The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce soon will have a full team as Randall Toussaint becomes the organization’s new vice president of economic development.
James McCoy, president and chief executive officer of the chamber, said Toussaint “clearly has a great track record.”
“We talked to a number of folks that were involved in projects [with him] and he’s been successful, first and foremost, but really and maybe even more importantly is his philosophy of economic development and his approach,” McCoy said.
Toussaint, whose first day will be Sept. 8, comes to Forsyth County from the Clayton County Office of Economic Development, where he has served as assistant director. He replaces Brian Dill, who left the chamber in May for a job in the private sector.
Being part of the local community will be more than a job for Toussaint, 29.
“The community itself has been on my radar for a while because it seemed like a community that my wife and I really wanted to explore raising our son in,” he said.
“When the opportunity came about, it seemed like the position’s professional needs directly complemented my skill set, and it was just a great fit from both a personal and a professional standpoint.”
McCoy said there will be a learning curve when Toussaint takes over.
“We have a comprehensive program that will take about 90 days to take him from zero to 100 mph,” McCoy said. “It will help put Randall on the path of success in first building the right relationships with the right stakeholders and then making sure those people are engaged with him from day one.”
As part of his training, Toussaint said he wants to learn more about the county’s past to help bolster a prosperous future.
“I want to learn a little bit more about the story of the community,” he said. “It’s already well known that Forsyth County is one of the most affluent counties in Georgia ... but it wasn’t always like that.
“I’d really like to learn from the folks who helped build it to where it is today, what that journey was like ... that will help kind of to create a profile of needs assessment.”
Toussaint holds a master’s degree in public administration from Savannah State University and a bachelor’s in political science from Morehouse College.
He has also earned certificates from the University of Georgia’s regional economic development leadership development program, Georgia Tech’s business retention and expansion program and the Atlanta Regional Commission’s planning academy.
His career includes work in the political arena as a policy development coordinator and legislative liaison on state and national levels. He has also worked in business recruitment and retention, urban planning and commercial development.
Toussaint said the chamber has a strong foundation, but his experience can help it launch into international business recruitment and retention.
But first, he plans to reach out to businesses.
“Economic development isn’t a one-person game,” he said. “It’s something that has to involve a lot of key players and partnerships.
“I’d like to dive in and develop a strong, solid international business recruitment program, as well as a business retention tool kit and an incentives tool kit.”
James McCoy, president and chief executive officer of the chamber, said Toussaint “clearly has a great track record.”
“We talked to a number of folks that were involved in projects [with him] and he’s been successful, first and foremost, but really and maybe even more importantly is his philosophy of economic development and his approach,” McCoy said.
Toussaint, whose first day will be Sept. 8, comes to Forsyth County from the Clayton County Office of Economic Development, where he has served as assistant director. He replaces Brian Dill, who left the chamber in May for a job in the private sector.
Being part of the local community will be more than a job for Toussaint, 29.
“The community itself has been on my radar for a while because it seemed like a community that my wife and I really wanted to explore raising our son in,” he said.
“When the opportunity came about, it seemed like the position’s professional needs directly complemented my skill set, and it was just a great fit from both a personal and a professional standpoint.”
McCoy said there will be a learning curve when Toussaint takes over.
“We have a comprehensive program that will take about 90 days to take him from zero to 100 mph,” McCoy said. “It will help put Randall on the path of success in first building the right relationships with the right stakeholders and then making sure those people are engaged with him from day one.”
As part of his training, Toussaint said he wants to learn more about the county’s past to help bolster a prosperous future.
“I want to learn a little bit more about the story of the community,” he said. “It’s already well known that Forsyth County is one of the most affluent counties in Georgia ... but it wasn’t always like that.
“I’d really like to learn from the folks who helped build it to where it is today, what that journey was like ... that will help kind of to create a profile of needs assessment.”
Toussaint holds a master’s degree in public administration from Savannah State University and a bachelor’s in political science from Morehouse College.
He has also earned certificates from the University of Georgia’s regional economic development leadership development program, Georgia Tech’s business retention and expansion program and the Atlanta Regional Commission’s planning academy.
His career includes work in the political arena as a policy development coordinator and legislative liaison on state and national levels. He has also worked in business recruitment and retention, urban planning and commercial development.
Toussaint said the chamber has a strong foundation, but his experience can help it launch into international business recruitment and retention.
But first, he plans to reach out to businesses.
“Economic development isn’t a one-person game,” he said. “It’s something that has to involve a lot of key players and partnerships.
“I’d like to dive in and develop a strong, solid international business recruitment program, as well as a business retention tool kit and an incentives tool kit.”
