FRED D. BENTLEY, JR. was born in Marietta, Georgia, in 1955. He grew up in Marietta and attended Cobb County public schools. He received his undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Georgia in 1977 and his law degree from Emory University in 1980. Mr. Bentley commenced the practice of law as a member of the firm of Bentley & Bentley in 1980 until his move to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1983 where he practiced with Phelps, Dunbar, Marks, Claveire & Sims in the insurance defense, commercial litigation and education law areas. He was an in-house counsel for the Permian Corporation in Houston, Texas, from 1986 to 1987, until his return to Marietta, Georgia, where he resumed his practice as a member of Bentley, Bentley & Bentley. Mr. Bentley established and served as the County Attorney for Cobb County, Georgia, from 1991 to November, 1993, following which he returned to the private practice of law with Bentley, Bentley & Bentley. He served as a part-time faculty member of Kennesaw State University, and has served on the faculty of Phillips Junior College in Louisiana. Mr. Bentley was admitted to practice before the State Bar of Georgia in 1980, the State Bar of Louisiana in 1983, and the State Bar of Texas in 1986. He has been admitted to practice before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Federal District Courts for the Southern, Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Texas, Middle and Northern District of Georgia. He is a member of the Cobb County Bar Association. Mr. Bentley has held memberships, offices and/or honors in the following: Kennesaw State University Foundation Trustee, Rotary Club of Marietta; Rotary Club of New Orleans; Cobb County Chamber of Commerce - First Vice Chair, Vice Chair, Chairman (2007), Lifetime Achievement Award (2006), Board of Directors; Trustee, Marietta Fine Arts Council; Trustee, Cobb County Mini-Symposium; 1981 Outstanding Young Men of America; Who's Who in the South and Southwest; Who's Who in Emerging Leaders of America; Who's Who in Industry and Finance; Phi Gamma Delta Social Fraternity; Trustee, Georgia Student Education Foundation; graduate of Regional Leadership Institute (1991); named by Atlanta Magazine's "Georgia Power" as a "Leader to Watch in Cobb County;" recipient of Kennesaw State University “President’s Award"; Board of Directors , Fellowship of Christian Athletes; Tommy Nobis Center; Board of Directors, American Cancer Society; Director, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art; Southern Museum; Kennesaw Museum Foundation - Heroes and Legends Award. Mr. Bentley has also written, directed and performed in "Tuesday Nite Live" a series of parodies to raise monies for the Cobb Marietta Museum of Art. Mr. Bentley served as the Attache` for The Gambia National Olympic Committee during the Centennial Olympic games. He currently serves as Honorary Consul General for the Nation of The Gambia. Mr. Bentley is married to Patricia Foster and has four children, Rhett, Matthew, Caroline and Landon. The Bentleys attend Johnson Ferry Baptist Church.