The Wiregrass Board of Directors, faculty, and staff welcome Dr. Shawn Utley and his family to Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. Dr. Shawn Utley has been appointed by the Commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia to become the Interim President of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. Commissioner Ron Jackson appointed Utley as interim effective May 1, 2013. Current President Dr. Ray Perren will become the President of Lanier Technical College on May 1, 2013.  

Utley is the Vice President of Economic Development for Moultrie Technical College. He has been with Moultrie Tech since 2004 where he began as Vice President of Satellite Operations.  Utley’s long career in education began in 1991 when he was hired as a teacher in the Coffee County School System. He taught in Coffee County and Dougherty County before becoming an assistant principal at Turner County Elementary. He continued his career in Turner County Schools both as an assistant principle and lastly a principle for the Middle School. 

Utley obtained his higher education credentials from Valdosta State University where he has also been employed as an adjunct faculty member since 2005. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education in Health and Physical Education, a Master of Education in Educational Leadership, an Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership, and his Educational Doctorate in Educational Leadership all from Valdosta State.

Utley, his wife Melisa, and their two children reside in Tifton where they attend the First United Methodist Church of Tifton. Utley has a long history of community involvement locally and on a state level. He has served on the Governor’s Education Advisory Board, the Governor’s Race to the Top Advisory Board, the Tift County Board of Education, the Tift County Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Board of Directors, RESA Board of Controls, the Tift County YMCA Board of Directors, and the Tift County Recreation Board of Advisors. He was named one of Georgia Trend Magazine’s “40 Under 40” in 2006, and a Valdosta State University Outstanding Doctoral Candidate in 2005. He is a graduate of the Technical College System of Georgia Executive Leadership Academy, Leadership Tifton, and Leadership Georgia.

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College serves 11 counties in South Georgia with four main campus locations.  Wiregrass is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate of credit programs. The college has an annual average enrollment of just under 4000 credit students.  The college provides free adult education service and GED preparation classes in all 11 counties. The Wiregrass Department of Economic Development offers continuing education, non-credit courses, and customized training for area businesses and industries.