Grant Buckley, Executive Director of the Cordele-Crisp County Industrial Council in Cordele, and Rev. Michael Coley of Americus, SGTC Electronics Alumni and retiree from the Warner Robins Air Force Base, participated in training through the Technical College System of Georgia’s (TCSG’s) Technical College Director’s Association (TCDA) to achieve the coveted individual certified board member status.
TCSG’s Grant and Coley participated in the one-day training session offered by TCDA Executive Director Adie Shimandle at South Georgia Technical College in Americus. Both Grant and Coley were added to the SGTC Board of Directors in 2021. South Georgia Technical College is a member of the 100% Club for a fully certified board. Only 12 other colleges have 100% of their board certified.
These two new members will be recognized for this achievement at the TCDA – TCFA Leadership Conference in Savannah later in October with other members of SGTC’s Board of Directors.
Members of the local board of directors of the 22 state-managed technical colleges are automatically members of TCDA. Workshops are provided throughout the year and at the annual conference to assist members in becoming board certified.
In order to be certified each board member must attend required workshops on: New Board/Governance, Community Advocacy, Elected Officials and Budgets.
To be selected to serve on the local SGTC Board of Directors, members must be recommended by community leaders and area legislators and then confirmed by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia. The board is made up of community leaders representing the SGTC service delivery area, which includes Sumter, Schley, Crisp, Macon, Marion, Webster and Taylor counties. Members are appointed for three-year terms. In addition to Buckley and Coley, the South Georgia Technical College Board of Directors consists of Chair Don Porter of Americus, Janet Siders of Sumter County, Jake Everett of Webster County, Richard McCorkle of Marion County, Jimmy Davis of Macon County, and Mattie Gordon of Taylor County.