Local News
Cobb Chamber names new chairman after KSU's Dan Papp bows out
By Ben Brasch
Sept 12, 2016The Cobb Chamber of Commerce announced its new chairman Monday less than a month after Dan Papp, former Kennesaw State University president embroiled in controversy and ethics violations, turned down the position.
Gary Bottoms, president of financial planning firm The Bottoms Group, will succeed banker Terry DeWitt as chairman in January 2017, according to the Chamber.
"Gary brings a valuable skill set to our organization, and I’m certain his experience as a successful small business owner and his commitment to this community will serve our Chamber and its members well. Gary will be leading the Chamber during a pivotal year for Cobb County," said David Connell, president and CEO of Cobb Chamber, in a new release.
Papp was slated to take over the role before he abruptly retired June 30 after a decade leading the school. Weeks before his retirement, an audit by the state college system cited Papp for violating numerous financial policies. A separate audit of the school’s food service department showed several ethical and fiscal violations committed by Papp's lieutenants that are now the basis for a couple multi-million-dollar lawsuits.
"I did not reach this decision easily, but I believe that it is in the best interest of both the chamber and myself," read a letter from Papp saying he wouldn't take the chairman position.
RELATED: Former Kennesaw State president Dan Papp won’t lead Cobb Chamber
As for the man who is, Bottoms has been involved in the Cobb Chamber for nearly 30 years, including time on the board of directors and as the Marietta Area Council vice chair. He was in the 1989 class of Leadership Cobb.
"At its core, the Chamber’s mission is about people. It’s about promoting a culture of prosperity along with personal and economic growth," he said in a Chamber news release. "In Cobb County, we have a long history of creating partnerships and relationships that make our community a better place to live, work and play."
As a Georgia Tech alum, he also has served as past president of the Atlanta Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
He wrote a book named "Getting It Right" about estate planning, life and relationships that includes a forward written by U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.
Bottoms and his wife Melissa are founding members of City Church Marietta. They have been married for 41 years and have three adult children along with three grandchildren.
About the Author
Ben Brasch is the reporter tasked with keeping Fulton County government accountable. The Florida native moved to Atlanta for a job with The AJC. If there's something important to you going on in Fulton, he wants to know about it. Help him better metro Atlanta by dropping a line, anonymously or otherwise.
