JMTE Returns to the Office, Welcoming New Faces and Ways to Serve You!
2020 has been a year full of new challenges. Here at JMTE we have been working in all types of creative ways to overcome those challenges and continue to serve our clients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. After weeks of working remotely we are getting back into a rhythm here in our office and it feels great to have that team energy flowing (mostly) all in one space once again. Not only did the JMTE team transition seamlessly into a remote work plan, but we are also excited to share that we have welcomed some new faces and certifications to our team in recent weeks.
Gerald Green joined JMTE in September as Executive Planner.
Gerald joins JMTE after retiring as Executive Director of Knoxville-Knox County Planning in 2015. He previously served as Director of the Jackson County Planning Department and was Chief Planner for the City of Asheville for 13 years. Gerald holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech, a master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Tennessee, and the AICP designation from the American Planning Association.
Gerald brings over 40 years experience working with small and medium sized communities in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. He understands their unique needs and has a successful track record helping them identify their vision and develop a plan to assist with growth.
Gerald and his wife live in Asheville and are active members of the community serving area non-profits and other organizations.
Robert Grayson has joined JMTE as a Forensic Reconstructionist.
Robert was born and raised in Asheville, NC. He served as a North Carolina State Trooper from 1989 until retirement in 2017. During his time as a Trooper he received over 1,000 hours of training in the field of collision investigation and reconstruction. He was a charter member of the NC State Highway Patrol’s Collision Reconstruction Unit, has testified in state court as an expert in collision investigation and crash reconstruction, and has been a conference presenter for the Governor’s Highway Safety Program as well as a staff instructor for the NC Conference of District Attorney’s Lethal Weapon Seminars.
Robert lives in Henderson County with his wife, and has two grown children. He is a certified Criminal Justice instructor for McDowell Technical Community College where he teaches crash investigation and traffic patrol techniques. He also teaches collision reconstruction and motorcycle crash reconstruction for the North Carolina Justice Academy. He is accredited through the Accreditation Committee for Traffic Accident Reconstruction.
Anna Sexton, JMTE’s Community Planner, became a Certified Zoning Official (CZO) through the North Carolina Association of Zoning Officials (NCAZO) in June. Her certification was a culmination of completing several courses offered by the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government. Course curriculum is designed to help students develop administrative skills in reviewing plans, inspecting sites, enforcing ordinances, providing service to customers, and develop a sound understanding of statutory authority, constitutional limits, and rules for decision-making such as quasi-judicial procedures.
The coursework, both in person and online, offered a great way to connect with others in the planning field and discuss similarities and challenges we face in our day to day work. It was a great opportunity, both personally and professionally. It has also helped bolster JMTE’s position to assist WNC communities with complying with new state regulations resulting from Chapter 160D legislation.
With an expanded team and new credentials, we are able to bring a higher level of professionalism and responsiveness to all of our clients. Our talented new staff strengthen the JMTE team and help fulfill our mission. Find out how we can help you today!