The statement below was just passed to us from the Republican campaign of Nathan Deal. Mack Burgess was one of those people who you instinctively know would be among the next generation's movers and shakers:
"Mack was an incredible young man, smart, hard-working, with a bright future ahead of him," said Gov. Nathan Deal. "This is a terrible loss for everyone in our organization and for anyone who knew him. We are going to take some time to grieve and pay our respects to Mack and to the Burgess family. I ask that everyone bear with us as we take a break from the campaign to mourn a life ended much too soon."
Burgess, of Roswell, graduated in 2008 from Centennial High School and in 2012 from the University of Tennessee, where he was the president of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and active in student government. Earlier this year, Burgess worked as campaign manager for Tricia Pridemore's campaign for Congress. He is on the Shirley and Billy Weir Foundation selection committee, which provides full university scholarships to children of Georgia golf course employees. He is the son of Banks Burgess and Missy Burgess.
"I ask that all Georgians say a prayer for Mack Burgess, for his bereaved family and for all who knew and loved him," Deal said.
Mack's father, Banks Burgess, is half of the Banks & Shane music duo -- something that the son never mentioned in our conversations. Shawn Davis, the GOP strategist from Marietta, says Mack Burgess first job out of college was as manager of Stan Wise's statewide 2012 re-election bid for the Public Service Commission.
My colleague Greg Bluestein reports that a visibly shaken Nathan Deal cut short his campaign stop in Dublin to rush back to Atlanta for a visit to Burgess' family.
About the Author
