Kevin Shea with Georgia Economic Developers Association

Intro: [00:00:02] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Association Leadership Radio. Now, here’s your host.

Stone Payton: [00:00:20] Welcome to another exciting and informative edition of Association Leadership Radio. Stone Payton here with you this afternoon and you guys are in for a real treat. In just a few moments, we’re going to get a chance to visit with Kevin Shea with the Georgia Economic Developers Association. But before we get there, please join me in welcoming back to the Business RadioX microphone with the Georgia Center for Employee Ownership. Ms.. Marie Davis, how are you?

Marie Davis: [00:00:49] I’m doing great. Stone, how about you?

Stone Payton: [00:00:52] Well, you just came in all bright eyed and bushy tailed. I can tell you’re very excited about participating in this upcoming conference. So much so that you invited us to come along and broadcast live on site. And Kevin and his team were gracious enough, kind enough to let us do that. But you’ve also chosen to be the Jim Jammy sponsor, whatever level that is. What’s got you so excited about being part of this organization, choosing to sponsor, and perhaps most importantly, going down there next week and interacting with these folks?

Marie Davis: [00:01:27] Well, when I joined the Georgia Center for Employee Ownership a little over a year ago, one of the first things we did was go to the Georgia Economic Development Association meeting in Savannah. So this will be our third sponsorship, and we’re excited about being gold sponsors this year. We really, really love the focus of the convention, which is welcome to the future, and that the future is innovation, strategic evolution, and it’s all about people. So we’re very happy to be there and excited about hearing all the stories people are going to tell through your organization.

Stone Payton: [00:02:02] Well, I can see it in your eyes. I know everybody can hear it in your voice. So let’s let’s talk to the man. Let’s get some insight on what’s going on over there. Kevin Shea. And you’re the grand poobah of the GED. Kevin, what’s your role over there?

Kevin Shea: [00:02:16] You got it? Stone Yes, I’m the president of the Georgia Economic Developers Association, or GDA, as we like to say so at least for another month anyway.

Stone Payton: [00:02:25] Fantastic. All right. So I want to hear all about the conference. But first, talk to us a little bit about mission purpose. What are you really out there trying to do for you, for your members?

Kevin Shea: [00:02:38] Well, GDA is a membership organization. We have nearly 700 members around the state. And I like to say that our bread and butter members are Chambers of Commerce Development Authority members, but basically anybody who’s interested in new business and expanding business in the state of Georgia. So our mission is that we have three, three separate missions of networking, professional development and public policy. And this conference is primarily about networking, but it’s also about the professional development and even public policy. We’re going to have some discussions about all of those and we’re really excited about it. This is the second year that we’ve been back after COVID. I think this year will be almost normal, as I like to say. And we’re very excited to have Marie and the Georgia Center for Employee Ownership back as well. They’ve been a great member and glad to have them as participants. And so really what we try to do is to help equip our members to be better at their jobs, to be better at bringing in business and welcoming new and expanding business to Georgia. So it’s just one of the ways and it’s really one of the best ways, I think, to do it, because it’s a three half day event that really allows people a chance to not only learn, but get to know other people in the business and customers, clients, mentors, a lot of different opportunities for people to enjoy themselves and really have a great time, too.

Stone Payton: [00:03:57] All right. So let’s talk a little bit more about what we can expect. And I get to say we because I’m actually going to get a chance to be down there as well. There are going to be speakers sessions, kind of an expo, some activities. Yeah. Walk us through some of the things we can expect to see and do down there, man.

Kevin Shea: [00:04:13] Okay, sure. Well, we excited to have you as well, Stone, and glad that Marie has brought you is going to be bringing you along next week. So we’re looking forward to seeing you there in person. And I think it’s going to be a great opportunity to to learn about welcome to the future, as Marie said. So it’s something where we have a theme and we have some speakers and panels that will start on Wednesday afternoon and go through Friday morning just before lunch. And we have an opportunity on Thursday afternoon to relax a little bit. Some people do their own thing, some people work, some people take a tour of Savannah, other people play golf. But it’s a little bit more relaxing opportunity that day. But we have Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning and then Friday morning and then we conclude. But it’s a great opportunity as being chaired this year by Tripp Tolleson, who’s the president and CEO of CEDA, the Savannah Economic Development Authority. And it just happens to be that we’re in Savannah while Tripp is the chair this year. So it really is a great opportunity to learn and really network, like I say, fellowship and really make new acquaintances, people that can help you do your job better and and help you to hone your skills so that you can continue to provide the services that Georgia needs in order to be the best state in the country to do business.

