January 21, 2022
GRA welcomes 12 new Trustees
Incoming group hails from various backgrounds, areas of the state
The January 20 meeting of the GRA Board of Trustees brought the addition of 10 new members serving three-year terms and 2 new ex-officio members:
- Deborah Backus, vice president of research and innovation, Shepherd Center
- Elizabeth (Beth) Chandler, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, Rollins, Inc.
- Delvecchio S. Finley, president and CEO, Atrium Health Navicent (AHN)
- Thomas (Tom) P. Hackett, president and chief operating officer, Truist Securities
- Tom O’Brien, president and chief executive officer, Axion Biosystems
- Sachin Shailendra, president, SG Contracting, Inc.
- Dr. Hugh F. Smisson III, partner and neurosurgeon, Georgia Neurosurgical Institute
- Barry L. Storey, principal, BLS Holdings Group
- Ben Tarbutton III, president, Sandersville Railroad Company
- Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO,Georgia Power Company
- Chris Clark, president and CEO, Georgia Chamber of Commerce (ex-officio)
- Arthur Edison, GRA Eminent Scholar, University of Georgia (ex-officio)
In addition to serving as the governing body of the alliance, the Board generates outside support for GRA. The nonprofit uses state dollars to fund programs but relies entirely on gifts from individuals and organizations to fund its operations.
“GRA’s Board of Trustees is a true cross-section of leaders in industry, philanthropy, academia and government,” says new Trustee Delvecchio S. Finley, president and CEO of Atrium Health Navicent in Macon. “It’s a strong and engaged alliance working to strengthen university exploration and entrepreneurship, all to promote a different kind of economic growth strategy for our state. I’m very excited to be joining the board.”
The incoming group joins 29 existing GRA Trustees from industry, philanthropy and academia, as well as two existing ex-officio Trustees from state government – University Chancellor Teresa MacCartney and Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson.
