Board of Directors

2018-2019 Board of Directors

Chair – Phil Bettendorf | 2nd, 2019
Senior Vice President, Synovus Bank

Vice-Chair – Rhodes McLanahan | 1st, 2020
President & CEO, First American Bank & Trust

Secretary – Kelly Holloway | 3rd, 2020
Attorney, Epps, Holloway, DeLoach & Hoipkemier, LLC

Treasurer – G. Michael Smith | 1st, 2020
Managing Partner, G Michael Smith & Associates, CPAs

Immediate Past Chair – Alex Patterson
Retired Partner, Alston and Bird, LLP

Alicia Battle | 1st, 2021
Director of Workforce Development, Goodwill of North Georgia

David Bradley | Ex-Officio
President & CEO, Athens Area Chamber of Commerce

Bob Carson | 1st, 2021
President, Carson Advisory, Inc.

Kevin Clark | 1st, 2021
General Manager, Online Athens and Athens Banner Herald

Sally Coenen | 1st, 2020
Community Member

Myron Downs | 1st, 2020
Co-founder, Athens Veterinary Surgery Center

Rob Fezekas | 1st,2021
Wealth Adviser, Vickery Financial Services

Dexter Fisher | 2nd, 2019
Director of Facilities, University of Georgia

Jennifer Frum | Ex-Officio
Vice President for Public Service and Outreach – University of Georgia

Patrick Garrard | 1st, 2020
Attorney, Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C.

Hank Huckaby | 1st, 2020
Higher Education Administration – Retired

Tim Johnson | Ex-Officio
Executive Director, Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens

Kathy Kirbo | Ex-Officio
Executive Director, Reefball Foundation

Cynthia Lester | 3rd, 2019
Vice President and Senior Trust Relationship Manager, Synovus Trust Company

Pat Mercardante | 3rd, 2021
First Vice President – Investment Officer, Wells Fargo Advisors

Jinx Patel | 2nd, 2019
Scientist, Athens Research and Technology, Inc. – Retired

R. Edward Perkins | 3rd, 2021
Johnson & Johnson – Retired

Bernard Saunders | 18-mon, 2019
MBA Board Fellow – University of Georgia

Sara Schramm | 1st, 2020
Attorney, Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C.

Shriraj Shrikhande | 18-mon, 2019
MBA Board Fellow – University of Georgia

Lewis Shropshire | 3rd, 2021
Hotel Industry – Retired

Lawton Stephens | 2nd, 2019
Judge of Superior Court

Neil Stevens | 1st, 2021
President & CEO, Oconee State Bank

Ovita Thornton | Ex-Officio
State Director of the Georgia Clients Council, CCSD Board Member

Justin Widener | 1st, 2020
Research & Development Leader, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health