SGTC Alumnus Jack Stanley speaks at TCSG Leadership Conference

Savannah, GA – South Georgia Technical College 1967 Electronics graduate, Jack W. Stanley, was invited to speak at the Technical College System of Georgia Leadership Conference in Savannah, GA, about leadership lessons he had learned from over 33 years as a Telecommunications Executive with Time Warner Cable.

   Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Commissioner Greg Dozier as well as other members of the TCSG Leadership team, President’s from all 22 of the TCSG colleges, members of the State Technical College Board of Directors and State Foundation Board as well as representatives from each of the state’s 22 technical college’s boards of directors, foundation trustees, advancement officials and other college leaders were present at the three-day meeting.

SGTC President Dr. John Watford presented Stanley with a token of appreciation for speaking at the conference and for representing SGTC as an outstanding leader in his profession.

   South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford introduced Stanley during his Tuesday morning address to the TCSG leadership officials.  Stanley first graduated from SGTC in 1967 with an Electronics diploma.  He spent nearly 45 years in that industry and exceled at every turn.  However, he signed up for on-line classes at SGTC from 2005 – 2007 to earn his associate degree in Electronics with honors.  He returned to campus in 2020 to accept that degree and participate in graduation, 53-years after his first graduation.  

   Stanley retired from Time Warner as the Regional Vice President Government Relations, Southeast, and was responsible for the company’s state/local government affairs interest and legislative policy for North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, and Virginia.  He credited South Georgia Tech and lessons learned at his alma mater with much of his success.

   His illustrious career began working at the U.S. Naval Space Surveillance System in Hawkinsville right after graduation.  In 1968, he entered the cable television industry in a variety of operational roles, including successfully leading cable systems in Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina.  He served as Division President of Time Warner Cable’s Greensboro Division where he managed a staff of some 700 employees and more than 200 contract personnel.  Under his leadership the Division was top-ranked in customer satisfaction and consistently exceeded the established business metrics.

   Stanley was known among his peers “as an innovative leader who is committed to exceptional customer service and who has the ability to forge positive relationships with consumers, employees and public officials.”

   Much of his success was gained through following what he coined as “Ten Key Leadership Lessons.”  First, he pointed out that leadership is earned, not given or bestowed.  Second, there is a time to be afraid, in a moment of need or crisis is not that time. Third, tell people when they get it right, as well as when they get it wrong.  Fourthly, second chances are a powerful leadership opportunity and fifth, character is an essential attribute for leadership.

   His second five leadership lessons included:  good leaders must establish a high spirit of mutual trust with those they lead; consider all the facts before moving ahead and sit with it until it feels right; people will follow someone they believe in; and good leaders never take themselves too seriously.  He closed with good leaders go the extra mile.

   In his talk, Stanley shared a quote from Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, Computer Scientist & Programmer and Mathematician.  “You manage things; you LEAD people.”  He commended the Technical College System of Georgia for its leadership in developing individuals ready for the workforce and encouraged them to continue to instill leadership and quality education in the next generation of students.

   TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier utilized many of those same points and attributed them to Stanley when he presided over the TCSG Executive Leadership Academy graduates during the conference.

    Stanley currently lives in North Carolina, but maintains and manages his home place in Dodge County, Ga., which is now named Pine Barrens Plantation, LLC.    This is an enterprise dedicated to principled stewardship, sound conservation practices and preservation of native longleaf forest habitat in its historic range in Georgia.

  Representatives from South Georgia Technical College attending the conference included: SGTC President Dr. John Watford and Barbara Watford, SGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement and SGTC Foundation executive Director Su Ann Bird, SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs Julie Partain, SGTC Board members Michael Coley, Jake Everett, Elena Carne’ Lorenz, Alton Ford, Grant Buckley, and Jamie Penoncello along with SGTC Foundation Trustee and Past President of the Technical College Foundation Association, SGTC Executive Assistant to the President Teresa O’Bryant, and State Foundation Past Chair and SGTC Alumni Dan Linginfelter.