Andrea Schruijer, Executive Director, Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority, has been elected Secretary-Treasurer of the Georgia Economic Developers Association. Andrea was elected on September 22nd at the business meeting of the organization’s Annual Conference on Friday at the Hyatt Regency Savannah.  She will officially take office in January 2018.

Schruijer has been with the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority for over six years.  She previously served as the Senior Vice President, Economic Development at Albany Dougherty Economic Development, for nearly four years in Albany.  Before that she worked as a Sales Manager for The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans and a Conference Services Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.    Andrea is a graduate of Georgia Southern University.

Other officers elected at the meeting include: Missy Kendrick, Chair, and President, Development Authority of Polk County; Pat Merritt, First Vice Chair, and Vice President, Community and Economic Development, Georgia EMC; Chris Pumphrey, Second Vice Chair, and Executive Director, Development Authority of Douglas County; and Anna Chafin, Immediate Past Chair, and Chief Executive Officer, Development Authority of Bryan County.
 
The speakers, topics and events of the conference, which took place September 20-22 at the Hyatt-Regency in Savannah, were specially chosen to highlight leadership development for Georgia economic developers.  Nearly 450 attendees were at this year’s conference, titled “Georgia - The State of Momentum.”
 
A significant address by Jason Stein, Publisher and Editor, Automotive News addressed the automotive sector and its promise for Georgia.  Other key speakers included Pat Wilson, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development; and Camila Knowles, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Community Affairs; who shared about collaboration with economic developers from the state’s perspective.  Griffith Lynch, Executive Director, Georgia Ports Authority provided insight into the resources of Georgia’s Ports.  Also, Chris Clark, President / CEO, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, updated the members on its Georgia 2030 Initiative.  Consultants Jim Blair of Navigator Consulting and Carter Wood, of Ernst & Young educated the participants on Foreign Direct Investment trends.  Sessions included a look at growing the partnership between education and economic development; and being able to replicate successful programs of talent development.  Keynote speaker Aimee Copeland gave the attendees a great send-off with a stirring message of faith, motivation, courage and inspiration.