FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2008
Contact Information:
Dallas Hunt, Greg Sowell
Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce
229-382-6200
Tim Chason
The Chason Group, Inc.
404-735-0540

Experienced Economic Developer Named To Lead Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce

Brad Day, a seasoned economic developer with Georgia roots, has been named president and chief executive officer of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce.  The announcement was made today following a called meeting of the organization’s board of directors.

A native Georgian, Day was born and raised on the northwest side of Atlanta.  Currently he is an economic development consultant and previously served as executive director of the Economic Development Council for Tallahassee and Leon County, Florida.

“Three words that best describe Brad are professional, experienced and energetic,’’ says Greg Sowell, 2008 chair of the chamber and a partner with Sowell, Sandifer, & Richbourg.  “I believe this is the right time in Brad’s career and the right time in our community’s growing process for both to form a strong partnership.”

Day has had long chamber of commerce and economic development background.  He has served as vice president of governmental affairs for the Gainesville-Hall County, Georgia Chamber of Commerce and president of the Jefferson County, Georgia Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority.  Day’s community marketing expertise has been recognized by the Southern Economic Development Council. 

“I appreciate the confidence the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce board of directors has shown in me,” says Day.  “This is a great opportunity for me as well as my family to live in a community with a terrific quality of life.  I look forward to working with the business, government and civic communities to market Tifton and Tift County to both existing companies and new prospects.”

Dallas Hunt of GM Services, Inc. (Shoney’s, Captain D’s, and Checkers) served as chair of the search committee.  During the search process, he communicated with local government leaders and the chamber’s membership on a continuous basis in order to seek their guidance and input.

“Our goal all along has been to find the most qualified person to serve as president, no matter the time it required to accomplish the task,” Hunt says.  “The support of the city council, the county board of commissioners and the Tift County Development Authority during this process has been tremendous.  The community truly pulled together as a team to identify and select the new professional to lead the chamber.”

The search for a new president to serve as the chief marketer for Tifton and Tifton County culminates a four month process that began in January.  The chamber leadership has been extremely inclusive in the process, including conducting an online survey of the organization’s membership and holding interviews with community stakeholders.  Five candidates were interviewed for the position.  The top two candidates were invited to return for a second and final interview.

Fifteen candidates provided resumes and completed detailed applications for the seat.  The candidates were from Georgia, Florida, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina, and West Virginia.  Thirteen of the fifteen applicants had direct experience in the chamber of commerce and/or economic development fields.  Two other candidates had extensive business backgrounds in the private sector.

Resumes were generated from advertisements and contacts with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Association, Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, Georgia Economic Developers Association, and The Chason Group, an executive consulting firm leading the search.

The key responsibilities of the president include:  provide vision, leadership and continuity for the organization - internally and externally; serve as the lead economic and community development business marketer for Tifton and Tift County; develop, with the assistance of the membership and Board of Directors, an annual or longer strategic vision that complements the mission statement; establish financial stability and accountability for the organization; represent the chamber in matters that corresponds with the mission; serve as the spokesperson for the organization; and provide public relations support to the community through various ways.

The new president earned his Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University and his Masters of Public Administration from the University of Georgia. Day is a graduate of the University of Georgia's Development Authority Executives Institute, the University of Oklahoma's Economic Development Institute, and is a Certified Economic Developer.  He has served on the boards of the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and Georgia Economic Developers Association.  He is a recognized expert in economic development, recently completing a review of the Georgia Rural Economic Development Center.  Day recently lectured as a chamber of commerce president at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing China. 

Day and his wife of 17 years, Dena, and their three children plan to move to the Tift County sometime this summer.  His first day at the chamber will be May 1.

In addition to Search Committee Chair Dallas Hunt, other members of the search committee included:  Lawton Bassett,  Ameris; William Bowen, Bowen Farms; Bennie Branch, Kelley Manufacturing Company; David Bridges of ABAC;  Jamie Cater, Mayor of City of Tifton; Homer Day, Professional Court Services; Carla Hall, WorkSmart; Mark Hand, Turner Distribution; Dave Hetzel, Councilman for City of Tifton; Julie Hunt, JH Services; Lynn Lovett, Georgia Power Company; Cal McMillan, First Community Bank; Sherry Miley, Commissioner for Tift County; Jack Perry, Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce; John Prince, Prince Chevrolet; Buck Rigdon, Commissioner for Tift County; Greg Sowell, Sowell, Sandifer, & Richburg; Beverly Sterling, Plant Telecommunications; Grady Thompson, Commissioner for Tift County; and Shawn Utley, Moultrie Tech.  Ex-officio members included Jim Carter, County Manager for the Tift County Board of Commissioners; Patrick Atwater, Superintendent of the Tift County Public Schools; and Mike Vollmer, City Manager for City of Tifton.

The Chason Group, Inc. of Cartersville, Georgia provided professional assistance to the search committee.