Gwinnett Daily Post

ATLANTA -- A Lawrenceville man with more than 20 years of military experience was named on Monday as assistant commissioner of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.

J. Mark Sexton joins the department from the Centers for Disease Control where Sexton was an exercise planner and public health adviser. Sexton's responsibilities included making sure the CDC exercise scenario conformed to Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program guidelines, along with other federal agencies and public health organizations.

In the military, Sexton was awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Air medal.

Commissioner Avery Niles said he hopes Sexton can restructure an agency that will be safer, more secure, productive and efficient.

"Mark Sexton's professional skill-set is built on re-evaluating and re-engineering large operations," Niles said. "He brings the kind of leadership this agency needs for reorganizing the department, developing its real strengths, and improving its deficiencies."

Sexton has a Bachelor's of business administration degree from North Georgia College, a Master's of Business Administration in Aviation from Embry Riddle Aeronautical. He also graduated from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the U.S Army Flight School at Ft. Rucker, Ala.