Jim Jolly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dalton-based J&J Industries, was sworn in as a member of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia on  Tuesday, November 16 by Governor Sonny Perdue.


(Governor Sonny Perdue swears in Jim Jolly with the help of Judy Jolly.)

This was the first time in the Board of Regents’ 71-year history that a regent was sworn in at the regents’ office, and not at the State Capitol.

Perdue charged Jolly to “go to work and grasp this opportunity to put your imprint on the Georgia of the future,” according to a news release.

Jolly, 62, replaces former Dalton Public Schools superintendent Allene Magill as representative from the 10th Congressional district.  Magill, now head of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, no longer lives in the district.

The 18 members of the board oversee the 34 public colleges and universities in the state, including Dalton State College.  These institutions enroll more than 233,000 students and employ more than 9,000 faculty and 35,000 other staff members.

“We are delighted that Jim Jolly has been appointed to the Board of Regents,” said Jim Burran, president of Dalton State College.

“Mr. Jolly is a lifelong resident of Dalton, knows the Northwest Georgia region extremely well, and knows the value of education both regionally and statewide.”

“He has been extremely supportive of Dalton State College over the years and is a product of the University System of Georgia.  He will be a valuable asset to the Board and will do an accomplished job.  We could not be more pleased.”

Jolly received a Bachelor of Science degree in textiles in 1964 from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

He began his career as a technical service representative with Monsanto and was with that company until 1965 when he entered the U.S. Army.

Jolly joined J&J Industries in 1967.  He became president in 1986 and Chief Executive Officer in 1988.  He added the title of Chairman in 1999.

Jolly serves on the board and is a past chairman of The Carpet and Rug Institute.  He is a member of the Covenant College Board of Trustees and is chairman of the Covenant College Foundation.

Jolly is a charter member of the board of directors of the Dalton-Whitfield Boys and Girls Club, serves on the Northwest Georgia Regional Advisory Council for the 15-county area, is a member of the Georgia Cities Foundation Board and serves on the Hamilton Medical Center Board.

He is a past chairman of United Way and the Dalton Junior College Foundation.

Jolly has served as a member of the Georgia Tech Alumni Trustees and was on the executive board of the Dalton-Whitfield Chamber of Commerce.

He is an active member of Grace Presbyterian Church in Dalton.

Jolly and his wife Judy have two sons, David and Derek, and five grandchildren.