Governor appoints northeast Georgia man to Board of Regents

By From staff reports

Posted 5:30PM on Tuesday, May 20, 2003

ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue Tuesday made two appointments to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (Board), including a Lakemont man.

W. Mansfield Jennings, Jr. of Hawkinsville and Patrick S. Pittard of Lakemont are the new members. Jennings will represent the First Congressional District and Pittard will represent the Ninth Congressional District.

Pittard graduated from UGA and has been honored by the Terry School of Business as its Distinguished Alumnus. Considered an expert in executive level human capital matters(recruitment, retention, compensation, and succession), Pittard has been quoted in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and Business Week. He is listed among The Global 200 Executive Recruiters. He and his wife, Dana, have three children.

"I want to thank these two distinguished individuals for their willingness to serve the students enrolled in Georgia's public universities and colleges," said Governor Perdue. "The Board of Regents is a unified and devoted organization that has contributed to the momentum of higher education in this state. I am confident that Mansfield Jennings and Pat Pittard will bring valuable insight, ideas and dedication to this board."

Due to redistricting, two Board members, former Governor Joe Frank Harris and James Yancey, were placed in the Eleventh Congressional District. As a result, Governor Perdue has selected former Governor Harris to continue representing this district.
"Redistricting has put several qualified appointees in this unfortunate position. I appreciate the service James Yancey provided to the Board of Regents and the state of Georgia. I wish him the very best in his future endeavors," said Governor Perdue.

The Governor appoints members to the Board, who each serve seven years. The Board is comprised of 18 members; one from each of the state's congressional districts and five appointed at large. The Board oversees 34 educational institutions: four research universities, two regional universities, 13 state universities, two state colleges, and 13 two-year colleges.