Program Administration
Executive Director, Centers of Innovation
Sterling G. Wharton is the Program Director for Georgia’s Centers of Innovation (COI) program, which pairs high growth, technology-oriented businesses and entrepreneurs with applied research, tec …
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Project Coordinator
Dawn Price serves as project coordinator for the Georgia Centers of Innovation (COI) and the Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Her professional background includes roles in communications …
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/ Phone: 404.962.4041
Center Directors
Director, COI for Agribusiness
or the past five years, Donnie H. Smith has had the privilege and honor to serve as Governor Perdue’s Agriculture Liaison and oversees the Governor’s Agriculture Advisory Commission. He is a fi …
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/ Phone: (229) 391-6882
Director, COI for Energy
Jill’s current position as Director of Alternative Fuels with the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority and her 16 years of knowledge, work experience, and industry contacts led Governor Sonny …
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/ Phone: 404.584.1000
Director, COI for Life Sciences
Shuker comes to the the Center of Innovation for Life Sciences with entrepreneurial and research-oriented experience. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a chemistry degree and a d …
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/ Phone: 770-725-7777
Director, COI for Logistics
Prior to joining the Center of Innovation for Logistics, Siplon served a combined 12 years in the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force, providing circuit level maintenance on ...
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/ Phone: (912) 963-2551
Director, COI for Manufacturing
John Zegers grew up in a family with deep roots in manufacturing and has spent his 18 year professional career in manufacturing sales and consulting. Before joining the Center of Innovation for Man …
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/ Phone: 770-531-6350
Director, COI for Aerospace
R. Steven Justice has 30 years diverse experience in the aerospace industry with Lockheed-Martin, Gulfstream Aerospace, Northrop, Delta Air Lines, and The Ginn Group. He also founded two aerospace ...
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/ Phone: 478-230-4300
Advisory Board
Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development and Chairman, Georgia Centers of Innovation Board of Directors
Commissioner Stewart was appointed to his post as Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development, by Governor Sonny Perdue in January 2007. As chief marketing officer for the state of Geo …
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President, University of Georgia
Dr. Michael F. Adams was named the 21st president of the University of Georgia on June 11, 1997. He immediately focused on securing UGA’s future as one of America’s premier public research universi …
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Director, Georgia Research Alliance
Before joining the Alliance in 1993, Mr. Cassidy managed the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) based at Georgia Tech, one of the nation’s oldest technology incubators. Prior to that he ...
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Executive Director, OneGeorgia Authority
Nancy Cobb was sworn in as the Executive Director of the OneGeorgia Authority on July 23, 2002 and reappointed by Governor Sonny Perdue on October 1, 2003. Prior to her initial appointment, Mrs. Co …
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Chancellor, University System of Georgia
As chancellor of the University System of Georgia, Erroll B. Davis Jr. is responsible for the state’s 35 public colleges and universities, 260,000 students, 39,000 faculty and staff, and an annual ...
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Comissioner, Department of Technical and Adult Education
Ron Jackson was asked to serve as the commissioner of the Department of Technical and Adult Education by Governor Sonny Perdue on February 7,2008. He joined the DTAE in December, 2004 as deputy co …
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President, Georgia Institute of Technology
In April 2009, Dr. G. P. “Bud” Peterson became the eleventh president of the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Throughout his career, Peterson has played an active role in helping to establish th …
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President, Medical College of Georgia
Medical College of Georgia President Ricardo Azziz brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in biomedical research, education and health care to his position overseeing Georgia’s health …
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