Friday, June 15,
2001
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Chamber's new president no stranger to south side By JOHN
THOMPSON
South Fulton's new Chamber of Commerce president is a familiar figure on the south side of town. John Boothby started his position as president June 4, but has spent a great deal of his career south of Interstate 20. Boothby resigned as Forest Park's director of development to take the chamber position. Prior to that, Boothby worked for years as Fayette County's economic development director. While he's still settling into his new digs, Boothby is enthusiastic about the opportunity for South Fulton. "I think the leadership is very impressive and it can help our efforts to coordinate the growth that will come here," he said. Boothby believes the region can learn from the problems of development north of Interstate 285 and is just impressed with the physical landscape of the region. "Driving down South Fulton Parkway, you realize just how pristine we are. The opportunity is there to avoid the problems of the north side," he said. Boothby has been impressed with the folks he's met in South Fulton so far, and believes he can use his contacts on the Southside to convince business leaders that South Fulton would be a good fit for their companies. In the years that he has been doing economic development for various government agencies, Boothby has noticed a subtle shift in philosophy. "I think economic development is falling slightly out of favor. I think the focus now is on community development and the diversity of economic opportunities," he said. During his first few weeks in office, Boothby wants to get out and meet as many people as he can to get a feel for what the residents and business leaders want to see the chamber accomplish. "This is just a great opportunity and I'm excited about the future of South Fulton County," he said.
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