Rediscovering what we value most Pt. 2

This past month marked three years since I answered “the call” to accept the position of Early County’s economic developer. I can honestly say, it has not been boring. There are no two days that are ever the same.

Each morning for over a year, I would ask myself what was at least one thing I would do during my day that would make a positive impact in Early County. Daily, I would find multiple things to accomplish to assist in providing appropriate avenues to attract and retain quality investment.

Many days in the Office of Economic Development, it feels like we are constantly trying to clear the path all while building the tracks and the train at the same time, keeping the engine running – and navigating it all towards the hope and determination of a better tomorrow. Obviously, it takes many more offices to keep the economic development train moving forward and those partnerships have been very much appreciated.

Sometime over the past year, I began asking myself a different question: “Are we on the right track?”

I can’t necessarily explain it – but there are those signs that present themselves along the way that always answer that question. A good friend told me these are called “God Winks.” It’s those things that divinely align themselves with something else so positively well that it verifies you are on the appropriate track or at least moving towards it. These “winks” help keep this train rolling – both professionally and personally.

On the days where the train begins to sway and the tracks aren’t as visible,

I find myself jumping in my truck and driving a loop around Blakely or taking the long way home just to experience the natural beauty of the countryside. It’s an incredible reminder of why it all matters – whether it is displayed in a friendly wave around the Court Square, or by the rush of witnessing a herd of deer as they cross a dusty red dirt road from one freshly harvested field to the other.

All of those good things can quickly get things back on track… It’s a reminder that economic development is about so much more than spreadsheets, documents, maps and reports. It’s about the future, which includes the people living here today and those who will come on board somewhere along the way. Economic development is about the land because at the end of the day that is truly what connects us. It is a great comfort to be reminded of what makes this place so special.

Full steam ahead, Early County.

Published in the Early County News on November 5, 2025.