The Georgia Veteran Services Board for the first time in more than 60 years picked a new leader Monday, naming longtime staffer Mike Roby as its choice to lead one of the state’s premier agencies.
The decision follows the April death of Pete Wheeler, who spent 61 years at the helm of the state Department of Veterans Service. Wheeler, a World War II veteran, left an oversized impression on an agency he guided through the tenures of 12 governors, three wars and numerous military conflicts.
Roby, 62, who admitted to a case of nerves as he awaited the board's decision, said he knew he had big shoes to fill.
“It’s very much an honor, especially to follow a great man such as Commissioner Wheeler was,” he said. “I’d been with him for 21 years. I learned a lot from him. I want to continue on what Commissioner Wheeler has established and just build from that and to make sure we continue to take care of the veterans in Georgia.”
Roby, who is the department’s interim commissioner, had been filling in for Wheeler since he went on medical leave in August. A 23-year veteran of the U.S. Army, Roby joined the state veterans department in 1994 as a field office manager and rose to become one of the department’s two assistant commissioners.
The pick must be approved by Gov. Nathan Deal, although no problem is expected since Roby was one of two finalists chosen by Deal’s office for the job. In a statement released after the vote, Deal lauded Roby as having the “experience, dedication and drive” for the job.
The other finalist was the department’s other assistant commissioner, Dan Holtz. The choice in the end came down to two longtime staffers, both well-versed in the temperament of the department and the issues faced by veterans in Georgia.
“The decision came down to choosing between one really good man with a lot of integrity and one really good man with a lot of integrity,” said board member Shawn Hanley, who cast the lone dissenting vote in the 5-1 decision to pick Roby. He said he wanted to recognize the quality between the two finalists, including Holtz’s knowledge of the hospital system and legislative process.
But both he and other members said there should be no question about their support for Roby as they move forward.
“This board,” Hanley said, “is going to rally around Mike.”
With Deal’s approval, Roby would formally take the new position July 1.
About the Author
