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One of

Fayette's first developers has been named chairman of one

of the state's newest and most powerful agencies.

Peachtree

City's Joel Cowan, 62, was named chairman of the Georgia

Regional Transportation Authority. The authority has the

power to oversee all transportation issues in the Atlanta

region.

Gov. Roy

Barnes pushed creation of the authority through the

General Assembly during its recent 1999 session, saying

the agency is the first step in solving the region's air

and traffic problems.

"I

have said many times that if someone would give me a

magic wand to solve our air and traffic problems, I'd be

happy to use it," Barnes said. "I haven't found

that magic wand, but I do believe that this group of

people will be able to come up with a workable plan that

will lead us in the right direction," he added.

The

authority will get to work right away. Its first meeting

is set for today. Barnes will swear in the members at

11:30 a.m. in the north wing of the state Capitol, and

the meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. in room 307 of the

Legislative Office building.

Other

members of the authority are:

- Vice chairman Shirley Clarke

Franklin, 54, of Atlanta.

- Walter Deriso Jr., 52, vice chairman

of the board, Synovus Financial Corporation.

- Sharon Gay, 42, attorney, Long

Aldridge and Norman.

- Martin Luther King III, 41,

community activist and former Fulton County commissioner.

- Thomas Phillips, 64, owner Tom

Phillips Oil Company.

- Catherine Ross, 51, professor at

Georgia Tech.

- Shi Shailendra, 54, transportation

engineer and real estate developer.

- John Sibley III, 54, vice president

for environmental policy of The Georgia Conservancy.

- James Stephenson, 49, president,

Yancey Brothers.

- Helen Tapp, 44, executive director,

Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta.

- Ken Thigpen, 59, president and CEO

of Georgia State Bank.

- Richard Tucker, 50, president and

CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.

- Michael Tyler, 44, attorney,

Kilpatrick Stockton.

- John Williams, 56, chairman and CEO

of Post Properties.

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