Pat Wilson has been named the Georgia Department of Economic Development‘s deputy commissioner for global commerce.
He replaces Heidi Green, who was recently promoted to commissioner of the department. Ms. Green succeeded Ken Stewart, who is now senior adviser on industry strategy at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Mr. Wilson formerly served as Gov. Sonny Perdue‘s government affairs director. He opened the state of Georgia’s Washington office in 2005.
“While we hate to lose Pat and his ability to communicate important policy issues with the Legislature and other key stakeholders, our loss is Georgia’s gain,” Mr. Perdue said in a news release. “Pat will take those same skills to his new position and help sell Georgia to the world.”
Mr. Wilson, a native of Franklin Springs, Ga., also previously worked for the late U.S. Sen. Paul Coverdell of Georgia who was then chairman of the Western Hemisphere subcommittee of the Foreign Relations Committee.
Wilson has an undergraduate degree in political science with a focus on international relations and a minor in German from the University of Georgia.