Joe Frank Harris (born February 16, 1936) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
DemocraticThe Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world. In the U.S...
politicianA politician or political leader is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making. This includes people who hold decision-making positions in government, and people who seek those positions, whether by means of election, coup d'état, appointment, electoral fraud, conquest,...
who served as the
Governor of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
from 1983 to 1991.
Harris was born in
Atco, GeorgiaAtco is a small unincorporated community on the northwestern side of Cartersville in southern Bartow County, Georgia, United States. Atco gets its name from the "American Textile Company" which began business there near the start of the 20th century. At one time the neighborhood boasted its own...
to Frank and Frances Harris. Harris was the second of three children that also included brother, Fred Harris and sister, Glenda Harris Gambill.
Joe Frank Harris (born February 16, 1936) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
DemocraticThe Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world. In the U.S...
politicianA politician or political leader is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making. This includes people who hold decision-making positions in government, and people who seek those positions, whether by means of election, coup d'état, appointment, electoral fraud, conquest,...
who served as the
Governor of the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
from 1983 to 1991.
Harris was born in
Atco, GeorgiaAtco is a small unincorporated community on the northwestern side of Cartersville in southern Bartow County, Georgia, United States. Atco gets its name from the "American Textile Company" which began business there near the start of the 20th century. At one time the neighborhood boasted its own...
to Frank and Frances Harris. Harris was the second of three children that also included brother, Fred Harris and sister, Glenda Harris Gambill. Harris went on to graduate from the
University of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
in 1958 with a degree in business. While attending Georgia, he also became a member of
Lambda Chi AlphaLambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's general fraternities in North America, by its own count, having initiated more than 270,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole,...
Fraternity. Upon graduation Harris returned to his native Cartersville, Georgia to join his father Frank and brother Fred in the family run cement business. Harris Cement Products, Inc. operated from 1940-1980, and was a successful Northwest Georgia business that during the late 1970's furnished all the cement for the bridges and overpasses constructed on Interstate 75 from Cobb County to Gordon County. Harris was persuaded to run for the
Georgia House of RepresentativesThe Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of Georgia.-Composition:According to the state constitution of 1983, this body is to comprise no fewer than 180 members elected for two-year terms. Current state law provides for 180 members...
in 1964 and served nine terms. Harris became the chairman of the Appropriations Committee in 1974.
When he ran for Governor in 1982, Harris was seen as a
long shotIn photography, film and video, a long shotor cheese faces! typically shows the entire object or human figure and is usually intended to place it in some relation to its surroundings...
candidate, but with the support of the Speaker of the Georgia House Tom Murphy, he was able to win the primary over U.S. Representative
Bo GinnRonald Bryan 'Bo' Ginn represented Georgia's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
. As Governor, Harris implemented the Quality Basic Education Act (QBE) and helped to build the
Georgia DomeThe Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It has been the home stadium for the Atlanta Falcons since 1992, and is owned and operated by the State of Georgia as part of the Georgia World Congress Center...
and lure the
1996 Summer OlympicsThe 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
to
AtlantaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia, as well as the urban core of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States....
. Harris is also credited with building more libraries during his term than any other governor in Georgia's history.
After his two terms as Governor, Harris was appointed to the
Board of RegentsThe Georgia Board of Regents oversees the University System of Georgia as part of the state government of Georgia in the United States. The University System of Georgia is composed of all state public institutions of higher education.-History:...
for the
University System of GeorgiaThe University System of Georgia is the organizational body that includes 35 public institutions of higher learning in Georgia. The System is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents. It sets goals and dictates general policy to educational institutions as well as administering Public Library...
and currently serves on the Board of Directors for
AflacAflac Incorporated is the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States, founded in 1955 and based in Columbus, Georgia. In the United States, Aflac underwrites a range of insurance policies, but is perhaps best known for its payroll deduction insurance coverage, which pay cash...
.
The portion of
U.S. Route 41U.S. Route 41 is a north-south United States Highway that runs from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Miami, Florida. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S...
through Bartow County is named in his honor (Joe Frank Harris Parkway), as well as the Joe Frank Harris Commons that houses The Village Summit Dining Commons (operated by
UGA FOOD SERVICESUGA Food Services is the only dining service on the University of Georgia. It is the largest employer of students on the main Athens campus. It is traditionally split into two devisions, Dining Services and Retail Operations.- Administration :...
) at the
University of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
.