GALEO Georgia Association of Latino Elected Offi : Executive Director named as one of the “100 Most Influential Georgians”

'On behalf of GALEO's Board of Directors, we congratulate Jerry Gonzalez for being recognized as one of Georgia's 100 most influential individuals. We admire Jerry's unwavering commitment to the Latino community over the years and are proud to have Jerry's contributions to the state of Georgia acknowledged once again by Georgia Trend Magazine. GALEO's growing impact in the state has occurred under Jerry's strong leadership with the amazing support of the GALEO staff and GALEO members across our state. We congratulate Jerry on this well-deserved honor,' said Laura Murvartian, Chair of GALEO.

100 Most Influential Georgians of 2017: Wielding Power

If leadership is influence, as the author John C. Maxwell says, then we not only have a list of the 100 Most Influential Georgians, but a representation of the strength of leadership in our state. For this, our 19th list, we have included many of the usual suspects - politicians, CEOs, college presidents - but we've also added a number of new names and faces to the list. All are people who inspire, exasperate, lead - and influence us.

Some work behind the scenes and some are recognized in every corner of the Peach State. But they have one thing in common: Each of the 100 people you'll find on the following pages have an enormous impact on the daily lives of Georgians.

We at Georgia Trend do not take the task of selecting the most influential people in the state lightly. It's a year-round process that involves lots of meetings and discussions. The original list is always more than 100, and we think the final group - subject to retirements, course corrections and shifts in power, not to mention late-in-the-year hirings and firings and a controversy or two - represents the realities of leadership, power and influence in Georgia.

Other people named to Georgia Trend's
'100 Most Influential Georgians' list include:

• Stacey Abrams, Minority Leader, Georgia House of Representatives
• Ed Bastian, CEO, Delta Airlines
• Brandon Beach, President & CEO
  Greater North Fulton Chamber & North Fulton Community Improvement District, & State Senator
• Mark Becker, President, Georgia State University
• Paul Bowers, Chairman, President & CEO, Georgia Power
• Karen Bremer, CEO, Georgia Restaurant Association
• John Burns, Majority Leader, Georgia House of Representatives
• Casey Cagle, Lt. Governor
• Chris Carr, Attorney General, State of Georgia
• Chris Clark, President & CEO, Georgia Chamber of Commerce
• Nathan Deal, Governor
• Kit Dunlap President & CEO, Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce
• Steve Henson, Minority Leader, Georgia Senate
• Doug Hooker, Executive Director, Atlanta Regional Commission
• Johnny Isakson, U.S. Senator
• Dan Kaufman, President & CEO, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
• Brian Kemp, Secretary of State
• Muhtar Kent, Chairman & CEO, The Coca-Cola Company
• Charlotte Nash, Chair, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners
• David Perdue, U.S. Senator
• David Ralston, Speaker, Georgia House of Representatives
• Kasim Reed, Mayor, City of Atlanta
• David Shafer, President Pro Tempore, Georgia Senate
• J. Alvin Wilbanks, CEO & Superintendent, Gwinnett County Public Schools
• Klaus Zellmer, President & CEO, Porsche Cars North America