NATCHEZ &045; A retired Alcorn State University professor and long-time Natchez resident has been named to the board of the city-county economic development agency.

Dr. John M. Lee will replace Jack Dallas, whose term on the Natchez-Adams County Economic and Community Development Authority board expired in May. Lee’s appointment is effective immediately, said Lynwood Easterling, president of the county Board of Supervisors, who made the appointment at a Monday meeting.

Easterling said Lee is a good choice for the board. &uot;He will give 110 percent. I’ve known him for years. He will be great for Adams County.&uot;

Lee learned of the appointment Monday afternoon and said he is glad to have the opportunity to serve the community.

A former professor of political science, Lee said economic development has been an interest of his for a long time. &uot;I actually witnessed how Taiwan has developed,&uot; he said.

Lee’s knowledge of the community, where he has lived for nearly 28 years, and his broad knowledge of economic development will be a plus, Easterling said.

A native of mainland China, Lee moved with his family to Taiwan in 1949. Ten years later, he moved to the United States to attend college at a small denominational institution in Chicago.

After a few years working for several corporations in Chicago, he enrolled at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he remained to complete his master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science.

&uot;Actually, part of my concentration when I was getting my doctorate was in economic development. It was one of the five fields I chose to study,&uot; he said.

Further, as he began to teach political science and economics at Alcorn in 1976, he maintained his interest in economic development by reading newspapers and magazines.

From watching what happened to a blossoming Taiwan and then following what has happened in recent years in China, Lee said that he hopes he can offer a different and

broad perspective to the board he has agreed to serve.

&uot;I will not claim expertise, but I think I do have some economic development background,&uot; he said.

He looks forward to meeting other members of the board and learning about projects under way.

After his retirement two years ago, Lee began to write columns for The Democrat and other newspapers.

That was one way he thought he could share ideas and perhaps be useful to the community and state.

With an opportunity to work directly with the EDA, he hopes to be able to offer even more, Lee said.

&uot;I know we don’t have to limit ourselves to industrial development. We can bring in retirees and service companies,&uot; he said.

Lee praises the moves made by Alcorn State University President Clinton Bristow to form a partnership with Natchez agencies to promote high-tech capabilities and thus attract high-tech industries.

Communities where high-tech industries have thrived and grown are places with strong universities near by, Lee said.

&uot;We need to pursue the partnership at Alcorn. I think Dr. Bristow’s idea is a very good one,&uot; Lee said.