Chamber President and CEO recognized as a Ford Foundation RSD Fellow

     Destin, FL, Aug. 5 - “The learning process was tremendous,” said Destin Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Shane A. Moody, CCE, IOM, on being recognized as a Ford Regional Sustainable Development (RSD) Fellow.

     Moody was one of 50 business-civic leaders selected by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) to participate in its RSD Fellowship 12-month program, which is funded by the Ford Foundation and conducted with the support of research consulting firm FutureWorks, as well as the Alliance for Regional Stewardship.

     The Fellowship provided Moody with hands-on training, peer knowledge exchange, research, and examination of working models covering a wide range of growth and sustainability issues, including infrastructure, immigration, land use, housing, education, environment, minority inclusion, and inner city challenges. For leaders like Moody, who build communities and economies, this unique and exclusive program instilled a deeper understanding of regional strategies and their impact on all elements of the economy and community.

     “It’s interesting to understand the difficulty in regional development when there is no major-metro city center,” said Moody. “Learning from other Fellows from Houston, Chicago, Detroit, and other comparable metro areas was invaluable.”

     The workshops, high-level speakers, and discussions provided Moody with a greater knowledge-base on regionalism and development aimed specifically at chamber professionals.

     Moody received the kind of direct one-on-one coaching and guidance to help him with his own regional action plans. He became part of a group of influential leaders who are ready to apply their knowledge to make their own regions vital, prosperous, and inclusive in future decades.

     “No matter the size of your community, we all face the same things, just on different scales,” said Moody. “I’m also thrilled to live in such a great community!”