Bunting College of Business & Technology Leadership Board

Mike Madison is currently the Co-Founder and President of Proga Digital. He was previously the Vice President of Product for Westhill and has also worked in several other capacities including: Principal Product Manager - IBM / Acoustic, Senior Manager, Customer Success- Aha! Senior Director/Head of Product- FieldEdge, and Vice President of Product Development, SAI Global.
Mr. Madison earned a BBA in Management Information Systems in 2006, an MBA in 2007 and Master of Management Information Systems in 2015, all from GCSU. 

Madison was highly involved in campus life, was the President of the Dean’s Student Advisory Board, and was named both the Outstanding Student of the Year for the Bunting College of Business and Technology and the Outstanding MIS Major in 2006. Mike has served on the College of Business Advisory Board and Leadership Board since 2007 and on the IT Advisory Board as a charter member since 2011. He recently received the GCSU College of Business & Technology Hall of Fame award (2024). Mr. Madison is currently based in Thomasville, Georgia.

Rusty Williams is the Global Leader of Technology for Vaco; a $1.4 billion talent solutions, professional & managed services company. Vaco’s areas of expertise accounting and finance, technology, operations, human resources, and supply chain.    Rusty’s scope of responsibility includes 40+ locations and 300+ employees globally.  Outside of Vaco, Rusty is a private equity partner of several real estate ventures.

Rusty, a Statesboro, GA native, is a Board of Directors Member for Bunting College of Business and Technology at Georgia College & State University.  He is also a Parker’s College Dean’s Advisory Board Member, at Georgia Southern University.  As a first-generation college graduate, Rusty has remained passionate in advising students for the past 19 years.  Rusty is a founding member of the Delta Chi Fraternity and Member of the Board of Directors for Barrister Capital; an international corporation that owns and manages fraternity real estate assets. 

Rusty received his Master of Business Administration degree from Troy University in 2013 and is a 2005 Parker College of Business graduate in Economic Development.  He is a 2019 award recipient of the prestigious 40 under 40 class at Georgia Southern University.  Rusty resides is Roswell, Georgia, with his wife Kelly, and the proud father of two daughters.  When not working, you can find Rusty at Lake Sinclair enjoying the water or cheering on the Eagles at Paulson Stadium.

Mark Bailey leads the Information Technology team for Thiele Kaolin Company. During his 30-year career in the kaolin industry, Mark has successfully guided numerous enterprise projects and implemented solutions to improve business processes using technology. 

Mark's commitment to learning is evident in his academic achievements. He earned an MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2018 and his CISSP certification in 2022. His journey in education began with early coursework at Georgia College, culminating in a BSBA in IT from Colorado Technical University. Mark's dedication to higher education is further demonstrated through his volunteer work with GCSU. 

Mark serves on the Leadership Board and the IT Advisory Board for the Bunting College of Business and Technology. 

Mr. Cal Brantley hails from Johnson County, Georgia, just a few miles north of Dublin. His 30+ year career in accounting started following his completion of an Accounting degree at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. Now, as a member/partner in Nichols Cauley’s Dublin office, he provides accounting, tax, and consulting services for individuals and small businesses, including electric utilities and supporting companies. A certified public accountant (CPA), Cal enjoys being a problem solver. 

Mr. Davenport started his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young in Atlanta. He then worked for eight years  at Arcilla Mining & Land with Foundation Member, Ted Smith. McKenzie moved to Fowler Flemister Concrete in June 2018 where he currently serves as CFO. McKenzie received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from Auburn University.  He has served on the board since 2019.

Advocating for management, while creating a pro-employee environment, thus eliminating the need for third-party intervention. Supporting employers and employees in their fight against unwelcome / forced unionization.

Mr. Scott Edens

Larry  Edwards is the National Accounts Manager for Sigma Plastics (since 2007). Prior to this, he was the National Sales Manager for PCL Packaging (1989-2007).

Mr. Edwards earned a MBA from the Terry College of Business, UGA and currently serves as the Treasurer of The GCSU Foundation Board of Trustees.

Larry and his wife established the Larry and Sharon Edwards Endowed Scholarship in 2015. Mr. Edwards is based in Atlanta.

