2 0 2 1 A N N U A L A W A R D S C E R E M O N Y
Keynote Address
Brian P . Kemp
Governor of Georgia
Brian Kemp is a husband , father , businessman , and public servant . On November 6 , 2018 , he was elected as Georgia ' s 83rd Governor , earning more votes than any gubernatorial candidate in state history .
Governor Kemp built his first business – Kemp Development and Construction Company – with a pick-up truck and a shovel . Over thirty years later , he is a successful entrepreneur with businesses and investments in banking , farming , timber , manufacturing , and real estate .
Kemp served on the Board of Suncrest Stone in Tifton as a Founding Director of First Madison Bank and St . Mary ’ s Hospital Board in Athens . From the backhoe to the board room , Governor Kemp understands how to successfully create jobs , grow companies , recruit start-ups , and make deals on the international stage while also providing opportunities for hundreds of hardworking Georgians .
Out of frustration with government , Brian Kemp ran for public office in the early 2000s .
In the State Senate , Kemp was instrumental in fighting to cut fees , taxes , and mandates on job creators and Georgia families . As Secretary of State , Kemp utilized technology and innovation to cut bureaucratic red tape , slash spending , and streamline government .
As Governor , Brian Kemp is fighting to make Georgia # 1 for small business through regulatory reform . He will ensure that all parts of our state - including rural Georgia - have opportunities to grow and thrive . Kemp is fundamentally reforming state government , keeping our families safe , and always putting hardworking Georgians first .