The Honorable Sonny Perdue, DVM
Governor, State of Georgia
Currently serving his second term in office, Sonny Perdue was sworn in as Georgia’s 81st Governor in 2003. Governor Perdue immediately went to work reforming the state budget, setting priorities and cutting wasteful spending. His efforts helped stimulate the economy and turn the state budget deficit that he inherited in to a substantial surplus. During Governor Perdue’s tenure, Georgia has created more than 335,000 new jobs and posted the highest graduation rate and SAT scores in state history.
A champion for improving Georgia’s healthcare system, Governor Perdue has worked to secure necessary certificate of need reform to increase access to quality healthcare and increase competition in the health care marketplace. He has also led the nation’s governors in lobbying Congress to properly fund and prudently reform the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Governor Perdue serves on the Health and Human Services Committee of the National Governors Association and is leading the effort to locate the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Georgia.
Recognizing the importance of environmental stewardship, Governor Perdue has launched a comprehensive conservation program, Conserve Georgia, which coordinates the state’s efforts concerning land, energy and water conservation. He has challenged Georgia’s citizens, businesses and government agencies to reduce their energy consumption by 15% by 2020. He is also a proponent of alternative fuel technologies, particularly cellulosic-based biofuels.
Governor Perdue is a small business owner, concentrating in agribusiness and transportation, as well as a licensed veterinarian. Governor Perdue and his wife, Mary, have four children and ten grandchildren.
