GTR LINK Announces Staff Changes
April 27, 2022
Golden Triangle, Mississippi – The Golden Triangle Development LINK is pleased to announce the following staff additions and changes:
Leah Howard has been hired as the Director of Finance. In her role, Howard will be responsible for accounts payable and receivable; budgeting for The LINK and the Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority; and managing grant funding, including new grants received and the $7.1 million in grants the LINK has recently secured. Howard was previously employed with the LINK as an intern for two years while completing her Bachelor of Accountancy and Master of Professional Accountancy degrees at Mississippi State University. She has worked as an audit accountant with TE Lott and Company since 2020.
Maggie Wilson will assume the new role of Economic Development Administrative Support, as well as remain the Executive Assistant to the CEO. She will provide administrative support to the economic development team, to include meeting management, event planning, and communication assistance. Wilson joined the LINK in 2014 as Office Administrator.
Meryl Fisackerly has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. She will be charged with organizational operations in her new role and will continue her work with economic development projects. She will remain as the Administrator for the Lowndes County Industrial Development Authority. Fisackerly has been with the organization since 2017 and has held titles of Project Manager and, most recently, Vice President of Economic Development.
Betsy Young has been promoted to Vice President of Economic Development. In this new role, Young will lead industrial recruitment, workforce development, and business retention and expansion, as well as be responsible for all organization marketing. She will continue to complete requests for information and perform demographic, infrastructure, marketing, and grant research. Young joined the organization in 2019 as Project Manager.
“When you hire good people, change is easy.” Said Joe Max Higgins, CEO of the Golden Triangle Development LINK. “When spots become available, and you can move your current team into those roles, giving them more responsibilities and better opportunities-that’s how the system should work.”








