HANK HUCKABY AS CHANCELLOR LINKS 4-11 Regents expected to tap Huckaby as chancellor –ABH- 4.22.11 http://onlineathens.com/stories/042211/new_818448029.shtml ……..Huckaby, a graduate of Young Harris College and Georgia State University, served as state budget director under Gov. Zell Miller and vice president for finance and administration at the University of Georgia. He was elected to the state House of Representatives in November in the district that includes Oconee and parts of Clarke, Oglethorpe and Morgan counties. If he is made chancellor, Huckaby will have to resign his House seat because state employees cannot serve in the legislature. A special election could be held June 21 or Sept. 20 to fill the vacancy. Several political observers said that Oconee County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis would have the inside track if he chooses to run for Huckaby's House seat. "I hope Melvin Davis seriously considers it," Oglethorpe County Commission Chairman Billy Pittard said. "I think he'd win. He'd be good for Oglethorpe County as well as Oconee County." Davis said he is "giving it serious consideration at this time." Former state Rep. Bob Smith, who retired from the seat last year to focus on his real estate business, also is rumored to be considering running again, but did not return a telephone call seeking comment. Smith, the former chairman of the House Appropriations Higher Education Subcommittee, also sought the chancellor's job. Kirk Shook , a North Oconee High School teacher and chairman of the Oglethorpe County Republicans, said he is considering running for the seat again. He lost to Huckaby in last year's Republican primary. "I'd have to talk to my fiancee and pray about it," Shook said. Tommy Malcom, a Gwinnett County teacher and former Oconee County school board member who also ran against Huckaby in last year's primary, did not return a call seeking comment Thursday. Huckaby will be next chancellor; Davis considering House seat –OE – 4.22.11 http://www.oconeeenterprise.com/articles/2011/04/22/latest_updates/doc4db077422136e983797260.txt Huckaby will replace Errol Davis, who is retiring in June after five years in the post………. Huckaby’s appointment means a special election will be held later this year to fill his seat in the state House, which he took in January……… Oconee County Commission Chairman Melvin Davis confirmed to The Enterprise Thursday that he is "seriously considering" running for the seat. Other potential candidates include former state Rep. Bob Smith, Oglethorpe GOP Chairman Kirk Shook and former Oconee school board member Tommy Malcom. Shook and Malcom lost to Huckaby in last year's Republican primary. ….. Hank Huckaby as University System chancellor sees himself as ‘change agent' –AJC – 4.22.11 http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/next-university-system-chancellor-921175.html Rep. Hank Huckaby, R-Watkinsville, became more interested in leading the 35-college system after conversations with and encouragement from several people -- including Gov. Nathan Deal. "Being a Georgia boy who got his degrees in the University System, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be doing this," Huckaby said Friday. " But I consider myself a change agent. Overall, I like challenges and the jobs I've had in state government have been challenging . This is what I enjoy doing." The state Board of Regents Friday named Huckaby as the sole finalist to follow Chancellor Erroll Davis, who will retire when his contract expires in June. State law requires the regents wait 14 days before officially voting on the appointment, but as the only finalist Huckaby is virtually guaranteed the job…………. Regents Name Henry Huckaby as Finalist for University System Chancellor – USG – 4.22.11 http://www.usg.edu/news/release/regents_name_henry_huckaby_as_finalist_for_university_system_chancellor/ Board of Regents Chair Willis Potts announced today that Henry “Hank” M. Huckaby is the finalist for the position of chancellor of the University System of Georgia (USG). The Board of Regents selected Huckaby, a Georgia native who has a long association with the University System and who currently serves as a state representative, to be the finalist for the job of leading the USG’s 35 colleges and universities, the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography and the Georgia Public Library System…………… Huckaby was born in Spalding County, Georgia and grew up in Hapeville. His career has focused on a long record of public service to the state of Georgia in many areas of government. He has a particularly long association with the University System he has been nominated to head. Huckaby was a student in the University System, earning both a bachelor’s degree in political science and an MBA in International Business from Georgia State University , as well as pursuing additional graduate studies at the University of Georgia. He earned an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from Young Harris College. During the 1960’s and 70’s, Huckaby taught at the college level, including DeKalb College (now Georgia Perimeter College) and Emory University . He also has lectured at UGA and Young Harris College. He also has served in a number of key administrative positions within the USG, including early in his career in the area of admissions at Georgia State University (1967-71) and Gordon College (1972-73). Later, Huckaby was director of the Fiscal Research Program at Georgia State University (1995-97), director of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at UGA (1997-2000), senior vice president of Finance and Administration at UGA (2000-06), and a special assistant to the president at UGA on a part-time basis (2006-09). Huckaby’s career goes beyond his long association with the University System. He also has extensive experience in state finance, serving in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, first as a senior policy coordinator from 1973-75, and then as its director, from 1991-95, where he was responsible for overseeing the state budget on behalf of the governor. He also served as the interim chief financial officer for then Gov. Sonny Perdue during Perdue’s transition period. During his career, Huckaby has been tapped on two occasions to head other key state agencies. From 1977 to 1980, he was commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and from 1980 to 1991, he was the executive director of the Georgia Residential Finance Authority. During his tenure at both agencies, Huckaby was elected by his peers to serve as president of their respective national organizations. Huckaby was sworn in this past January to represent Georgia House District 113 as a Republican. His legislative experience also includes a stint as the director of the Georgia State Senate Research Office from 1975-77……… .