By Amanda Respess 

G eorgia College & State University President Cathy Cox and seven Georgia College alumni were named to the 2025 Georgia 500, Georgia Trend Magazine’s annual list of the 500 most influential non-elected leaders in the state. 

“We work hard each year to identify not just the most successful Georgians, but the ones also making an impact in their communities,” writes Georgia Trend Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ben Young. 

“Many factors go into the [Georgia 500] selection process because we have so many leaders working together to promote economic development and quality of life in Georgia,” Young added. 

President Cox is one of several higher education leaders selected for the 2025 group. GCSU alumni in higher education named to the Georgia 500 include: Dr. Ivan H. Allen ('96), president of Central Georgia Technical College; Dr. Johnny Evans ('93), president of College of Coastal Georgia; and Martha Ann Todd ('08), president of Columbus Technical College. 

Other GCSU alumni on the list include economic development executives Ralph Staffins III ('06, '08), president and CEO of the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce; Mark Williams ('85), executive director of the Jekyll Island Authority; and Chris Clark ('96), president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. 

The Georgia 500 also includes state leaders in banking, finance and professional services, including Virgil Miller ('92), president of Aflac U.S. 

“At Georgia College & State University, we believe the future is brighter because our alumni will make it so. The alumni recognized in the Georgia 500 represent just a few of our nearly 60,000 remarkable graduates who are making a meaningful difference in their communities,” said Dr. Seth Walker, vice president for University Advancement at GCSU. “These individuals are shaping the future of our state, and we are honored that GCSU is part of their story.” 

Georgia Trend’s Georgia 500 is released annually each autumn. President Cox has been named to the Georgia 500 numerous times, in addition to inclusions in Georgia Trend’s “Notable Georgians” and “100 Most Influential Georgians” lists.