Georgia Power’s Don Porter appointed to SGTC Board of Directors

(Americus, GA)- Don Porter, Local Manager of Georgia Power in Americus, was nominated as a new member of the South Georgia Technical College Board of Directors recently. He will fulfill the unexpired term of former board member James E. “Jem” Morris which ends June 2018 and then be nominated for an additional three-year appointment at the next board meeting of the Technical College System of Georgia State Board. Morris was transferred to the Newnan area with Georgia Power and resigned his position on the SGTC Board of Directors when he relocated.
Porter also replaced Morris as the Local manager of Georgia Power in Sumter, Schley, Stewart, Marion and Webster Counties. Prior to coming to Americus, he served as Local Manager in Lee, Terrell, Randolph, Quitman, Clay, Calhoun, Early and Baker Counties. He also managed and coordinated storm restoration efforts in Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Carolina, Florida, Virginia, New York and Maryland. He has been with Georgia Power since 1986 where he started in the Valdosta Division. He has worked in various capacities in Valdosta, Bainbridge, Tifton, Albany and Cuthbert areas during his almost 32-year career with Georgia Power.
To be selected for the South Georgia Technical College Board of Directors, members are recommended by community leaders or area legislators and then confirmed by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia. The local Board of Directors of individual colleges were created by Georgia State Statute to assist the Technical College System of Georgia State Board in carrying out its mission. The primary purpose of the local board and its members is to: 1.) advise on program direction via their personal subject matter expertise and awareness of area business needs for program decisions and priorities; serve as a check and balance for the development and implementation of college goals and objectives as well as operations policies and procedures; and 3.) advocate within the community and in the state legislature on issues of importance in support of the technical college system and Georgia’s workforce development efforts.
The seven-member board is made up of community leaders representing the SGTC service delivery area, which includes Sumter, Schley, Crisp, Macon, Marion, Webster and Taylor counties. In addition to Porter, the South Georgia Technical College Board of Directors includes Chairman Richard McCorkle of Marion County, Vice Chair Jake Everett of Webster County, Janet Siders of Sumter County, George Bryce of Sumter County, Mattye Gordon of Taylor County and James Davis of Macon County.
“On behalf of South Georgia Technical College, I would like to thank Don Porter for agreeing to serve on the SGTC Board of Directors,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford. “He is an asset to South Georgia Tech as well as to our entire community. He and Georgia Power are vital community partners and he has been extremely supportive of South Georgia Technical College and other educational entities and community organizations since he arrived in Sumter County. We are very pleased that he has agreed to serve in this capacity,” said Watford.