Springfield has hired Tommy Deadwyler of the Fox Theatre Institute to be the director of the Mars Theatre.

Mayor Barton Alderman announced the selection during the Effingham Chamber of Commerce community retreat. Deadwyler had been the program assistant for Georgia Presenters at the Fox.

Alderman said Deadwyler has provided great insight previously for the Mars and his position eventually will evolve to include downtown development and a fine arts and cultural arts director.

“He has come in with a lot of good ideas,” the mayor said.

Deadwyler also has worked with entities in Hall County.

Alderman said the city is exploring working with the Effingham Community Orchestra and the Effingham Theatre to gain their interest.

“It’s more than just a simple movie theater,” he said.

Alderman said they hope to have the theatre open around the first of the year.

Deadwyler has worked with such clients as The School of Visual Arts in New York City, Conde Nast, Credit Suisse First Boston, Lancome, Microsoft and Merrill Lynch. He also was arts program director with the Sautee Nacoochee Center, where he directed, produced and marketed year-round performing arts activities. Sautee Nacoochee is in White County in north Georgia.

He also arranged sponsors and directed and produced the annual SummerFest, a six-week-long cultural arts event. It was designated a Top 20 event in the Southeast for eight straight years by the Southeast Tourism Society.

Deadwyler also directed and produced the Sautee Jamboree, a two-day music festival with national and regional performers, for seven years.