The Board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development announces graduates from the 2015 Region 9 Multi-Day Training Program. Milton Johnson, District 1 Eastman city councilman was one of the graduates. Class participants represented a number of professional and non-professional economic development fields, including elected officials, public servants, business leaders, educators and social service providers from 13 counties in the Heart of Georgia/Altamaha region. 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.
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 represents public and private 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, and since 1998 the Academy has been offered annually.
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. In addition, the curriculum features specific leadership skills such as consensus building, ethics in public service, collaborative leadership and other segments needed for effective community leadership in economic development. Local elected officials may receive certification-training credits through the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal Association for completion of this program.