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Marion residents graduate from
Academy of Economic Development
The Board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development announces the Marion County graduates from the 2006 Region One 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 16 counties in Southwest Georgia. 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, and provided
   
     
  them with leadership training in the areas of consensus, ethics, diversity, teambuilding and presentation skills.
Marion County's graduates at the May 23 ceremony were: Kay Hagler, Community Developer for Middle Flint RDC and April Smith, Family Advisor- Region 8 Family Connections.
Created in 1993, the Academy assembles a cross section of economic development professionals and resources to provide this training in all twelve service delivery regions in Georgia. The Board of Directors of the Academy include representation from over 20 public and private community and economic development organizations and agencies from across Georgia. Since its organization, the Academy has provided training for thousands of professional and non-professional economic developers around the state. The Academy's five-day regional program is accredited by both Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association for local elected officials as part of the certified elected official training program.
"One of the goals for the multi-day regional Academies is to encourage multi-county cooperation and establishment of peer networks," 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, or use best practices developed by one community in another."
As part of the program, participants are also charged with homework requiring them to assess communities within the region as potential business locations of various types from the perspective of a "neutral" location consultant. Two teams were recognized for outstanding homework presentations: Team Harris County, comprised of Dave Jankowski (Chattahoochee), Katherine Kelly (Muscogee), Pam Jordan (Talbot ) and Harold Heath (Taylor); and Team Marion County, comprised of Roger Bryant (Harris), Carole Rutland (Muscogee) and Willette Smith (Sumter County). Local governments within the communities reviewed will be presented with these homework assessments.
The next academy for the Southwest Georgia Region 8 is planned for spring of 2007. For more information, contact Spencer Mueller, Regional Representative for the Department of Community Affairs at (229 723 9184).
   
 
   
         
   
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