Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority members are gearing up for a fresh start after a winter of discontent and a threat of losing their seats through legislative restructuring.
Authority members meet Tuesday to elect new officers for the year. A chairman will be elected to replace Harry Moore, who served that role for two years. Authority members also will elect a vice chairman, treasurer and secretary from the membership, which is listed here.
NAME: ADRIAN ARNOLD (Refused to be interviewed)
AGE: 38
OCCUPATION: (Would not discuss)
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2010
APPOINTED BY: State Rep. Hardie Davis
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: (Would not discuss)
EDUCATION: (Would not discuss)
NAME: KEITH BROWN
AGE: 47
OCCUPATION: Self-employed businessman, the owner of First Impressions
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2009
APPOINTED BY: Former Augusta Commissioner Marion Williams
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: District 4 seat on the Augusta Commission, March 2006 to October 2006; chairman of the board of the city's Local Small Business Opportunity Program
EDUCATION: Degree from Howard University
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "The complexity of what is involved in the promotion and presentation of shows at our facility, especially the back side of the house. Also, working with people who have different perspectives than I."
NAME: WILLIAM FENNOY
AGE: 60
OCCUPATION: Health Educator with Richmond County Health Department; teaches inmates about AIDS and STDS
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2010
APPOINTED BY: State Rep. Wayne Howard
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: None
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree from Paine College
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "Be careful what you say to the news media."
NAME: RICHARD ISDELL
AGE: 45
OCCUPATION: Small-business owner; A&R Exterminating Co. Inc.
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2010
APPOINTED BY: Augusta Commissioner Jerry Brigham
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: Member and former chairman of General Aviation Commission, 1995-2006; president of the Augusta-Richmond County Committee for Good Government, elected to seventh term this month
EDUCATION: T.W. Josey High School; attended Truett McConnell College
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "In today's entertainment market, only a large management company can produce the big-name quality acts and the quantity of acts we're looking for. To bring in quantity, you need somebody nationwide."
NAME: JANICE JENKINS
AGE: (Would not share)
OCCUPATION: Registered nurse
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2010
APPOINTED BY: Augusta Commissioner Calvin Holland
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: Chairman of neighborhood association for three years; served on boards of several nonprofit organizations
EDUCATION: University of South Carolina, 1985
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "What I've learned overall is to work a little bit better with people and learned to adjust to different personalities. Cultural diversity."
NAME: WILLIE W. LAW
AGE: 40
OCCUPATION: Counselor
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2009
APPOINTED BY: Augusta Commissioner Bernard Harper
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: Ran for the District 2 commission seat in 1995, 1999 and 2007 and for Super District 9 seat on the Richmond County Board of Education in 2000
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in organizational management from Voorhees College, with a minor in accounting
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: Could not be interviewed
NAME: JOHN MANUEL
AGE: 43
OCCUPATION: Owner of Bargain Town on Georgia Highway 56
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2010
APPOINTED BY: Augusta Commissioner Andy Cheek; reappointed by Commissioner Joe Jackson
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: Historic Preservation Commission; Augusta Transportation Commission
EDUCATION: High school
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "Try to work to move forward, because if you don't work together, it's never going to work."
NAME: MILDRED MCDANIEL
AGE: 68
OCCUPATION: Retired educator; taught public school for 34 years
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2010
APPOINTED BY: Augusta Commissioner Lee Beard; reappointed by Mayor Pro Tem Betty Beard
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: Ran for the Super District 9 seat on the Richmond County School Board
EDUCATION: Master's degree from the University of South Carolina
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "That it is important for boards to allow management to operate the facility."
NAME: BOOKER T. ROBERSON
AGE: 63
OCCUPATION: Retired U.S. Postal Service; now employed by Mays Mortuary
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2009
APPOINTED BY: Sen. J.B. Powell and legislative delegation
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: None
EDUCATION: Lucy C. Laney High School; attended Augusta Technical College
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "The best thing is to try to work with people. Everybody seems to have their own personal agenda. If we could all work together, we could accomplish a lot."
NAME: FREDDIE SANDERS
AGE: 59
OCCUPATION: Attorney
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2009
APPOINTED BY: Augusta Commissioner Jimmy Smith
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: Richmond County chief of police, 1983-85
EDUCATION: Augusta College; received a juris doctorate from Augusta Law School
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "That you've got to be flexible, that you've got to listen."
NAME: JACK USRY
AGE: 58
OCCUPATION: Retired
TERM ENDS: March 31, 2009
APPOINTED BY: Rep. Henry Howard
POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE BACKGROUND: Served four previous years on Coliseum Authority; works behind the scenes for candidates, both Democrat and Republican
EDUCATION: Attended Augusta Technical College; associate degree in computer science from DeKalb College
LESSON LEARNED ON COLISEUM AUTHORITY: "I learned the only way you can ever move forward is through compromise. You have to learn to work with both factions, those for and against and come up with something that's for the good of the center and the public. And Murphy's Law is very true. When you think something's going forward, something will throw it off track every time."
icon.
