In a special called meeting on May 6, the board of regents named Henry “Hank” M. Huckaby as chancellor-designate of the University System of Georgia.
Huckaby will become the system’s 12th chancellor on July 1. His career includes several positions at UGA. He was director of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (1997-2000), senior vice president of Finance and Administration (2000-2006) and a special assistant to the president on a part-time basis (2006-2009).
“As has been noted in numerous articles and editorials in the press statewide, clearly Hank Huckaby is seen as the person the system needs at this important time,” said Board Chair Willis Potts. “We feel he will serve the University System, the board of regents and the state well as we address the many and significant challenges of the present and prepare for the future.”
Born in Spalding County, Huckaby grew up in Hapeville. He earned an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Young Harris College and a bachelor’s degree in political science and an M.B.A. in international business from Georgia State University. He also has pursued additional graduate studies at UGA. During the 1960s and ’70s, he taught at DeKalb College (now Georgia Perimeter College) and Emory University. He also has lectured at UGA and Young Harris College.
He has served in a number of key administrative positions within the USG, including early in his career in the area of admissions at Georgia State University (1967-1971) and Gordon College (1972-1973). He also was the director of the Fiscal Research Program at Georgia State University (1995-1997).
Huckaby also has served in the Office of Planning and Budget, first as a senior policy coordinator from 1973-1975, and then as its director from 1991-1995. He also was the interim chief financial officer for then-Gov. Sonny Perdue during his transition period.
Huckaby has headed two other key state agencies. From 1977 to 1980, he was commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and from 1980 to 1991, he was the executive director of the Georgia Residential Finance Authority. Huckaby was elected to serve as president of both of their respective national organizations.
