Thurbert Baker has Finance Director.

Ely Abbott director of the law school's fundraising effort will become Thurbert Baker Finance Director for his gubernatorial bid for governor in 2010.

Here's an email sent out by Steven Kaminshine, dean & professor of law at Georgia State University:

Ely Abbott has advised me that he has decided to accept a special opportunity to become Finance Director of Attorney General Thurbert Baker’s gubernatorial campaign. Ely is an old political fund-raising junkie, having served in this arena previously on two congressional campaigns. He found the opportunity to run a potentially historic state-wide gubernatorial campaign too irresistible to pass up. Ely will need to join the Baker campaign and depart the COL by May 1. Until then, Ely will help launch our alumni giving effort through the final three months of the annual fund year, working closely with me and our Senior Director of Development, John Harrison.

Those of you who have worked with Ely over the past two years know what a gem the Baker campaign is getting. Ely is a class act, an incredibly hard worker, and the ultimate team player. He recognizes each day that a successful alumni program is all about relationships, and he has applied his talents to great success to advance the College of Law’s’ alumni program forward in so many important directions.