The LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce recently held a virtual graduation to recognize the 30 community members who completed the 2019-2020 Leadership Troup program presented by Jackson Services. Please see the attached photo of the class.

Sponsored by the chamber, Leadership Troup has educated local professionals about the issues and concerns of the community since 1991. The program spans ten months and includes leadership modules created by The J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development – a public service and outreach unit of the University of Georgia.

“This year’s Leadership Troup class was the first class to participate in virtual meetings and graduation ceremony, you all have been so adaptable and eager to continue learning” Leadership Troup chair Trae Long told the class. “In the words of George Bailey, ‘Leadership Troup class of 2019-2020 is the best class!’”. 

This was the fifth year of an enhanced program developed in conjunction with the Georgia LEADS program of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the University of Georgia’s Fanning Institute, whose mission is to grow quality leaders across the state. The program included sessions focused on local government, health care, education, tourism and more. 

As is tradition, the class selected four new board members from among its peers. Joining the board from the 2020 class are­: George Bailey, Salvation Army; Dr. John Beyers, First United Methodist Church; Lindsay Fenn, Troup County Government and LeTessia Wilder, Colony Bank. 

The class also selected a classmate to speak at the program. This year’s Leadership Troup graduation speaker was Dr. John Beyers.

This year’s graduates and their employers include:

George Bailey, Salvation Army; LaRhonda Bailey, Hometown Family Medicine; Angela Berch, West Georgia Technical College; Dr. John Beyers, First United Methodist Church of LaGrange; Cristy Blom, Hyundai MOBIS Alabama LLC--Georgia Plant; Zack Britt, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Distribution Ctr 6054; Kim Burch, Coldwell Banker Spinks Brown Durand Realtors; Jason Cooper, Geotechnical & Environmental Consultants, Inc.; Daniel Evans, LaGrange Daily News; Lindsay Fenn, Troup County Government; Dr. Salman Fidahussein, WellStar West Georgia Medical Center; Coleman Foss, WellStar West Georgia Medical Center; James Goodlet, First Presbyterian Church; Alana King, Synovus (Commercial Bank & Trust); Evan Kirby, Broad Street Church of Christ; Lisa Martin, The Salvation Army Service Center; Freda Mitchem, District 4 Health Services; Julianne Pigg, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc.; Christina Porter, Great Wolf Lodge Georgia; Jenna Ransbottom, Re/Max Results LaGrange; Mack Reynolds Jr., Mack Reynolds Realty, LLC; Traviera Sewell, Troup County Board of Education; Jennifer Shawa, Twin Cedars Youth Services, Inc.; Dr. Brian Shumate, Troup County Board of Education; Tameka Stinson, WellStar West Georgia Medical Center; Morgan Tomberlin, Emory at LaGrange; Leslie Traylor, LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce; Chase Vaughan, Vaughan Xpress Inc.; Colby Watford, Duracell; LeTessia Wilder, Colony Bank.

Current Leadership Troup Board Members: Monica Barber, City of West Point; Yolanda Stephen, Troup County Board of Education; Joseph Miller, LaGrange College; Shelley Strickland, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center; Aaron Mabon, True North Investments; Molly Fulghum, Camp Academia; Josh O’Neal, Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center; Jamey Jackson, Malone Workforce Solutions; Mike Speight, Colony Bank; Shannon Lawson, Twin Cedars Youth Services, Inc.; and Trae Long, Gay & Joseph CPA.