Yolanda Merriweather is the newly elected President of Southern Development Council, Inc.

Since 1983, one of the company’s founders, Maudie Bedford, served as President/CEO until her passing in March of 2022. Lee Adcox, who was previously Chairman of the Board of Directors, served as the interim President for a year and a half, until this Fiscal Year End when he passed the torch to then-Executive Director, Yolanda Merriweather.

Yolanda started her professional career with SDC in 2006 as a Commercial Loan Assistant where she learned the ins and outs of SDC as well as the SBA 504 Loan Program. She went on to work for Commercial and Community Banks over the years advancing her knowledge and experience, and prior to returning to SDC in 2021 as Executive Director, she worked with Choice Hotels as an SBA consultant.

Yolanda will be a tremendous President for SDC. She has done so much for the company as Executive Director, and executives say they are all excited to watch her grow and continue to lead in this new role.