Joe Wilkinson

Joe Wilkinson was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2000and sworn in January 8, 2001. In the House, he chaired the Ethics Committee and served on the Economic Development and Tourism, Health and Human Services, and Insurance committees. He also served on the Judiciary Committee as an Ex-Officio member.

Representative Wilkinson is a fifth generation Atlantan who graduated from North Fulton High School and the University of Georgia. He was the University’s first intern to the Georgia General Assembly working for the Republican Minority Leaders in the House and Senate.

He served Presidents Ford and Reagan as a member of the White House Press Office. He accompanied President Reagan on overseas trips to France, Honduras, Japan, China, England, and Belgium and attended the Economic Summits in France and England. He was a senior member of the Bush-Quayle Inaugural Committee and coordinated the hosting of the Washington, DC based diplomatic corps for the Inaugural.

Representative Wilkinson is retired from The Coca-Cola Company where he worked mainly in Coca-Cola International. During his career, he was a spokesman for the company in the United States, Director of Public Relations for Europe and Africa, Executive Assistant to the President of Coca-Cola International, and International Media Director for External Technical Affairs. Representative Wilkinson is retired from the United States Naval Reserve. He attained the rank of Captain (O-6) and is a veteran of Desert Storm. He is married to Pat and they have two sons, David and Stuart. David is married to Lisa and they have two daughters, Ella Grace and Hannah Marie. Representative Wilkinson has served on numerous non-profit boards including The Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Metro Atlanta Crime Commission, USO of Georgia, the Arts Festival of Atlanta, the Tommy Nobis Center, the Georgia Council for International Visitors, Sister Cities International and Atlanta International Family Services. He was appointed by Atlanta Mayors Andrew Young and Maynard Jackson to the Atlanta Council for International Cooperation. He is an Advisory Member of the Board of the Jekyll Island Foundation and on the Board of Directors for the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. He has visited more than 40 countries and has been a guest lecturer on international affairs to college and high school students for the past 25 years. Representative Wilkinson has also served as a guest commentator on international affairs and business for numerous local and national media outlets. The Wilkinsons are members of the Christ Episcopal Church Frederica on Saint Simons Island.