George Israel

George Israel
Mayor of Macon, Georgia
In office 1980–1987
Preceded by	Buck Melton
Succeeded by	Lee Robinson
Personal details
Born	1948 Bibb County, Georgia
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Pam Israel

George M. Israel, III (born 1948) is the current president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and is a former mayor of Macon, Georgia (1979–1987), the sixth largest city in the state. He is also on the board of directors of YKK Group. In 2005, Georgia Trend, a prominent state business and political magazine, named Israel as one of its top 20 leaders of the past 20 years.

Israel was born to George and Margaret Israel in rural Bibb County, Georgia. His father worked as an engineer at Robins Air Force Base and his mother was a teacher who helped veterans returning from World War II to earn their GEDs. He grew up in a tight-knit family with three brothers and an aunt whom he considered a second mother.

He met his wife, Pam, while working to pay his way through college, and they married in 1971. They have two children: Katie Beth and Matthew, three granddaughters, Greta Layson, 19, (daughter of Katie Beth and her ex-husband Brian Layson), Kiya Israel,9, (daughter of Matthew and his wife Kirstin), Matilda "Tille" Israel, 3, (daughter of Matthew and wife Kirstin) and one grandson, George Matthew Israel V "Quinn" whom is 2.

Israel attended Middle Georgia College in Cochran and the University of Georgia in Athens. However he never graduated and holds no degree. He began his career as an underwriter for the life, health and accident insurance industry.

In 1975, he made a sudden announcement to his family that he planned to run for a seat on the Macon City Council. Israel went door-to-door in his district to gain support for his run. A Republican in Jimmy Carter's Georgia, Israel's run for city council seemed a long shot, but he won the seat.

...
Wikipedia