Sonny Perdue Bio | Wiki
Sonny Perdue is an American veterinarian, businessman, politician, and university administrator. He served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. Sonny previously served as the 81st governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011 and was the first Republican to hold the office since the Reconstruction era.
Sonny served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump’s term. On March 1, 2022, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia appointed him as the system’s 14th chancellor, effective April 1, 2022.
Sonny Perdue Age
Sonny was born on December 20, 1946, in Perry, Georgia, United States. He is 75 years old.
Sonny Perdue Height
He is a man of average stature and stands at a height of 5 ft 8 in (Approx. 1.72 m).
Sonny Perdue Family
He was born in Perry, Georgia, to his parents Ophie Viola and George Ervin Perdue Jr. Sonny’s mother was a teacher and his father was a farmer. He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins.
Born George Ervin Perdue III, he has been known as Sonny since childhood, and prefers to be called by that name. Sonny was sworn in and signs official documents as “Sonny Perdue”. Perdue is the first cousin of former U.S. Senator David Perdue by their grandfather George Ervin Perdue I.
Sonny Perdue Wife
Sonny is married to his beautiful wife Mary Ruff. The couple celebrated their wedding in 1972 after dating for four years. Together, they share four children Leigh, Lara, Jim, and Dan, 14 grandchildren (six boys and eight girls), and have also been foster parents for many children. The family resides in Bonaire, Georgia. Sonny is an avid sportsman. He enjoys flying and, in a 2003 incident, was accused of flying a state helicopter without a license.
Sonny Perdue Education
He played quarterback at Warner Robins High School. Sonny was a walk-on at the University of Georgia, where he was also a member of the Beta-Lambda chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity.
In 1971, he received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and worked as a veterinarian before becoming a small business owner, eventually starting three small businesses.
Sonny Perdue Governor
Sonny served as the 81st governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011. He was the first Republican to hold the office since the Reconstruction era. He served from 2012 to 2017 on the Governors’ Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. In December 2001, Sonny resigned as state senator and devoted himself entirely to running for the office of Governor of Georgia.
He won the 2002 Georgia gubernatorial election, defeating Democratic incumbent Roy Barnes 51% to 46%, with Libertarian candidate Garrett Michael Hayes taking 2% of the vote. He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. Conley.
In 2006, Sonny was re-elected to a second term in the 2006 Georgia gubernatorial election, winning nearly 58% of the vote. His Democratic opponent was Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes was also on the ballot. Sonny was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election. In 2011, he founded Perdue Partners, which facilitated the export of U.S. goods and services.
Sonny Perdue USDA
In July 2019, Sonny ordered two USDA agencies—the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture—to move from the USDA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. to the Kansas City metropolitan area. Two-thirds of the reassigned USDA employees chose to quit rather than accept relocation.
The attrition rate was particularly high in the Resource and Rural Economics Division (90%) and in the Food Economics Division (up to 89%). Under Sonny, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) was accused of suppressing scientific publications for political reasons.
Sonny Perdue Chancellor
On March 1, 2022, the Board of Regents of University System of Georgia appointed Sonny as the system’s 14th chancellor, effective April 1, 2022.
Sonny Perdue Movie
In 2006, while still governor, Sonny made a cameo appearance as the coach of the East Carolina Pirates football team in the movie We Are Marshall, large portions of which were filmed in Georgia.
Sonny Perdue Net Worth
He earns his wealth from his career, therefore, he has amassed a fortune over the years. Sonny’s estimated net worth is $5 million.
Who Is Sonny Perdue
Sonny is an American veterinarian, businessman, politician, and university administrator. He served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. Sonny previously served as the 81st governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011 and was the first Republican to hold the office since the Reconstruction era.