Wilson is new development director for Georgia Mountains YMCA

Cindy Wilson has joined the Georgia Mountains YMCA as development director.

Her primary responsibilities in her new position will be fundraising and community outreach.

Wilson has a degree in Business Administration from Gainesville State College and has spent 30 years in the banking industry. She has served more than 25 years as a community volunteer.

"I am very excited about my new career and joining the team at the YMCA," Wilson said. "I look forward to helping the Y meet their goals, grow the organization and fulfill their mission."

DOT promotes 2 Hall residents

The Department of Transportation has promoted two Hall County residents to new positions.

Shane Wellborn is the new District Survey Data Engineer for the 21 counties in Northeast Georgia that comprise District One.

Jason Dykes is the new assistant district utilities engineer for Northeast Georgia. He will be responsible for the utility coordination on all construction and maintenance projects with the 150 utility companies in Northeast Georgia's District One.

Wellborn began his career with DOT in 2002. He worked his way up within the Department. He started as an engineering technician and has also served as a survey technician. Most recently, he worked as assistant survey data engineer. His new duties begin June 1.

"Shane is a dedicated, hard-working individual," District Engineer Todd McDuffie said. "He works daily to ensure accurate data is collected to begin the development of construction projects. He work assures accuracy and quality control. He takes our survey data and formats it for use by the Design Engineers. His work is the basis to the development of improving our transportation infrastructure. Shane is an asset to the people of Georgia and to the Department of Transportation."

Wellborn lives in Gainesville with his wife, Ashley, and their two children.

Dykes has worked with DOT since 2002. He started his career as a civil engineering technologist working in the District Design Office. In 2004, he transferred into DOT's Construction Division, where he supervised work on construction project, including the widening of Ga. Route 53/Dawsonville Highway.

Dykes completed DOT's Professional Engineer's Development Program in 2005. Most recently, he served as assistant area engineer for construction in Dawson, Forsyth and Hall counties. His new duties begin June 1.

Dykes graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2001 with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Civil Engineering Technology.

"Jason is an excellent employee. He knows how to work with contractors and strives for excellence in everything he does," McDuffie said. "Jason's work will help us provide a safe, seamless and sustainable transportation system for Georgia. He is an asset to the Department of Transportation and State of Georgia."

Jason and his wife, Amy, live in Gainesville with their two children.

DOT awards Hall County's Reece

Hall County resident Kay Reece was honored by the Georgia Department of Transportation at this year's District Employee Appreciation Day with the 2011 Commissioner's Merit Award for outstanding customer service and excellence in her daily job duties.

"Kay consistently delivers exceptional service with a smile to our internal and external customers," Commissioner Vance C. Smith Jr. said. "She works to ensure all financial transactions are correct and implements procedural changes to improve her office's efficiency and effectiveness.

"While Kay doesn't work out on our roads, her work allows our engineers to focus on their work area and not spend time on procurement and accounting. Her high quality work positively impacts DOT employees and our vendors. Kay is an asset to our Department and to the state of Georgia. I wish we had more employees like Kay."

Reece has worked with the state since 1977 serving with Georgia Mountains Community Services. She came to DOT in 2000 as a clerk and worked her way up through the administrative office, serving as procurement officer and now administration operations coordinator. She and her staff is responsible for all purchasing and accounting in the 21-county area of Northeast Georgia served by District 1.

Reece is a native of Hall County and lives in Gillsville with her husband, Freddie. They have two children and two grandchildren.

SBDC offers small business classes

The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center will offer two business classes in upcoming weeks at The Featherbone Communiversity, 999 Chestnut St., Gainesville.

Myths & Realities of Financing and Grants is set for 5-7 p.m. June 9. The cost is $35 per person.

The class will give participants an overview of the lending environment in Georgia with discussion of myths in the financing process, common barriers faced, lending programs available, development of a business plan or loan proposal, and strategy for accessing capital.

Alternative Financing in Today's Market Place (What's Available When the Bank Says No) is set for 10 a.m. to noon June 16, and is free. The class discusses the use of working capital term loans to finance day-to-day operations for new or existing companies.

Pre-registration is required for each class. Register online at www.georgiasbdc.org or call Morgan Blakley at 770-531-5681.