A tall tale

By Malynda Fulton

The Valdosta Daily Times

VALDOSTA — I always enjoy meeting new people, especially newcomers to the area. When I first heard about Christopher Lilly through a relative, I knew I had to meet him and learn a little more about him. After meeting Lilly for the first time, I understand why my relative, and others who know Lilly, admire his counseling, leadership and values. Standing 6 feet 8 inches tall, Lilly’s big and positive personality complements his equally big stature. Today, meet Christopher Lilly.

Christopher Lilly, 38, is originally from North Carolina. He was raised by his parents, Elaine Lilly and the late Sam Lilly, along with two older sisters, Donna and Juanita.

After graduating from high school, Lilly enrolled in North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, N.C.

“While in college, I began to work for UPS,” Lilly said. “I started out working on the dock.”

During his college years, Lilly also met the former Jacqueline Jefferson, originally of New Jersey, during a beach trip. Exactly one year from the day they met, the couple was married on a beach in Jamaica.

Lilly graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business management from North Carolina A & T. His experience, tenure and education helped him quickly advance from a dock worker to a business manager at UPS. After becoming a manager, Lilly and his wife relocated from the UPS in Greensboro to the UPS in Charlotte.

In 2006, after working at UPS for 18 years, Lilly decided that it was time for a career shift.

“My job at UPS took up an ample amount of my time, and it didn’t allow me much time with my wife and daughter, Kennedy,” Lilly said. “I had to reprioritize my life. So, instead of putting work before family, I learned to focus on God first, then family, then my career.”

Lilly was hired as a coach/front-line supervisor at Lowe’s in Charlotte in 2006.

“Within 18 months, I was promoted to assistant operations manager, then to operations manager and then general manager,” he said.

With almost every level of management under his belt, Lilly agreed to a job transferal to the Lowe’s Distribution Center in Valdosta. He now serves as the center’s assistant general manager.