GVC Seeks Director of Entrepreneurial Center
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The Greater Vidalia Chamber is actively searching for candidates to fill the new Director of Entrepreneur Development position, which will lead new and upcoming businesses at the Greater Vidalia Center for Rural Entrepreneurship.
In July 2022, the Chamber, in unison with the Toombs County Development Authority, announced that the area would receive $4,059,474 from a $17.25 million allocation of Rural Downtown Development Funds by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). In addition to this grant, the Chamber and Authority collected $750,000 in OneGA funds and a $859,386 local match, all of which are being used to construct this new Center.
The Center, to be located at 204 East First Street in downtown Vidalia, will be a valuable tool in the economic toolkit of the region. “It will be a means to revitalize and enhance the downtown areas, create new job opportunities for area residents, create higher wage jobs, contribute to the growth and success of emerging businesses, and will be a source to generate new tax revenue,” Greater Vidalia Chamber President Michele Johnson explained. She noted that the Center will also serve as a rural model for entrepreneurial place making. “These factors will provide the longterm metrics against which to measure the success of the Center.”
Construction began on the facility this year and is expected to be completed by the time of the Vidalia Onion Festival next year. In preparation for this completion the Chamber has now shared the description and duties of the new position in hopes to gain the perfect candidate. According to Johnson, resumes and applications for the position are due by September 7, and a decision will be made soon after.
The Chamber issued a statement on the position, explaining, “The Greater Vidalia Center for Rural Entrepreneurship (CRE) is slated to open in 2024 and promises to be a synergistic hub for aspiring business owners, innovative thinkers, and entrepreneurs of all ages. The goal in developing the CRE is to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Greater Vidalia Region through education, incubation, engagement, and networking. The Director will work closely with the Directors and Staff of the Greater Vidalia Chamber, Toombs County Development Authority, and various other organizations to design and create the programs for the CRE and will begin identifying potential member clients while the project is in its final stage of development.”
The basic responsibilities of the job are the overall responsibility for operations of the Center; performing the project and administrative functions, including facilities management and programming; and acting as the primary marketing and public relations contact for the Center facility, programs, and activities. The Chamber believes the perfect candidate would have relevant experience with small business startups and operations, entrepreneurship development, project management, or marketing, and would have spent time in relevant areas, such as facilities management, event management, volunteer management, or social media marketing.
“This person is going to serve as the face of this new facility, so it is very important that we choose the right person,” Greater Vidalia Chamber Chairman Mike Hagan remarked. “This position is central to the work we are trying to complete within this new building.”
Anyone interested in the position should submit a letter of interest, which should include qualifications for and interest in the position, as well as a resume and the names and contact information for three professional references. This information may be emailed to info@greatervidaliachamber. com. For any further information or questions, contact the Greater Vidalia Chamber.
