1979, the second Republican to have won the position, the first having been the flamboyant Ronnie Thompson in 1967. Israel's success has often been attributed to the beginnings of the growth of the Reagan coalition in Georgia and the rest of the American South. He served as the state chairman of Ronald Reagan's reelection campaign and was himself reelected to the mayoral post in Macon in 1984. Israel's reelection was considerably achieved more on his merits and successes in his first term than was his first election. As a mayor, he was known for his fiscal conservatism, integrity and bi-partisan attitude. At the end of his second term as mayor in 1987, Israel was considered a serious contender for Governor of Georgia. However, Israel instead decided to return to the business sector. Business career Following his retirement from politics, Israel became president and CEO of the Potomac Corporation, a European venture capital firm. From 1990 to 1994 he served as CEO of Fickling and Walker, a real estate company, and in 1994 he left to become CEO of the privately held Secure Health Plans of Georgia. Israel currently sits on the board of directors for YKK. He was appointed chairman and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in 2002 and is the current holder of the post. Israel was chosen by Georgia Trend Magazine as the 2006 GEORGIAN OF THE YEAR He has also served as chair of the Macon Chamber of Commerce and the Macon Economic Development Commission, and has also several other business and community leadership committees. He has been appointed to several state advisory boards including State of Georgia Commission on Privatization, the Georgia Military Affairs Committee and the Southern Growth Policies Board. See also References 1949 births Living people Mayors of Macon, Georgia Georgia (U.S. state) city council members Georgia (U.S. state) Republicans American financial businesspeople American members of the Churches of Christ