Lonice Barrett Joins Governor's Office as Director of Implementation

Will Implement Recommendations from Commission for a New Georgia

ATLANTA, GA - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that Lonice Barrett, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will join the Office of the Governor as Director of Implementation effective August 9. Barrett will serve as a direct report to the Governor and will oversee the implementation of recommendations from the Commission for a New Georgia. Until the Governor appoints a replacement, Barrett's team at DNR will direct the day-to-day operations of the department.

"Commissioner Barrett has proven himself to be one of our most respected and effective state administrators in solving problems, controlling costs, and improving service in his agency," said Governor Sonny Perdue. "I am asking him to apply his leadership and experience to transforming the culture of state government across the board. He's the perfect person to implement the commission's constructive findings and creative solutions."

The purpose of the Commission is to perform diagnostics of state government functions in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness, apply best practices from the private sector to the operations of state government, and develop Georgia's strategic future. By improving efficiency and effectiveness, the state will generate savings that would be better spent on education, economic development, healthcare, and public safety. The Commission is chaired by Joe Rogers, Jr., CEO of Waffle House, Inc, and Bob Hatcher, Georgia Chairman for Branch Banking and Trust, and includes twenty-one of the top corporate leaders in the state. Annie Hunt Burriss serves as the Executive Director and Senior Advisor to the Governor.

"By improving the efficiency and effectiveness of how the state does business, we can produce savings comparable to the revenue of the state lottery," added Governor Perdue.

The Commission initiates task forces made up of private-sector Georgians to focus on different aspects of state operations, management, and future direction. Task forces include space management, capital construction, fleet management, administration services, leadership development, procurement, competitiveness, strategic industries, workforce development, state receivables, public finance options, and tourism. The task forces are collaborative in nature and work with state government personnel to understand what the state is currently doing well and what can be improved. For more information, please visit www.new-georgia.org.

Barrett, 61, has more than thirty years of experience in state government with DNR. He has served as Commissioner since May 1995. Barrett earned a Masters in Education from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Administration from Georgia Southern University. He and his wife, Carol, have two children and three grandchildren.