|
Joel Cowan grew up in Cartersville, Georgia, and graduated from Georgia
Tech in 1958. He owns Habersham & Cowan, Inc., an investment company
based in Atlanta. His past major business interests have been in real
estate development. He is the founder of Georgia's new town of Peachtree
City serving as its first Mayor beginning in 1959. He was also the chief
executive of its development company through 1976. Peachtree City is
widely known for its innovative lifestyle features such as 80 miles
of paved cart paths, 20% open space, and an effectively administered
sign and land use ordinance. Mr. Cowan has also developed such projects
as Phipps Plaza, Snapfinger Woods, and Palmetto Dunes. For the last
several years his primary interests have been international. This involves
both for profit and non-profit work in the The Netherlands and the emerging
economies of Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Russia, and China. These
activities focus on trade, technology transfer, and merchant banking.
Education and leadership training are the focus of his non-profit activities.
He is now a director of World Airways Inc. (WLDA). He was formerly a
director of Continental Airlines (NYSE), Interstate General Company
(ASE), and IRT Property Company (IRT). He currently is Adjunct Professor
and holder of the Chair of Servant Leadership at Georgia Tech. He was
the founding Chairman of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority
(GRTA) and the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District. He
is a former at large member of the Board of Regents of the University
System of Georgia. He was former Governor Joe Frank Harris' campaign
chairman in his two elections and served as Honorary Chief of Staff
throughout his two terms. He served in various unpaid capacities for
Governor Harris including Chairman of the Governor's Growth Strategies
Commission and Chairman of the Board of the Department of Community
Affairs. He is a trustee emeritus of the Georgia Tech Foundation, former
trustee of The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, and Chairman
of the Community Foundation of Fayette County. He is a member of the
board of the East-West Institute of New York and former Chairman of
the Board of Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School.
|
