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FCDC Executive Nomination Committee Search Report
Fayette County Democratic Committee, Executive Committee Finalist Recommendations
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Nomination Committee Report
Fayette County Democratic Committee, 2023-2024 Executive Committee
December 8, 2022
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Fayette County Democratic Committee, Nomination Committee Members
Derryll Anderson, Dr. Michael Laney, Daryl Lewis, Zachary Livsey, and Angela Wingate- Haynes (Chair)
I. Search Summary
A. Describe the search and summarize the committee’s recommendation: The Nomination Committee was working under a compressed time schedule while also supporting FCDC’s mission during a state-wide gubernatorial as well as a crucial US Senate election. Our committee convened eight times during the period, September 27th through December 8th. The search process entailed reviewing bylaws and updating and clarifying job descriptions for the positions of Chair, First Vice Chair, Second Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Additionally, rating checklists were created for each position, for self-evaluation by the candidates and these bullet points provided the interview questions that were employed in the process.
B. Outreach, advertising and search execution
1. Strategy for cultivating the candidate pool
i. This committee educated itself with all aspects of both the County and State Bylaws and sought out guidance from the Democratic Party of Georgia via FaceTime and learned, as a Charter, State Bylaws supersedes county bylaws. In addition, the Nomination Committee followed up with Democratic Party of Georgia Representatives on several occasions. During one of our meeting with Democratic Party of Georgia, they extended an offer to attend the elections in support of our process. This committee has accepted their offer. Specific provisions applied are (CHARTER) Article VII “County Committee”; Article IX “Affiliates” and Article XI “Bylaws and Amendments”; (THE BYLAWS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF GEORGIA) Bylaws Article I “GENERAL PROVISIONS” §2, 5, 9.02, Bylaws Article VII “County Committee” §6.
Roberts Rules of Order, as noted in the bylaws under “GENERAL PROVISIONS” §5, Newly revised §46 “Nominations and Election” and sought the expertise of Chuck Enderlin.
Other resources were Toastmaster Article; Article 11-B “Nominations and Elections.”
ii. Description of creative or proactive efforts utilized to broaden the outreach.
Open position announcements were placed on the FCDC website on November 1, 2022. Notice was provided to the general membership through the FCDC Newsletter. Per Democratic Party of Georgia guidelines, only current Post Seat Holders were eligible to apply for positions on the Executive Committee. All current Post Seat Holders were contacted by the Nominating Committee, via email, or by telephone and encouraged to apply. The application window was extended to encourage additional applicants to apply as well.
2. Applicant pool
i. Are you satisfied with the size and composition of the candidate pool?
Ideally, we would have preferred a more robust pool of applicants, and the opportunity to nominate candidates from the floor offers the opportunity to expand the pool. However, the quality of the candidate’s applicant pool was very strong, and we were most impressed with the candidate’s level of experience, commitment, and potential for increased responsibility as potential members of the Executive Committee. The requirement to be a Post Seat Holder proved to be a limiting factor in reducing the number of potentially eligible candidates. Each position (Chair, First Vice Chair, Second Vice Chair, Secretary) received a minimum of two qualified applicants. A strong candidate applied for the Treasurer’s position, but the applicant was not a Post Seat Holder, and was not advanced in the search, leaving only one highly qualified applicant for this position.
3. Exploration input
i. How did the committee gather input on the candidate pool?
All candidates were invited to participate in a 30-minute interview with the nominating committee, either in person at the FCDC Headquarters or via Zoom. Some candidates declined the opportunity to interview, others were unable to participate due to scheduling challenges. Nominees from the floor will be afforded the opportunity to interview with the nominating committee during the Post Seat Holders Meeting. All candidates submitted a self-rating form that was submitted through the website and was reviewed by the nominating committee. Candidates who volunteered to be interviewed by the nominating committee were provided the opportunity to expand on their self-rating responses, respond to questions derived from the rating checklist and ask questions of the nominating committee.
