Deke Copenhaver / Principal - Copenhaver Consulting, LLC

Deke Copenhaver currently serves as Principal of Copenhaver Consulting, LLC, a niche consulting firm in Augusta, Georgia serving the needs of businesses, nonprofits and local governments. In May of 2019 he published his first book “The Changemaker: the Art of Building Better Leaders” with Advantage|Forbesbooks.

Deke served as Mayor of Augusta, Georgia from 2005 through 2014.  Since leaving office Deke has served as the host of “There it is With Deke Copenhaver”, a daily call-in radio show on WGAC New Talk Radio, as well as Managing Consultant for the Augusta Economic Development Authority. 

Deke has spoken at many national conferences on topics including city design, economic development, healthcare, veteran’s issues and the non-profit industry. He currently authors a monthly column on leadership published by the Georgia Municipal Association. Mr. Copenhaver earned a B.A. in Political Science from Augusta College and is a graduate of Leadership Georgia and the Mayor’s Institute on City Design.

Deke has been recognized as one of Georgia Trend Magazine’s “100 Most Influential Georgians” seven times. Southern Living Magazine named Deke as one of their “Heroes of the New South” for his passionate work in helping to revitalize Augusta’s historic inner-city African American neighborhoods. In 2010, Mr. Copenhaver was awarded the “Exemplary Service for Community Unity” award by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Committee. Mr. Copenhaver was the 2013 recipient of the Robert F. Cocklin Award presented by the Third Region of the Association of the United States Army for his exceptional support of AUSA, our nation’s military and their families. In 2014 the Greater Augusta Arts Council recognized Deke with the President’s Award for his support of and commitment to the arts. In 2017 Mr. Copenhaver was recognized by Leadership Augusta with their Ruth Crawford Community Leadership Award. In 2017 Copenhaver was presented with the First Annual Invest Augusta Cyber Leadership Award. 

During his final re-election campaign in 2010, Deke became the first American mayor to complete all three legs of a sanctioned Ironman event and has subsequently completed four more Ironman 70.3’s. He and his lovely wife Malisa reside in Augusta, Georgia with their two dogs Sarah Bet, Hoss Buddy.

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