Brian Thompson, president and chief executive officer of Lebanon Regional Economic Development, Inc. (Lebanon-REDI), was recently re-certified as a Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED) by the Community Development Council (CDC). 

Thompson is a former Dexter resident, graduating from Dexter High School in 1999 prior to successful completion of his associate degree from Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff and a bachelor of science from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Ark. in 2001.

Founded in 1995, the CDC is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to establish professional standards through certification and training that will be recognized as valuable to both the community development practitioner and those who employ their services.

To earn PCED designation, community and economic development professionals must first complete three years of the Community Development Institute (CDI) at one of six regional locations. Upon finishing CDI, an economic and community development professional may take the PCED test.

Exam content is based on the Community Development Handbook which provides comprehensive, current, and applicable information for community development practitioners. Testing includes questions to measure both the understanding of content and the ability to apply the appropriate methods and tools to specific community situations. 

Thompson completed his CDI years from 2009-11 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark., before successfully taking the PCED certification test in August 2011. He earned re-certification in 2015 and again earlier this month.

Re-certification may be achieved through professional education, contributions to the profession, service, and participation in community development meetings and programs.