Board of Directors

The Development Authority of Washington County, a constitutionally created Authority established by the Georgia Legislature under O.C.G.A. §36-62-1, et. seq., exists in order to “promote trade, commerce, industry, and employment opportunities for the public good and general welfare”. We are dedicated to the betterment of our community and constantly strive to enhance and expand its presence and influence in the economic development arena. Our approach is two-pronged in that we work diligently with our existing business and industrial community, plus we seek community and economic growth by incentivizing prospective new businesses and industries to locate in Washington County. Much of our past success as a community has been attributed to existing business and industry, and their role in moving our community forward is as critically important as seeking new businesses and industries for the county. Our Authority, whose members are appointed by the Washington County Board of Commissioners, is composed of seven dedicated individuals who work tirelessly toward those goals.

Current Development Authority members are as follows:
 

Mike Sheppard photo

Mike Sheppard
Chairman

Authority Chairman Mike Sheppard is a Georgia State Certified Appraiser who worked for AgGeorgia Farm Credit. During his career with Farm Credit, he held various positions and retired in 2011 as Executive Vice President and Chief Appraiser. Prior to his tenure with Farm Credit, Mike was employed as a staff appraiser with the Georgia Department of Transportation. In 1972 he received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Georgia College and State University. Mike currently serves as member and Past-President of the Sandersville Tree Board and is a Deacon and Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church, Sandersville. He has served on the Development Authority since 1981.

Ben Tarbutton III photo

Ben Tarbutton III
Vice-Chairman

Ben Tarbutton III is President of the Sandersville Railroad, a shortline railroad located in Sandersville, GA. The Sandersville Railroad has been in operation since 1893 and hauls various commodities including kaolin, wood chips, and plastics. Ben is active in his community and at the state level. Presently he serves as a member of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents and on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He is Past Chairman of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, Leadership Georgia, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority, and Past President of the Georgia Railroad Association and the Sandersville Rotary Club. Ben graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He resides in Sandersville with his wife and three children where they are active members of the Sandersville United Methodist Church. Ben has served on the Development Authority since 2000.

Eric Tillirson photo

Eric Tillirson
Treasurer

Mr. Tillirson joined Thiele Kaolin Company as Marketing Manager in 1999. He progressed through roles as the Director of Marketing and the Director of Sales, Marketing and Technical Services. In 2004, he was appointed Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Thiele and in 2011 he was appointed the company Vice President with continued responsibility for the sales, marketing and technical service function. In November 2013, Eric was promoted to Senior Vice President and Director of Sales Development. In this role, Mr. Tillirson was responsible for Thiele’s global sales and marketing activities in over 15 countries.

Mr. Tillirson was appointed President of Thiele Kaolin Company by the Board of Directors in February of 2015. He also serves as President of the Company’s silica operations, Short Mountain Silica, in Tennessee.

Before joining Thiele, Eric worked in various sales, marketing and technical service roles in the specialty chemicals industry. He has been awarded patents for novel chemical products and has been active in various paper and chemical industry associations.

Eric received his Master of Business Administration degree from Georgia College and State University and his Bachelors of Science degree in Chemistry from Presbyterian College.

Eric currently serves as an Advisory Board Member of the J. Whitney Bunting School of Business at Georgia College and State University, a Board Member of the Brentwood School Foundation and a Board Member of the Georgia Mining Association.

Eric and his wife Jennifer are members of the Sandersville United Methodist Church. Eric currently serves as Lay Leader and teaches the JOY Adult Sunday School Class. Eric and Jennifer have two sons: Sims (26) and Joel (22) who reside in Columbia SC. Eric has served on the Authority since 2019.

Trey Sheppard photo

Trey Sheppard
Secretary

Howard C. “Trey” Sheppard III, a graduate of Georgia Southern University, was born and reared in Washington County. He has worked in his family’s trucking business for over sixteen years and is currently Vice President of Kaolin Mining Operations. Trey is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors at Citizens Bank of Washington County, serves as Chairman of the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation, and is a State Board Member of the Technical College System of Georgia. He is also an active member of the Sandersville Rotary Club. He and his wife Emily have four children. Trey has served on the Development Authority since 2007.

