Charlie Gatlin
Community and Economic Development Strategic Planning, Economic Development
Profressional Coaching, Tactical Economic Development Plan Updates

Charlie Gatlin’s economic development career spans 39 years. He is currently serving as consulting senior advisor to the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), the state agency responsible
for promoting, marketing and supporting economic growth and job creation; and the Georgia Allies, a
public-private marketing partnership of GDEcD and major Georgia corporations.
From 2009-2011, Charlie was Director of Economic & Community Development at Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG). ECG provides strategic and technical services to Georgia cities that operate a community-owned public power utility.
Before his retirement from GDEcD in 2009, Charlie served for 20 years in a variety of roles at the Department including: Deputy Commissioner of Global Commerce, Deputy Commissioner of External Affairs, Deputy Commissioner for Tourism, Department Chief of Staff, Global Commerce Projects Team Leader, Director of Marketing, Research and Communications, and Executive Director of Georgia Allies. From 2009-2011, he was Director of Economic & Community Development at Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG). ECG provides strategic and technical services to Georgia cities that operate a community-owned public power utility.
Charlie is a past president and past board member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA), which recognized him in 2002 with the Rip Wiley Award for Professional Excellence, and honored him with an Honorary Lifetime Member Award in 2009.
A native of Albany, Georgia, Charlie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Georgia. He is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), and is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institutes for Organization Management.
Before entering the field of economic development, Charlie was an administration and training officer in the U.S. Air Force, and a mortgage banker. He is married to the former Cathy Tidwell of Macon. He has two daughters and two grandchildren.
From 2009-2011, Charlie was Director of Economic & Community Development at Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG). ECG provides strategic and technical services to Georgia cities that operate a community-owned public power utility.
Before his retirement from GDEcD in 2009, Charlie served for 20 years in a variety of roles at the Department including: Deputy Commissioner of Global Commerce, Deputy Commissioner of External Affairs, Deputy Commissioner for Tourism, Department Chief of Staff, Global Commerce Projects Team Leader, Director of Marketing, Research and Communications, and Executive Director of Georgia Allies. From 2009-2011, he was Director of Economic & Community Development at Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG). ECG provides strategic and technical services to Georgia cities that operate a community-owned public power utility.
Charlie is a past president and past board member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA), which recognized him in 2002 with the Rip Wiley Award for Professional Excellence, and honored him with an Honorary Lifetime Member Award in 2009.
A native of Albany, Georgia, Charlie holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Georgia. He is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD), and is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institutes for Organization Management.
Before entering the field of economic development, Charlie was an administration and training officer in the U.S. Air Force, and a mortgage banker. He is married to the former Cathy Tidwell of Macon. He has two daughters and two grandchildren.