Joe Frank Harris

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Harris speaking at the commissioning ceremony for the USS Georgia in 1984 Joe Frank Harris speaks at commissioning ceremony for USS Georgia, Feb 11, 1984.JPEG
Harris speaking at the commissioning ceremony for the USS Georgia in 1984

When he ran for governor in 1982, Harris was seen as a long-shot candidate, but with the support of the Speaker of the Georgia House Tom Murphy, he was able to win the primary over U.S. Representative Bo Ginn. Deloss Walker, a political campaign consultant based in Memphis, Tennessee, played a key role in his campaign.

Gubernatorial accomplishments

Harris called himself the education governor as he raised the state salaries for teachers. [3] and implemented the Quality Basic Education Act (QBE), built the Georgia Dome, created the Technical College System of Georgia formerly known as the Department of Adult & Technical Education, and lured the 1996 Summer Olympics to Atlanta. Harris is also credited with building more libraries during his term than any other governor in Georgia's history. Also during his term, Harris created the Growth Strategies Commission chaired by Cartersville native and prominent developer Joel Cowan. His fiscal strategies resulted in higher bond ratings for the state and during his governorship Georgia was rated among the country's top 15 best-managed states by Financial World . [4]

Board of regents

After two terms as governor, Harris was appointed to the Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia serving for seven years, two years as chairman. [4]

Georgia State University

From 1995 through 2009, Harris served at Georgia State University as an executive fellow and lecturer in the School of Policy Studies. He is chairman of the board of Harris Georgia Corporation, an industrial development firm that was established in 1980 in Cartersville, Georgia. He also served on the board of directors for Aflac from 1991 to 2011. [5] [6]

Legacy

The portion of U.S. Route 41 through Bartow County is named in his honor (Joe Frank Harris Parkway), as well as the Joe Frank Harris Commons that houses The Village Summit Dining Commons at the University of Georgia, the main entrance to the Georgia Ports Authority in Brunswick, Georgia (Joe Frank Harris Blvd.), and the main entrance to the Georgia State Fairgrounds in Perry (Governor Joe Frank and Mrs. Elizabeth Harris Blvd.).

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References

  1. Cook, James F. "Georgia Government Documentation Project - Interview with Joe Frank Harris June 6 and August 5, 1987". digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu. Georgia State University . Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  2. "Members Of The General Assembly Of Georgia - Term 1965-1966". State of Georgia. February 1965. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  3. "Diggin' Up Bones - Georgia Trend Magazine". 31 August 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Joe Frank Harris Elected Board of Regents Vice Chair". usg.edu. University System of Georgia . Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  5. "Board of Directors (Aflac)" (PDF). media.corporate-ir.net. Aflac Incorporated . Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  6. "Joe Frank Harris". marketscreener.com. Surperformance. Retrieved 7 July 2024.

See also

Joe Frank Harris
Joe Frank Harris.jpg
Harris in 1985
78th Governor of Georgia
In office
January 11, 1983 January 14, 1991
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of Georgia
1982, 1986
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Georgia
January 11, 1983–January 14, 1991
Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Senator Order of precedence of the United States
Within Georgia
Succeeded byas Former Governor
Preceded byas Former Governor Order of precedence of the United States
Outside Georgia