Local Residents Graduate Economic Development Academy

Two local residents are among the latest graduates of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development.

Last week, the Board recognized Jeremy Spradlin and Christian Hamilton as Stephens County graduates from this year’s Region 2 Multi-Day Training Program.

The Academy’s multi-day program, taught one day a month over a four-month period, includes training in the basics of economic and community development, plus specialized segments on business recruitment and retention, tourism product development, downtown development, planning, and other essentials for community success.

Also, the curriculum features specific leadership skills like consensus building, ethics in public service, and collaborative leadership.

Officials say the academy provides 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.

Created in 1993, the Academy assembles a cross section of economic development professionals and resources to provide this training across the state of Georgia.

Georgia EMC and Georgia Power provide facilitators for the program and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs provides staff support to this program.

Georgia Academy for Economic Development Director Corinne Thornton says one of the goals for the multi-day regional academies is to encourage multi-county cooperation.

Thornton says that many times the participants discover the issues facing their community are the same as those facing other communities in their region, adding that they can then combine limited resources to address the issue.