July 26, 2024
24-75
Jessica Pope
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 RDI Readies Lee County Leaders for Immediate Success, Long-Term Stability
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A seven-member team from Lee County recently attended the Valdosta State University Center for South 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Regional Impact Rural Development Institute, a three-day summit designed to help communities across 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 develop an action plan for rural prosperity. Participating team members are Robert Alexander, Leesburg city manager; David Daughtry, Leesburg City Council member; Amanda White, Leesburg City Council member; Chris Guarnieri, Lee County Board of Commissioners member; Lisa Davis, president of the Lee County Chamber of Commerce; Bert Gregory, Leesburg city attorney; and Chris Prokesh, Leesburg police chief. They are pictured with Scott Purvis, regional economic development manager for 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Power and Lee County mentor. |
VALDOSTA — A seven-member team from Lee County recently attended the Valdosta State University Center for South 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Regional Impact Rural Development Institute, a three-day summit designed to help communities across 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 develop an action plan for rural prosperity.
“Rural communities and their citizens are integral to 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站’s economy, culture, and future,” said Darrell Moore, director of 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站’s Center for South 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Regional Impact. “Through the RDI, 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 is working to build capacity that encourages the growth and development of rural communities without sacrificing their distinctive rural character.”
To prepare for the RDI, Lee County’s participating economic development, city, county, and community leaders were tasked with using a readiness index to conduct a self-assessment of their recruitment, education, infrastructure, leadership, demographics, and quality of life.
During the summit, they analyzed the results of their self-assessment and worked with a mentor to identify their unique opportunities and challenges, connect with experts and other available resources, build a support network, and develop a roadmap for economic vitality.
Moore said this year’s RDI, 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站’s third, offered a program that emphasized experiential learning with a heavy dose of discussion, debate, and teamwork.
Highlights included content experts, professional developers, and consultants delivering interactive and engaging sessions on the elected official’s role in economic development, the current economic environment and future projections, building the future workforce through pathways and partnerships, the impact of artificial intelligence, downtown redevelopment strategies, retail as a catalyst for economic growth, tourism opportunities to generate wealth, and more.
After each session the Lee County leaders “worked with a mentor to reflect on what they had just learned and then talk about how they could take some of those ideas back and implement them in their communities,” Moore said.
“RDI was an amazing opportunity to learn about a multitude of topics that affect our local economic and community development,” said Amanda White, Leesburg City Council member. “We are currently focused on improving both in our community. RDI supplied the tools we need to launch these efforts as well as continue to improve on them in the future.”
Summit mentors represented various organizations — Electric Cities of 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站, 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Department of Economic Development, Association County Commissioners of 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站, One Valdosta-Lowndes, 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Power Company, Hodge Consulting Services, and the 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Municipal Association.
Featured summit speakers came from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette; the 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Department of Economic Development; the 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Department of Community Affairs; the 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Municipal Association; Association County Commissioners of 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站; the University of Washington iSchool; West AlabamaWorks of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; the Downtown Development Authority of Bainbridge; Retail Strategies; Hodge Consulting Services LLC; the Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp; and the Wetumpka, Alabama, Chamber of Commerce.
Lee County leaders left the RDI with a prioritized list of projects and initiatives designed to build a better future for the people who live, work, play, and visit in their communities.
Through experiential learning initiatives at 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站, the Center for South 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Regional Impact will use university faculty, staff, and students to help Lee County implement at least one of these projects in the coming months.
“The future is bright in Leesburg, and I'm excited to be a part of it all,” White said. “We did compile a prioritized list of projects that will receive extensive focus in order to boost economic and community growth. One will be a partnership with 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 to develop a strong visioning and branding campaign. It's something we really need in Leesburg, and I'm really excited about it. We've already started initial communication with the school to kick start the process. Other initiatives on the list include downtown development and housing development. These are ongoing projects that will continue to be prioritized by our leadership teams.”
Based on feedback and comments from participants, presenters, and mentors, 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站’s RDI continues to be a tremendous success.
“The Rural Development Institute contributes to the community and economic growth of rural communities through strategic planning to develop initiatives to support local businesses, promote entrepreneurship, or attract investment,” said Scott Purvis, regional economic development manager for 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站 Power and Lee County mentor. “I am very optimistic of the hard work displayed by the participants from Leesburg and Lee County. They have developed a plan that will bring short-term success and long-term stability through a new community branding campaign and downtown development efforts.”
蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站’s Rural Development Institute is an opportunity for the university to continue supporting the work of the Governor’s Rural Strike Team and provide a positive impact on 蜜桃影像传媒有限公司网站’s rural communities.
On the Web:Participating Lee County Leaders:
• Robert Alexander, Leesburg city manager
• David Daughtry, Leesburg City Council member
• Amanda White, Leesburg City Council member
• Chris Guarnieri, Lee County Board of Commissioners member
• Lisa Davis, president of the Lee County Chamber of Commerce
• Bert Gregory, Leesburg city attorney
• Chris Prokesh, Leesburg police chief
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