Atlanta, GA – The Georgia Department of Community Affairs Board recently elected Bebe Heiskell, Carolyn Crayton and James “Billy” Croker as its new chairman, vice chairman and secretary, respectively.

New officers were elected at DCA’s June 15, board meeting in Atlanta. Previously, Frank Turner, Jr., Bebe Heiskell and John Fretti served as the board’s chairman, vice chairman and secretary, respectively.

The newly elected officers assumed their positions on July 1, 2010.

“We welcome Bebe, Carolyn and Billy into their leadership roles. The newly elected board leadership team brings experience and a thorough knowledge of government operations. As DCA looks to make a more significant impact by partnering with Georgia communities, we look forward to the counsel our board members will provide,” said DCA Commissioner Mike Beatty. “We would also like to thank Frank Turner for his dedicated service as board chairman.

Since his appointment to DCA board, he has provided valuable insight on issues of importance to Georgia communities. His leadership kept DCA moving forward.”

Brief biographical information about the newly elected board leaders is provided below:

New DCA Board Chair Bebe Heiskell serves as the sole Commissioner for Walker County. She has served in this capacity since 2000. Heiskell served as the County Clerk/ Administrator for the Walker County Governing Authority for 24 years.

She served as Zoning Commissioner for the City of Chickamauga for three years before her election as the county’s sole commissioner. She is active in numerous civic and community organizations including the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (Revenue & Finance Committees), Walker County Board of Health and the Walker County Water & Sewerage Authority.

A graduate of Leadership Walker, Heiskell has completed studies at the McKenzie Business School and the University of Georgia Institute of Government Center for Continuing Education. She is the widow of the late Tom Heiskell and the mother of three children.

Heiskell was appointed to the DCA board in 2003 to represent the state’s 9th Congressional District.

New DCA Vice Chair Carolyn Crayton is president of marketing and community relations for WPGA/58 ABC Television, Register Communications, Inc. She is the founder, president and chief executive officer emeritus of the Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission and the Macon Georgia International Cherry Blossom Festival. She serves as a director on the International Festival and Events Foundation, National Arbor Day Foundation, chairman of the

Museum of Aviation, Robbins Air Force Base, and on the board of directors of Keep Georgia Beautiful, Inc.

She and her husband, Lee, have two grown children and four grandchildren. Crayton was appointed to the board in 2007 as Member-At-Large replacing Billy Croker.

New DCA Board Secretary James “Billy” Croker is the president of Billy Croker Realty and a retired owner of Croker Hardware. Billy holds the record of being on the board the longest of all other board members, he was appointed to the Board in 2000 as a Member-At-Large and reappointed in 2005 to represent the Eleventh

Congressional District.

He has held the office of Chairman in 2004 and 2010. Billy and his wife Patsy have five

children and are active in the First Baptist Church.

Click here for more information about the DCA

information about DCA.