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During the Tuesday regular meeting of the Troup County Board of Commissioners, the county appointed a new county attorney to replace longtime County Attorney Jerry Willis.

Willis announced his retirement at the close of the morning work session after more than a half-century of service.

“Mr. Willis, after 52 years of dedicated service to this county, has retired. He did it the right way. He retired and walked out leaving us still sitting here,” Chairman Patrick Crews said.

Replacing him will be Mark DeGennaro from Wills’ Law Firm, Willis McKenzie LLP.

“Mark has been with us for a long time, we’re very excited to have him,” Crews said.

DeGennaro has also served Troup County for many years. He has served the county for 34 years with the firm and has taken the lead on many county assignments.

“It certainly has been a great relationship for the county, so we’re excited to continue to work with the firm,” Crews said.

“Mark DeGennaro has been by my side for years and years and years, heavily involved in county government. I’ve always been a little bitter at Mark because he’s got a credential that I don’t have. A lot of people don’t know this. Not only does he have a law degree, he’s got a PhD,” Willis joked during the morning work session. “Sometimes I felt intimidated by the PhD.”

“The county will still go on. Willis McKenzie will still be where it is. I’m not gonna be a partner, but I’m going to be of counsel for that firm,” Willis said.

DeGennaro earned his J.D. at the University of Georgia, cum laude,  where he also earned his master’s and undergraduate degrees, along with a Political Science degree at Berry College.

DeGennaro was unanimously voted in as county attorney 5-0, unlike Willis who squeaked by 3-2 just over 52 years ago.