▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁he ▁cha ired ▁many ▁House ▁Comm itte es ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 - 2 0 0 4 ▁Legisl ative ▁Session . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁Ass istant ▁Commission er ▁for ▁the ▁Georgia ▁Department ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁under ▁Tommy ▁Ir vin ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 7 - 2 0 1 0 , ▁when ▁he ▁stepped ▁down ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁Commission er ▁of ▁the ▁Georgia ▁Department ▁of ▁Labor . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁D odge ▁County , ▁Cole man ▁graduated ▁from ▁D odge ▁County ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁ ▁From ▁there , ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁attend ▁Rein hardt ▁College ▁where ▁he ▁earned ▁an ▁associate ▁degree . ▁ ▁He ▁later ▁obtained ▁his ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Science ▁in ▁C riminal ▁Justice ▁before ▁obtain ing ▁his ▁Jur is ▁Doctor ▁from ▁the ▁Wood row ▁Wilson ▁College ▁of ▁Law . ▁He ▁is ▁currently ▁employed ▁by ▁Cole man ▁and ▁Company ▁Ben ef its , ▁Inc . ▁which ▁de als ▁with ▁business ▁ins urance . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁East man ▁Vol unte er ▁Fire ▁Department ▁for ▁the ▁past ▁ 2 3 ▁years . ▁As ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁he ▁cast ▁the ▁dec iding ▁vote ▁to ▁allow ▁Georg ians ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁vote ▁for ▁the ▁state ▁flag ▁of ▁their ▁choice . ▁ ▁His ▁community ▁invol vement ▁includes ▁membership ▁on ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Direct ors ▁for ▁the ▁Bank ▁of