Greg Godard retiring as council of governments chief

March 05--When Greg Godard first got involved in the local council of governments, it was to help determine a reorganization plan. At the time, he didn't think he'd be the one to help implement the plan as executive director.

"I didn't necessarily want a governmental job, but I couldn't find anything that paid a living wage," Godard said. "I thought I'd stay with it for 12 months and then move on, but that was 24 years ago and I've enjoyed every minute of it."

Godard, 66, announced his retirement in January and come June, he'll be planning tee times instead of planning development projects for the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments.

"God is calling me to do mission work. I have a heart and mind for working with youth," he said. "I've got a brand-new set of golf clubs I hardly ever get to use and I want to fish with my six beautiful grandkids."

FROM POLITICS TO BUSINESS

The Williamston native was the first in his family to go to college, heading to Guilford College for a major in business administration and minor in sociology. In between college classes, Godard worked on the 1972 campaign for President Richard Nixon, taking a job in sales and marketing after graduating in 1974.

Godard moved to Wilson in 1978, switching to a job in insurance while caring for his growing family. He rounded out the '80s working in membership development at a chamber of commerce, then became the assistant director of the vehicle registration section for the N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles.

After being laid off, he struggled to find work despite serving on the Wilson County Board of Commissioners and the committee tasked with reorganizing the council of governments.

"I had two young children, a wife and we were out of money," he said. "I had exhausted all our savings when the Scotland Neck mayor convinced me I needed to apply for this job with the regional council."

To take the job, Godard stepped down from his role as a county commissioner and started working to enact the reorganization he helped to plan.

"When I came on board in '93, we were doing just the basics," Godard recalled. "Basically all we were providing was state and federal-funded programs in workforce development and aging services."

BILLION-DOLLAR INVESTMENT

While programs for displaced workers and disadvantaged seniors is where Godard's passion lies, he said he knew planning and development services was a crucial need, which became a reality in 1996 when the five-county region was designated by the U.S. Department of Commerce as an economic development district.

"Since that time, the regional council has received a multi-year planning and development grant allowing us to hire a full-time economic development planner to work with our five county economic developers on infrastructure projects," Godard said. "As of 2017, the COG has written and administered $26 million in grants for 25 projects. These funds have leveraged $996 million in private-sector funds and helped create 8,258 jobs in the region."

In 1998, the council created a half-million-dollar small business revolving fund that has helped create 100 jobs through 15 loans. And in 2001, officials worked to develop a regional small business incubator, which opened in 2007 in the old Belk department store in downtown Wilson and has helped 34 businesses.

But the organization hasn't lost its roots. The annual Caregiver Education Conference at Barton College is in the 15th year and a new nonprofit organization was started recently to help provide community services to disabled and older adults. The first project of the organization is a development of tiny houses for homeless seniors later this year.

'REMAINING THIRD OF MY LIFE'

Despite all the successes under his guidance, Godard has faced some medical issues. He said multiple strokes within the last two years and his ability to start drawing Social Security prompted many a prayers about balancing work and personal life.

"Life is divided into thirds -- 0 to 30, 30 to 60 and 60 to 90 years old. I'm in the 60 to 90 category where I want to do some other things in my life while I'm still healthy," he said. "God is telling me to make some changes in my life and I think it is time for me to start the remaining third of my life."

So as the new fiscal year starts for the council staff, Godard will focus his attention on planning a mission trip, a cruise and some travel through Europe. He hopes to try his hand at writing and start a business with other retired directors to do professional facilitation work, strategic planning and lobbying.

He will never forget the people and the programs he's been a part of for nearly the last third of his life.

"Our organization is run more like a business and less like a government bureaucracy. We have been successful in our mission," he said. "I have been successful in working on a nonpartisan basis with a diverse board of directors from local governments and the private sector over my 24-year tenure. I am proud of that fact."

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