Mayor of Augusta

Bio: Dr. Hardie Davis Jr. is the 84th Mayor of Augusta. An electrical engineer by trade and a former State Representative and State Senator, Mayor Davis has 16 years of experience transforming local and state government, economic and workforce development, and building smart, equitable, and sustainable 21st-century cities.

Managing an operating budget of $1.09B, Mayor Davis received global recognition for his signature projects, including helping Solvay Manufacturing secure $178M in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for their work in electric vehicle batteries and electric grids. Significant accomplishments to date include reducing the city’s unemployment rate to under 4%, establishing the $126 million Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center (1 of 7 cities vying to become the cybersecurity capital of the world), installing the largest municipal solar project in the state, achieving the highest bond rating in city history of Aa2, implementing One Augusta (a financial transparency database that provides stakeholders direct access to government spending), and overseeing the prestigious Masters Tournament.

In 2021, Mayor Davis launched Green Augusta, a comprehensive climate action plan to reduce Augusta’s carbon footprint, increase operational efficiency, and ensure a resilient and sustainable Augusta for future generations. Green Augusta will transition approximately 20% of Augusta’s non-emergency fleet to alternative fuel vehicles and expand previous clean investments in 89 Augusta facilities.

Nationally, Mayor Davis serves on the Executive Committee of the United States Conference of Mayors and as Co-Chair of the Technology & Innovation Task Force. He sits on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities, is a Founding Member, Member of the Board of Trustees, and Past President of the African American Mayors Association. He is the Chair of Smart City Expo USA, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Georgia Conservancy, and Director At-Large for the Georgia Municipal Association. Mayor Davis previously served in the Georgia Legislature as Chairman of the Interstate Cooperation Committee and as an active member of the Economic Development, Ethics, Finance, and Higher Education State Senate Committees.

Mayor Davis has consistently been featured in Georgia Trend magazine’s annual list of 100 Most Influential Georgians and recognized for his leadership by Georgia Bio, The Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Association for Career and Technical Education. He has been a featured speaker at Smart Cities New York, Smart City Expo Atlanta, Smart City Expo Doha, Summit of the Americas, and National League of Cities. He is a sought-after speaker regarding cybersecurity for cities.

Mayor Davis received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech, participated in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative at Harvard University, and received a Certificate in Health Policy from the Georgia State University Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. He has worked at national corporations with expertise in systems, automation, and control engineering.

Mayor Davis additionally earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from the Christian Life School of Theology and, through his stewardship, founded Abundant Life Worship Center in Augusta, where he serves as senior pastor.