Deal appoints 12 to boards

E. Trenton “Trent” Brown III, Board of Trustees of the Judicial Retirement System

Brown serves as superior court judge of the Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit, which includes eight counties. He was previously elected as state court judge of Putnam County and practiced law at Trenton Brown III, PC. He is a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Eatonton, an active member in the Rotary Club of Greene & Putnam Counties, an Eagle Scout and member of Leadership Georgia Class of 2014. Brown earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the Mercer University. He and his wife, Jill, have three children. They reside in Eatonton.

Marvin S. Arrington, Jr., McPherson Implementing Local Redevelopment Authority

Arrington is a practicing attorney and Fulton County District 5 commissioner. He serves on the board of directors of Sickle Cell of Georgia Foundation and is a lifetime member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from Emory Law School. He and his wife, Kristen, have four daughters. They reside in unincorporated Fulton County.

Michael Lowe, Board of Trustees of the Public School Employees’ Retirement System

Lowe is the associate vice president of Investments at Raymond James & Associates, Inc. He holds Series 7, Series 66 , life insurance and variable product licenses. He was a member of Morgan Keegan’s Rising Stars Club in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Lowe earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. He and his wife, Erinn, have two children. They reside in Smyrna.

Richard Taylor, Board of Trustees of the Public School Employees’ Retirement System

Taylor is a shareholder and international practice leader with HLB Gross Collins, P.C., Certified Public Accountants, and has been with the firm his entire career. He is also the owner and president of AVID Wealth Management Group, LLC. He is a member of the board of directors of the French American Chamber of Commerce, HLB-USA, the board of trustees of Andrew College, the board of advisors for the University of Georgia Athletic Association, a member of the strategic planning committee and board of advisors for the School of Accountancy at Kennesaw State University. Taylor is a former president of Pinetree Country Club, and a former member of the board of directors of the University of Georgia Alumni Association and North Cobb Christian School. He and his wife, Sherrie, have one child. They reside in Kennesaw.

Mara S. Register, State Housing Trust Fund for the Homeless Commission

Register currently serves as the local government program manager for the Governmental Training, Education, and Development Division of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia. She previously served for more than 25 years in local government, primarily in the areas of administration, neighborhood and community development, and local government planning. She previously served on the board of directors for the National Community Development Association and as its Region IV President. Register earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Valdosta State University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Georgia Southern University. She resides in Athens with her daughter.

Mary Walker, Southern States Energy Board

Walker is the assistant director and chief operating officer for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, where she oversees the agency’s water and air programs, cross-media functions and general agency operations. Her public service record includes work with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Walker is a graduate of the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leaders and is presently a state representative on the joint EPA/State E-Enterprise for the Environment Leadership Council. Walker earned an undergraduate degree from Tulane University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Georgia. She and her husband, Jon, have two children. They reside in Tucker.

Joy Lampley-Fortson, Board of Commissioners of the Georgia Student Finance Commission

Lampley-Fortson is an assistant chief counsel with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, and Office of the Chief Counsel. She previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s office in the North District of Georgia. She is vice president of the Leadership Georgia Board of Trustees and chair of the State Bar of Georgia Local & Voluntary Bars Committee. She serves on the Georgia Commission on Interpreters, the State Bar of Georgia Committee on Professionalism, the Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocates Board of Directors, the Supreme Court Justices’ Commission on Professionalism, and the Judicial Council of Georgia’s Access, Fairness, and Public Trust and Confidence Committee. She is a past president of the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys and a graduate of Leadership Georgia and Leadership Atlanta. Lampley-Fortson earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida and a law degree from the University of Florida College of Law. She and her husband, Reggie, reside in Fairburn.

R. Ray Hendrix, Veterans Service Board (reappointment) 

Hendrix is a retired sergeant major from the U.S. Army National Guard, where he served for 42 years. Hendrix served as department commander for the American Legion and has been a member for more than 50 years. Hendrix and his wife, Mary, have three children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. They reside in Statesboro.

Shawn Hanley, Veterans Service Board (reappointment)

Hanley is a former U.S. Marine who owns and operates a consulting company in Roswell. He was previously appointed by President George W. Bush as deputy assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He also served as a senior political officer with the International Republican Institute in Iraq. Hanley earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He resides in Roswell with his son.

Ann Miller Hanlon, Board of Directors of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority

A native of South Georgia, Hanlon has spent the last 13 years working in transportation and public policy in Atlanta. She is currently the executive director of the North Fulton Community Improvement District. She previously worked for the Perimeter CID and the Atlanta Regional Commission. She is a member of the Cathedral of Christ the King in Buckhead and a sustainer with the Junior League of Atlanta. Hanlon received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Georgia State University. She lives in Dunwoody with her husband, Michael, and daughters, Elizabeth and Mary Catherine.

Susan Thayer, Professional Standards Commission

Thayer is a retired educator with more than 30 years of experience. She has served in three metro Atlanta school systems as a teacher, guidance counselor, principal, director of leadership development, executive director of high schools and assistant superintendent. Thayer earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and graduate degrees from the University of West Georgia. Susan and her husband, Ed, have two children. They reside in Smyrna. 

Chris Swanson, Board of Trustees of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia

Swanson has taught economics since 2003, currently teaching general and AP Economics at Newnan High School. He also coached and chaired the Social Studies Department in Meriwether County. Swanson is pursuing further graduate education in Finance at the J Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. Swanson earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and master’s degrees from Columbus State and Georgia State universities. He and his wife, Sarah, live in Grantville.