4. Outcome of your committee deliberations
i. Include the overall, anonymous count of the nominating committee. Candidates who did not interview are included in the report, but they are unranked and listed in alphabetical order:
Chair Applicants: First Choice- Clark, Joe; Unranked-Reynolds, Garrett
First Vice Chair Applicants: Unranked- Naghise, Tish; Unranked- Wright, Chandra
Second Vice Chair Applicants: First Choice- Livsey, Zachary; Unranked- Walker, Mischelle
Secretary Applicants: First and Only Choice: Reed, Jill
Treasurer Applicants: First Choice: Wingate-Haynes, Angela; Unranked-Dr. Beraza, Elaine (ineligible/non-Post Seat Holder)
C. Candidate evaluation, materials, and recommendation
1. List the items used to evaluate the candidates
i. Candidate application
ii. Nominating committee interview process
iii. Candidate self-rating
2. Candidate(s) of choice
Chair: First Choice- Clark, Joe (4 out of 4)
First Vice Chair: -Naghise, Tish (4 out of 4)
Second Vice Chair: First Choice- Livsey, Zachary (3 out of 3)
Secretary: First Choice: Reed, Jill (4 out of 4)
Treasurer: First Choice: Wingate-Haynes, Angela (3 out of 3)
3. List their accomplishments as relative to your top candidate(s) of choice. 0-Lowest-5 Highest
Chair Applicants: First Choice- Clark, Joe – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-
A. Commitment and focus on the Democratic Party, Fayette County/Democratic Party and supporting Democratic candidates -rating 5
B. Experience, knowledge and ability to perform the duties of the position successfully -rating 5
C. Excellent Leadership talent-rating 5
D. Excellent Interpersonal and communication skills-rating 5
E. Excellent conflict management skills-rating 5
F. Ability to mentor effectively-rating 5
G. Accountability, Flexibility, Active Listening, Collaboration, Eager to learn, Optimism, Passion, Patience, Resilience, Transparency, Trustworthiness, Self-awareness, Respectful-rating 5
Observations: Applicant has deep political experience at federal, state and local level. Worked on President Jimmy Carter Campaign with Youth vote; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign, Union Negotiator and Vice President of the National Flight Attendants, Fayette County Planning and Zoning Commission, Fayetteville City Council, FCDC Post Seat Holder.
First Vice Chair Applicants: -Naghise, Tish SELF Rating 5 (candidate was not interviewed by the committee)
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-
A. Commitment and focus on the Democratic Party, Fayette County/Democratic Party and supporting Democratic candidates –SELF Rating 5
B. Experience, knowledge and ability to perform the duties of the position successfully -rating 5
C. Excellent Leadership talent-rating 5
D. Excellent Interpersonal and communication skills-rating 5
E. Strong organizational skills-rating 5
F. Oversee appointed committees in accordance to their charters-rating 5
Observations: Applicant has deep political experience at federal, state and local level. Worked in leadership role on Senator Jon Ossoff’s campaign. GA House of Representatives District 68 (Elect). Extensive experience at federal and state level: Obama 2008, 2012, Hillary Clinton 2016, and Stacey Abrams 2018, 2022. Presidential Delegate 2016 and 2020. Small Business Owner of T & C Transportation Enterprises, Inc. Post Seat Holder At-Large for DPC.
Second Vice Chair Applicants: First Choice- Livsey, Zachary
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-
A. Commitment and focus on the Democratic Party, Fayette County/Democratic Party and supporting Democratic candidates -Rating 5
B. Experience, knowledge and ability to perform the duties of the position successfully -rating 5
C. Excellent Leadership talent-rating 5
D. Excellent Interpersonal and communication skills-rating 5
E. Strong organizational skills-rating 5
F. Oversee appointed committees in accordance to their charters-rating 5
Observations: Applicant has experience at federal, state and local level. Worked in party since 2016. Assumed duties as FCDC Secretary summer 2022. Post Seat Holder. Young Democrats chapter, Starr’s Mills high school, Membership Chair for High School Democrats of Georgia. Jon Ossoff’s Senate campaign, interning in the finance department, raising more money than any Senate candidate in US history at the time. University of Georgia Young Democrats, DPG’s youth arm for those under 36. Passionate, young, and energetic.
