves as Senior Vice President and Manager of Economic Development and Government Relations for Bank of America Mid-South.

"A strong and growing economy ranks as one of our state's most important priorities," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "Glenn Cornell brings the type of energy and creativity to economic development Georgia needs to navigate our state through today's challenging times and prepare us for the future," added Perdue.

"He is considered one of the state's and nation's most respected economic development professionals. I am seeking the GDITT board's endorsement to bring this knowledgeable leader on board to serve the citizens of Georgia. He will be an asset to my team and our state," added Perdue. Cornell will report to Jim Lientz, Georgia's Chief Operating Officer.

GDITT is the state's lead sales and marketing arm, charged with recruiting businesses, trade partners and tourists to Georgia. GDITT is divided into four units: Economic Development, Trade, Tourism and Administration and operates under the direction of a board of directors, comprised of 21 members appointed by the governor.

Cornell brings more than 41 years of Georgia business and economic development experience to his new position. He joined Norfolk Southern in 1962, working in the Sales and Industrial Development Departments. In 1968 he joined GDITT and served as a manager in the Research and Industry Divisions. He later spent two years with a major Atlanta real estate developer. He came to Bank of America (then C&S National Bank) in 1976 to manage the institution's economic development efforts in Georgia. In 1995, he was appointed Senior Vice President and Manager of Economic Development and Government Relations for Bank of America Mid-South.

Cornell is a graduate of Berry College, the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma, and the Emory University Advanced Management Program.

Cornell has served as past president of the Georgia Economic Developers Association and is a member of the Southern Industrial Development Council and the American Economic Development Council. He is a past chairman of the Economic Developers Roundtable and the Economic Development Council of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He is a Certified Economic Developer and an alumnus of Leadership Georgia, a program sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He is a past chairman of the board of the Duluth First United Methodist Church and past chairman of the Associate membership of the International Development Research Council. He is also past President of the Atlanta Athletic Club, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Communities in School of Georgia, President-Elect of the Georgia State Golf Association, Vice-Chairman of the Berry College Board of Trustees, member of the Executive Committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, past Chairman of the Board of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and a member of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Governor Sonny Perdue also announced today that he had received a letter of resignation from R. K. Sehgal.