Wayne Lord

The Southern Center for International Studies, a non-partisan educational institution in Atlanta, has named a new president to succeed Peter White, who founded the organization in 1962.

Mr. White will be replaced by Wayne Lord, a Georgia State University international business professor with extensive connections in Georgia’s corporate, educational and legislative communities.

Dr. Lord has held a number of leadership roles at non-profit organizations and companies over three decades of international trade and business experience.

Before joining Georgia State’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business, he worked as a corporate relations officer with Gold Kist Inc. and later for Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. 

An authority on Russia, Dr. Lord also served on the board of a Russian agribusiness company and is currently working to develop Georgia State’s executive MBA programs in Moscow.

During his tenure at Gold Kist, he ran the Gold Kist Foundation Inc., the company’s charitable arm.  He also directed fundraising efforts to establish The Howard School’s multi-million dollar campus in Atlanta.

Cedric Suzman, vice president and director of programming at the Southern Center, told GlobalAtlanta that Dr. Lord has a long and substantial history of involvement with the organization.

In the late 1970s and 1980s, Dr. Lord was a senior fellow for the center for Russian studies.  He often conducted evening seminars and spoke at various programs.

He has stayed involved in recent years, forging close bonds with the center’s board that will make for a seamless leadership transition, Dr. Suzman said.

“This is not a disruptive event at all,” he said, adding that Dr. Lord’s appointment will help strengthen important ties with the state’s business community.

“His role as a professor at the Robinson College of Business will support the Southern Center’s development of a strong strategic relationship with Georgia State,” said Charlie Battle, chairman of the center’s board.

For the present time, Mr. White will be president emeritus and remain on the center’s board of trustees.  He will retain a number of executive responsibilities, particularly in fundraising and business development, Dr. Suzman said.

“Going forward, I hope to build on the significant legacy of accomplishments of the Center’s founders, strengthen the center’s core activities and expand our involvement with the business community,” Dr. Lord said after the meeting announcing his appointment.