Mary Beth Brownlee selected to head One Valdosta-Lowndes

VALDOSTA — Some say good things come to those who wait. Making good on this claim, the leadership of Valdosta and Lowndes County is proud to announce the official launch of One Valdosta-Lowndes.

A joint endeavor of key strategic partners, One-Valdosta Lowndes stands to deliver on the promise of good things to come as the initiative represents years of hard work and commitment to the future success of all of Lowndes County.

A partnership of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, the city of Valdosta, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority, the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, Valdosta State University, South Georgia Medical Center, and Georgia Power Company, OVL is positioned to bring a spirit of collaboration, vision and action toward achieving the shared goals of the community.

Housed operationally within the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, OVL is positioned to serve as a catalyst for growth and change by bringing business and industry, the faith community, and the nonprofit sector to the table with its public sector partners to facilitate positive development and economic opportunity in Lowndes County.

With Mary Beth Brownlee having recently been named as the Director of OVL, staff and leadership are in place to bring the 2021 OVL Community & Economic Development Plan into fruition.

Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber President & CEO Christie Moore said she is excited about the launch of OVL.

“The most successful communities in Georgia and across the United States have one major quality in common: collaboration,” Moore said. “One Valdosta-Lowndes is committed to working collaboratively with partners across our community to ensure economic opportunities and an enjoyable quality of life for all.

“The chamber is honored to house OVL and to provide the necessary staff and operational support to ensure the initiative is successful. We are thrilled to see OVL launched and excited to see what the future holds.”

Brownlee most recently provided support and technical assistance to counties and elected officials across the state of Georgia as a member of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia County Consulting Services team. Brownlee was the founding executive director of the One Sumter Economic Development Foundation in Americus, and she continues to serve on that agency’s board of directors.

During her tenure at One Sumter, the organization has raised $3.7 million dollars — parlaying those financial commitments into an additional $37 million in capital investments to the community. Driven by a love of public service and helping communities find common ground and progress, where previously thought not possible, Brownlee said she is excited to be tapped to lead One Valdosta-Lowndes.

“One Valdosta-Lowndes has the potential and the expectation to be a game changer for Lowndes County,” she said. “As the much-talked-about ‘capital’ of south Georgia, OVL can address those issues that are either no one person’s or entity’s responsibility — or take on those challenges that are so important, so all-encompassing, that it is everybody’s issue, but because of that, very few know how to step up or take that on in a way that truly engages the entire community.

“Working around the state, and particularly with One Sumter, has given me the perspective to appreciate true grassroots enthusiasm and understanding of how essential it is toward creating real change. I look forward to leveraging that experience here in my new hometown, and in what is, and will always be, my daughter’s hometown.”

The work of One Valdosta-Lowndes will be led by the OVL Advisory Council, comprising representatives from the founding partners and leaders from across the community. The Council currently consists of the following members:

Johnny Ball (South Georgia Medical Center), Clinton Beeland (CJB Industries), Thressea Boyd (Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce), Joe Brownlee (Georgia Power Company), Richard Carvajal (Valdosta State University), Paige Dukes (Lowndes County), Mayor Scott James Matheson (city of Valdosta), George Page (Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority), and Andrea Schruijer (Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority). Christie Moore will provide general oversight and connection back to the chamber and its Board of Directors.

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