Gwinnett County Congratulates to Our 2025 EXCEL Graduates! - The place Gwinnett residents trust to explain what’s happening

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Gwinnett County is proud to honor the 26 remarkable individuals who have completed the 2025 EXCEL Program, our eight-month leadership development program that prepares current and future managers with the skills, confidence, and insight required to thrive in leadership roles.

What is EXCEL?

EXCEL is Gwinnett County’s signature leadership development program for management personnel. The name EXCEL stands for Executive Competence, Excellence, and Leadership. Its goals are three-fold:

To provide structured support and development to informed, capable leaders;
To encourage continuous professional growth among management staff; and
To develop a pool of professionals ready to be considered for senior leadership positions. Gwinnett County

Over the eight months, participants engage in a combination of classroom training, workshops, mentoring, leadership assessments, and — importantly — process improvement projects. These projects require each participant to identify, design, implement, and present a change or innovation aimed at improving County operations, efficiency, or effectiveness. By completing these projects, the graduates not only expand their leadership capacities but leave behind concrete improvements for Gwinnett County. Facebook+1

EXCEL in Context: Other Leadership Programs

EXCEL is one part of a broader leadership development ecosystem in Gwinnett County Government:

LEAD Academy: A three-month program for new supervisors and emerging leaders. It focuses on the County’s culture, leadership fundamentals, policies, and expectations. Graduates from LEAD gain foundational management skills for supervising teams and delivering services with integrity. Gwinnett County+1
Internal Management Academy (IMA): Designed for those who already have some leadership or training, this program helps bridge the gap between knowledge and practical leadership application. IMA includes sessions on servant leadership, breaking down departmental silos, and creating an individualized leadership plan. Gwinnett County

These programs together create a pipeline: LEAD builds new supervisors, EXCEL builds mid-level and prospective senior leaders, and IMA strengthens applied leadership.

Why EXCEL Matters

1. Improving County Services, Efficiency, and Effectiveness

Because each EXCEL participant undertakes a process improvement project, the program delivers tangible benefits to County services. Whether streamlining internal workflows, improving customer service in specific departments, or identifying cost-saving or innovation, these projects lead to measurable improvements.

2. Building Leadership Resilience & Talent Depth

EXCEL helps ensure Gwinnett County has a roster of managers who are not just competent in their current roles but ready to take on more responsibility. By encouraging professional growth, supporting leadership skills, and exposing participants to cross-departmental perspectives, the County builds depth in its leadership, helping continuity of service and enabling succession planning.

3. Fostering Informed & Engaged Leaders

Leaders who complete EXCEL emerge with a better understanding of the County’s values, policies, and mission. They are more aware of how their decisions affect both internal operations and the communities served. This informed perspective is vital in ensuring decisions are aligned with County goals and responsive to resident needs.

Celebrating the Class of 2025

While individual names were not listed in our source, the entire class of 26 graduates deserves high praise. Completing an eight-month program that demands significant time, self-reflection, collaboration, and performance in both learning and practice is no small feat.

These leaders represent a broad spectrum of Gwinnett County departments. Their projects will likely touch many areas—from operations, human resources, public safety, IT, finance, community services, and beyond—depending on where each participant works. With their new skills and insights, they are now better positioned to lead with excellence and make meaningful change.

What’s Next & How the Community Benefits

Implementation of Improvement Projects: Once these projects are completed, departments and County leadership will work to adopt, scale, or learn from them. These innovations often deliver savings (time, money), improve customer/resident experience, or streamline internal processes.
Continued Development: Graduates don’t just walk away with a certificate. Many go on to mentor others, take on larger leadership roles, or participate in further leadership trainings (e.g. IMA or even more senior development).
Stronger Service to Residents: Ultimately, when County leaders are more effective, the services provided to residents—permit processing, public safety, parks, health, social services, etc.—are delivered more reliably, more efficiently, and often more innovatively.

A Token of Thanks

To the 2025 EXCEL graduates: Thank you for your dedication over the last eight months. Your willingness to grow, to challenge existing norms, to carry out complex improvement projects, and to sharpen your leadership makes a difference for the County and the residents you serve.

To County leadership and all those who support this program: your investment in these individuals is an investment in better government, stronger communities, and more engaged public service.

Looking Forward

Gwinnett County’s leadership pipeline continues to evolve. As needs change—including in technology, demographic, health, equity, environmental challenges—the demand for adaptive, informed, service-oriented leadership grows. Programs like EXCEL, LEAD, and IMA position the County well to meet those demands.

We look forward to seeing what the 2025 EXCEL graduates achieve and the ways in which their projects and leadership choices will shape Gwinnett County for years to come.

Once again, Congratulations to the 2025 EXCEL graduates! The leadership foundation you’ve built is strong. We’re excited to see you leading from the front.