Russell Vandiver, vice president of economic development at Lanier Technical College, was recently recognized by the State House of Representatives for his outstanding service. At the college's Business and Industry Forum held in December at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Rep. James Mills of Hall County presented Vandiver with a framed copy of House Resolution 561, which recognizes the impact that Vandiver's work has had on economic development and workforce development in Georgia over the past thirty years.

Some highlights from the proclamation include:

- Mr. Vandiver has demonstrated outstanding dedication and performance to workforce development in Georgia for 30 years.

- Mr. Vandiver has provided Quick Start Training for over 350 new or expanding companies creating 50,000 new jobs throughout Northeast Georgia and has provided customized training and continuing education for over 2,500 existing industries in Northeast Georgia.

- Mr. Vandiver developed and implemented at the college the only laboratory based ammonia refrigeration training facility in the Eastern United States

- Mr. Vandiver has provided an example to his peers in the Technical College System of Georgia and is known as the "Dean of the Vice Presidents of Economic Development."

You can read the proclamation at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/fulltext/hr561.htm 

This resolution serves as outstanding recognition not only of Vandiver's effective leadership, but of all of the hard work of everyone in Lanier Tech's Economic Development Department. The Economic Development department at Lanier Tech currently oversees the Georgia Center of Innovation for Manufacturing Excellence, a state-of-the-art industrial training facility located at the Main Campus in Oakwood, and the Manufacturing Development Center, a business “incubator,” which supports entrepreneurship and small business development in Northeast Georgia.