Secretary Applicants: First Choice: Reed, Jill
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-
A. Commitment and focus on the Democratic Party, Fayette County/Democratic Party and supporting Democratic candidates -Rating 5
B. Experience, knowledge and ability to perform the duties of the position successfully -rating 5
C. Knowledge of the basics of Robert’s Rules of Order-rating 5
D. Excellent Interpersonal and verbal communication skills-rating 5
E. Familiarity with legal and political documents and writing-rating 5
F. Personal organization and integrity in handling sensitive documents and information-rating 5
G. Knowledge of bylaws, charters, and constitutions-rating 5
H. Familiarity with Google Drive and Microsoft software-rating 5
Observations: Professional career as an Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Manager in PTC with a film organization. Demonstrated strong integrity and moral courage. Strong background in compliance, rules, regulations, federal and state laws. Strong knowledge of Roberts Rules of Order. Department of Defense employee with security clearance, demonstrated discretion in handling classified and sensitive materials and written documents. Knowledgeable with Google, Microsoft, MS DOS, PPT, MAC and PC. Degree in communication. Has sought political office, registered Democrat for over 40 years. United Way Campaign Secretary. Secretary for Democrats of Johnson City, MO. Performed secretary functions at state board meetings, county, and local level. District 3 Post Seat Holder.
Treasurer Applicants: First Choice: Wingate-Haynes, Angela
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-
A. Commitment and focus on the Democratic Party, Fayette County/Democratic Party and supporting Democratic candidates – Rating 5
B. Experience, knowledge and ability to perform the duties of the position successfully -rating 5
C. Maintain Banking relations-rating 5
D. Bank management and oversight-rating 5
E. Strong Budget management and bookkeeping skills-rating 5
F. Donations/Cash Management-rating 5
G. Expense Management-rating 5
H. Financial oversight (policy and procedures)-rating 5
I. Reconciliations: Account Payables, Receivables, Bank Statement-rating 5
J. Recordkeeping-rating 5
K. Financial software applications (QuickBooks, ActBlue, Square, Breeze)-rating 5
Observations: Committed Democrat. Lifelong Democrat. Worked on the campaign for New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley Democratic nomination for president in 2000. Strategic Financial Management professional with 20+years’ experience in accounting, finance and operations for mid to large corporations in the private, public and non-profit sectors. Vast knowledge in areas of: Business Management, Accounting, Accounting Systems, Compliance, Finance, Investment Instruments, and Financial Services Operations. Accomplished at implementing innovative accounting practices and procedures. Former Companies/Clients: Solomon Edwards-Sr. Project Consultant; Manager, BPO Finance Services; Sr. Financial Consultant(Fannie Mae, Fidelity Investments and Habitat for Humanity International). Manager-Prudential Insurance. Current FCDC Treasurer. Post Seat Holder- At-Large.
ii. For all finalist candidates, include materials pertaining to their application and review (self- evaluation materials, etc.) Files will be attached.
II. Conclusion
- How will the committee’s recommendation advance the strategic goals of Fayette County Democratic Committee? The vetting process from the pool of qualified applicants has allowed for an equitable and transparent process, providing equal access and opportunity for service. The recommendation of the committee’s first choice applicants, highlight candidates who have demonstrated a strong understanding of the position, the needs of the organization, the By Laws Requirement, and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The interview allowed the committee to observe the candidate’s commitment, passion, and desire to serve in their respective roles as a team player. These finalists should successfully advance the strategic goals of FCDC for the 2023-2024 tenure, and beyond.
How will the committee’s recommendation advance diversity and equity at Fayette County Democratic Committee? The nominating committee’s recommended finalist represents a very diverse applicant pool. Selection of these candidates should successfully advance the diversity, equity and inclusion mission of the FCDC organization and Executive Committee, as well as addressing Georgia state party concerns regarding increased diversity and representation. The recommended finalist represents an opportunity for FCDC’s Executive Committee to become more diverse through creating gender parity. If selected this prospective committee will comprise three women of color (First Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer). The recommended finalist also provide an opportunity for FCDC to expand in the areas of gender parity and ethic parity with the selection of two white males (Chair and Second Vice Chair). Additionally, expanded opportunities for age diversity, with representation from finalist, ages 20-to-70, years old.
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