Thurmond to speak at chamber banquet

MICHAEL THURMOND

Georgia Department of Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond will be the guest speaker at the annual banquet of the Jenkins County Chamber of Commerce. The event will take place 7 p.m. Thursday, March 29, at the Jenkins County Agriculture Center. Tickets, which include a "pig picking" meal, are $10 and may be purchased at the chamber of commerce office on Cotton Avenue.

Commissioner Thurmond will offer an inspirational message and make a special presentation during the banquet.

In 1986, Thurmond became the first African-American elected to the Georgia General Assembly from Clarke County since Reconstruction. During his time in legislature, he was the only African-American legislator elected from a majority white district.

Following his tenure in the General Assembly, Thurmond was called upon to direct Georgia's historic transition from welfare to work. He created the innovative "Workfirst" program which has helped over 90,000 welfare-dependent Georgia families move into the workforce, saving more than $100,000,000 in taxes that have been reinvested in child care, training and other support services.

In 1998, Thurmond was elected Georgia Labor Commissioner. In doing so, he became the first non-incumbent African- American to be elected to statewide office in Georgia.

Under his leadership, the labor department has undergone significant transformation in customer service and efficiency. Unemployment offices have been transformed into state-ofthe art career centers focused on getting jobless Georgians back to work as quickly as possible. The success of Thurmond's approach is reflected in Georgia's number one national ranking in helping the unemployed get back to work.

Thurmond holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy and Religion and later earned a juris doctorate from the University of South Carolina School of Law. In 1991, he completed the political executives program at John F. Kennedy School Government at Harvard University.

He is a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church West of Athens and he and his wife Zola have one daughter, Mikaya.