Albany Chamber CEO Bárbara Rivera Holmes named to Georgia Board of Regents

ATLANTA — Albany Area Chamber of Commerce President Bárbara Rivera Holmes has been named by Gov. Nathan Deal to represent the Second Congressional District on the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

Holmes, who will begin a seven-year term on the board in January, said she is “honored” by the appointment, one of five appointments to the board that Deal announced Wednesday morning. Holmes will replace Doreen Stiles Poitevint of Bainbridge, who has been a regent since 2004.

“It’s an absolute honor to be named by Gov. Deal to the Board of Regents,” Holmes said. “This is an incredible opportunity to work to help strengthen the education programs in our area.”

She said the appointment is an opportunity to continue working on her passions of improving education and work force development, which she said go hand in hand with economic development.

“I’ve been involved in work force development and I’ve been involved with our education partners,” Holmes said. “I’ve been enmeshed with working with businesses and our education partners. … It’s something I’m passionate about.”

With the oversight the regents have over educational programs in the state, Holmes said the appointment is an opportunity to have a positive impact on Southwest Georgia economic progress.

“It’s quite involved,” she said. “It’s so important to our economic well-being.”

Holmes said she was looking forward to working with the regents and Chancellor Steve Wrigley, who she said “is doing amazing things for the state.”

Joining Holmes as new regents in January will be W. Allen Gudenrath of Macon, who will represent the Eighth Congressional District, and Erin Hames of Atlanta, who will be an at-large representative.

Reappointed by Deal Wednesday were regents Don L. Waters of Savannah, representing the First Congressional District, and Dr. C. Thomas Hopkins Jr. of Griffin and Third Congressional District.

Before becoming president/CEO of the chamber, Holmes was vice president of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission. As a news reporter with The Albany Herald, she earned four awards for excellence in journalism from the Georgia Associated Press.

She sits on the boards of directors for the Commodore Conyers College and Career Academy in Albany and Leadership Georgia. She is a graduate of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Albany and the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. Holmes was recognized as one of Southwest Georgia’s “40 Under 40” by The Albany Herald and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce.

Holmes earned bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and Spanish from Florida Southern College and continued her studies at Estudio Sampere Internacional in Madrid and Alicante, Spain. Holmes and her husband, David, have one child and live in Albany.

Hames is the president of ReformEd, a firm focused on improving educational opportunities and outcomes for children and students.

Gudenrath is a senior vice president with Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management Division. He is a founding board member of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation and a trustee for the Georgia Forestry Foundation.

Jennifer Parks