Stone Payton: [00:05:34] Well, it must be incredibly rewarding work, man. How did you find yourself in this role? What was your path?

Kevin Shea: [00:05:44] Well, it kind of happened just, I guess serendipitously. I had been in the business of economic development for a long time. I was at the local level well, I started out at the state level and then went to Canada, I guess at the international level. But with the state of Georgia for a few years. Then I was at the local level, then economic development until 2002 and got out of the business for a little bit, went down to Florida where we moved with one of our sons who needed some assistance and we moved down there. So move back to Georgia in 2014 and this job happened to be available. So we were actually moving back to Georgia to so my wife could take care of her ailing parents. And we did. And this job just happened to be available at that time. So it was in the same business. But I was a member before and now I’m the president and and still a member, but excited to be here. It really is a great opportunity. So we’re looking forward to this this conference. This will be my eighth year that I’ve been here and I’ll be retiring at the end of the month and somebody hopefully new and improved will come in and take my position out of that.

Stone Payton: [00:06:52] So tell us a little bit about the day to day work of the association is fantastic that you that you’re putting the event together day in, day out. Where do you and your team focus your efforts? What are you guys working on?

Kevin Shea: [00:07:05] Well, we do a lot. Since it’s a membership organization, we try to take care of our members. So any kind of request that they have interest, that they have sponsors. A ship opportunities such as Marie has taken advantage of. It’s just a great for our members to do that. And so we try to make sure it’s easy for them to do so. And my job is is leading the organization. It involves everything from operations to finance to marketing to our public policy. So I try to do a little bit of everything, I guess a jack of all trades and master of none to some extent. We’ve got a great staff that assist us with that. We also have policy efforts that during the General Assembly, which is from January through the end of March, usually we’re very focused on issues over at the state capital. We have a group with us that’s called Cornerstone Government Affairs, that’s a contract group that assists us with that. So we really appreciate all that they have done for us this year and during the off session. There’s also issues. In fact, there’s a Senate study committee that’s going to be meeting in Savannah on Tuesday before the annual conference that is considering development authorities and downtown development authorities. So we’re intricately involved with that and it’s something that will be there and hopefully having a better product because of our efforts. So I do a little bit of everything and it changes from day to day. I was working on finances yesterday even though a holiday and trying to get ready for our board meeting next week so we have to take care of them. It’s the 17 member board. We really just work hard to make sure that we are sort of like a family. That’s what I like in our association to be where we recognize each other, we appreciate it each other. We help to socialize, educate, recognize and just be an opportunity to have, have fun, learn and grow at the same time.

Stone Payton: [00:09:01] Well, I’m sure we won’t have time here to list them all, but I would love it if you would share with us some of the organizations, some of the other organizations who have chosen to support as a sponsor, and maybe some of the speakers, some of the people that we might expect to see represented there.

Kevin Shea: [00:09:19] Sure thing. Well, we have a number of different levels of sponsorship starts out with a presenting sponsor, which happens to be seat of the Savannah Economic Development Authority, which is our premiere sponsor. Then we have a number of other sponsors that are what we call platinum sponsors. We have Thomas and Hutton, we have Evans General Contractors. I think we have three or four of those guys. Web tech is another, Georgia realtors is another. And then we have lots of other sponsors, gold level, which Marie is at, and then we have silver level, we have door prize sponsors, and then we have golf, sporting clays, tennis sponsors. So there’s lots of opportunities to be involved in that regard. And the speakers we’re going to have are going to be talking about the issues that we face day to day and what’s going to happen in the future. Everybody from consultants, we have some folks from different groups. I think KPMG is one of them and we have the governor coming in via video. We have a number of panels that will be talking. Many of them are our members that will be on these panels. And so it’s a great opportunity for them to come together and hear what’s going on, cutting edge issues and best practices that we can share with everybody.

