FRANKLIN—After dedicating herself to incubating new businesses, Cathy Davison will now see her own life unfold as she heads for a new career opportunity in North Carolina.

Davison, 37, who began as small business development manager for Franklin Southampton Economic Development in February 2005, began working in Franklin in August 2004 as the executive assistant to the city manager. She served as interim small business manager at the incubator beginning in October 2004, working both jobs for about five months.

Davison’s last day at the Business Incubator will be June 27 as she prepares for her new job as town administrator for Murfreesboro.

&uot;I like the fact that each one of the council members there is a commissioner of a department,&uot; she said. &uot;I will work directly with the council members in support of the departments. I will be in charge of budgeting and acting as zone administrator as well.

&uot;It will be a great opportunity. I’m excited about it.&uot;

Davison said Murfreesboro is a growing area and now has 2,300 people.

&uot;Coincidentally, my first day will also be the first day of the North Carolina Watermelon Festival,&uot; she said. &uot;About 30,000 people come into town each year for the event.&uot;

She said she is also excited about her proximity to the historic district, which will be about two blocks away from her office.

Davison is looking to eventually build a home with her husband, Jim, a Suffolk firefighter, and their son, John Henry, 3. She has six months to move to the town.

&uot;We are selling our home on Robinhood Road,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ll commute until it is sold.

&uot;It’s hard to leave. We love it here. I’ll miss working with Franklin Southampton Economic Development and the Incubator Board, but I’m really going to miss the Incubator tenants.&uot;

Davison said the Incubator was like her baby, as she has been there during the renovation and construction.

This year, two businesses graduated earlier than expected. After 18 months, one of the businesses moved to the old Oliver’s Pools location in downtown Franklin and another moved to an office behind Shaky’s Butcher Shop in Courtland.

&uot;I’ve built a bond with the people I work with,&uot; she said. &uot;I’d especially like to thank Brenda Pope for all of her help in building the Incubator program.&uot;

Davison earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Legal Studies from Anderson University in Indiana and is currently working on her master’s degree online through the University of Denver.

&uot;My master’s is in Organizational Leadership, with the focus being PR in Marketing,&uot; she said. &uot;I’m also pursuing an advanced certificate in human resource administration.&uot;

She will graduate in June 2008.

&uot;I’m looking forward to taking what I’ve learned here working with the Downtown Franklin Association and the City of Franklin, combined with the experience I had before I came to Franklin, and applying it in Murfreesboro,&uot; she said.

&uot;I like to stay busy and I’m looking to take on new challenges.&uot;