Kennesaw, September 26, 2016 ― VJI President and CEO Valerie Jordan attended the September luncheon of the Cobb Executive Women (CEW) on Friday, September 23, 2016 at the Georgian Club in Atlanta. CEW is dedicated to cultivating beneficial and supportive professional relationships among executive women in Cobb County. The monthly luncheons highlight the key roles that Cobb’s women leaders play in the economy and community.

The guest speaker at the luncheon was Brigadier General (GA) Joseph F. Jarrard who is the adjutant general for the Georgia National Guard. He reports directly to the governor and is responsible for providing command and control authority over the 15,000 personnel of the Georgia Department of Defense including soldiers and airmen of the Georgia Army and Air National Guard, the Georgia State Defense Force and U. S. Department of Defense state employees.

Brigadier General Jarrard spoke to the CEW group about the responsibilities of the Georgia National Guard. The national guard is charged with both federal and state missions. The federal mission is to provide properly trained and equipped units for mobilization for war, national emergency or as needed otherwise. The state functions range from actions during non-emergency situations to full-scale law enforcement of martial law when local law enforcement officials can no longer maintain civil control. He spoke about how training and preparation prepares his troops for their missions and for leading and decision-making in high-pressure situations. He also spoke about women’s leadership in the Georgia National Guard by citing specific situations in which women have played vital roles in missions and have made exemplary decisions under high-pressure situations. Brigadier General Jarrard’s overall message was “practice makes confidence.” With confidence, he assured the group that great decisions will be made during high-pressure situations.

“As tax consultants, we often make decisions on behalf of our clients while negotiating with department of revenue representatives,” says Jordan. She agrees that years of practical experience, along with expert knowledge of sales and use tax laws gained through research, prepares VJI’s tax experts to make good decisions with confidence that benefit clients in those high-pressure situations.

Pictured in the accompanying photograph taken at the luncheon are (L-R) Brigadier General Jerrard, Valerie Jordan, and Brigadier General Jerrard’s wife, Susan.