New DOT Commissioner
By FRANK BRADLEY Sentinel Writer

Left: UC Commissioner Lamar Paris presents Gena Abrahams a copy of the Logan Turnpike print for her office. Mike Evans looks on.

Gena Abrahams, Georgia's new Commissioner of Transportation came to Blairsville, Monday. She arrived by helicopter for a brief stop at the North Georgia Technical College campus, where she met and talked with about 75 local governmental and community leaders.

Abrahams said she intends to bring "honesty, integrity and transparency" to the department. She outlined three challenges facing her at DOT. The first is to develop a comprehensive transportation plan for Georgia. Secondly, to deliver significant transportation projects faster and more effectively with increased emphasis on accountability. And thirdly, to deal with funding issues. She said that one way she expected to make up for a shortfall in federal funding for necessary projects was through a public/private partnership.

Abrahams said the GDOT was the fourth state agency that she will have headed up, adding that she has been successful in her other leadership roles of delivering projects in a timely manner.

She was complimentary of the current DOT personnel, calling them dedicated and talented. She said her first task at the department would be to implement organizational change so that the department could better meet the future challenges that it faces.

Abrahams is a graduate of Georgia Tech, where she also earned a Masters and Doctorate. She has experience as a civil engineer in the private sector and has served as program managers for a number of projects involving geological and technical work. She taught at Georgia Tech for several years, has worked for the state for ten years, mostly recently where she headed up the State Property Office managing a budget of $1.27 billion in new construction.

Abrahams was introduced by Mike Evans, Chairman of the state's board of transportation. Evans said Ms. Abrahams would serve the state well with her unique qualifications. Monday was Abrahams first official day on the job, and Blairsville was her first stop. She presented the county and city with two checks: one for $255,913 and another one for $100,000 both to be used for construction projects.

Blairsville Mayor Jim Conley, Mike Evans, Rep. Charles Jenkins, Commissioner Lamar Paris and Gena Abraham display the check for $100,000.

Commissioner Lamar Paris presented Ms. Abrahams with a medallion of the old courthouse and also an historical print of the Logan Turnpike.