I was born and raised in the Buckhead section of Atlanta and attended the City of Atlanta School System through the eighth grade. I graduated high school from The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1964 I enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served in Charleston, South Carolina for four years where I was involved with search and rescue operations. In 1968 while working on my BBA at Georgia State University, I began my banking career with Fulton National Bank in Atlanta as a construction loan officer. I later went to work with Decatur Federal Savings and Loan Association in Decatur managing the Commercial and Residential lending areas until I was promoted to President in 1989. After a merger with First Union Corporation, I elected to retire and move to Madison. I purchased property from Steffen Thomas on Barrows Grove Road and built a home. An opportunity became available and I leased property from Donald Hilsman located at the intersection of Parks Mill and Seven Islands Road and opened and operated Bill’s Buckhead Grocery for several years, later selling the business to a local couple.
Soon after the store was sold, I was contacted by a friend who owned Primer Bank in Atlanta that asked me to manage their branch in Greensboro until a merger with BB&T could be completed. The merger was completed one year later. Shortly thereafter, I was asked to come to Citizens Union Bank, now Bank South, by a senior officer to be involved with construction lending. After several years I decided to retire from my 38-year banking career.
I graduated from Georgia State University with a BBA degree and the University of Texas at Austin Institute of Savings and Loan Management. During my business career, I served on the Board of the Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority ( Grady Hospital ) for three years, the DeKalb County Planning Commission for three years, Chairman for one year, President of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, President of the American Cancer Society DeKalb Unit, the Georgia Indigent Defense Council and am a graduate of Leadership Georgia. I served on the Board of the Humane Society of Morgan County for six years and am currently on the Advisory Board. I have been a Rotarian for 23 years and am a member of the Rotary Club of Morgan County.
I strive to give honest and straight forward representation to the citizens of the Fifth District and of Morgan County. Morgan County is going to grow and it is imperative that this growth be orderly and of quality. In addition, fiscal responsibility is extremely important. The expenditure of tax dollars must be well managed.
I have lived in Morgan County for 26 years and I would like to contribute my part by working with the other Commissioners and County personnel to help the county move forward.
I feel I have the knowledge, experience and common sense to serve as the Fifth District County Commissioner.