Members in the News

Stinson Announces Retirement

Longtime Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) President Gene A. Stinson, CAE, PCED, CEcD, HLM announces his retirement effective December 31, 2021, after leading the association for 23 years. To ensure a smooth transition, the SEDC board has created a search committee and will begin a nationwide search for Stinson’s replacement

Prior to joining SEDC, Stinson led three chambers of commerce and economic development organizations in Tennessee and Georgia starting in 1986. In 2018, Gene was honored to serve as the Board Chair of the Georgia Society of Association Executives. Mentioning achievements at SEDC, Stinson is most proud of the vast expansion of member services and programming, along with more than tripling the budget through the expansion of non-dues revenue. He is also a graduate and proud supporter of the University of Tennessee, where he graduated from the Martin campus in 1978. Go Vols!

Governor Appoints 20 to the Georgia Tourism Foundation

Congratulations to the following community members who will serve on the Georgia Tourism Foundation.

• Paul Cramer is president & CEO of The Classic Center, a 350,000 square-foot meeting and convention facility, with a 2,000+-seat performing arts theatre, 2,000-seat arena, and 22,000 square foot outdoor covered pavilion, with a removable ice rink located in Athens, Georgia. 
• Jay Markwalter, TMP serves as Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (GACVB), the unified voice, education, and leadership development resource for our state's destination marketing organizations. 
• William Pate serves as president of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), where he oversees maintaining tourism as one of the city's top economic drivers. 

See the full press release.