Sam Olens takes Kennesaw State presidency; Chris Carr named new attorney general

ATLANTA — Sam Olens’ appointment as the new president of Kennesaw State University by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, effective Nov. 1, has been followed by Gov. Nathan Deal naming Chris Carr to replace Olens as the state’s attorney general on that date.

Olens has served as attorney general of Georgia since January 2011. Carr has been commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development since 2013.

“Carr’s experience as an attorney, job creator and public servant make him the ideal candidate to fill the role of Georgia’s attorney general,” Deal said Wednesday in naming Carr. “He is a leader with common sense, brilliant intellect and a wide range of experiences at the global, federal and state levels.

“That perspective will allow Chris to support and defend the laws of Georgia and the interests of our people. This role is a hybrid one of attorney, manager and public servant, and Chris is well-qualified for it.”

Board of Regents Chair Kessel Stelling Jr. said Olens was the right person to take the reins at KSU.

“Sam Olens’ two decades of public service and outstanding leadership qualities make him the right person to lead Kennesaw State University at the right time,” Stelling said. “While Sam has successfully led a large work force and managed a substantial operating budget, he also has a passion for KSU and public higher education.”

Olens, who is leaving the attorney general position about halfway through his second term in office, said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as president of Kennesaw State University.

“I pledge to work in partnership with the Kennesaw State campus community to focus our efforts on advancing our academic mission. Working with students, faculty and staff, together, we will continue to make KSU a leading university.”

Deal appointed Carr to head the DED, and the governor said the agency under Carr helped facilitate 1,055 projects in Georgia that represent $14.1 billion in investment and 83,000 new jobs, leading to the department’s recognition as the top economic development agency in the country last year. Carr also has served on the Judicial Nominating Commission, which is charged with reviewing and recommending judicial appointments, since January 2011.

“I am truly honored and humbled that Gov. Deal has placed his confidence in me,” Carr said. “As I take on this new responsibility, I believe there is no more solemn duty than to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution and laws of the state of Georgia, and the interests of the people of our great state.

“The seriousness of this work requires focus on a smooth transition and a readiness to tackle our state’s challenges and opportunities — and that’s what Georgians should expect to see from me.”