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AERN Eastern Regional Meeting Held in Tuskegee

Seated on left side (l-r): Marvin Wagoner, John Carter, Vicky Grice, Laura Anglin, Elinor Crowder, Paavo Hanninen. Seated on right side (l-r): Joe Turnham, Annette Watters, Mary Patterson (face blocked), Tony Haygood, Jr., Iverson Gandy, Jr. Photo by Felicia Windham.

On April 21 AERN co-directors Annette Watters and Paavo Hanninen, along with outreach coordinator Mary Patterson, assisted Vicky Grice of the Tuskegee-Macon County Community Development Corporation (TMCD) in hosting a meeting of AERN partners in the eastern part of the state. The purpose of the meeting was to share ideas for economic and business development in rural east Alabama. Vicky Grice and Tony Haygood, Jr. shared a Powerpoint presentation of business successes in Macon County. Iverson Gandy, Jr., Board President of TMCD, voiced support of the AERN resources. He will incorporate them into his curriculum when he teaches entrepreneurship at Tuskegee University. The Macon County participants praised the Business Plan Pro software as being a useful tool to create business plans for new businesses and explained how they use the AERN computer in their Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshops to assist business owners.

Elinor Crowder and Laura Anglin from Chambers County discussed ways to promote AERN resources. They have launched an email marketing system and bi-weekly news column to get information out to potential business owners. Additionally, they are working with the Small Business Development Center in Auburn to coordinate quarterly workshops held in Chambers County at the AERN center to advance local entrepreneurial activity. This is an excellent example of Auburn University, The University of Alabama, and a local community working together to increase local prosperity.

Marvin Wagoner and John Cater of Tallapoosa County represented the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. They discussed how they promote AERN resources by advertising that it is "free" in their online weekly newsletter. They also use local TV and radio programs to "sell the city" and to get the word out about the AERN Center.

Ms. Watters spoke on predictors of rural prosperity and presented census demographics for Chambers, Macon, and Tallapoosa Counties. A catered lunch was served as Mr. Hanninen and Ms. Patterson led a round table discussion. Mr. Joe Turnham, consultant for Macon County Economic Development Authority, accepted Mr. Hanninen's invitation to join the meeting. Ms. Watters and Ms. Patterson concluded the meeting by emphasizing the role of the AERN host agency within their respective communities. AERN has partnered with Macon County since 2007.

Left to right: Marvin Wagoner, President of Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, Tallapoosa County; John Cater, AERN Ambassador, Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, Tallapoosa County; Vicky Grice, Tuskegee-Macon County Community Divelopment Corporation (TMCD); Laura Anglin, Tourism/Marketing Director Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce, Chambers County; Elinor Crowder, Director, Greater Valley Aera Chamber of Commerce, Chambers County. Photo by Felicia Windham.

Left to right: Joe Turnham, Consultant for Macon County Economic Development Authority; Annette Watters, Co-director AERN; Mary Patterson, Outreach Coordinator, AERN; Tony Haygood, Jrl, Community and Business Development Specialist, Tuskegee, Macon County Community Development Corporation (TMCD); Iverson Gandy, Jr., JD, Board President, TMCD. Photo by Felicia Windham.