Local business leaders among regional leadership class graduates

AMERICUS – Business leaders from throughout the region, including three from Dougherty County, were among the inaugural class of Locate South GeorgiaLEADS that graduated recently.

The graduation ceremony was held at the Flint RiverQuarium in Albany.

William Hancock, Mary Ligon and Matt Reed were among the Locate South GeorgiaLEADS (LSGL) graduates who took part in the eight-month leadership development program whose activities included seven visits to various South Georgia communities to better understand the economic and growth needs of the region. The program was presented by Electric Cities of Georgia.

Sponsored by Georgia Power and hosted by the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission, Georgia Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Chris Clark served as the keynote speaker for the graduation event. He was joined by Jonathan Sangster of Georgia Power, who delivered the “Leadership Charge” on behalf of the Georgia Allies.

Matt Bishop, the director of the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development at the University of Georgia, offered leadership lessons to the graduates upon their commission.

With 32 participants representing 21 counties across South Georgia, LSGL graduates were asked to personally commit to playing an active role in the future success and growth of South Georgia in the months and years ahead. Several participants shared ways they have already engaged in their home communities as a result of their participation in the organization.

LSGL represents a partnership between the regional economic development initiative Locate South Georgia, the state’s premier business organization, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development at the University of Georgia. It is tasked with identifying and developing regional leaders who can elevate the awareness of regional issues of importance across South Georgia — both within their hometown communities, as well as to elected officials across the region and State.

Graduates of the inaugural program had the opportunity to further develop their individual leadership skills while engaging in discussions of regional importance around economic development, identify and influence of the region, work force development, and community growth challenges that are both unique and relevant to South Georgia.

Graduates of the 2016-2017 Locate South GeorgiaLEADS class were:

Ben Hill County — Jason Dunn; Berrien County — Jill Wise, Hayden Hancock; Coffee County — Mackenzie Bennett, Jeff Hennesy; Colquitt County — John Mark Mobley, Tommie Beth Willis, Dug Schwalls; Crisp County — Briley Edwards, Anna Hurt; Grady County — Betsy McGriff; Lee County — Lisa Davis, Darrel Finnicum, Donna Ford, Jennifer Johnston; Lowndes County — Thomas Simpson; Mitchell County — Paige Gilchrist, Jennifer Burnum; Randolph County — Sheri Michaels; Sumter County — Barbara Grogan, Bill Harris, Jr., Jem Morris, Richard Peck; Tift County — Brian Atwater, Sandra Giles; Worth County — Kim Gilman, Karen Rackley, Karon Willis

LSGL links regional site visits and issue awareness to relevant leadership development content within the framework of the Locate South GeorgiaLEADS priorities. Emphasizing regional priorities throughout the program, each session directly links leadership skills training to issues of critical importance to South Georgia: