‘Mr. Tifton’ receives tourism lifetime achievement award
Tyron Spearman is recognized by the state for his tourism efforts
From Staff Reports
TIFTON — The state tourism industry gave Tifton’s Tyron Spearman the Tom Kilgore Lifetime Achievement Award on Wednesday. Spearman, the longtime executive director of the Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association, is well-known throughout Georgia for his promotion of the city. He was recognized during the Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference in Atlanta.
Hosted by the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, the annual industry event brings together more than 400 tourism professionals from across the state.
Spearman said he was caught off-guard by the award. “It was a big surprise,” he told the Tifton Grapevine. “I really appreciate it.”
Several local and state officials were present for the award presentation, including state Rep. Penny Houston, R-Nashville, Tifton Mayor Julie Smith, City Manager Pete Pyrzenski and Brian Marlowe, president of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to his tourism duties, Spearman runs a marketing business in Tifton, the Spearman Agency; is editor of the Peanut Farm Market News, a peanut newsletter; marketing editor of The Peanut Grower Magazine, and is executive director of the National Peanut Buying Points Association.
He has held many leadership positions, including vice president of communications for the Southwest Georgia Tourism Association, executive director of the Georgia Agrirama Foundation, district director of Master 4-H Club and is a two-time president of the Exchange Club of Tifton.
Spearman has also served 10 years as the executive secretary of the Georgia Peanut Commission based in Tifton, initiated the American Peanut Council’s Export Promotion Program — visiting more than a dozen countries promoting peanuts — is a former president of the American Peanut Council and was a public relations and alumni director at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton.
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