(a) The board of governors shall elect or appoint such officers as may be provided in the bylaws and may delegate to such officers, who need not be members of the board, such authority and responsibility as the board may determine appropriate.

(b) Each officer and employee of the authority shall serve at the pleasure of the authority and shall hold office for the term for which he is elected or appointed and until his successor has been elected or appointed and has qualified or until his earlier resignation, removal from office, or death.

(c) All officers and agents of the authority shall have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the authority as may be provided in the bylaws or as may be determined by action of the board not inconsistent with law or with the bylaws.

(d) The board of governors shall have authority to fix the compensation of its officers and employees, except that officers or employees who are also members of the board shall serve without additional compensation for such service.

(e) The authority shall be authorized to obtain conviction data with respect to its officers and employees or prospective officers and employees. For such purpose, the authority may submit to the Georgia Crime Information Center two complete sets of fingerprints of the officer or employee or the applicant for appointment or employment, the required records search fees, and such other information as may be required. Upon receipt thereof, the Georgia Crime Information Center shall promptly transmit one set of fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a search of bureau records and an appropriate report and shall retain the other set and promptly conduct a search of its own records and records to which it has access. The Georgia Crime Information Center shall notify the authority in writing of any derogatory finding, including, but not limited to, any conviction data regarding the fingerprint records check or if there is no such finding. All conviction data received by the authority shall be used by it for the exclusive purpose of making employment decisions, shall not be a public record, shall be privileged, and shall not be disclosed to any other person or agency except to any person or agency which otherwise has a legal right to inspect the employment file. All such records shall be maintained by the authority pursuant to laws regarding such records and the rules and regulations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Crime Information Center, as applicable. As used in this subsection, "conviction data" means a record of a finding or verdict of guilty or plea of guilty or plea of nolo contendere with regard to any crime, regardless of whether an appeal of the conviction has been sought.