2006 Man of the Year

VALDOSTA — The South Georgia Business Magazine named Albert Slone of ASA Engineering the 2006 Man of the Year. Nominated by The Valdosta Daily Times because of his dedication to downtown development, Slone received a trophy to commemorate his award.

Slone moved his firm to 105 W. Central Ave. in Valdosta’s historic downtown almost 10 years ago and changed the named to ASA Engineering and Surveying, Inc. While it started as a one-man company in 1988, it has grown to employ a full staff of professional engineers, surveyors, drafts people, soil scientists, environmental technologists and clerical employees.

Though he did not anticipate it, his passion for downtown development began to grow after the relocation. He became very involved in the revitalization efforts and has participated in numerous projects.

“I lived in Lakeland, 20 miles away, and remember coming to Valdosta on Saturdays. It was so exciting when Valdosta was the retail hub of the area,” Slone explained. He continued describing the aspects of downtown that he loves the most, “I’ve always loved it, but when I moved the office down here I saw how diverse it is, how connected the people are and how exciting life can be — that’s what is wonderful.”

He said upon relocating his company, business began to flourish and he realized that downtown was in need of economic restructuring. He, along with a collective of downtown enthusiasts, began pushing the revitalization efforts. Slone even chose to move his residence to the historic area.

Slone has been involved with numerous projects to stimulate economic growth. The Firm, a small membership gym downtown, is one of these. He’s also assisted in the development of The Aquinas Center, a community center that offers free fitness classes, and The Bleu Café, a new restaurant with an eclectic combination of tasty dishes.

Slone was a major player in the reopening of The Sportsman. Stan White and David Cook joined Slone in renovating and reopening what used to be the hottest downtown hangout in the 1950s and 1960s. They peeled back paint, stripped the ceiling, replaced the floors and salvaged a collection of old photos depicting local sports heroes. The club now has a brand new look, created from many years of renovations, giving it a unique feel.

Another ongoing project is the renovation of the old Goodwill building into a French market. The new facility will have spaces for many different types of vendors including artists, books, accessories, live music, refreshments and a full-service frame shop. Slone expects the market to open in early October.

He is also involved in the renovation of the old Southern Salvage building that will be converted into 13 residential condominiums and a cooperatively owned whole-foods grocery store. Construction should be complete in approximately one year and there is already a waiting list for residents.

Slone told a writer for South Georgia Business that the idea to revitalize the downtown area caught on slow, but has really picked up in the last year. He credits establishments like The Bistro, 306 North and especially Hildegard’s for bringing an eclectic combination of people who are excited about revitalization.

In the many years his company has been located downtown, he has watched as people have come together with everyone’s best interests in mind to build an area that supports diversity and encourages interaction between neighbors.

“It’s like a village,” Slone always says. “One that is full of like-minded, passionate, caring people. The creativity and energy among these people is amazing and everyone is working together as a whole to improve the area.”

A humble man, Slone isn’t sure why he was chosen to stand out among these people, but he is honored to be awarded the 2006 Man of the Year.