Rural Development Council named

Gov. Nathan Deal has appointed the following to the Georgia Rural Development Council:

Pat A. Graham
Graham is the former mayor of Braselton and previously worked as an industrial manager for Frito Lay, Inc. She is a member of the Upper Oconee Water Planning Council and the Braselton Downtown Development Authority. Graham is a past member of the board of directors of the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, the Georgia Municipal Association, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce. Pat and her husband, Earl, have four children. They reside in Braselton.

Richard W. Harrell
Harrell is the chief financial officer for U.S. Enterprises, Inc. (USE), a holding company located in Atlanta. Prior to joining USE, he was senior vice president of First American Bank of Georgia. He has served on the Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission, Urban Residential Financial Authority, Atlanta Development Authority, Oglethorpe University Board of Visitors and the Urban Residential Authority. Harrell sits on the board of directors of Mercy Housing Southeast and the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award Foundation. He earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and accounting from the University of Georgia and a commercial banking degree from Louisiana State University. Harrell resides in Atlanta.

Jason R. Winters
Winters was elected Chattooga County commissioner in 2008 and is currently serving his first term. He served as chairman of the Chattooga County Chamber of Commerce in 2006 and sits on the board of directors. He also serves on the board of directors of the Coosa Valley Regional Development Center in Rome. Winters earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Berry College. He lives on his family’s farm in Lyerly.

E. Dewey Robinson, Georgia Rural Development Council
Robinson is the owner and operator of Robinson Motors in Bainbridge. He is the owner of River Plaza Shopping Center, People’s Loan Service, Inc. and the co-owner of Decatur Broadcasting. He is on the board of directors of First National Bank of Decatur County, serves as board chairman of Bainbridge Salvation Army and is the scholarship chairman for the executive committee of the Bainbridge College Foundation. Robinson and his wife, Joyce, are members of First Baptist Church, where he is a deacon. They have three sons, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. The Robinsons reside in Bainbridge.

Nancy S. Jones
Jones serves as chairperson of the Meriwether County Board of Commissioners. She ended a 34-year career with the Georgia Department of Transportation as the local government Right of Way coordinator. She is a member of the Meriwether County Industrial Development Authority and the Joint Development Authority of Meriwether County and the city of Hogansville. Jones attended West Georgia College. She and her husband, Gary, have two daughters and three granddaughters. They reside in Woodbury.

Matthew R. Cardella
Cardella is a financial adviser with Edward Jones Investments in Hinesville. He serves on the Hinesville Downtown Development Authority, the Liberty County Public Facilities Authority and the Gateway Behavioral Health Services Board. Cardella earned a bachelor’s in business administration degree from Valdosta State University. He and his wife, Jennifer, have one son, Matthew. They reside in Sunbury.

Bebe A. Heiskell
Heiskell is serving her 11th year as sole commissioner of Walker County. She is the only female sole commissioner to ever hold office in Georgia. Heiskell is a certified county clerk, holds an advanced county commissioner certification and has earned more than 300 hours of continuing education at the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Heiskell serves as chairman of the board of Community Affairs, on the State Workforce Investment Board, as chair of the Walker County Water & Sewerage Authority and on the board of directors of the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission. She was recognized as Professional Woman of the Year by LaFayette Business and Professional Women in 1994 and was named Walker County Citizen of the Year in 2008. Heiskell survives her husband, Arthur, and has two children and one grandchild. She resides in Chickamauga.

Bill P. Kendall
Kendall is the sole commissioner of Towns County. He has previously served Towns County as a teacher, coach and school superintendent. Kendall earned a bachelor’s degree from Piedmont College and a master’s degree in school administration from Western Carolina University. He and his wife, Jean, have two children and four grandchildren. They reside in Hiawassee.

Gary H. Paulk
Paulk is a fifth-generation farmer from Irwin County. He is part owner of Muscadine Products Corp., a muscadine juice and health foods production company. He is chairman of the board of directors of the Ameris Bank Board and South Central Primary Care, vice chairman of the Irwin County Board of Education and president of the Irwin County Farm Bureau. Paulk graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s of science in agronomy. He and his wife, Ann, have four children and four grandchildren. They reside in Wray.

A. Dwayne Turner
Turner owns and operates ADT Development Co. Inc., a property development company located in Cleveland. He serves on the 9th District Economic Advisory Council and represents the 9th District for the Georgia Republican Party State Committee. Turner has worked in the construction industry since 1989 and been self-employed since 1982. He and his wife, Connie, have three children and nine grandchildren. They reside in Cleveland.

Charles “Buddy” Leger
Leger is the co-owner and operator of Leger and Son, Inc., a watermelon production company. He is a navy veteran and former manager of the Cordele Farmer’s Market. Leger is a member of the UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Advisory Council. He also served as the past president of the Georgia Pecan Grower’s Association, the Pecan Distributing Association, the Georgia Watermelon Association, the National Watermelon Association and the National Watermelon Research and Promotion Board. He also served as a member of the board of commissioners of Crisp County Power and the Georgia Agri-business Council. Leger was named “Man of the Year” by the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce in 2008. He and his wife, Majorie, are members of Hatley Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon. They have five children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. They reside in Cordele.

William S. Jackson, Jr.
Jackson is a partner in Tile Center Inc., a tile and stone distribution company located in Augusta, Martinez, Statesboro and Greensboro. He serves on the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Board for the Augusta Region, is chairman of the Greenbrier High School Athletic Foundation and is board chairman of Liberty Retreat and Conference Center in Gleason, Tenn. Jackson is director of the nonprofit Georgia Sting AAU organization for girls basketball. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Young Harris College. He and his wife, Robin, have two children, Brittany and Brooke. They reside in Evans.