Tobin (Toby) R. Carr, who has served as associate vice president for government relations and director of state relations at the University of Georgia for the past four years, has been selected as the university’s next vice president for government relations. Carr will succeed the current vice president, J. Griffin Doyle, upon his retirement on April 1, 2019.
 
Carr is an honor graduate of UGA, holding dual degrees in finance and agricultural engineering, and he has more than a decade of experience in Georgia government. Prior to becoming associate vice president, he served as director of planning for the Georgia Department of Transportation for three years. In this role, Carr was instrumental in working with local governments, local planning bodies and the federal government in furthering the transportation improvements that have taken place in Georgia over the past several years. He also worked on the staff of Gov. Nathan Deal in several capacities and from 2008-09 was an aide to House Majority Whip Jan Jones, who now serves as Speaker Pro Tem.
 
“I have worked closely with Toby Carr to advance the university’s key priorities with our state leaders,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “He has established strong relationships with the Governor’s Office, the General Assembly, Board of Regents and the University System Chancellor’s Office, as well as Georgia’s federal delegation in Washington, D.C. Perhaps most importantly, he has a unique understanding of the university and its critical role in serving all 159 counties of Georgia. With Toby’s appointment, we will have a seamless transition in expert leadership of our government relations efforts.”
 
Carr was recommended by a screening committee chaired by UGA General Counsel Mike Raeber. Over the next five months, Carr will continue to work closely with Doyle through the gubernatorial transition, the upcoming Biennial Legislative Conference and the 2019 session of the Georgia General Assembly. When he assumes his new post in April, he will oversee an office that includes three directors who serve as the university’s liaisons at the federal, state and community levels.
 
“I am thrilled to be named as the next vice president for government relations,” said Carr. “I am excited to have this opportunity to help build upon our many successes as we move the university forward.”
 
As associate vice president and director of state relations, Carr has helped the president to successfully advocate for the appropriation of approximately $130 million in capital funding for new facilities such as the Terry College Business Learning Community, the Center for Molecular Medicine, Phase I of the Interdisciplinary STEM Research Building and others. In addition, he has advocated for operating funds for the university, which annually comprise nearly 30 percent of the university’s budget. These state funds are critically important in enabling UGA to provide a world-class education at a reasonable cost to students.
 
Carr is a former member of Leadership Georgia and was named to UGA’s 40 Under 40 in 2014. He serves as an advisor to the UGA Chapter of the Blue Key National Honor Society and received its Young Alumnus Award in 2012. He also serves as an advisory board member to the UGA College of Engineering.