New chair, vice chair for Athens Tech board

Athens Technical College would like to congratulate Dr. Reginald Woods on becoming the new College Board Chair. Dr. Woods begins his one-year term on July 1, 2025.

Dr. Woods is a native of Kansas City, Missouri and moved to Athens with his wife, Brenda, in July of 1999. He is a former Manufacturing Operations Executive, former Corporate Instructor and Human Resources Manager for the Westinghouse Electric and ABB transformer plants in Jefferson City, Missouri and Athens, Georgia where he served more than 20 years in that industry.

In addition to his background, Dr. Woods holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri and a Doctorate in Counseling from the Andersonville Theological Seminary in Georgia. He has served as a counselor with inmates at the Athens Clarke County Jail, and the Youth Detention Center. He holds credentials in family and adolescent therapy; has served as Pastor of Hartwell First Baptist Church in Hartwell, GA, served as the Financial Chair for the Northeast Georgia Workforce Development Board, and is also the former Board Chair for Athens Community Council on Aging.

We would also like to congratulate Mr. Phil Bettendorf as our new Vice-Chair. He and his wife are from Watkinsville, Georgia.

Mr. Bettendorf is a Senior Vice President for Synovus Bank serving the retail bank in Northeast Georgia and South Atlanta. He has been with Synovus for 29 years and was the 2015 recipient of the William B. Turner Humanitarian of the Year Award and the 2018 James H. Blanchard Leadership Award. Mr. Bettendorf also holds an undergraduate and master’s degree from the University of Georgia as well as a diploma from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

Phil is a member of the Rotary Club of Athens, a graduate and volunteer of LEAD Athens, past chair of the Athens Tech Foundation board, past chair of the Athens Area Community Foundation, and many others. He is also currently serving as the Chair of the Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center hospital board.

“It is truly an honor to have strong community leaders like Dr. Reginald Woods and Mr. Phil Bettendorf serve as our Chair and Vice Chair for Athens Technical College,” says Dr. Andrea Daniel, President of Athens Technical College. “Each one brings a unique asset to our College and care greatly for the success of our students.”