Jim Whitehead (politician)
Jim Whitehead was born in Augusta, GA in 1942. He attended Richmond County public schools, and graduated from the Academy of Richmond County in 1959 as a standout athlete, earning All-American honors as a football tackle and setting the Academy track team record for the shot put.
Whitehead continued has athletic career as a Bulldog at the University of Georgia Athens from 1960-62 in both football and track. He played as an offensive and defensive tackle with quarterback Fran Tarkenton,and set a UGA shot put record which stood for 6 years.
He married the former Peggy Ann Bond of DeKalb County in 1964, and after considering a career in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears, the Whiteheads returned to Augusta where Jim began his business career.
Whitehead spend the majority of that career in the tire business, founding Jim Whitehead Tire Company in 1985, which today has expanded to two locations in the Greater Augusta area. He is also President of Southeast Tire Group, Inc., a buying service for independent tire dealers.
He began his public career in 1994 with his election to the Columbia County Commission, where he served from 1995-2002, including a term as Chairman. He was first elected to the Georgia Senate in 2004, and re-elected in 2006. He was appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security in 2007, Vice Chairman of the Transportation Committee, a member of the Economic Development and Natural Resources Committees, and Deputy Whip for Senate Republicans.
Whitehead is a member of the Board of Directors of Doctors Hospital in Augusta, and an advisory Board Member of First Bank of Augusta. He has served as the Chairman of the Augusta Red Cross, Board Member of the Georgia Tire Dealers Association, Member of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia, Member of the Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and a Member of the Pastor-Parrish Relations Committee of Wesley United Methodist Church in Evans.
Jim and Peggy Whitehead live in Evans, Georgia, where they are active members of Wesley United Methodist Church. The Whiteheads have two sons, a daughter, two daughters-in-law, and a son-in-law.