Dawsonville’s own Michael Patrick, who works for the Georgia Department of Transportation, just got a big promotion.

The 53-year-old is in charge of all Forsyth County state roads as a highway maintenance foreman with the state agency.

Patrick was promoted Dec. 16 from an equipment operator to the foreman position.

DOT’s interim district engineer said Patrick’s promotion was well deserved.

“Michael is an outstanding employee, and he knows Forsyth County like the back of his hand,” Todd McDuffie said.

Patrick has worked with the DOT in the Forsyth County area for several decades.

He helped set up barricades when the 1977 movie “Smokey and the Bandit” was filmed on the newly-opened Ga. 400 route.

Patrick has helped Ga. 400 grow since then by maintaining the road.

He said success in his occupation came down to “doing the best job I possibly could and paying attention to the instructions that I was given.”

Patrick is the pastor at Holy Grounds Tabernacle Church in Dawsonville.

He and his wife, Rachel, have a daughter, Tonya Berry of Dawsonville, and a grandson, Logan Andrew Michael Berry, 7, of Dawsonville.