LaGrange business leader Bobby Carmichael has been elected chairman of LaGrange College’s Board of Trustees. He will take over for Atlanta businessman Scott Hawkins, who served for two terms as chairman.

Carmichael was born in Atlanta but raised in Columbus. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Auburn University in 1971, and became a certified public accountant.

His professional experience includes 31 years as a banker with Synovus Financial Corp., 20 years as president of Commercial Bank & Trust in LaGrange; executive director of the Development Authority of LaGrange, where he oversaw recruitment of industrial businesses and manufacturers; and most recently executive director of Downtown LaGrange Development Authority.

During his time with DLDA, he was instrumental in such notable downtown projects as Del’avant Event Center, District 4 Public Health Services office building, Marriott Courtyard at Lafayette Square, Sweetland Amphitheatre and Wild Leap Brew Co.

Other transformative downtown improvements initiated during his tenure include public parking decks and lots, a downtown way-finding system and the sidewalk planter and bench programs.

Carmichael was appointed in 1994 to the college’s board of trustees, where he served as vice chairman. He also worked on the college’s two most recent presidential search committees.

He served as board chairman of West Georgia Health System, chairman of the church council at First United Methodist Church of LaGrange, board member of the Center for Strategic Planning and board chairman of the LaGrange/Troup County Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Bankers Association.

He and his wife, Molly, have two sons and three grandchildren.