Roswell Rotary is honored to welcome Chancellor Sonny Perdue as our featured speaker on December 11. A former two-term governor of Georgia, US Secretary of Agriculture, and current Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, Perdue brings a distinguished record of leadership across agriculture, education, business, and public service. His decades of experience, from the State Capitol to the U.S. Cabinet, will offer valuable insights.

Appointed by the Board of Regents as the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia in April 2022, Perdue now oversees 26 public colleges and universities, managing a $11.5 billion annual budget, 51,000 faculty and staff, and more than 364,000 students. His leadership reflects a deep commitment to connecting world-class education with economic opportunity for all Georgians.

Before assuming his current role, Perdue served as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021, where his background as a farmer, agribusinessman, and veterinarian uniquely informed his approach to national agricultural policy. His public service journey began in the Georgia Senate (1991–2001), where he chaired the Higher Education Committee and rose to Senate President Pro Tem. In 2003, he made history as Georgia’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, serving two terms and focusing on education reform, healthcare access, job creation, and community safety.

Born in Perry, Georgia, and raised on a row crop farm in Bonaire, Perdue learned the value of hard work early on. He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia, where he also walked on to play football for the Bulldogs. He also served in the U.S. Air Force, achieving the rank of captain.

After a brief veterinary practice, Perdue launched several successful businesses in agribusiness and transportation. His civic engagement began in the 1980s on the Houston County Planning and Zoning Board, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of public leadership.  Chancellor Perdue and his wife Mary Ruff Perdue, also a UGA graduate, have been married for 48 years. They are the proud parents of four children and grandparents to 14, who affectionately call him “Big Buddy.” The couple has also opened their home to eight foster children awaiting adoption. An avid outdoorsman, Perdue is a licensed airplane and helicopter pilot.

Please join us for this special opportunity to hear from one of Georgia’s most accomplished leaders.  All are welcome, $20 includes lunch.  
Date: Thursday, December 11
Time: 12:15
Location: Roswell Area Park
Bill Johnson Community Activity Building
10495 Woodstock Road
Roswell, GA 30075