Description

George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III was born in Perry, Georgia on December 20, 1946. Perdue graduated from Warner Robins High School and then went on to attend the University of Georgia. In 1971, he earned his doctorate in veterinary medicine and then went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force from 1971 to 1974. After his career within the Air Force, Perdue practiced veterinary medicine in Raleigh, North Carolina before returning to Georgia and opening a small business in Bonaire, Georgia. His political career began as an elected member of the Houston County Planning and Zoning Board. In 1990, Perdue was elected to the state senate serving for eleven years--eight as a Democrat and three as a Republican. In 2000, Perdue sought and won the seat of Governor within Georgia, becoming the first Republican governor since Reconstruction.During his two terms as governor, Perdue faced a variety of challenges, including resolving the state flag controversy and managing the impact of a national economic recession. He also focused on education and school-system reform. Perdue left office in 2011 and became a founding partner at Perdue Partners, an Atlanta-based economic development firm specializing in global commodities trade and consulting services.; Interviewed by Dr. Mel Steely on September 11, 2013 at an unknown location.; Perdue begins the interview by discussing September 11, 2001. He talks about where he was when he received the news and his reactions. He also talks about the state's reactions and its effect on the recession and security. The...

Record Contributed By

University of West Georgia. Special Collections

Record Harvested From

Digital Library of Georgia