Two of Georgia’s economic development leaders – Craig Lesser and Jorge Fernandez – will be recognized for their efforts in marketing Georgia to the world.
Lesser served as Commissioner of Economic Development for the State and Fernandez lead the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s economic development team for more than a dozen years.
Lesser is now Managing Partner of the Pendleton Group, where he was recently joined by Fernandez. Pendleton provides governmental affairs, economic development and communications counsel to governments and businesses.
As Georgia’s Commissioner of Economic Development from 2004 to 2007, Lesser led the Department’s efforts to bring more than $8 billion in new investment to Georgia, including the Kia Motors assembly plant in West Point.
Under his leadership, countries with economic development representation in Georgia expanded to ten. He also served as president of Hemisphere, Inc., a public-private partnership that led efforts to bring the Secretariat of the proposed Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.
Lesser has served in numerous leadership roles in business, the media, and government. He was as a managing director of McKenna Long & Aldridge, where he led its international affairs consulting group. He served in key executive leadership roles at Southern Company, including President and CEO of Mirant-New York, and senior vice president of external affairs at Mirant-Americas.
At the Chamber, Fernandez was responsible for Foreign Direct Investment, international corporate recruitment, and connecting Metro Atlanta companies and institutions with international business growth opportunities.
Fernandez also served as international and alliance Vice President for Delta Air Lines where he was responsible for international operations and sales outside of the United States, Delta’s alliance strategy, overseeing codeshare relationships, and the airline’s regional strategy for operations in the company’s Latin American and Caribbean service area.
Prior to joining Delta, Fernandez served as senior political-military analyst at Veridian Engineering. He also served in the United States Air Force for more than 20 years, as a command pilot, strategic planner, and international affairs advisor.
Fernandez advanced Atlanta’s reputation in Israel and recruited Israeli companies to metro Atlanta area and will be honored by the America Israel Business Connector, along with Oded Shorer, Director of Economy & Trade for the Consulate General of Israel, which connects Americans and Israelis in business at its annual Gala.
Lesser will receive the Kennesaw State University Global Public Service Prize in recognition of his “legacy of compelling public service to the State of Georgia and his accomplishments in engaging our state with the world,” according to Lance R. Askildson, Ph.D., Vice-Provost & Chief International Officer of KSU.
