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Locke to leave at year's end for TCL job
mcovington@beaufortgazette.com
843-986-5502
The face behind Main Street Beaufort, USA will change in December when current executive director Joy Hardy Locke leaves the position to teach speech at the Technical College of the Lowcountry.
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Main Street Beaufort, USA is a private, nonprofit association that has promoted economic development in downtown Beaufort for 23 years. Locke, who has served as executive director for four years, will start at TCL in January.
"It's an opportunity I couldn't pass up," Locke said of her new job, in which she'll put her teaching and communications degrees to use. "It's really following my heart, and my desire to get back into teaching, because I've done it in a previous life."
The Main Street Beaufortboard already is accepting applications for Locke's replacement. They hope to hire someone as soon as possible, said Hall Sumner, board chairman. Advertisements for the job will go out across the state and country, but the group would like to hire someone from Beaufort.
"Our preference is to find someone local," Sumner said. "There's a wealth of talent here."
Sumner would like the organization to focus on businesses they want to attract and work closely with other economic development groups, such as the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, he said.
The best applicants will have administrative skills, a solid economic background and a flair for public relations. Locke has a good mix of all three, Sumner said.
"She's the kind of person who never had a bad day," he said. "She is well-liked in the community, and the direction that she's taken Main Street in the past few years is a real testament to her ability."
Since Locke took over the top spot, Main Street Beaufort's grant funding has increased nearly 200 percent, and its membership has climbed 10 percent.
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