Travis Collins photo

Travis Collins
Assistant Secretary

Travis Collins is currently the Chief Technology Officer for Queensborough National Bank & Trust. Mr. Collins's previous work experience includes both a Systems Administrator position for Queensborough as well as a position with Sandersville Regional Youth Detention Center. He is a graduate of Washington County High School and has a degree in Computer Information Systems from Sandersville Technical College and an Associate Degree in Education from Georgia Military College. Mr. Collins is also a member of New Birth Christian Ministries in Tennille, Georgia, and in his free time, he enjoys coaching basketball for the Washington County Recreation Department. He currently resides in Harrison, Georgia with his wife (Audrey) and two children (Kaden and Gavin.) Travis has served on the Authority since 2018.

Tuttle “Sonny” Barksdale, Jr. photo

Tuttle “Sonny” Barksdale, Jr.
Member

Sonny graduated from the University of Georgia in 1985 with a B.S. in Agricultural Economics. Since then, he has served the community of Washington County in several roles, including as a board member for the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, the Washington County Regional Medical Center, the Washington County Board of Education, and Oconee Fall Line Technical School, as well as holding the positions of chairman of the USDA Farm Service Agency Committee and president of the Washington County Farm Bureau. Currently he is the president of Barksdale Contracting & Supply, which specializes in mined-land reclamation, and also the owner of the Barksdale Store, a general store. He is married to his wife, Brownie, and together they have 2 children and 5 grandchildren. Sonny has served on the Authority since 2019.

Erica Harden photo

Erica Harden
Member

Having spent her career in higher education, Erica Harden’s passion is for the students and communities she serves. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Journalism from The University of Georgia, Harden returned to her hometown of Vidalia, Ga., and served as the first director of public relations and marketing at Southeastern Technical College. She didn’t know it then, but her first experience in the technical college system would direct her career for years to come. After four years in Vidalia, Harden moved to Aiken, S.C., to serve as the Director of Marketing and then the Director of Admissions and Records for Aiken Technical College. Her experience working in student affairs would bring her to Sandersville Technical College in 1999 where she served as Executive Director of Student Affairs, Vice President of Student Affairs, and Vice President of Academics and Student Affairs. It was during this time that Harden earned her master's degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.

Erica helped guide Sandersville Technical College through a merger and continued her service as Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs for the newly formed Oconee Fall Line Technical College in 2011. Continuing to champion the college’s mission of workforce development, Harden was selected to serve as OFTC’s Executive Vice President in 2017 before being named President in 2019. She continues to be an advocate for the mission of the Technical College System of Georgia and seeks opportunities to change lives and generations through the transforming power of education. Harden is actively involved in her community and surrounding counties and sits on a variety of local boards and committees. She currently resides in Sandersville, Ga, with her husband John, and has a daughter who lives in Texas.

Mike Sheppard photo
Mike Sheppard
Chairman

Authority Chairman Mike Sheppard is a Georgia State Certified Appraiser who worked for AgGeorgia Farm Credit. During his career with Farm Credit, he held various positions and retired in 2011 as Executive Vice President and Chief Appraiser. Prior to his tenure with Farm Credit, Mike was employed as a staff appraiser with the Georgia Department of Transportation. In 1972 he received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Georgia College and State University. Mike currently serves as member and Past-President of the Sandersville Tree Board and is a Deacon and Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church, Sandersville. He has served on the Development Authority since 1981.


Ben Tarbutton III photo
Ben Tarbutton III
Vice-Chairman

Ben Tarbutton III is President of the Sandersville Railroad, a shortline railroad located in Sandersville, GA. The Sandersville Railroad has been in operation since 1893 and hauls various commodities including kaolin, wood chips, and plastics. Ben is active in his community and at the state level. Presently he serves as a member of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents and on the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He is Past Chairman of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents, Leadership Georgia, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Higher Education Facilities Authority, and Past President of the Georgia Railroad Association and the Sandersville Rotary Club. Ben graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He resides in Sandersville with his wife and three children where they are active members of the Sandersville United Methodist Church. Ben has served on the Development Authority since 2000.


Eric Tillirson photo
Eric Tillirson
Treasurer

Mr. Tillirson joined Thiele Kaolin Company as Marketing Manager in 1999. He progressed through roles as the Director of Marketing and the Director of Sales, Marketing and Technical Services. In 2004, he was appointed Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Thiele and in 2011 he was appointed the company Vice President with continued responsibility for the sales, marketing and technical service function. In November 2013, Eric was promoted to Senior Vice President and Director of Sales Development. In this role, Mr. Tillirson was responsible for Thiele’s global sales and marketing activities in over 15 countries.

