Gov. Nathan Deal appointed three local residents to the Georgia Rural Development Council.

Pat A. Graham, former mayor of Braselton, previously worked as an industrial manager for Frito Lay Inc.

She is a member of the Upper Oconee Water Planning Council and the Braselton Downtown Development Authority. She also is a past member of the board of directors of the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, the Georgia Municipal Association, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce.

Bill P. Kendall, sole commissioner of Towns County, previously served Towns as a teacher, coach and school superintendent. Kendall earned a bachelor's degree from Piedmont College and a master's degree in school administration from Western Carolina University.

A. Dwayne Turner owns and operates ADT Development Co. Inc., a property development company in Cleveland. He serves on the 9th District Economic Advisory Council and represents the 9th District for the Georgia Republican Party State Committee. Turner has worked in the construction industry since 1989 and has been self-employed since 1982.

The council advocates for rural Georgia, focusing on new development opportunities and partnering with public and private initiatives.