State Transportation Board Election Results

ATLANTA (January 11, 2007) – Five members of the State Transportation Board were elected to their seats in voting Thursday by State Legislature caucuses from the Second, Third, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth congressional districts.

   State legislators whose House or Senate districts are within a Congressional District select a representative to the State Transportation Board. This 13-member body oversees policy, long-range planning and budget matters for the Georgia Department of Transportation. Congressional redistricting led to Thursday’s elections.

   In District 2, Billy Langdale of Lowndes County won election to the position. Mr. Langdale will serve until April, 2008, completing a term to which he was elected in 2003. He has served on the board for 19 years, including service as chairman.

   Sam Wellborn of Muscogee County was elected to serve on the board representing District 3. A banker, Mr. Wellborn was elected to his fourth term on the board; the term will end in 2012.

   Garland Pinholster of Cherokee County was elected by District 6 legislators to serve on the board. He has served on the board since 2004 and currently serves as vice chairman. He is a former educator and small businessman.

   Millard “Rudy” Bowen of Gwinnett County was elected to serve on the board representing the 7th Congressional District. Bowen, of Suwanee, is president of Bowen Family Homes, which he founded in 1969. Bowen Family Homes creates new home communities nationwide as well as in metro Atlanta. 

   Larry Walker of Houston County was elected to serve on the board representing the 8th Congressional District. Walker, an attorney, served in the Georgia House of Representatives beginning in 1972, where he became House Majority Leader. 

   Board members ending their service are Ward Edwards of Taylor County and Johnny Gresham of Marietta. 

   Redistricting put Edwards and Langdale in the same district, as it did with Gresham and Pinholster.

   Bowen and Walker filled open positions on the board and will take their seats effective immediately.

   Langdale and Pinholster will serve out their original terms, Langdale until 2008 and Pinholster until 2009.

   Redistricting also resulted in the switch of two district designations: District 9 is now represented by Mike Evans of Forsyth County, the Board chair; District 10 is now represented by Bill Kuhlke of Augusta.

   Board members serve five-year terms; they receive no compensation other than a per diem expense.