HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Georgia State Senator John Wilkinson, the representative for District 50, was recently selected in Atlanta as Legislator of the Year by the Rural Jobs Coalition, a nonpartisan organization that supports small, rural businesses and advocates around the nation for policies that benefit rural economic growth.

“Born and raised in rural Georgia, I know firsthand the struggle of our small businesses to access affordable capital in their rural communities in order to grow operations and hire and retain workforce,” Wilkinson said. “The Georgia Agribusiness and Rural Jobs Act (GARJA) is one of many programs that I have supported that provides growth opportunities for our rural businesses. Georgia is a national leader in the effort to rebuild our rural areas, I am proud to be a part of that passionate movement.”

Sen. Wilkinson was chosen as Legislator of the Year as a result of his support of agribusiness and policies that assist in job creation, revitalization of small businesses, and economic opportunities for small, rural communities throughout Georgia.

Wilkinson represents Towns, Banks, Franklin, Habersham, Rabun, Stephens, and portions of Hall and Jackson counties. Wilkinson, a Republican from Toccoa, was first elected to the Georgia State Senate in 2011 during a special election and was re-elected to serve District 50 in three subsequent elections. In 2014, the senator was elected by his colleagues to serve as the Majority Caucus Secretary. Wilkinson additionally serves as the Chairman of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee and as Vice-Chairman of the Education and Youth Committee.

Furthermore, Wilkinson is a member of the Committee on Assignments and the Administrative Affairs Committee, as well as a member of the Appropriations and Natural Resources and the Environment Committees. The senator is an Ex-Officio member of the Rules Committee and was appointed to serve on the COPS task force in 2017.