Whitaker Departing GTR LINK for New Opportunity

Golden Triangle, Mississippi (PRESS RELEASE) – After more than a decade with the organization, Macaulay
Whitaker is leaving the Golden Triangle Development LINK for a new opportunity as the Vice
President of Talent and Culture at Burns Dirt Construction.
“Macaulay will be missed tremendously. We can find someone to do her job but it will be
impossible to replace her. In her 11 year tenure at the Link and Chamber, she moved thru the
ranks, learned every aspect about our organization and was an absolute key part of creating
4,350 jobs, securing $2.1 billion in investment and was a key player in developing the plans and
funding for the Communiversity,” said Joe Max Higgins, CEO of the GTR LINK. “She was our
CHIEF Operations officer. Simply put her prints are all over the successes that we have had and
its hard to imagine that we would be where we are today without her. Burns Dirt is getting a
rockstar!”
Whitaker began her career with the LINK as Programs and Events Director for the chamber
division. During her time there, she was interim Vice President of Chamber, Vice President for
Internal and External Affairs and was named Chief Operating Officer in 2017.
She contributed to workforce development, constituent relations, strategic planning, marketing
and media relations, legislative affairs, private sector fundraising, project recruitment, military
relations and operations and organizational leadership.
Notable projects she oversaw or contributed to include the formation of the three-county
Golden Triangle Development LINK, the region’s ACT WorkReady certification, the
Communiversity and the NorthStar Industrial Park.
“For most of my career, I have had the absolute honor to make our place better with some of
the most talented people you can possibly imagine,” said Whitaker. “There are not words to
express my gratitude to the Golden Triangle Development LINK, to Joe and the staff past and
present, and all our partners for allowing me to be a part of the team. These past 11 years have
been some of the best years of my life. I know that the team at the LINK will continue to do
amazing things in our region and beyond, and I hope to continue to support them every way I
can.”