Leadership Change
Participants at the fall meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Southern Foundation saw changes in leadership for the coming two years and honors for departing members.
Dr. Barbara Christmas Golden (above right) ended her two years of service as Foundation chair last fall and will serve as immediate past chair for the coming year. The new chair is Caroline Harless above (above left) who will serve a two-year term.
Jimmy Childre was granted chair emeritus status with 28 years of service. Jimmy Franklin was granted chair emeritus with 25 years of service. Dr. Nicholas Henry was granted trustee emeritus status with 11 years of service. Michael Curry, granted trustee emeritus status with 10 years of service, was unable to attend.
New Members Assume Roles as Trustees
The Georgia Southern Foundation Board of Trustees gained five new faces this fall, each person having unique strengths and perspectives that add to the effectiveness of the Board. Each of the new trustees will serve a five-year term of office.
Tan Adams is area manager for Georgia Power Company in Statesboro, a position she has held since April 2014. As such, she is responsible for all day-to-day, internal and external operations in the area which, in addition to Statesboro, includes Swainsboro, Claxton, Hinesville, Reidsville and Metter. Prior to her assignment in Statesboro, Adams was marketing/regulatory affairs manager for Georgia Power Company for nearly three years and before that project manager for generation resource policy and planning. She held numerous other managerial roles with the company after beginning her career with The Southern Company’s Alabama Power division as a distribution engineer. Adams is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering.
David Brooker serves as president and CEO for Citizens Bank of Washington County in Sandersville, Georgia. Active in his community, Brooker serves as a director of Citizens Bank of Washington County, a trustee of Brentwood School, a board member of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and board member of the Washington County Alliance for Literacy. He and his family reside in Sandersville. Brooker received his business degree from Georgia Southern and is a graduate of the Georgia Bankers Association’s Banker’s School and the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business Banking School.
Jason McMillan is senior vice president/regional corporate banker for BB&T Corporation in Savannah. He joined the bank in 2003. McMillan manages a diversified $480 million corporate/commercial portfolio and cultivates existing/prospective client relationships on behalf of BB&T. He is active with the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Coastal Empire, Coastal Scottish Heritage Society of Savannah and other organizations. He is the recipient of Berry College’s Young Alumnus of the Year Award. A Savannah resident, McMillan earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration/finance and psychology from Berry College in 1998.
Dana Potts is president and CEO of S Bank of Glennville, Georgia, and she works in both Glennville and Savannah. With over 18 years of experience in the financial services industry, Potts serves on the Board of Directors for S Bank and the Board of Directors for S Bankshares, Inc. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia Southern, graduating summa cum laude. Residing with her family in Register, Georgia, Potts believes in giving back to her community and serves on the Glennville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, participates in the Move On When Ready Program at Georgia Southern and attends Trinity Baptist Church in Nevils.
J. Daniel Speight is with Pinehurst Capital Group, LLC in Pinehurst, Georgia. Active in his community, he has served on the Executive Advisory Committee of the Boy Scouts of America, the Mercer Athletic Foundation, 21st Center Partnership Foundation, the Cherry Blossom Festival, and many others. Speight also serves on the Boards of Trustees of Wesleyan College, MedCen Community Health Foundation and Mercer University. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia Southern and a J.D. from Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University.