Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard ‘speechless’ over Ed Freeman Leadership Award

ALBANY — Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard said she was in tears Thursday evening when she realized she was the recipient of the Ed Freeman Leadership Award, which was presented to her at the annual graduation ceremony for the 21 members of the 2015-16 Leadership Albany class at the Kirkland Conference Center at Albany Technical College.

The award is presented annually to recognize a program graduate who has made significant contributions to the betterment of the community.

“I was speechless,” she said. “I could not believe it.”

Luke Flatt, CEO of AB&T National Bank and a prior recipient of the award, was scheduled to present it to Hubbard, but was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. Instead, Leadership Albany Director Mary Ligon read Flatt’s remarks in his absence.

In those remarks, Flatt started off by describing an ideal recipient of the Ed Freeman Award, which he wrote is a person who has innovative thinking, enthusiasm, inspires others and sets a good example. He described Hubbard as someone who has those characteristics, while going a step further to call her an encourager.

“An encourager is a helper,” he wrote. “An encourager helps others by giving them what they need or by speaking good words to them. An encourager always wants others to do well. An encourager deflects attention from him or herself and shines a light on others. An encourager offers solutions to problems and credits others for them. An encourager is selfless.

“And in the professional, civic, cultural and social roles our honoree has filled, this theme of ‘encourager’ runs through them all.”

He also went on to give an overview of Hubbard’s background, which includes 30 years at Albany State University serving in capacities including admissions counselor, admissions director and assistant vice president for academic affairs. After retiring in 20o5, she was appointed by then Gov. Sonny Perdue to fill an unexpired term on the Albany City Commission, a seat she held until August 2011 when she pursued her current office.

It was about this time in Flatt’s remarks that Hubbard said she realized she would be receiving the award. She said she was honored by the recognition, and accepted it on behalf of her supporters and the leaders before her.

“I challenged all the people present to work together,” the mayor said of the moment she accepted the honor. “That is the only way (the community will be improved).”

A mother of four and grandmother of six, Hubbard’s community involvement over the years has included The Links Inc. chapter in Albany, the Semper Fidelis Club and Chosen to Conquer. Her other awards have included the Roots of Strength Award, the Charles T. Price Trailblazer Award, the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia Woman of Distinction Award and the 2014 Mayor of the Year Award given by the Georgia Minority Business Association.

A woman of faith, Hubbard said she strives to live her life on God’s path. She added that, while standing on the shoulders of giants, she hopes others will look at the award as a way to understand why it is important to do things for the betterment of the community rather than for personal gain.

“When you don’t work for the reward, these things will happen,” Hubbard said.

The reality had not quite settled in Friday afternoon, but once it does, Hubbard said, she hopes she will be humbled enough to continue giving back. She and her husband, Robert Hubbard, are members of First Monumental Faith Baptist Church.

Thursday’s ceremony also focused on three programs that were outgrowths of Leadership Albany and its program graduates. Generations Success, which was active 1996-2005, was designed to mirror the Leadership Albany program and expose high school students in metro Albany and Mitchell and Calhoun counties to regional leaders. Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful, founded in 1987, and the Dougherty Leadership Development Institute, started in 1991, both inspired by Leadership Albany alumni, were also celebrated.