Pat Wilson was appointed Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in November 2016. As Commissioner, he leads the state agency responsible for creating jobs and investment opportunities in Georgia through business recruitment and expansion, small business growth, international trade and tourism, as well as the arts, film, and digital entertainment industries. Pat is responsible for leading the GDEcD team in planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. Under Governor Brian P. Kemp and Commissioner Wilson’s leadership, Georgia has consistently been voted by site selectors as the No. 1 state in the nation to do business – bestowing the title a record 10 consecutive years by Area Development magazine and eight years in a row from Site Selection magazine. GDEcD was also rated as the nation’s best state-level economic development organization by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) under Wilson’s tenure.
Mr. Wilson previously served as Chief Operating Officer of GDEcD from January 2011 until his appointment as Commissioner by former Governor Nathan Deal. As COO, he managed the daily operations of the agency, directed long-term strategy, managed the agency’s legislative priorities and served as the department’s liaison with the Georgia Congressional delegation and federal government partners. In addition, Pat served as Executive Director of the Georgia Allies.
Mr. Wilson joined GDEcD as Deputy Commissioner for Global Commerce in 2010. Prior to that, he served on the staff of Governor Sonny Perdue as Director of Government Affairs, promoting the Governor’s legislative agenda at the State Capitol and managing federal affairs for the State of Georgia. He previously served as Director of Federal Affairs for the state, opening the Washington, D.C., office in 2005. There, he promoted the state’s agenda with the U.S. Congress and federal agencies as the Governor’s representative to the Georgia congressional delegation.
Before joining state government, Mr. Wilson was Director of Governmental Affairs for Greenberg Traurig, LLP, in Washington. He served under the late Senator Paul Coverdell and under then-Representative Nathan Deal.
He is a Franklin Springs, Georgia, native, and holds an undergraduate degree in political science with a focus on international relations from the University of Georgia. He and his wife Melissa and their two children, Padgett and Carter, reside in Sandy Springs.