Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation announced today the appointment of Roger Harrison to its board of trustees. The Foundation is the nonprofit resource development organization that supports the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation is the fundraising and resource development body for GPTC, formerly known as DeKalb Technical College.

Harrison is senior vice president for economic development at the Covington-Newton County Chamber of Commerce. In his role, Harrison manages all economic development activity for Newton County and its five municipalities.

A seventh-generation Georgian and native of Monticello, Harrison previously served the State of Georgia as a public service faculty member at the University of Georgia’s Archway Partnership, an innovative economic development program designed to improve rural communities in Georgia.

Prior to Harrison’s entry into public service, he was with The Coca-Cola Company, where he managed company’s relationship with, and sponsorship of, the outdoor-entertainment industry.

Harrison is the State of Georgia chairman for The Blue Ridge Institute and chairman of the Membership Services Committee for the Georgia Economic Developers Association. He serves as a board member for the Georgia 4-H Advisory Board, Youth Leadership Newton County, and the Arts Association in Newton County. Harrison is a past member of the alumni board of directors for Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C., as well as a past board member for Goodwill Industries.

Harrison holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Presbyterian College, a Master of Public Administration degree from Georgia College & State University, and has completed two years of coursework toward a doctorate in public administration at Valdosta State University.

“We are very fortunate to have trustees with a variety of talents, extensive public service experience, and a commitment to excellence in education,” said Cynthia Dorsey Edwards, vice president of Institutional Advancement at GPTC and executive director of the foundation. “Therefore, we are pleased to have Roger join us. His experience in the corporate setting, his focus on economic development, and his enthusiasm for connecting with our college all make him a welcome addition to our board.”

Others who joined the foundation’s board of trustees during fiscal year 2011 include: Latanza Adjei, customer care center director at Georgia Power Company; Denise Dotson, senior account executive at Gas South LLC; Albert G. Edwards, managing director at Corporate Environmental Risk Management; Jackie O. Ginn, vice president of membership at the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce; Norma J. Johnson, president/owner of Norma J’s Signature Collection; John Kranjc, director of manufacturing at Arch Chemicals, Inc.; Monte L. Poole, a vice president at SunTrust Bank; Shelli Siebert, civic affairs foundation director with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia; and Mark Sykes, vice president of Combined Services Inc.

These individuals serve alongside fellow trustees and executive-committee members: Valentino Bates (board chair), president of KHAFRA; George Fertal (board vice chair), a vice president at CHA Companies; Hillary W. Edgar (board treasurer), attorney at law with Crudup & Hendricks, LLP; Jennifer Hackemeyer (board secretary), general counsel at the Georgia Department of Education; Edward Bates (immediate past board chair), director of operations at PACTIV; Reed Beard, a vice president at Newton Federal Bank; and Joseph Profit, CEO of Multimedia Digital Broadcast Company and president of the NFL Alumni - Atlanta Chapter.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, has nine centers of learning in DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale, and Morgan counties. GPTC currently has more than 5,000 students enrolled in diploma or degree programs and more than 9,000 in adult education classes in more than 120 different occupations. For more information, go to www.GPTC.edu.