Gov. Kemp Announces Appointment to Georgia Ports Authority

Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the appointment of Benjamin “Ben” J. Tarbutton, III to the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA).

"Ben Tarbutton is one of our state's most accomplished business and civic leaders," said Governor Brian Kemp. "His extensive knowledge of Georgia's logistical strengths and needs will be a great asset to the GPA and will strengthen its mission as one of the most crucial economic engines here in the No. 1 state for business."

Ben Tarbutton, III is President of the Sandersville Railroad Company, which has been in operation since 1893 and hauls various commodities, including kaolin, wood chips, chemicals and plastics.

Tarbutton is active in his community and at the state and national levels. Presently, he serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Regional Vice President of the Southern Region for the American Shortline and Regional Railroad Association, board member of the Georgia Research Alliance and the Georgia Tech Foundation, and Vice Chairman of the Washington County Industrial Development Authority. He is a past Chairman of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, Leadership Georgia, and Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and past President of the Georgia Railroad Association and the Sandersville Rotary.

Tarbutton graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He resides in Sandersville with his wife and three children where they are active members of the Sandersville United Methodist Church.

About Georgia Ports Authority

Georgia’s deepwater ports are the state's gateways to the world. They are the critical conduits through which raw materials and finished products flow to and from destinations around the globe.

As a state authority, a 13-member Board of Directors governs the activities of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA). The Board is appointed by the Governor from the state at large to serve four-year, staggered terms. An executive director -- an experienced international transportation professional -- implements policy directives, administrative duties, and managerial controls.

As one of the state’s largest public employers, the GPA directly oversees more than 1,500 trained logistics professionals. The GPA also generates hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the state. Together with private sector partners, port-related operations account for more than 496,700 jobs annually and contribute $29 billion in income, $122 billion in revenue and $3.4 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy.