Mayor Deke Copenhaver to be commencement speaker :

      Augusta State University's class of 2008 will begin the next step of their lives on Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. in the James Brown Arena. Augusta mayor, Deke Copenhaver, class of 1991 and a member of the ASU Foundation, will deliver the commencement address.
      Mr. Copenhaver has served as mayor of Augusta since 2005. He serves on several local and state boards including the Georgia Municipal Association, Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area, the Augusta State University Foundation, the Augusta Museum of History, and the Georgia Conservancy.
      Prior to becoming mayor, Mr. Copenhaver was appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue to the Georgia Land Conservation Partnership Advisory Council. The efforts of this council led to the setting aside of $100 million in state funding for land conservation.
      Previously, Mr. Copenhaver served as the Executive Director of the Central Savannah River Land Trust, a non-profit conservation organization that directs the Augusta-Richmond County Community Greenspace Program.
      He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Augusta College, and later accepted a position with National Securities Bank in Atlanta.