The Fayette County Development Authority (FCDA) has hired Bremen, Ga., consultant Joan Young as interim CEO for the organization.
It was a year ago that Alan Durham joined FCDA as CEO. Durham and Business Retention and Expansion Manager Emily Poole left their postions with the authority in late September, leaving a leadership gap at the top of the primary organization charged with recruiting new business and industry to Fayette County.
The decision to hire Young effective Nov. 2 was announced on Oct. 30.
“I’ve done this for a long time and I have a lot of institutional knowledge in economic development that I can bring,” Young said. “I’m not looking for a full-time job. But I enjoy economic development and Fayette is a county with some of the biggest potential in metro Atlanta, if not the state. I was delighted to be asked to serve on an interim basis and I bring a wealth of experience. I’ve worked with state partners for years. I’m here to offer advice that comes with experience to help the board in their way forward.”
Commenting on Young’s hire, FCDA Chairman Darryl Hicks said Young brings the right skills and wealth of knowledge and will be tremendously valuable during the interim period that could potentially extend through January.
Hicks said FCDA will be methodical about hiring a permanent CEO.
“Joan gives us the chance to do that,” he said.
Young since 2013 has run Bremen-based Joan Young Consulting. Prior to that time, she served as business development director of Louisiana Economic Development and as the senior economic developer in Baton Rouge, La.
Prior to her time in Louisiana, Young served for 10 years as the executive director for the Development Authority of Haralson County and as president of the Haralson County Chamber of Commerce.
Young has served in local, regional, state and national community and economic development groups including serving as Chairman of Georgia Economic Developers Association’s (GEDA) Natural Resources and Environment Committee, GEDA Board of Directors, Vice Chairman of West Central Technical College and a governor’s appointee to the Georgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Advisory Committee.
