July 2021 Chair's Column
I hope that you are enjoying a good summer with family and friends. We just concluded our nation’s Independence Day celebration on July 4th. It was refreshing and exciting to see so many people out and enjoying themselves in-person. While we are planning to meet in-person for most of our meetings for the remainder of this year, we still have several webinars that will be held virtually. These offerings were discussed and conceived at the GEDA Board Retreat last November in Savannah. We wanted to provide additional educational events and below are some of these examples.
Jason Dunn, Chair of the GEDA Professional Development Committee, and Executive Director, Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Development Authority, has had two webinars already and a third is scheduled for Thursday, July 29th from 10 to 11 AM. This program will feature Alfie Meek, Director, Center for Economic Development Research, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute, speaking on Real Numbers that Really Help. Locate South Georgia is sponsoring the event. Click here to register.
The GEDA Existing Industry and Workforce Development Committee, chaired by Serra Hall, Vice President of Project Development at the Newton County Industry Development Authority, in partnership with the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, is hosting its third webinar on Thursday, August 26th from 1:00-2:00 PM. Registration will open soon. The sponsor is TBD? The webinar will be on Data and Strategies for Reaching Unemployed and Underemployed Individuals. Click here to register.
The GEDA Education Pathways & Partnerships SIG, chaired by Matt Colvin, Director of the Atlanta Office of Economic Development with the University of Georgia, will meet on Thursday, August 12th at 10 AM with Dr. Leslie Hazle Bussey, CEO & Executive Director of the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI), as the featured speaker, examining the Georgia’s K-12 system and How the Pandemic has Affected Students and Teachers Across the State. You can register by clicking here.
Also, the GEDA August Monthly Meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 9th at the Mill on Etowah in Canton/Cherokee County and the GEDA 2021 Annual Conference will be at the Hyatt Regency Savannah on September 15-17.
There are lots of opportunities for you to engage, network and learn about ways to improve your skills and programs for your communities and organizations. Plan now to participate in one or more of these upcoming events. I am very blessed to be your Chair of GEDA this year and look forward to seeing all of you at a GEDA event soon.