Brannen Morton joins Herald staff as digital specialist

        Statesboro Publishing now has a new digital marketing specialist, operations manager Jim Healy announced today.
        Brannen Morton, who joined the Herald staff last week, will focus on helping local business owners with Advanced Media Solutions to grow their business using digital tools as a media partner.
        Also, he will assist existing multimedia sales executives offer digital marketing solutions to drive increased local business through individual needs analysis of each business.
        "Brannen brings a strong level of digital expertise to our staff," Healy said. "He is well versed in the new higher level group of digital services we've added to our promotions menu. Working with Jen Morriss and the rest of our staff, Morton will help our local businesses reach more customers at an even lower cost."
        Morton, a Bulloch County native, has degrees in both History and Information Technology from Georgia Southern University with a minor in Multimedia Communi-cations.
        While attending GSU, Morton worked in the food service industry in ST Simons Island to finance his education.
        Prior to that, he was editor in chief of "PAWSmopolitan," a high-quality specialized magazine for pet owners in Daytona Beach, Fla.
        He recently completed specialized training with Deseret Media, a well-known national leader in innovative digital media services.
        "We believe Brannen's experience in retailing and digital as well as print offers him additional advantages as he can marry all that with his technology skills to recommend the best solutions out there," Healy said.
        Ad Director Jan Melton echoed Healy's comments.
        "Brannen will be available to help our existing sales execs help their clients understand and utilize new advanced digital marketing solutions. We're very excited to have him join our team."

Superior Court Clerk McNeal completes training

           Bulloch County Superior Court Clerk Heather Banks McNeal recently completed professional development training provided through UGA's Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
        More than 100 Superior Court clerks from across Georgia enrolled in training courses offered during the Superior Court Clerks Association of Georgia's 2015 Spring Conference last month.
        At the conference, court clerks strengthened critical professional skills in areas such as jury management, maintaining real and personal property documents, and goal setting and succession planning.
        The continuing education courses are provided through the Superior Court Clerk Certificate Program, which the Institute of Government administers. To earn a certificate, a Superior Court clerk must complete a 72-hour curriculum consisting of technical courses as well as management and leadership courses. Court clerks must complete six hours of continuing education annually to maintain the certificate as current.
        "By participating in certificate training, Georgia's court clerks show a strong commitment to professional growth and helping their local government operate more efficiently and effectively," said Institute of Government Director Laura Meadows.
        The Carl Vinson Institute of Government is a UGA Public Service and Outreach unit that provides customized assistance, applied research and professional development for government leaders and employees not only across Georgia, but nationally and internationally, as well.
        "This training was very valuable to me as a newly elected clerk and will be of the upmost assistance to my office and how we can better serve the public," McNeal said.