Caterpillar Dealers from the Southeast serve on SGTC Advisory Committee

September 11, 2024
Shown above is CAT Think Big Advisory Committee Chairman Jeff Cornwell of Yancey presiding over the advisory committee meeting at South Georgia Technical College.
Shown above is CAT Think Big Advisory Committee Chairman Jeff Cornwell of Yancey presiding over the advisory committee meeting at South Georgia Technical College.

Americus, GA –Representatives from CAT Corporate and five Caterpillar Dealers from across the Southeastern United States recently met at South Georgia Technical College for the “ThinkBIG” Heavy Equipment Dealers Service Technology Advisory Committee Fall meeting. The group held the meeting in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology building in the Griffin Bell Lecture Room.

            The purpose of the conglomerate meeting was to discuss student learning outcomes, admission requirements, competency tests and instructional materials, industry specific equipment, program purpose and goals, program of work, donations, AED accreditation, and additional items as well as financial and equipment loans. Chairman Jeff Cornwell of Yancey Brothers, presided over the Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology portion of the meeting and Kevin Human of Stowers Machinery, Chairman for the Electric Power Generation Advisory Committee, presided over that portion of the meeting.

            The Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology Program is a unique program in which students are sponsored by a participating dealer to attend SGTC in eight-week increments of college training and on the job training.  Upon graduation, students receive an Associate of Technology Degree and are eligible to obtain full employment with their sponsoring Caterpillar dealer.

            Dealers participating in the meeting included: Brad Manis and Kevin Human, Stowers Machinery of Knoxville, Tennessee; Jeff Cornwell of Yancey Brothers of Austell, GA; Luke Wachter, Ben Seales, Matt Weisgerber, and Taylor Campbell of Thompson Tractor in Birmingham, AL; Stacy Webb of Puckett Machinery in Flowood, MS and Dwayne Croker of Blanchard Energy in West Columbia, SC and Irv Sharpe and Amy King of Carolina Cat in Charlotte, NC. Bobby Kellum of CAT Corporate also attended.

            South Georgia Technical College staff present included: SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs Julie Partain, SGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement and SGTC Foundation Executive Director Su Ann Bird, SGTC Partnerships Coordinator Tami Blount, and SGTC Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology instructor Don Rountree and Rance Poss, and Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Power Generation instructor Keith McCorkle.

   SGTC is currently registering students for an eight-week Fall C-term mini-mester and Spring Semester.  The Fall C-term eight-week classes begin October 16 and Spring semester classes begin January 11. SGTC offers students the “Complete College Experience” with on-campus housing and nationally recognized academics, student activities, and intercollegiate athletics.  Learn more at www.southgatech.edu.  A special registration day is set for September 24 on both the Americus and Crisp County campuses.  Financial aid is available.