Hart IBA Economic Director Dwayne Dye Retiring

Hart County’s Director of Economic Development for the Hart County Industrial Building Authority, Dwayne Dye is retiring.

Dye will leave his long-held post at the end of the year after serving as its Economic Director for the past 18 years.

Dye told the Hartwell Sun recently that he is now focused on finding his successor and he hopes that will be a local candidate who has the skill sets and motivation to serve the Hart County IBA.

He added that will look for local candidates first before going outside the area.

Dye added that when he took over, Hart County’s unemployment rate was 14% and it had a low graduation rate.

When Milliken left the area during that time, a lot of people lost their jobs and then the recession of 2008 happened.

Since then Dye and the IBA have expanded the County’s economic footprint, bringing in major manufacturers from Germany to the Gateway Industrial Park he said have invested over $1.2 billion to the local tax digest.

That has led to growth in retail stores and new home developments.

Today’ Hart County’s unemployment is at 3%, and Dye said there is no need to aggressively recruit new business, but there is a need to help existing industry fill commitments to hire more than 250 new full-time positions over the next 2-years and projected hire of more than 600 new full-time positions in the next 7-years.

That’s why Dye said the right local candidate will need a strong knowledge of business and an understanding of what resources are needed and where to find them.

Additionally, he said that his successor will have to be highly active and be willing to make trips to Atlanta to keep those networks with business and political leaders fostered and built.

Interested candidates can apply by submitting their cover letter and resume to Hart County IBA chairman Bill Leard at [email protected], or by mail to Hart County IBA, PO Box 156, Hartwell, GA.