The Site Selectors Guild announced the recipients of its Robert M. Ady Professional Scholarship Program, which provides complimentary registration to the 2026 Site Selectors Guild Spring Conference, March 23–25 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The scholarship supports economic development professionals from organizations with limited financial resources and reflects the Guild’s ongoing commitment to professional development and relationship building within the site selection community.
The 2026 Ady Scholarship recipients are:
- Abby Ivory, Economic Development Director, Eagle Mountain City (UT)
- Alfonso Leggette, Project Manager, Greenville Area Development Corporation (SC)
- Bailey Tombers, Vice President of Business Development, Lake County IN Economic Alliance (IN)
- Colby Kirk, President, One East Kentucky (KY)
- Dave O’Neal Headly, Senior Research Officer, Invest St. Lucia
Recipients joined more than 400 economic development professionals and Guild Members at the Guild Spring Conference, the Guild’s flagship event featuring strategic networking, expert led breakout sessions and forward-looking discussions on trends shaping corporate location strategy.
Applications for the Ady Scholarship are evaluated by a committee of Guild Members based on financial need, professional accomplishments and a demonstrated interest in engaging with site selection consultants. Candidates from communities traditionally underrepresented in economic development are given priority.
“The Ady Scholarship reflects the Guild’s commitment to investing in the next generation of economic development leaders,” said Michelle Comerford, Site Selectors Guild board chair and Industrial & Supply Chain Practice leader at Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co. “This year’s recipients represent a diverse range of communities and career paths, and each has demonstrated a strong dedication to strengthening their regions and building meaningful relationships with site selection professionals. We’re proud to welcome them to the Guild’s Spring Conference.”
The scholarship program is named in honor of Robert M. Ady, founder of the Site Selectors Guild and a pioneer in the site selection profession. Ady rose through the ranks of Fantus Consulting, the first leading site selection firm, before starting his own firms and becoming a lifelong champion of the economic development and site selection industries and professions. After Ady’s passing in 2012, the Guild established the scholarship program to honor his influence on the industry and the professional paths he helped carve for future economic development practitioners.
Learn more about the Robert M. Ady Professional Scholarship Program here.
About the Site Selectors Guild
The Site Selectors Guild is the only association of the world’s foremost professional site selection consultants. Guild Members provide location strategy to corporations across the globe and for every industry, sector, and function. Founded in 2010, the Site Selectors Guild is dedicated to advancing the profession of international corporate site selection by promoting integrity, objectivity, and professional development. Members are peer-nominated, vetted, and must demonstrate significant professional location advisory experience. In 2024, Guild Members facilitated the committed or announced creation of approximately 111,000 jobs and $141 billion in capital investment by corporate clients, which required location analysis across 90 countries. Guild membership is the highest standard in the site selection industry. For more information, visit siteselectorsguild.com or follow Site Selectors Guild on LinkedIn.
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