Chris Young named president of Protocol and Diplomacy International-Protocol Officers Association

ATLANTA, August 25, 2008 – Chris Young, Chief of Protocol and Director of International Affairs for the State of Georgia, was recently named to a two-year term as president of the Protocol and Diplomacy International-Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA). 'Doing business on a global platform is imperative to succeed in economic development today, and Chris has been an integral part of Georgia's international team,' said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. 'During Chris's tenure, Georgia has seen a significant increase in inbound and outbound missions, as well as the number of countries with consular, trade, or chamber of commerce offices.' Young, who was named to his state post in 2005 by Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, is, at 30, the association's youngest president. PDI-POA is the major global organization for the protocol profession, which seeks to facilitate communication, understanding, and cooperation between individuals, governments and cultures. A native of Fitzgerald, Young serves as Georgia's senior diplomatic officer and handles foreign affairs on behalf of the Governor and the Commissioner of Economic Development. He has organized visits for presidents, vice presidents, ministers, and ambassadors to the State, and planned and executed gubernatorial and senior official missions to almost twenty foreign countries. He serves as liaison between the State and the international consular corps and trade community located in Georgia. Prior to this appointment, Young was a special assistant and personal aide to Governor Perdue. Young, a Harry S. Truman Scholar, graduated with highest honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology, earning a B.S. degree in History. He received his law degree, with honor, from the University of Georgia. In March 2006, Mr. Young was named by Georgia Tech as the Ivan Allen Alumni Legacy Award recipient. Currently he is one of twenty members of the search committee for the 11th president of Georgia Tech. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm. The agency attracts new business, encourages the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, and locates new markets for Georgia products. It also markets Georgia to tourists and promotes the state as a location for film, music and digital entertainment projects. For more information, visit www.Georgia.org.