Earlier this year, Troy University Athletics Hall of Famer Ted Clem was named the new president of the Pike County Economic Development Corporation (PCEDC). He’s hit the ground running in his new role. 

Clem is a native of Georgiana and was a part of two national championship teams as a kicker at Troy. The play he’s most known for was his legendary 50-yard game-winning field goal to lift the Trojans over North Dakota State in the 1984 Division II National Championship. Clem was inducted into the Troy Athletics Hall of Fame this year.

“It was quite the honor and a little humbling for me, as well,” Clem said of being inducted into his alma mater’s Hall of Fame.

Clem graduated from Troy with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He also holds the Certified Economic Developer certification. He started his professional career as the first ever executive director of the Conecuh County Economic Development Authority in Evergreen. He would go on to serve on the Covington County Economic Development Commission before working in a business development position with the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce in Florida. 

He also went on to serve with the Bay County Economic Development Alliance and was chairman of the Florida Economic Development Council. He also helped form Florida’s Great Northwest, a regional economic development group in Northwest Florida. 

Clem also served as the president of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission in Georgia before returning to Alabama to work with the Alabama Department of Commerce for more than a decade. He worked with the state for 12 years, serving as Senior Project Manager and then Director of Business Development. 

“Early on in my career the thought crossed my mind (of returning to Troy) because I really loved Troy when I was in school here,” Clem said. “I met a lot of great people who were from here through church and getting to know the community, but I never thought at this point in my career this is where I would wind up. It was just good timing and a good opportunity for me to give back to the town I love.”

Clem said the partners in Pike County make his job much easier.

“I’ve spent half of my career doing local economic development and this is a great community to work in,” he said. “Both the City of Troy and City of Brundidge and the Pike County Comission are equally important and are partners of this organization. We’re just really trying to find success within the Pike County Area, whether that be in Brundige or Troy or anywhere else in the county. Everyone is going to benefit when we find success.”

Troy University is also a big part of the partnerships in Pike County.

“I couldn’t imagine Pike County without Troy University as the center,” he said. “The university has grown so much from the time period when I was in school. They’re branching out into new areas of research and specialities. It’s a great opportunity to help build the workforce for the future of this area.

“Their economic impact, having those students here throughout the year, also brings a lot of direct income to the community. I really look forward to continuing to build on that partnership with the university.” 

Clem said that one of his primary goals with the PCEDC is to continue the legacy that has been built by his predecessors. 

“I think continuing on the strong legacy that Pike County already has is important to me,” he said. “This organization was led for a long time by Marsha Gaylord and I have a lot of respect for her. Later on, Jimmy Lunsford also worked with this organization and there is a strong track record of success here. My goal is to continue to build on the strengths we have.” 

Clem said that Pike County has a very well-diversified industrial mix along with a strong food and beverage industry that he hopes to help build on. 

“Pike County has a lot to offer and we’re just trying to build off those strengths we have to continue to grow,” Clem said. “We want to help the county grow in a way that also allows Pike County to continue to be who we are; a great place to live, work and raise a family.” 

Clem brings lessons he learned from the football field at Troy into his role with the PCEDC.

“One of the biggest lessons I learned from playing football, being a part of two national championship teams, is that it takes teamwork to have success in whatever you’re doing in life,” Clem emphasized. “We have a strong team here in Pike County. Our Board of Directors is a very well-connected and diversified group of people that have this community’s best interests at heart. They do a great job of giving us policy direction and both our cities have strong leadership in place, as well as the county commission. It takes a team to be successful and I look forward to doing my part on that team.” 

Clem also expressed his appreciation for Troy Mayor Jason Reeves and Brundidge Mayor Isabell Boyd for their continued investments into their communities as both cities are developing new industrial parks.

“I applaud and compliment the cities for making that decision to invest and purchase that property for the future,” said Clem. “I think that’s big for Troy and for Brundidge, as they’re doing the same thing.”

While bringing new industry to the area is always a plus, Clem made sure to emphasize that continuing to help current industry and businesses is just as much a priority for PCEDC.

“So much of what we do is really just trying to do what we can as a community to help our companies be more successful,” Clem said. “We want to hear the issues and challenges that they’re facing and help bring solutions to the table that helps them be more successful. In my time with the state we always looked at the numbers annually state wide, and the average was close to 80 percent of new job creation comes from the existing industrial base. 

“We want to spend a lot of time working with our employers in the area to help them be more successful.”