From left to right, Troy Peco, GNTC instructor and TCSG Instructor of the Year; Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga); Pete McDonald, president of GNTC; and Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee).
From left to right, Pete McDonald, president of GNTC; Senator Charlie Bethel (R-Dalton); and Troy Peco, GNTC instructor and TCSG Instructor of the Year.
From left to right, Pete McDonald, president of GNTC; Rep. Katie Dempsey (R-Rome); Troy Peco, GNTC instructor and TCSG Instructor of the Year; and Rep. John Meadows (R-Calhoun).
After an introduction from Rep. Carl Rogers (R-Gainsville) (left), Troy Peco, GNTC Instructor and TCSG Instructor of the Year (center) addresses the Georgia House of Representatives. Also pictured is Speaker of the House David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) (right).
Troy Peco, director of Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Automotive Technology program recently addressed both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly as part of an invitation resolution for being named the Technical College System of Georgia Instructor of the Year.
Mr. Peco began the day by speaking to the House of Representatives about the value of a technical education.
“Since working at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, I have learned the true power of technical education and have learned that TCSG helps so many people in the state,” said Mr. Peco. “The skilled workforce that TCSG provides to business and industry allows us to be a player in the global market.”
Mr. Peco was joined on stage by Ron Jackson, commissioner of TCSG; Pete McDonald, president of GNTC; state representatives from districts in GNTC’s service area; his wife Kim; and sons, Alex and Anthony.
After speaking to the House of Representatives, Mr. Peco went across the hall of the Capitol Building to address members of the senate and discuss the technical college’s role in economic development.
“In my seven years living in the state, I have seen companies like KIA, Baxter, and Caterpillar move their corporate and manufacturing facilities to this state,” said Mr. Peco. “One thing I know for sure is whether it is a nurse, an electronics technician, or an automotive technician, a TCSG graduate plays a pivotal role in making Georgia great.”
Mr. Peco received a standing ovation from members of the senate after his closing remarks.
“I am a true believer in how technical education can take a returning veteran like me, a person that has been recently laid off, or a young high school graduate and provide them with an affordable education that can give them a career with no limits,” said Mr. Peco. “Supporting the technical college system of Georgia and its students is a wise investment for the people of Georgia and its future.”
Prior to the legislative sessions, the Foundation at GNTC sponsored a breakfast in the Capitol Building so members of the house and senate could meetMr. Peco and speak with Pete McDonald, president of GNTC.
Some of the members of the Georgia General Assembly that attended the breakfast included Sen. Charlie Bethel (R-Dalton), Rep. Bruce Broadrick (R-Dalton), Rep. John Deffenbaugh (R-Lookout Mountain), Rep. Katie Dempsey (R-Rome), Rep. Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper), Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee), Rep. John Meadows (R-Calhoun), Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga), and Rep. Steve Tarvin (R-Chickamauga).