Group tours Seed Center, dairy, packing company

AMERICUS — On Sept. 30, the Americus-Sumter County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Sumter program participated in its agriculture session, which provided an opportunity to explore Sumter County’s leading industry. Participants experienced the different aspects of agriculture and learned about the economic impact of the industry.
Along with touring facilities such as the Seed Development Commission, Leatherbrook Holsteins and Magnolia Packing, the group also learned about the different row crops grown in the region.
Leadership Sumter is an immersion program designed and facilitated by the Chamber of Commerce to strengthen leaders while building awareness of the Sumter County community.
The program begins in April of each year and concludes the following March. Participants attend monthly sessions to receive credit for completion. The October session focuses on healthcare.
The 2015 Leadership Sumter class consists of Kim Christmas, PharmaCentra; Bentley Dupree, Sumter County Farm Bureau; Twaney Edwards, Eazy Ride Auto Sales; Royce Hackett, Georgia Southwestern State University; Jill Hohnecker, Georgia Southwestern State University; Sandra Neufeldt, City of Americus GIS Department; David Peppers, Imerys Refactoring Minerals; Julio Portillo, River Valley Regional Commission; Lynn Reckart, Georgia Power; Brandon Vann, Citizens Bank of Americus and Qaijuan Willis, City of Americus. Katie Hendrickson, Citizens Bank of Americus, and Jessi Simmons, The Hooks Agency, currently serve as the program co-chairs.
The Chamber thanks the Southwest Georgia Experiment Station, UGA Cooperative Extension Office, Seed Development Commission, Leatherbrook Holsteins and Magnolia Packing for their participation with the agriculture session.
For more information contact the Sumter Chamber of Commerce at 229-924-2646 or email ioliver@sumtercountychamber.com