FAYETTE COUNTY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY - Key Persons
Darryl A. Hicks joined Equity Service, Inc. under Apogee Financial Partners April 2022. Darryl worked for MassMutual, Capstone Agency for 9 years and Morgan Stanley for almost 3 years before building on a distinguished career in both public service and the private sector. In 2010, he ran for Labor Commissioner for the state of Georgia, attracting over 1 million votes in the general elections. Prior to the election, he served as the chief of staff to the chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, the largest county in Georgia. Mr. Hicks also spent more than 20 years on the management team of AGL Resources, the parent company of Atlanta Gas Light Company.
Mr. Hicks currently on the board of the Fayette County Development Authority (chair) and Griffin Judicial Circuit Superior Court Drug Divergent Program. He was recently appointed by Governor Brian Kemp to the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission and the Georgia Board of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers. He is the most recent past chair of the board of directors of Atlanta Habitat for Humanity and a trustee of Young Harris College. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Previously, Hicks served on the Atlanta Metropolitan College Foundation, where he served five years as its chairman, advisory council of Habitat for Humanity of Atlanta, the boards of Atlanta-based Mutual Savings Credit Union, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlanta, Center for the Visually Impaired of Atlanta, and the Butler Street YMCA. He also was a member of the Atlanta Junior League Advisory Committee and chaired the South Metro March of Dimes annual drive. President George W. Bush honored Darryl as the "Outstanding Volunteer of Georgia" in 2002.
In 2003, Hicks earned an M.B.A. in executive management from Georgia State University's J. Mack Robinson College of Business-while working full time at AGL Resources. The school honored him with the Brook's Community Award for his exemplary record in the field of community service and business ethics. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia. He has earned his FINRA series 7, 66, and 31 licenses, as well as licenses to sell Life Insurance, Accident & Sickness Insurance, and Variable Annuity products. He also as a Property and Casualty license.
He and his wife Shirelle have three children and lives in Fayetteville, GA.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board Team
- Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Operations of Hoshizaki America, Inc
Jim Kuo is the Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Operations of Hoshizaki America, Inc. Jim is currently responsible for the manufacturing operations of two factories in Georgia. Before this assignment, Jim was an expat serving as the president and a board member of a Hoshizaki group company in Brazil for six years. Jim has experience in product design, manufacturing processes, management, and strategic development. Jim has joined Hoshizaki America and resided in Fayette County since 1998.
Jim had moved to the US from Taiwan in 1990 to pursuit post-graduation educations. He earned a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of South Carolina and an EMBA from Georgia State University.
Joan Young - Chief Strategy Officer
Joan Young is an economic development professional with more than twenty-five years' experience in planning and program management, domestic and international business development, research and development of new markets, and coordination and participation in domestic and international business outreach activities.
Joan's experience includes community and economic development at the local, regional, and state level. She has been active in a variety of economic development groups including serving as a past Chairman of the Georgia Economic Developers Association's (GEDA) Natural Resources and Environment Committee, past member of the GEDA Board of Directors, and former Vice Chairman of West Central Technical College.
Joan has served in a variety of capacities including Community Development Director, City of Fitzgerald, Georgia, President of the Haralson County Georgia Chamber of Commerce and Executive Director of the Haralson County Georgia Development Authority. She served as the Economic Developer for the City of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish, through the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Vice President, Business Development of Integra Water, a private water and wastewater utility and as Director of Business Development, Louisiana Economic Development. Joan returned to Georgia as Principal, Joan Young Consulting, providing economic development consulting services to communities and businesses.
Job Titles:
- Mayor
- Member of the Board Team
Edward Johnson has been a Fayetteville elected official since Jan. 2012, serving first as a city councilman. He has served as Mayor since January 2016. He has lived in Fayetteville since 1994.
He graduated from L.B. Landry High School in 1973 and obtained his post-secondary education from Dillard University of New Orleans graduating with a B.S. degree in Biology.
