Celeste Greene Osborn, recently retired deputy chief financial officer for the State of Georgia, has been elected chair of the Berry College Board of Visitors.

She succeeds Timothy Kilpatrick in the position, which carries with it added responsibilities as a voting member of the Berry College Board of Trustees.

The Board of Visitors is Berry’s primary external advisory body, bringing together a diverse group of outstanding business and community leaders to provide the college with guidance and perspective on major strategic issues.

When the group was established in 1966, members were described as “leading citizens and able friends” by William McChesney Martin, who at the time chaired the Federal Reserve as well as Berry’s Board of Trustees.

A 1972 alumna of Berry College, Osborn worked in the private sector for 10 years and also served the state as director of administration for the Office of Education Accountability, executive director of the Office of School Readiness, and vice president for financial management of the Georgia Lottery Corporation. She was appointed by the governor to the Georgia Lottery Corporation Board, Employees’ Retirement System Board, Superior Court Clerk’s Retirement Board and the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority Board. Near the end of her career, she was named “stimulus czarina” to guide Georgia’s implementation of the federal $787 billion stimulus bill signed into law in 2009.

As her professional career drew to a close, Osborn sought a new focus for her time and talents. When the opportunity arose to serve her alma mater on the Board of Visitors, she jumped at the chance.

“I have worked with many groups of individuals over the years, but the Board of Visitors has to be one of the most talented groups – both professionally and personally – I have had the pleasure of being associated with,” said Osborn, who now resides in Marco Island, Fla., with husband Bruce. “The camaraderie on this board is amazing, and the diversity of work experiences by its members creates a wealth of knowledge that can be used to provide suggestions and advice to the Board of Trustees.”

In addition to electing a new chair, the Board of Visitors also welcomed 10 new members in 2010. They include:

Brad Alexander of Decatur, Ga., specialist in state government relations, media relations and corporate communications for the Georgia 360 public affairs firm and a 1995 graduate of Berry College.

Brian J. Brodrick of Watkinsville, Ga., head of the Athens office of Jackson Spalding, Watkinsville City Councilman and a 1997 graduate of Berry College.

E. Kay Davis Dunn of Atlanta, retired founder and executive director of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and a 1957 graduate of Berry College.

Rear Adm. Vincent Griffith of Richmond, Va., Commander, DLA-Aviation, U.S. Navy and a 1981 graduate of Berry College.

Nona Sparks Patterson of Lawrenceville, Ga., owner of Furniture Village in Stone Mountain, Buford and Lawrenceville, Ga., and a 1958 graduate of Berry College.

William L. Pence of Orlando, Fla., partner, Baker Hostetler, LLP, and a 1976 graduate of Berry College.

Brent D. Ragsdale of Fayetteville, Ga., senior director, financial consulting for Chick-fil-A Inc., and a 1988 graduate of Berry College

John Schneider of Sunrise, Fla., former president and CEO, General Dynamics Itronix Corp., and parent of Berry student Kyle R. Schneider.

Casey T. Smith of Marietta, Ga., president of Wiser Wealth Management Inc., and a 2000 graduate of Berry College.

Ann Fite Whitaker of Huntsville, Ala., vice president of technology and systems, BG Smith and Associates, and a 1961 graduate of Berry College.