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Habersham & Cowan
770.487.7605
SIBF Life Member
Professional Bio
Joel grew up in Cartersville, Georgia, graduating from Georgia Tech in 1958. He owns Habersham & Cowan, Inc. an investment/holding company based in Atlanta. His major business interests have been in real estate development. Since 1983, he has been active in international finance principally in the CIS and China. Now he teaches at Georgia Tech's MBA program. He is an active director of EWI, an international think tank. He was a co-founder of the CELA program in Istanbul. He has served in numerous civic and government unpaid positions including past as an at-large member of the Georgia Board of Regents and vice chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Conservancy. He is the founder of Georgia's new town of Peachtree City, serving as its first Mayor in 1959. He was also the chief executive of its development company through 1976. Peachtree City is widely known for its innovative lifestyle features, such as 60 miles of paved cart paths, 20% open space, and an effectively administered sign and land-use ordinance. Mr. Cowan has also been involved in such projects as Phipps Plaza, Snapfinger Woods and Palmetto Dunes in addition to Peachtree City. He was chairman and principal owner of Fayette State Bank from 1965-84 and of Habersham Federal Savings Bank from 1984-89. He was a director of numerous other companies, including World Airways, Inc., Continental Airlines, Inc. (NYSE) IRT Property Company (NYSE) and Interstate General Company (ASE). He was Governor Harris' campaign chairman in his two elections and served as Honorary Chief of Staff throughout his terms. He was chairman of the Dept. of Community Affairs and chaired the Growth Strategies Commission. In 1999 Mr. Cowan was appointed by Governor Roy Barnes as Chairman of both the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the Governor's Development Council.
Company / Organization
Habersham & Cowan
SIBF Life Member