James_Nov-Dec_2025_web - Flipbook - Page 9
he alarm goes off
before the sun rises,
and before my feet hit
the floor I’m already
thinking about my
fellow Georgians who
will file for unemployment insurance
this week, the manufacturers in small
towns struggling to fill second-shift
positions and the workers who come
into our career centers, résumé in
hand, hope in their eyes.
This is what keeps a Labor Commissioner awake at night— and what
gets me out of bed every morning.
My journey to this moment began
in the most unlikely place: A newsroom in Southwest Georgia. For more
than 20 years, I’ve called Albany
home— a place where native son Ray
Charles put “Georgia on My Mind.”
Those words have become my calling.
As a young reporter, I learned
that every story— no matter the beat—
is ultimately about people. The real
insights came not from press releases
or data points, but from those living
the headlines. Leadership, I discovered, begins not with speaking, but
with listening.
In classrooms, I met teachers
stretching resources and students
striving for opportunity— stories of
resilience. In government halls, I saw
how decisions made in quiet chambers ripple through entire communities. On health care assignments,
I spoke with nurses and patients
whose lives hinged on access and
compassion— a reminder that systems are only as strong as the people
they serve.
Covering defense, I listened to
service members and their families,
gaining a deeper respect for sacrifice
and service. In agriculture— where I
spent early mornings in cotton fields
and pecan groves— I listened to farmers discuss harvest yields, droughts
and labor shortages. In business,
I followed entrepreneurs chasing
innovation and workers adapting to
change— reminders that behind every
economic shift are real people. That
lesson has stayed with me: The best
leadership starts with listening and
grows through understanding.
From Journalism to Public Service
My path from journalism led me
to economic development, where
I served as vice president of the
Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission, and later as
president and CEO of the Albany
Area Chamber of Commerce. For
years, I sat across from global firms,
local businesses and entrepreneurs
planning growth. I quickly learned
that workforce development is what
separates communities that thrive
from those that merely survive.
That work inspired me to help
found our local college and career
N OV EM B E R /D EC E M BER 2025
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