Mr. Tillirson was appointed President of Thiele Kaolin Company by the Board of Directors in February of 2015. He also serves as President of the Company’s silica operations, Short Mountain Silica, in Tennessee.

Before joining Thiele, Eric worked in various sales, marketing and technical service roles in the specialty chemicals industry. He has been awarded patents for novel chemical products and has been active in various paper and chemical industry associations.

Eric received his Master of Business Administration degree from Georgia College and State University and his Bachelors of Science degree in Chemistry from Presbyterian College.

Eric currently serves as an Advisory Board Member of the J. Whitney Bunting School of Business at Georgia College and State University, a Board Member of the Brentwood School Foundation and a Board Member of the Georgia Mining Association.

Eric and his wife Jennifer are members of the Sandersville United Methodist Church. Eric currently serves as Lay Leader and teaches the JOY Adult Sunday School Class. Eric and Jennifer have two sons: Sims (26) and Joel (22) who reside in Columbia SC. Eric has served on the Authority since 2019.


Trey Sheppard photo
Trey Sheppard
Secretary

Howard C. “Trey” Sheppard III, a graduate of Georgia Southern University, was born and reared in Washington County. He has worked in his family’s trucking business for over sixteen years and is currently Vice President of Kaolin Mining Operations. Trey is Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors at Citizens Bank of Washington County, serves as Chairman of the Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation, and is a State Board Member of the Technical College System of Georgia. He is also an active member of the Sandersville Rotary Club. He and his wife Emily have four children. Trey has served on the Development Authority since 2007.


Travis Collins photo
Travis Collins
Assistant Secretary

Travis Collins is currently the Chief Technology Officer for Queensborough National Bank & Trust. Mr. Collins's previous work experience includes both a Systems Administrator position for Queensborough as well as a position with Sandersville Regional Youth Detention Center. He is a graduate of Washington County High School and has a degree in Computer Information Systems from Sandersville Technical College and an Associate Degree in Education from Georgia Military College. Mr. Collins is also a member of New Birth Christian Ministries in Tennille, Georgia, and in his free time, he enjoys coaching basketball for the Washington County Recreation Department. He currently resides in Harrison, Georgia with his wife (Audrey) and two children (Kaden and Gavin.) Travis has served on the Authority since 2018.


Tuttle “Sonny” Barksdale, Jr. photo
Tuttle “Sonny” Barksdale, Jr.
Member

Sonny graduated from the University of Georgia in 1985 with a B.S. in Agricultural Economics. Since then, he has served the community of Washington County in several roles, including as a board member for the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, the Washington County Regional Medical Center, the Washington County Board of Education, and Oconee Fall Line Technical School, as well as holding the positions of chairman of the USDA Farm Service Agency Committee and president of the Washington County Farm Bureau. Currently he is the president of Barksdale Contracting & Supply, which specializes in mined-land reclamation, and also the owner of the Barksdale Store, a general store. He is married to his wife, Brownie, and together they have 2 children and 5 grandchildren. Sonny has served on the Authority since 2019.


Erica Harden photo
Erica Harden
Member

Having spent her career in higher education, Erica Harden’s passion is for the students and communities she serves. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Journalism from The University of Georgia, Harden returned to her hometown of Vidalia, Ga., and served as the first director of public relations and marketing at Southeastern Technical College. She didn’t know it then, but her first experience in the technical college system would direct her career for years to come. After four years in Vidalia, Harden moved to Aiken, S.C., to serve as the Director of Marketing and then the Director of Admissions and Records for Aiken Technical College. Her experience working in student affairs would bring her to Sandersville Technical College in 1999 where she served as Executive Director of Student Affairs, Vice President of Student Affairs, and Vice President of Academics and Student Affairs. It was during this time that Harden earned her master's degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.

Erica helped guide Sandersville Technical College through a merger and continued her service as Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs for the newly formed Oconee Fall Line Technical College in 2011. Continuing to champion the college’s mission of workforce development, Harden was selected to serve as OFTC’s Executive Vice President in 2017 before being named President in 2019. She continues to be an advocate for the mission of the Technical College System of Georgia and seeks opportunities to change lives and generations through the transforming power of education. Harden is actively involved in her community and surrounding counties and sits on a variety of local boards and committees. She currently resides in Sandersville, Ga, with her husband John, and has a daughter who lives in Texas.



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