The Board of the Georgia Academy for Economic Development announces Liberty County graduates from the 2010 Multi-Day Training Program in Region 12.

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 the 10 Coastal Georgia counties.

The curriculum provides insights into the economic and community development on the local, regional and state levels. Liberty County participants who graduated Dec. 1 are: Krystal Britton, city of Hinesville public relations; Matt Cardella, Edward Jones/Hinesville DDA; Patricial Haggray, Coastal EMC; Charlene Parlett, Southeast Auto Service; Charles Richardson, Flemington City Council; Curtes Roberts Sr., Midway City Council; Steve Welborn, city of Hinesville Inspections Department; and Andrew Williams, Fort Stewart – Eleven Black Men of Liberty County.

Created in 1993 by then-Gov. Zell Miller’s Development Council, the academy assembles a cross section of economic development professionals and resources to provide this training in all 12 service delivery regions in Georgia.

"One of the goals for the multi-day regional academies is to encourage multi-county cooperation," said 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."

Georgia EMC and Georgia Power provide facilitators for the program, and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs provides staff support. The next Region 12 Georgia Academy for Economic Development will begin in September. For information, call Teresa Concannon at 912-536-5723.