After graduating from Dillard University he was selected to attend the U.S. Navy's Aviation Officers' Candidate School and upon graduating was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Navy. He served in many capacities as a Navy Surface Warfare Officer obtaining the rank of Commander. He served in many positions culminating his twenty-two year navy career as Executive Officer onboard the USS Santa Barbara (AE-28) and eventually XO of the Georgia Tech / Morehouse College Navy ROTC Program. While in the U.S. Navy he attended the U.S. Naval War College and Salve Regina University obtaining two Master of Science Degrees. He has been awarded several U.S. Navy awards and personal commendations for his service while in the navy.
A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Johnson is a retired U.S. Navy commander and educator who now serves as full-time pastor of Flat Rock African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Fayetteville area. He and his wife Dr. Vanessa O. Johnson have two sons and three granddaughters.
Johnson says he moved to Fayetteville to put his sons into an excellent school system. He says he is encouraged by the city's growing sense of community as it encounters well-managed development and growth.
Job Titles:
- President
- Certified Economic Developer
- Manager of Business Retention
Megan Baker, CEcD, is President of the Fayette County Development Authority (FCDA). In this role, she attracts new business, supports the retention and expansion of existing industries in the county, and leads strategic initiatives for FCDA.
Baker joined FCDA in 2017 as Manager of Business Retention and Expansion. She has assisted several Fayette companies with expansions. Other accomplishments include leading the redesign of FCDA's website, developing marketing collateral, and implementing a data reporting system.
Prior to joining the FCDA, Baker was Policy Director at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce where she led economic and demographic research and analysis for Georgia 2030, the Chamber's strategic initiative. Additional experience includes strategic and budget planning roles at Clayton State University, the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
Baker is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) through the International Economic Development Council, a standard of excellence in the profession. She is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute, a member of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and serves on the board of the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA).
Baker holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University and Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University.
Job Titles:
- Film Locations Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board Team
- Vice Chairman of the Board
- Executive Director of Business Development and External Affairs for the Technical College System of Georgia 's Quick Start
- Member of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Niki Knox Vanderslice most recently was the Executive Director of Business Development and External Affairs for the Technical College System of Georgia's Quick Start program. In this role, She served as a liaison to external local, regional and state economic development entities in business recruitment efforts, and supported continuous improvement initiatives to maximize the professional effectiveness of the statewide technical college vice presidents of economic development in serving new, expanding and existing companies in their service delivery areas.
Niki holds an Associate of Arts degree from ABAC, a B.A. in Business Administration from Georgia Southwestern State University and a Master's in Organizational Development and Leadership from Saint Joseph's University. Prior to joining the Technical College System of Georgia, Niki served as Director of Governmental Relations for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
Niki began her 15-year-long career in economic development working with local communities, including serving as the Department of Community Affairs' Office of Downtown Development Regional Representative for regions 1, 2 and 4, and also as the Downtown Development Director for Valdosta and Douglas. Niki has also served as Senior Community Development Consultant for Georgia EMC, where she was responsible for providing economic development assistance to communities across Georgia on behalf of the 42 Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs). Her responsibilities included leading and facilitating various projects, including adult and youth leadership programs, team building, and motivational training. She also organized retreats and strategic planning sessions for chambers of commerce, statewide associations and development authority boards.
A Georgia native, Niki is a member of the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) Foundation Board and Alumni Association, Board Member for the Georgia Economic Developers Association, and past president of the Georgia Downtown Association. She is also a 2010 graduate of Leadership Georgia and graduate of Leadership Lowndes and New Century Leaders (Coffee County). She and her husband, Ed and their daughter, reside in Fayette County.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board Team
- Secretary of the Board
- CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER
- Founding Member of Integrated Financial Group
Pat Hinchey, is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, serving clients primarily on the south side of Atlanta. Pat is the founder and director of Integrated Financial Partners (formerly Hinchey Financial Group). Pat and his team provide comprehensive financial planning services to individuals and small businesses.
Pat and his wife, Kim, have lived in both Henry and Fayette Counties since 1991, and they have two children, Halie and Sean. Pat graduated from Georgetown University in 1978, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics.
Pat is also a founding member of Integrated Financial Group, a consortium of independent financial planners serving over 50 member firms throughout the southeast. IFG is dedicated to making it possible for independent planners to offer world class services and expertise while maintaining objective independence.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board Team
- Treasurer of the Board