Overview
Georgia FBLA has a rich history in our 68 years. The beginning of Future Business Leaders of America in Georgia started at Hapeville High School on December 3, 1947. The chapter, organized under the direction of Mrs. Catharine Merrill, was chartered by the national organization as Chapter No. 83.
Georgia, the fourth state chapter to be chartered, received its state charter in 1949. Mrs. Zeb Vance of Mercer University in Macon served as Georgia’s first state adviser. Georgia FBLA has had twelve state advisers leading up to Mr. Monty Rhodes, Georgia’s current state adviser. Dr. Russell Mercer was the first Georgia FBLA State President. While serving as president, he was a student at Georgia’s Teachers’ College, now Georgia Southern University in Statesboro. Dr. Mercer is the retired State Supervisor of Business and Office Education. The Business and Office Education Service of the Georgia Department of Education assumed the responsibility of Georgia FBLA in July 1960. Georgia FBLA remained under the Department of Education’s direct responsibility until 1998, at which time the Georgia Department of Education gave this responsibility to the Georgia FBLA Board of Directors while still remaining as an indirect supervisor of the state chapter’s activities
Organization
In 1998, Georgia FBLA, Inc., was formed and established a Board of Directors to serve as the governing body of Georgia FBLA. The Board of Directors consists of thirteen voting members including two business representatives (appointed), five elected advisers representing the five areas, four elected at-large advisers, an adviser representing the Middle School division, and a local/system CTAE administrator representative.
Effective March 2018, Georgia FBLA is now organized on four levels:
Local – consisting of the local chapters and members
Region – a grouping of chapters within a limited geographic territory for the purposes of region leadership and competitive events (15 regions)
Area – a grouping of two or three regions for representation on the State Executive Council (state officers) and the Board of Directors (5 areas)
State – all of the local chapters and regions throughout the state
Over the years, the number of Georgia FBLA regions varied due to population and active participation statistics. In July 2008, the Board of Directors realigned the regions from 11 to 15 regions and organized the state into 5 areas.
Success
Georgia FBLA has a rich and successful FBLA history. We have had several national officers and numerous national winners over the past 70 years.
Deborah Jacklin was elected as the 2022-23 FBLA National Southern Region Vice President and is the 19th national officer from Georgia FBLA!