A WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Welcome back to the Leadership Georgia Experience! Mary and I hope you had a wonderful summer and are ready to experience Progress in Motion.

For this September program in Dalton, we expect to address some issues and challenges that arise as a result of progress.  Specifically, we plan to highlight the successes and challenges that characterize Dalton's remarkable story of progress and economic development. The program chairs, Jorge and Julia Atiles have planned to expose your class to (i) the industrial advancements (manufacturing), (ii) what it takes to plan for progress (utilities), (iii) workforce and global issues (trade), and (iv) insightful, great speakers to deliver speeches that will inform participants about progress in motion.  At the end of the program, if we are successful, we will have communicated to the class the changing demographics and the adjustments needed to succeed, the challenges faced by employers, workers, and future generations and the unique caring nature of people of Dalton/Whitfield County.

You may wonder why did we choose Dalton?

We chose to bring Leadership Georgia to Dalton for two reasons.  First and foremost, Dalton has a very strong group of persons who have participated in Leadership Georgia in the past.  This group of alumni made it clear to me that they wanted Leadership Georgia to return to Dalton, and they have been instrumental in enabling us to do so.  The energy, enthusiasm and commitment I and Leadership Georgia have received from these individuals has been nothing short of amazing.  I am truly thankful for all of their assistance and support on so many levels.  We could not conduct this program without these community leaders and all
of their volunteer efforts.

Second, Dalton is a truly remarkable success story of leadership.  Many years ago community leaders in Dalton decided what type of community they wanted and they set out together to build it.  Their success has benefited the entire Dalton-Whitfield community and is an example of how leaders in a community can achieve success by coming together.  With that success has come challenges which were never envisioned, I suspect.  Leadership is also about how you handle those challenges that arise along the way of achieving your desired outcome.  Thus, Dalton is a prime example of making this point to existing and future leaders in the State of Georgia.

Hope you enjoyed this weekend, Class of 2008!

Tim and Mary Moses @ The Farm, Dalton, GA