Success
Stories:
REGION
9 REPESENTATIVES GRADUATE FROM
GEORGIA ACADEMY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
(March 20,
2003) - The Board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development
announces the local graduates from the 2003 Region 9 Multi-Day
Training Program. Class participants represented a number of professional
and non-professional economic development fields, including public
officials, public servants, business leaders, educators, and social
service providers, from 14 counties in Region 9. The Academy provided
each of the graduates an opportunity to gain a unique understanding
of the complexities of economic and community development on the
local, regional, and state levels.
Graduates
at the March 20 ceremony included: Tom Deen, Karen Glenn and
Pam Wiggins of Appling County, Billy Smith of Bleckley County,
Jim Donaldson of Candler County, Al Lawson of Emanuel County,
Patia Johnson and Randy Mayfield of Evans County, Ethelyn Creech,
Tommie Jean Ricketson and Corine Sellers of Jeff Davis County,
Julius King of Laurens County, Brandon Braddy, Dale Clark, Johnny
Clifton and Martin Moses of Montgomery County, Elbert Alberson,
Gene Crapse, Jamey Durrence and Dusty James of Tattnall County,
Bill Deyo and Pete White of Telfair County, Shari Adam, Michele
Johnson and Bill Mitchell of Toombs County, Crystal Manning of
Wayne County, Jane Horton, Nancy Livingston and Janice O'Brien
of Wheeler County and Curt Nichols of Wilcox County.
Created in
1993 by then-Governor Zell Miller's Development Council, the Academy
assembles a cross section of economic development professionals
and resources to provide this training in all 11 rural service
delivery regions in Georgia. The Board of Directors of the Academy
consists of 29 members representing public and private entities
from across Georgia. Since its organization, the Academy has provided
training for thousands of professional and non-professional economic
developers around the state, and with the 1998 creation of State
Service Delivery Regions across Georgia, the Academy is now offered
annually.
"One
of the goals for the multi-day regional Academies is to encourage
multi-county cooperation," says Saralyn Stafford, Executive
Director of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. "Many
times the participants discover the issues facing their community
are the same as those facing other communities in their region,
and can then combine limited resources to address the issue."
Due to the
efforts of the Georgia Rural Development Council, the program
was expanded to include Leadership Development last year. The
Economic Development training focused on understanding the complexities
of the process, strategies, and solutions essential to successful
community improvement and economic development. The Leadership
Development training focused on improving communication, shaping
consensus, team building, and streamlining the decision making
process. As part of the program, and with financial support of
the 2002 Georgia General Assembly, participants were also charged
with selecting and developing a regional project for implementation.
Participants of the Region 9 program chose Youth Leadership Development
as their project.
The next
academy for Region 9 is planned for winter of 2005. For more
information, contact Jim Crowdis, Region 9 Regional Representative
at
478-296-6195 .
Regional
Meetings and Events:
