R. Keith Kelly, ’87, was elected judge of South Carolina’s Seventh Judicial Circuit. Beginning on July 1, he will fill one of nine new judge seats in the state that were approved by the South Carolina legislature to relieve a backlog of criminal and family court cases. Kelly is a partner at Spartanburg, South Carolina firm Lister, Flynn & Kelly, where he specializes in family, criminal and personal injury law. He has formerly served as a representative in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, a double graduate of Mercer (B.A. '64 and J.D. '66), was named Georgian of the Year by Georgia Trend magazine in its January issue. Mercer is well represented in the latest Georgia Trend listings of the most influential Georgians. In addition to Governor Deal, Mercer University President William D. Underwood was named one of the 100 most influential people in the state.