Photo (above): CTAS consultant Mike Stooksberry (right) talks to a county official
An estimated 1,000-plus were in attendance at the County Officials Orientation Program (COOP) organized by the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) the last week of August. The training program is offered to county officials every four years following the county general election, prior to county officials being sworn in and taking office Sept. 1. The 2014 attendance figure sets a new record for COOP events throughout CTAS’s 42-year history. Some 724 attended in 2006, the previous high point, and 708 attended in 2010. Training for county mayors, highway officials and commissioners was estimated at 750 this year, outpacing the 2006 record.
Certified Economic Developers
The Tennessee Certified Economic Developer (TCED) program, administered by the Center for Industrial Services, provides training, continuing education and professional development opportunities to Tennessee’s economic and community development practitioners and community leaders. The TCED program is tailored to give participants a broad-based knowledge of economic opportunities and trends, core components and tools required to compete in today’s global economy, with a focus on economic development in Tennessee. Upon completion of the TCED course curricula and certification requirements, participants are awarded the Tennessee Certified Economic Developer certification, indicating that they have developed core competency in the principles and practices of economic development in Tennessee. Program courses are offered across the state or online.
Visit to West Tennessee
Stops at a generator manufacturer, the Henderson County Justice Center and Lexington City Hall were all in a day’s work for UT President Joe DiPietro last summer. The visits were part of DiPietro’s semi-annual meetings with IPS customers. The first stop was a tour of LeRoy Somer, a UT Center for Industrial Services (CIS) customer located in Lexington, where CIS has offered solutions on Lean Manufacturing to the company that produces large generators. “I like to get out with our Institute for Public Service people and see what they’re doing for local businesses and city and county government,” DiPietro says. Later in the day, Henderson County Sheriff Brian Duke and County Mayor Dan Hughes gave a tour of the Henderson County Justice Center. CTAS helped the county save money by teaming with CIS to conduct an energy audit at the justice center.
Interim VP Named
Dr. Herb Byrd was named interim vice president for the Institute for Public Service following the retirement in August of Dr. Mary Jinks. Byrd comes to IPS from the UT Institute of Agriculture, where he serves as director of extension evaluation and staff development. He began his extension career as a 4-H agent in Monroe County. Since returning to UT Extension’s state office in 1998, he has been responsible for recruitment, personnel and civil rights and serves as extension’s affirmative action and EEO officer. Before his appointment in IPS, he also was the human resources officer for the Institute for Agriculture.
