I love my Georgia Downtown

Jeffrey Fowler, President of the Georgia Downtown Association (GDA) and Executive Director for the Downtown Development Authority of Warrenton / Mainstreet; Susanne Reynolds, Director for the Development Authority of Early County & Downtown Development Authority of Blakely / Mainstreet; Aundi Lesley, Past President of GDA and Economic Development Director for the City of Canton; and Rusty Haywood, Associate Director for the Governmental Training, Education, and Development division at UGA's Carl Vinson Institute of Government 

When I began taking classes through the Georgia Downtown Association (GDA)’s Certified Downtown Professional Program in 2023, it was to network and learn from others who could help navigate a revitalization path for Historic Downtown Blakely. What I did not know was that I was beginning the program alongside the inaugural class of Certified Downtown Professionals in Georgia.

The program, developed through a partnership involving the GDA, the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government and Georgia Power, brings together statewide resources and the invaluable knowledge of professionals willing to share their experiences.

Having the Carl Vinson Institute of Government involved made the experience especially beneficial. The Institute has long been an important resource for local governments and economic development professionals, and the program connected classroom instruction with challenges we encounter in our communities every day. Class session topics ranged from historic preservation, planning and land use to business development, financing, community engagement and the legal responsibilities of downtown development authorities.

In our case, the experience was somewhat unique. In my position, economic development does not stop at the boundaries of downtown. The work requires understanding that industrial development, agriculture, small business, workforce development and historic downtown revitalization are all woven together.

Those pieces together are what give Blakely such an opportunity to create a very unique sense of place within its historic downtown.

Our agricultural roots tell the story of where we came from. Industrial development provides jobs, investment and opportunities for where we are headed. Historic Downtown Blakely is the core and provides the heart and overall integrity of the community. It’s a place where architecture, businesses, organizations and people come together as a community.

The Georgia Downtown Association’s message: ”I Love My Georgia Downtown” should be our motivational force behind creating a thriving destination for visitors and residents to enjoy.

Loving your downtown means more than appreciating old buildings. It means recognizing its potential, investing in it and recognizing how it fits into the larger county-wide economic vision.

For me the greatest value was not earning the program certificate. I saw it as another opportunity to showcase Blakely, build relationships across our state, and highlight the assets in our community for the better. I started this journey in 2023 wanting to learn what we could do as a Development Authority to support a more vibrant future for Historic Downtown Blakely. I finished it convinced we are on the right path forward. We have come a long way together in only three years.

Published in the Early County News on September 16, 2026.

Read more about the Certified Downtown Professional Certification.