Deal appoints McGinnitie as revenue commissioner

Gov.-elect Nathan Deal today announced that he'll appoint Doug MacGinnitie as the next commissioner of the Department of Revenue. The outgoing commissioner, Bart Graham, has accepted the governor-elect's request that he join the Office of the State Treasurer, where he'll serve under State Treasurer Tommy Hills.

MacGinnitie is a former member of the Sandy Springs City Council. He served as COO of Grassroot Soccer, a nonprofit organization that uses soccer to save the lives of youth in southern Africa. He co-founded and served as chief operating officer and a director of Beecher Carlson, a commercial insurance brokerage firm headquartered in Atlanta. He is the former general counsel at Hobbs Group, former chief counsel for Georgia Pacific, and a former associate with Alston & Bird. He served as a law clerk on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. A four-year star on the Dartmouth soccer team during his college years, MacGinnitie was named Ivy League Player of the Year in 1988. He's also an Emory School of Law graduate.

Deal also announced today that he'll keep Debbie Dlugolenski as the OPB director and Chief Financial Officer. During her tenure at OPB, Dlugolenski has served as Deputy Director and Division Director for Physical and Economic Development. She was formerly the Assistant Commissioner for the Technical College System of Georgia and has also served as President of the Georgia Virtual Technical College and Sandersville Technical College. Dlugolenski is a graduate of the Georgia Environmental Leadership Program and the State of Georgia Executive Development Leadership Program. Dlugolenski serves on the board of the Georgia Lottery Corporation, State Road and Tollway Authority, One Georgia Authority and the Georgia Employee Benefits Council. Dlugolenski resides in Conyers and has three children and two grandchildren.

In new appointments:

Tonya Boga, director, Office of the Child Advocate. Boga lives in Marietta worships at First Baptist Atlanta. She currently serves as a Juvenile Court Mediator in the Cobb Judicial Circuit. She has represented children as a Guardian Ad Litem in both Juvenile Court and Superior Court for many years. She is a member of the National Association of Counsel For Children and has served as a member of the State Bar of Georgia's Children and the Courts Committee. After earning her law degree, she earned a Master of Laws degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law with a concentration in child and family law. She is a sole practitioner with offices in Marietta and Cartersville. She has been recognized by the State Bar and Cobb County Bar Association for her service and leadership.

Melvin Everson, director, Governor's Office of Workforce Development. Everson is completing his second term in the state House of Representatives, where he represented portions of Gwinnett. Previously, he served four years on the Snellville City Council. Everson spent 23 years in the U.S. Army. He and wife Gerri live in Snellville and have one adult son.

Harris Blackwood, director, Governor's Office of Highway Safety. Blackwood, of Gainesville, is a former newspaper editor and columnist who has also worked as a telecommunications executive. Most recently, Blackwood served on the staff of the Deal for Governor campaign. He is a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Gainesville and a trustee and former chairman of the Lanier Technical College Foundation. He and wife Allison have three adult daughters and a son.
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