Stone Payton: [00:10:30] Well, it sounds marvelous, and I’m not surprised even a little bit, but I am definitely impressed at the level of support and participation that you and your team have been able to garner. This is going to be fantastic. All right. So let’s leave our listeners with, if we could, maybe a few pro tips to to get the most out of the conference. If I’m headed down there and we’ll spend a couple of days down there, what are some things that I should make sure that I do, maybe even in prep, but certainly while I’m there so that I, I really do get the the most while I’m down there and I’m able to come back to my ranch so that my whole team really gets some some value out of me having been there.

Kevin Shea: [00:11:12] Good question. Well, I’d say, first of all, make sure that you get there early enough to be able to get situated and participate in everything. And there is a new member orientation as well as a new member launch on Wednesday. So those that are new members should do that and really look forward to learning more about the organization, getting to meet some of the sponsors and some of the board members and the committee and chairs the shared interest group chairs. I would say look at the website beforehand and look at the sessions that you definitely don’t want to miss. Be able to circle those and highlight those so that you can be there on time for those. And then look at the list of registrants. You can go on to the website and see who are attending the conference and decide who are those people that you really need to meet. And even if you don’t know them, maybe you can come to me or Marie or somebody else who’s met them and be able to get an introduction. And we really encourage our existing members to welcome new members. So hopefully it will be something that would give them a great experience and be able to come back and learn one or two things that really would help you to do your job.

Kevin Shea: [00:12:15] Better, as you say, when you get back to the ranch to be able to share with others and also to to look at those people that, you know, that you’ve met, be able to work with them over the years from here on out. Like I said earlier, we’re sort of like a family. I like to consider a family. And it is something that really is I mean, people are very welcoming and willing to assist if you’ve got any questions or concerns and you want to share them with others. So I encourage people to reach out to the staff. I have several people that will be there with me. Brittany Love, Renee Dow and Asa Eggleston, along with me, will be happy to help you in any way we can. It’s just an opportunity that I’d say, do everything you can to be able to get the most out of it, and as Marie has done, come back several years after the first time. Hopefully you’ll be back in the future as well.

Stone Payton: [00:13:06] Well, I’m glad I asked, and I think it’s marvelous counsel to go to the website and kind of think this thing through and and don’t just don’t just wing it. Really think through who you want to spend some time with, what you want to to get from the conference, how you can contribute to the conference. So, man, I’m glad I asked, but let’s make sure before we wrap that folks know where the website is and any other points of contact that you think would be important for them, not only in preparation for the conference, but just in general stay connected with the organization and get the most from it. So let’s whatever you’re comfortable with, let’s leave them with some points of contact and definitely including that website.

Kevin Shea: [00:13:46] Okay, that sounds great. We’ll do Jeddah. Dot org is the address of the website. Jeddah dot org. And Jeddah stands for the Georgia Economic Developers Association. It’s a professional society of individual members as opposed to an organization joining. So that’s a key point of difference there. But I’d say Jeddah dot org is the best place you can go in there and get all information not only about the conference but about anything to do with Jeddah. And then phone number is something else that you can use, which is 4049624110. And there you can reach me or any of our staff again. That number is 4049624110. And lastly, you could go to info at Jeddah dot org as is an email info at dot org or my direct email address is K Shaye at Georgia dot org. That’s KSA e a at Georgia spelled out org a dot org. So hopefully those are ways that people can get in touch with us and learn more about the organization and be able to follow up from there.

Stone Payton: [00:14:56] Well, Kevin Shea, it has been an absolute delight having you on the show this afternoon. Thank you for investing the time with us this afternoon and thank you for what you do. And you’re doing important work. And we sincerely appreciate you.

Kevin Shea: [00:15:11] Well, thank you, Stone. I appreciate the opportunity to meet you virtually and look forward to meeting you in person down in Savannah. And Marie, thank you so much. Marie Davis has been a wonderful member and a very ardent supporter. So we’re looking forward to seeing you as well.

Marie Davis: [00:15:24] Thank you, Kevin.

Stone Payton: [00:15:25] All right. Until next time, this is Stone Payton for our guest today, Marie Davis with the Georgia Center for Employee Ownership and Kevin Shea with the Georgia Economic Developers Association and everyone here at the Business RadioX family saying We’ll see you next time on Association Leadership Radio.