Sometimes it was rocky. Sometimes there were rapids and falls. Sometimes she had to do portage or just paddle. But it was always an exhilarating ride.

"I wouldn't have traded the perspective and experience gained," says Burriss, MCP 79. "This was an incredible opportunity with lots of risks, and I'm a risk taker."

Burriss has just made another risky move. On Jan. 1 she replaced Bill Todd, IM 71, as the executive director of the Commission for a New Georgia.

In making the announcement Dec. 16, Gov. Sonny Perdue said, "Annie's experience in the business, academic and government sectors uniquely qualifies her for this leadership role. I have found her to be a results-oriented venture capitalist of ideas. Her understanding of economic development, combined with her strong sense of Georgia, provides her with keen insights for directing the Commission for a New Georgia."

Burriss first took the job as deputy chief of staff because she found the idea of rolling up her shirtsleeves and arm wrestling with policy, legislative and leadership matters almost irresistible.

"I started to think possibilities. It was intriguing to be invited to be at the table at a very historic time in my state. I'm an eighth-generation Georgian. I would like for my children and their children to have good opportunities in Georgia," says Burriss, the mother of two teen-agers.

Burriss received fine arts degrees from Sullins College in Bristol, Va., and Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., then decided to become an architect like her father.

"My dad had a 52-year career that was rich and rewarding. I loved going to construction work sites with him. My dad raised me just like he raised my brothers," she says.

She also was raised to be independent. "I decided that I'd get myself through, that my parents didn't owe me anything. They'd already given me four years of college," Burriss says, explaining she enrolled at Tech so she could take advantage of in-state tuition and work her way through school.

While at Tech, Burriss discovered her passion for city planning. After two years in the architecture program, she made the switch. She still is passionate about the "multidisciplinary aspects of city planning, the things that linked effectively can improve the quality of life — understanding society and developing human potential, developing transportation and infrastructure systems, creating sustainable development, beautiful buildings and environments, creating the arts — all aspects that make for great communities.

"I love creating results. I love trying to figure out what you can do to make things better," she says.

What better place to do that than at the Georgia Capitol?

"This was an opportunity to provide public service at a historic time working for a man I believe to have great integrity. I'm not an R and I'm not a D. There are some people here who are Republicans and some who are Democrats and that's great, that's fine. I really don't care about that. I want to support the man elected by the people. I want Georgia to be a better place now and great in the future."

Taking Care of Business

As his first year on the job as the state of Georgia's chief operating officer draws to a close, Jim Lientz retains his sense of humor.

Back in April, Lientz was quoted as saying, "If it's always going to be like this, I quit."

Lientz, IM 65, laughs as he acknowledges that the quote was accurate. "Actually, I told the governor that somewhat in jest. You have to keep your sense of humor in most anything you do, particularly around here."

Lientz wasn't looking for a job when Sonny Perdue, then the governor-elect, called shortly before Christmas 2002 and requested a meeting.

"I had a job. I was retired from Bank of America. I had gone back to work after about a year with some friends of mine in a little financial services business. I was very pleased with what we were doing and I wasn't looking for something else to do," he says.

"Georgia has never had a chief operating officer. There are similar positions in other states, but as far as we can tell, there is no other state that has a chief operating officer. There wasn't a job description that was defined," Lientz says.

The political arena also was unfamiliar territory.

"The political dynamics were interesting — a Republican governor and a Democratic lieutenant governor. We had the first Republican governor in 130 years. We had a Democratic speaker and a Republican Senate for the first time ever.

"But I'm the business guy, not the political guy. I can't stay out of the politics because by definition they're here, but I really think my job is to serve the governor and the people of Georgia and try to do so insofar as possible in the business realm and not in the political realm," he says.

There are still days when Lientz wonders why he agreed to become the state's first COO.

"I probably do that at least once a week," he says, laughing again. "But I really believe that I have made a contribution and will continue to do so. I go home tired, but I usually go home feeling like we've made some real progress and I'm happy that we're doing that."

It's About Change

Bill Todd is seated up front on the bandwagon driving toward a new Georgia. While Gov. Sonny Perdue holds the reins, Todd, IM 71, is an integral member of the steering team. Handpicked by Perdue, Todd was executive director of the Commission for a New Georgia. On Dec. 12 he became president of the Georgia Cancer Coalition.

When announcing the new appointment, Perdue said, "Bill will bring to the Cancer Coalition strong business acumen and an extensive knowledge of health care and related issues. His leadership will help further the coalition's mission and goals."

The governor initially enticed Todd to leave Encina Technology Ventures and join his team last March. Todd previously was at the helm of the Georgia Research Alliance, a coalition of state government, private business, Georgia Tech and five other research universities. Through the GRA, Todd became acquainted with Perdue.

Todd says he still was surprised when the newly seated governor offered him a job in early 2003.

Todd went home and talked the offer over with his family.

"We agreed that this would be an opportunity to serve and it seemed like the right thing to do to try to give a little back to a state that's been very good to me," he says.

Todd oversaw the 22-member volunteer Commission for a New Georgia, co-chaired by Waffle House's Joe Rogers, IM 68, that has formed task forces to study space management, capital construction, leadership development, tourism, procurement, fleet management and public broadcasting.

"It's a series of works in progress. We don't have any real results, but we have some good motion," Todd says. "What is most encouraging is a number of prominent Georgians have stepped up to take on volunteer leadership roles in heading up task forces to look for opportunities."

Todd says leadership development is key to the administration's goal of being the best-managed state in the nation by 2007.

©2004 Georgia Tech Alumni Association