The resignation of Michael Ferdinand as executive director of the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority comes as he completes nearly four years at the helm of the important agency that has economic and industrial development of the Natchez area as its charge.

Ferdinand will continue in his position until the end of June. That gives city and county officials and other residents an opportunity to say thank you to Ferdinand for the effort he has put into the job.

Let’s face it. He came at a critical time in our history, and hopes were high that his expertise, honed in a position at the Mississippi Development Authority, would be what Natchez needed to revive its economy.

Many significant events have frustrated efforts of the Natchez EDA in the last several years, most of which were well beyond the control of anyone on the local or state level.

Ferdinand came to Natchez only weeks before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. And, although those attacks were far away from our area, the entire country for some time suffered financially in one way or another as a result of the assaults. Natchez, for example, saw a big downturn in tourism, and it hurt.

The closing of several large industries in Natchez further complicated the lagging economy and job market, and recruiting of new industries simply never reached the success level many had hoped for and others expected.

Chairman of the EDA Board Woody Allen likens Ferdinand’s departure to a sports team whose coach has had too many losing seasons. Perhaps the coach was not to blame for all the losses; nevertheless, he was the coach.

Whatever the board decides to do in the interim after Ferdinand leaves and wherever they begin their search for his replacement, we hope they will look in a positive way at lessons learned from the past four years and move forward with optimism.

Natchez has a multitude of assets, which, like building blocks, require a steady hand and creative touch to turn them into a masterpiece.