Colonel Jake A. Elsass serves as the Site Director of the Engineering and Technical Management Directorate for the Air Force Sustainment Center at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. Colonel Elsass leads a staff of 34 combined civilian and military supporting more than 2,000 scientists, engineers, and engineering technicians, who execute a $2 Billion annual workload. He oversees $27M in technology insertion programs across 2 centers and 4 program offices. Colonel Elsass is based in Warner Robins, Georgia.

Julia Hann, based in Jacksonville, Florida, has served as Assistant Vice President and Chief Audit Executive of the Office of Internal Auditing at the University of North Florida since 2016. Hann is a highly focused and motivated leader with a record of providing practical solutions which increase efficiency, system effectiveness, and process improvements. She is enthusiastic about bringing quality partnerships to State, Local, and Higher Education organizations with 20+ years of direct experience. Notable board leadership, conference, and service roles include: Association of College and University Auditors (ACUA) Past President 2020 and Board Member, 2017- 2021; The Institute of Internal Auditing (IIA) Northeast Florida Chapter, Membership and Academic Relations Committee, 2016- Present; and forming the University System of Georgia Audit Resource Group for small audit departments of Georgia, 2013.

Bevin Landrum has over twenty years of experience in nonprofit management and cross-functional leadership, plus a passion for Catholic community building. Bevin has served on the boards of numerous other non-profits in the military and education space. She currently works for The Saint Patrick School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania as the Vice President for Advancement. Since growing up in Georgia, Bevin has lived around the world with her active-duty Army husband over the last 29 years. She has three grandchildren who she adores spoiling and in her free time enjoys being at the beach, cooking, reading, and wine collecting. Bevin has a master’s degree in public relations and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee.

Mike  McCabe is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. His wife, Christy, is the owner/instructor of a local dance studio, The Vibe.

Mr. McCabe earned a B.S., Management from Georgia College in 2003 and is based in Milledgeville, Georgia.

Larry Moore is a Lake Oconee resident and Georgia Tech graduate who later did graduate work in management and economics at Princeton, NYU, and Pace. His wife, Jenny, is an Agnes Scott alumna and former part-time Georgia College faculty member. After a successful career as AT&T Vice President, which included executive roles and speaking engagements at Harvard and MIT, Larry retired in 2000.

Current and past community activities include: Chairman of the Historic Scenic Byway Corp. Board, Business School Leadership Board at Georgia College, columnist for the Eatonton Messenger and Lake Oconee News, Georgia Public Radio (NPR) Commentator, Eatonton Main Street Board Chairman, Rock Hawk Effigy & Museums CEO, Eatonton Kiwanis. He is a past Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year and Volunteer of the Year for Putnam County. Larry is an accomplished athlete, having participated in marathons, and Olympic-related events. Larry currently is recruiting minorities and women for MIT and Georgia Tech.

Mr. Grant Peagler is a business development manager at Siemens who works with a diverse team of experts to identify and pursue new opportunities, create and execute strategic plans, and foster long-term relationships with key stakeholders. Mr. Peagler's mission is to drive industrial growth and transformation with Siemens, a global leader in engineering and technology.

Jonathan Pope is an accomplished banking professional with an unwavering commitment to community service. With over two decades of experience in the financial industry, he has left an indelible mark both within the banking sector and the vibrant community of Milledgeville, Georgia. Mr. Pope is an alumnus of Georgia Banking Lending School @ UGA, Graduate School of Banking @ LSU, Leadership Baldwin, Georgia College & State University, Georgia Military College, and Baldwin High School. Jonathan Pope’s deep-rooted commitment to family and his beloved hometown makes him a respected figure in Milledgeville—a place he has proudly called home for four decades.

He has served in various leadership roles, including President of the Milledgeville Exchange Club and Chairman of the Community Bankers Association Leadership Board. He is also a recognized leader, having been named one of Milledgeville's 20 Under 40. Beyond his professional achievements, Jonathan is passionate about youth development, coaching soccer at GMC and the Baldwin County Recreation Department. His commitment to the community is evident through his involvement in numerous organizations, including the Georgia Military College Alumni Board and the Georgia College and State University COBT Board of Directors.

James Robertson is a seasoned technology executive with a strong background in the Media and Entertainment industry. He joined Aruba in 2019 to leverage his expertise in infrastructure, networking, IT security, and broadcast media technology.

