Becky Lee, vice president for Economic Development at Central Georgia Technical College, is set to retire at the end of August. After serving in this position for 20 years, she is the longest standing vice president currently serving at the College.

During her tenure, Lee has had an immeasurable impact on workforce and economic development in the middle Georgia area. She, along with her colleagues at CGTC, has had a part in persuading many new business and industry developments to locate in the region during the last two decades.

“In this position, every personal and professional connection has meaning and I have enjoyed establishing a network of business colleagues throughout the state,” said Lee. “The major highlight of my career has been business retention and expansion throughout our service area; participating on the team for new industry prospect visits runs a close second. I am humbled to have been a part of such an extraordinary team of individuals dedicated to the betterment of our local economy and workforce, not only at CGTC, but also in the communities we serve.”

As the leader of CGTC’s Economic Development department, her team has assisted with business and industry expansions, is responsible for millions of hours of customized and continuing education training for countless individuals, and has helped develop credit training initiatives within the College to train the next generation of employees with the skills essential for the local workforce.

One such program is the Instrumentation and Controls Academy at CGTC’s Macon campus. This program was specifically developed to support the workforce needs of Georgia Power across the state. Initiated in 2010, Lee had a major hand in ensuring this partnership.

“Becky Lee was the foundation that led to Georgia Power’s partnership with CGTC,” said Roger Marbutt, manager of Technical Training for Southern Company Services, Georgia Power’s parent company. “She was instrumental in developing our incumbent workforce training program and the I & C Academy at CGTC. When I met Becky for the first time, I knew she was one of the smartest, most gracious, and dedicated college administrators I had ever encountered. We wish her the best in retirement and she will truly be missed.”

The College’s partnership with Georgia Power eventually led to their corporate support of CGTC’s Charles H. Jones Advanced Technology Center. Lee assisted with the planning and establishment of the Jones Center and secured several business partnerships to help ensure relevant training programs and up-to-date equipment. Georgia Power provided significant support for this project with over $1 million worth of equipment to guarantee students were trained on the most current technology. The Jones Center opened in early 2015 and offers space for academic industrial training programs, as well as labs dedicated to continuing education and workforce training.

Other major projects that Lee has had a leadership role in include the establishment of the GEICO Center for Professional Development on the Macon campus and many Quick Start projects, including Sara Lee/Hillshire Brands and Kumho Tire. Quick Start is Georgia’s innovative support program for new and expanding industries in the state. Local economic development programs in the state’s technical colleges provide Quick Start services locally to ensure smooth company start-up and that the workforce is ready for production on the first day of operation.

Beyond her professional accolades, Lee also stated that she has found great satisfaction through service on committees and boards that align with workforce development. Her community involvement includes the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, Macon/Bibb Workforce Investment Board, Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Macon Literacy Action Plan/Project Read, the Central Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross, and serving as chair of the Martin L. Boyd Scholarship committee for Liberty United Methodist Church.

In 2013, she was honored by the Career Women’s Network of Macon as a Woman of Achievement. That distinction was recognized with a resolution by Georgia State Senator Cecil Staton in February of that year. Lee also accepted the Champion Award on behalf of the College from the Macon Economic Development Commission (MEDC) in December 2014 for the part that CGTC’s Economic Development department plays in supporting local workforce initiatives and providing critical skills and training programs.

“Ms. Lee’s work is legendary both within the college community and with our workforce partners throughout the region,” said Dr. Ivan Allen, president of CGTC. “Her unique and professional approach has certainly enhanced the College’s reputation among business and industry leaders. I am heartened by her friendship and wish her the best, although her talent and expertise will surely be missed.”

Lee received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville and is a Certified Economic Developer Trainer. She is a member of the Georgia Adult Education Association and the Real Estate Educators Association. She is married to Bill Lee and they reside in Macon.