The J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development at the University of Georgia has added six leaders from across the state to serve on its advisory board. The board helps guide the strategic direction of the Institute in fulfilling its mission of strengthening communities and organizations through leadership development, training and education.

The new members represent a wide range of leadership experience and come from a variety of backgrounds in business, civic and community affairs, nonprofits, and higher education. They include Deke Copenhaver, principal of Copenhaver Consulting, LLC, and former mayor of Augusta; Audrey Hollingsworth, principal of The Hollingsworth Group; Craig Lesser, managing partner of the Pendleton Group; Jan Moore, vice president of economic development at Ogeechee Technical College and mayor of Statesboro; Vann Parrott, attorney and partner with Parrott & Mitchell, LLP; and Bill Verner, senior vice president of external affairs, Georgia EMC.

“The Fanning Advisory Board provides invaluable insight as to the strategic priorities and programmatic offerings of the Institute. The addition of these six members to our already strong board is exciting. I look forward to working with them and incorporating their advice and counsel into our work,” said Matt Bishop, director of the Fanning Institute.

The Fanning Advisory Board met for their fall 2016 meeting on Monday, October 3. In addition to welcoming new members, the board heard updates on Fanning Institute programs and priorities, and discussed several new leadership development initiatives.

The following individuals comprise the Fanning Advisory Board:

• Jimmy Allgood, chairman of the board, Allgood Pest Solutions, Dublin, Ga;

• Luis Gianfranco (Gio) Carrion, senior financial analyst, The Hanover Insurance group, Atlanta, Ga;

• Chris Clark, president and CEO, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Peachtree City, Ga;

• Deke Copenhaver, principal, Copenhaver Consulting, LLC, Augusta, Ga;

• Gretchen Corbin, commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia, Atlanta, Ga;

• J. Griffin (Griff) Doyle, vice president for government relations, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga;

• Audrey Hollingsworth, principal, The Hollingsworth Group, LLC, Columbus, Ga;

• Horace Johnson, Jr., superior court judge, Alcovy Judicial Circuit, Covington, Ga;

• Craig Lesser, managing partner, Pendleton Consulting Group, Atlanta, Ga;

• Milton Little, Jr., president and CEO, United Way of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta, Ga;

• Jan Moore, vice president for economic development, Ogeechee Technical College, and mayor, Statesboro, Ga;

• Dink NeSmith, president, Community Newspapers, Inc., Athens, Ga;

• Andrea Oates, academic dean, South Georgia Technical College, Americus, Ga, and city councilwoman, Plains, Ga;

• Vann Parrott, partner, Parrott & Mitchell, LLP, Dixie, Ga;

• Roy Reeves, director, Southwest Georgia Bank and Southwest Georgia Financial Corp., and chair, Colquitt County Archway Partnership, Moultrie, Ga;

• Deborah Richardson, executive vice president, Center for Human and Civil Rights, Atlanta, Ga;

• Frank Ros, vice president (retired), Hispanic Strategies, Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta, Ga;

• Dan Sisson, regional vice president, Mid-Atlantic Region, AT&T, Columbia, South Carolina;

• Tisha Tallman, president and CEO, Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Atlanta, Ga;

• Dale Threadgill, professor and founding dean (retired), UGA College of Engineering, Athens, Ga;

• Bill Verner, senior vice president of external affairs, Georgia EMC, Atlanta, Ga;

• T. Rogers Wade, chairman of the board of trustees, Georgia Public Policy Foundation and senior partner of Capitolink Inc., Atlanta, Ga;

• Philip A. Wilheit, Sr., president, Wilheit Packaging and Marketing Images, Gainesville, Ga.

The J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development is a unit of public service and outreach at the University of Georgia. Dedicated to building a better Georgia, Fanning strengthens communities and organizations through leadership development, training and education.