Columbus businessman focused on supporting economic development in new Georgia role
Columbus businessman Russ Carreker was elected Wednesday to the 14-member board that controls and supervises the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Carreker, 56, will represent the 3rd Congressional District, which spans from north Columbus to the southern suburbs of Atlanta. The Columbus resident and former Auburn football player was elected to the State Transportation Board by the 27 members of the Georgia General Assembly who serve within the district.
The Columbus businessman replaces former U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland who had served on the board since 2018. Carreker will serve out Westmoreland’s term which ends April 15, 2022.
Carreker currently serves in several local positions, including the chairman of the Development Authority of Columbus and the managing partner of C3 Investment Properties, a multi-family and commercial real estate company. Now, Carreker joins the body that approves Georgia’s long-term transportation projects and oversees the administration of construction contracts.
There will be a learning curve, but Carreker said he will figure it out.
“Since my earlier days at Synovus, I’ve been involved with the (Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce) and economic development work. I get a lot of satisfaction out of jobs being created,” he said. “Transportation is — if not the most important — in the top two most important factors in economic development. You’ve got to be able to move stuff for the economy to work.”
This story was originally published February 11, 2021 at 11:04 AM.