Clifton Whitley III has been named president and chief executive officer of the Mississippi Action for Community Education, an organization that works on minority economic developing programs in the Delta.

Whitley worked at MACE from 1998 to 2001 as project director when he was named vice president for Head Start Mississippi.

The West Point native tells the Delta Democrat Times that one of the toughest obstacles to overcome will be finding a way to provide resources at a time when the crippled economy is forcing cutbacks and simultaneously generating more demand for services.

MACE is the chief sponsor of the annual Delta Blues and Heritage Festival in Greenville.

Whitley succeeds Howard Bouttee Jr., who announced his retirement last year.