Bill Donohue is no stranger to state government or to overseeing state facilities.

Donohue was named Jan. 1 as executive director of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority.

He came to Lake Lanier after serving as executive director of the Jekyll Island State Park Authority, where he had been since 1997.

Prior to his appointment at Jekyll, he served as executive director of the North Georgia Mountains Authority, a state authority that oversees operations of the state-owned Unicoi and Brasstown Valley resorts.

While with the Department of Natural Resources, Donohue served as a member of the Lake Lanier Islands Authority board and served on the task forces that oversaw the privatization of Lake Lanier Islands and Stone Mountain Park.

The Lake Lanier Island Development Authority is appointed by the governor. Prior to privatizing the resort in the mid-1990s, the authority was the operator of the 1,100-acre resort.

Under the lease agreement, the authority is responsible for the infrastructure of the islands, including roads, bridges and wastewater.

The lease on the property, including amenities such as the Legacy Lodge, two golf courses and the beach and water park, is held by Gwinnett businessman Virgil Williams and his family.

Donohue has been overseeing the massive road paving and improvements that have been taking place on the islands, as well as construction of a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant, scheduled to open by the end of 2009.

Donohue provides administrative support to the board of the North Georgia Mountains Authority and is on the Georgia Tourism Foundation board.