After leading the West Point Development Authority for 25 years, Drew Ferguson III has stepped down as its chairman.

Pate Huguley of West Point Foundry was elected as the board’s new chairman during a brief meeting Thursday.

“I’m not even going to try” to fill Ferguson’s shoes, said Huguley, who has been on the board for more than two years. “It’s impossible. I’ll do the best I can. Drew is a tremendous individual, and the entire area has benefited from his efforts.”

Ferguson, retired from Capital City Bank, joined the city’s development authority 26 years ago and became its chairman a year later.

“It’s time” to step down, Ferguson said Wednesday, saying he was pleased to have a young leader like Huguley to take over. “I’m leaving the authority in very good hands.”

Ferguson long has been a key player in West Point’s growth, but earned a reputation across the region and praise from Gov. Sonny Perdue during negotiations three years ago to bring Kia Motors to the state. Ferguson met with property owners on what is now the 2,200-acre Kia site and persuaded them to sell their land for the deal.

LaGrange Development Authority Chairman Diethard “D” Lindner called the fact Ferguson was able to secure all the property options “amazing.”

“He showed them what was coming if they were willing to sell their property,” said Robert Young, who was named director of the development authority two years ago.

“It really is a pleasure to work with Drew,” Young said. “He’s extremely effective at getting things rolling.”

Lindner first met Ferguson during the Kia negotiations in 2005. The two got to know each other well. Lindner said this week he took his first trip to Korea with Ferguson and his most recent trip with Drew Ferguson IV, Ferguson’s son and West Point’s mayor.

“I’m not sure how West Point will replace (Ferguson III),” Lindner said. “I predict he still will be called on quite a bit.”

Although the elder Ferguson currently is best known for Kia’s decision to come here, Ferguson should be credited with much of the development in West Point in the last 25 years, Young said. Ferguson and a group of leaders began the West Point Technology Park in the mid-1980s. The park brought jobs, tax revenue and utility sales, which helped the city bridge the gap between textile’s boom and Kia’s arrival, keeping the town afloat. Ferguson said about 1,700 jobs have been created there, which is half of West Point’s current population.

“It was a vision to do more than just textiles,” Young said. “It took effort and money and organization and was very important to building the city of West Point.”

Ferguson said he’s proud not just of Kia and the technology park, but the city’s efforts to recruit Kia suppliers and work with the Valley Partnership, a collection of local governments, to attract all types of industry.

“When we started the development authority our goal was to create jobs,” Ferguson said. “To get something as big as Kia, you only dream about. That’s once in a lifetime.”

Jennifer Shrader may be reached at jshrader@ lagrangenews.com or at (706) 884-7311, Ext. 236.