Michael A. Cheokas

Michael A. Cheokas was born in Americus, Georgia. He attended the Americus Public Schools until 1969 and was graduated from the Westminster Schools of Atlanta in 1971.

After attending Emory University in Atlanta for two years, he relocated to Athens, Greece where he continued his studies at Pierce College in that city.

Mr. Cheokas worked in the import-export field in Greece for Elias Xafas, S.A. of Athens before returning to the United States. Mr. Cheokas is President of Cheokas and Cheokas, Inc., which is a retail liquor and real estate development corporation located in Americus, Georgia.

Mr. Cheokas is a past Vice President of the Americus Jaycees and has been an elected member of the Sumter County Democratic Committee for the past ten years, having served as its Chairman. He has been a member of the South Georgia Technical College Foundation Board since 1996, and is currently serving as Chairman of that Board. He served two terms as President of the Parish Council of the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Macon, Georgia. In 1999, he joined the Board of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving which seeks to understand caregiving through research and education and acts as an advocate for public awareness on caregiving issues. In 1998, he joined the Board of the New Horizons Habitat for Humanity and has served as its President. He has been a member of the Americus Kiwanis Club for the last twenty-two years.

Mr. Cheokas was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2004 from the 134th District which includes Sumter, Schley, Marion and part of Talbot Counties. He currently serves on the Higher Education, Health and Human Services and Information and Audits Committees.

Mr. Cheokas resides in Americus with his wife, the former Gaynor Gillis of Columbus, Georgia, and their three children Brittany, a graduate of Brenau University; Athan, thirteen years old; and Lexie, nine years old.