Valdosta, GA - The Economic Development Department of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College completed the second cohort with the college’s Leadership Academy. The latest graduates of the internal Leadership Academy include: Frank Barnett (Pharmacy Technology Program Coordinator and Exposure Control- Valdosta Campus), Lisa Bedford (Payroll Services Coordinator – Ben Hill-Irwin Campus), Dr. Cheryl Carvajal (Area Director for Academic Affairs/English Instructor- Valdosta Campus), Marc Dame (Special Populations Coordinator – Ben Hill-Irwin Campus), Michelle Dix (Accounting Coordinator – Ben Hill-Irwin Campus), Kayla Zackery (Advising and Retention Center Coordinator – Valdosta Campus), Wally Rewis (Welding Instructor - Valdosta Campus), and Drew Vickers (Electrical/Industrial Systems Technology Program Coordinator- Valdosta Campus).
Several years ago, the Wiregrass Economic Development Division designed and implemented the Leadership Academy to help train and develop frontline supervisors and managers for area industry. After several years of growth and success with the program, Wiregrass decided to offer a version of this Leadership Academy training opportunity for its own employees. With instructor Millie Ward (Continuing Education Instructor), the first group of employees successfully matriculated the program and graduated in the Spring of 2019.
Leadership Academy Cohort 2 graduate Marc Dame added, “The Leadership Academy was a terrific opportunity to foster our communicative skills and hone our talents to motivate others.” Despite a few COVID 19 challenges, a second cohort of eight Wiregrass employees participated in monthly training sessions between Fall 2019 and Summer 2020 to help enhance their supervisory and leadership skills. The training included sessions covering Communication Skills, Managing Teams, Resolving Conflict, Leading Through Change, and Motivating Your Employees to be Their Best.
Millie is a seasoned industry professional with twenty-nine years in the automotive Industry. She graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering. Her career progression in the automotive industry included assignments that took her across multiple states and to a plant in Mexico. She held leadership roles in Purchasing, Supply Chain Management, Supplier Quality, Plant Quality, and Industrial Engineering. Given her real-world industry experience, Millie is able to engage with training participants in a unique and inspiring way. She has been an instructor for the Economic Development area of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College since 2016. To learn more about Wiregrass Economic Development Division’s Leadership Academy and how it can benefit your business or organization, please contact Millie Ward, Continuing Education Instructor, at 229-468-2076 or by email at millie.ward@wiregrass.edu You can also visit the college’s website at https://www.wiregrass.edu.
