Jasper Watkins III, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army and a licensed Nuclear Pharmacist, has a rich history of service and leadership. Elected District 3 Commissioner in 2020, he oversees an area encompassing Dacula, Grayson, Loganville, Snellville, and parts of Lawrenceville in Gwinnett County. Jasper’s professional journey includes being the principal/consultant for Watty Consulting, LLC, and a senior account executive for the Group Purchasing Organization, Minnesota Multistate Contracting Alliance for Pharmacy Infuse.
His military career spanned 25 years as an Army pharmacist, where he played pivotal roles, such as assisting in the placement of wounded Pentagon personnel post-September 11 attacks and leading pharmaceutical support for Hurricane Katrina and Andrew’s aftermath. He also served five years as chief of the Bureau for Statewide Pharmaceutical Services for the Florida Department of Health and two years with the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center’s pharmacy.
Jasper’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Florida A&M University and a Master of Health Services Administration from Central Michigan University. He is distinguished as the first African American in the armed forces and the state of Florida to achieve board certification with the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacist Nuclear Pharmacy Residency Program. His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Award of Excellence in Allied Health Care, the Order of Military Medical Merit, and numerous other military decorations.
Growing up in a military household as the eldest of two children, Jasper followed in the footsteps of his father, SFC Jasper Watkins Jr., a United States Army veteran. Accumulating over 40 years of federal and state leadership experience, his expertise is invaluable in governing Gwinnett County. He has been instrumental in various capacities, including supporting Walter Reed Army Medical Center during the 9/11 crisis and as Pharmacy Director of Martin Army Hospital at Ft. Benning, Georgia.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Jasper is deeply involved in his community. He is a graduate of the Gwinnett 101 Citizens Academy and Leadership Gwinnett, serves on the National Association of Counties Health Steering Committee and Association of County Commissioners of Georgia Committee on Mental Health & Substance Abuse, and has been president of the Northforke Plantation Homeowners Association. He is an active member of several boards, scientific associations, and Berean Christian Church Gwinnett. Residing in Grayson, Georgia with his wife Felicia, Jasper is a family man with 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren.