Editor’s Note: The Valdosta Daily Times is featuring a weekly series of stories on Leadership Lowndes in honor of the organization’s 20th Anniversary.

Leadership Lowndes is not a social club, it is an organization for professionals who are committed to and interested in furthering their commitment to the community.

Participation in Leadership Lowndes is voluntary and acceptance into the class, which numbers 30 each year, is challenging as only about a third who apply actually make it. However, for those who are committed enough to keep trying, most who apply more than once are ultimately successful in participating.

Each year, the class members spend 9 months exploring a number of different aspects of the community, from the military to non-profit organizations, from government to the arts. Even those who are born and raised in Lowndes County are frequently exposed to issues and areas they were unaware of previously. The thought process is that through this exposure, everyone will find niche areas that they want to help improve, either through volunteering, or through their professional positions.

With 20 years of alumni, the class has graduated nearly 600 leaders — leaders who have been inspired by their experiences to rise in the community, take initiative in organizations, and who have in turn inspired others to excel and succeed.

Each class is intentionally diversified, to balance between race, sex, religion, and occupation, which allows each group to have a unique group of individuals who typically would not be exposed to each other if it were not for the organization. With such diversification, though, there is a recurring theme in the alumni — the number of professionals in leadership positions in their companies.

While there is not enough space to recognize every distinguished alumni who has graduated from the program, there are a number whose names everyone will recognize and understand the significance of their contributions as alumni of Leadership Lowndes.

Take South Georgia Medical Center, for example. Alumni include former CEO John Bowling, current CEO James McGahee, and numerous others, including former chief planning officer Jack Edwards; marketing manager Dana Massingill; Susan Cherry of the Langdale Hospice House; human resource director Charles Eidson; CFO Greg Hembree; Dave Zammit, CFO of Greenleaf Center; COO Randy Sauls; current Leadership Lowndes board member Janna Guess, assistant facilities director; Helen Baker and assistant administrators, George Hardy, Johnny Ball, Ken Kiser and Pam Cartwright.

That list doesn’t even include all of the dentists, orthodontists and physicians who have graduated from the program, including Dr. Heather Colson; Dr. Roy Swindle; Dr. Allen Woods; Dr. Brian Griner; Dr. Brad Adams; Dr. Mark Eanes; Dr. Bolan Woodward; Dr. Cliff Courtenay, Dr. Scott Petermann, and current class member, Dr. Ted Kanne.

Numerous local attorneys have been involved in Leadership Lowndes, including Pete Stone, Patti Karras, Al Turner, Tom Kurrie, Walter Elliott, Russ Henry, Jim Elliott, Jack Langdale, Clay Powell, Brad Folsom, current class member Tina Folsom, Laverne Gaskins, John Holt, Carl Fulp, Susan Sumner, and Trent Coggins.

Education leadership including Dr. Steve Smith of the Lowndes County School System, retired superintendent from Valdosta, Sam Allen; numerous administrators including Lynne Wilson, Marty Roesch, Jennifer Steedley, and current class member Heather Bonner; Cobb Atkinson of Valwood; Angela Crance of Valdosta Technical College; Kurt Keppler, Russ Mast, Suzanne Barnett, Thressea Boyd, and Mary Gooding, all of Valdosta State University.

Again, this list is far from all inclusive, but it demonstrates the commitment of those who have gone through the program to stay in this community, donate their time and talents, and rise to a level in their professions where they can directly impact the lives of others.