At Aruba, James is part of the Industry Executive Group within the Office of the CTO, where he contributes to strategic initiatives and thought leadership. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and leads executive and technical forums. James regularly speaks at industry events globally and leads Aruba’s Executive Forums and Technical Advisory Forums held throughout the year. Prior to Aruba, James held various leadership roles, driving successful M&A, R&D, and business transformation projects. He is a hands-on technologist with a pragmatic approach to problem-solving.

He holds a BSc and MS in Computer Science with specializations in Networking, Security and AI. He has also contributed to numerous industry publications, text books, standards research and product development across technology and media over his career. Originally from the UK, James and his family now live in Atlanta, Georgia.  He has served on the Leadership Board and the IT Advisory Board for the Bunting College of Business and Technology.

Ms. Raymell Shannon is the Breeze Products/AFC Manager with the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in Atlanta, GA, and has worked with MARTA for the last 19 years. Currently, Ms. Shannon is working to implement a New Fare Collection System. Ms. Shannon previously worked as an adjunct professor at The American College and Myriad Business Solutions and is a Diamond Life Member, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member. Ms. Shannon earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a major in Business Information Systems in 1986. In 1995, she earned a Master of Science (MS) in Management of Technology from Southern College of Technology – Kennesaw State University.

Mr. Mark Smith

Barry Wolfe gained eight years senior level experience as the Senior Director of Labor/Employee Relations for Dean’s Foods and Dairy Farmers of America.  He advocates for management, while creating pro-employee environments and eliminating the need for third-party intervention and is committed to supporting employers and employees in their fight against unwelcome/forced unionization. 
In 2019, he became an adjunct professor at Georgia College where he teaches “Labor Relations“ and “Principles of Management.” Mr. Wolfe has also taught classes  at Penn State University and Brenau University.
Mr. Wolfe holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh, along with a M.S. in Industrial Relations from Marshall University and a  B. A in Political Science and English from West Virginia Wesleyan College.
He has been a member of the Leadership Board since 2019. Mr. Wolfe is currently based in Lake Oconee, Georgia.

Rhonda Wood is the Deputy HRS IT Program Manager at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). 
She worked at the OPM for over 35 years in Washington, D.C. and was the Chief, Employee Systems from 1985 until 2016.

Ms. Wood graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Based Info Systems from Georgia College in 1984 and received a graduate degree in 1989. At Georgia College she was a member of the Honors Program and she was also awarded the 1990 Outstanding Recent Alumni Award. She is a former Foundation Trustee and former GC Alumni Board Member. Ms. Wood is based in Macon, Georgia.

Dr. Jones is a retired professor and former dean of the Bunting College of Business and Technology at Georgia College (1976 to 2003). 
In Milledgeville, Dr. Jones has been very active in the community and served as the first female chairwoman of The Development Authority of Milledgeville and Baldwin County. Prior to this, she was an Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Education:
Ph.D., Economics, Louisiana Tech University MBA, University of Louisiana at Monroe
BBS, Business Education, University of Central Arkansas

Dr. Jones has created several scholarships to benefit students in the Bunting College of Business and Technology: The Jo Ann Jones Endowed Scholarship, The Ken Jones Endowed Scholarship (in honor of her husband, Dr. Ken Jones, who was the former dean of the Graduate School at Georgia College) and The Joy Godin Endowed Scholarship (in honor of her daughter, Dr. Joy Godin, MIS professor at Georgia College).
 

Ms. Pickett worked as the Associate Director of the Pharmacy Department at the Medical College of Georgia (now Georgia Regents University Hospital) from 1967 until 1998. 
Ms. Pickett is also the daughter of J. Whitney Bunting for whom the Bunting College of Business and Technology is named after. Ms. Pickett often travels with and is accompanied by Erich Thorpe (in photo) with her to board meetings. Ms. Pickett is based in Augusta, Georgia.
 

 Tanya Goette, Associate Dean of the College of Business & Technology, was previously the Chair of the Department of Information Systems & Computer Science. She encourages students to learn outside the classroom by connecting them with internships and study abroad opportunities. She also sends students to the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference. Tanya was previously an analyst and RPG programmer and served as the VP of Information Technology at Georgia Military College.