52 S G M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8 dedicated to public service, including current Valdosta Mayor John Gayle. “Mayor Gayle is an example of a person who I greatly admire because he serves for the right reasons,” Hanson said. “Valdosta is his home, and he wants to give back. He has no ulterior motives. He is an honest and honorable gentleman. Everything he does is to make this city better.” Hiring the right person for the right job has been a hallmark of Hanson’s leadership. “I am proud that Valdosta is recognized as an outstanding local government,” said Hanson, who was named to the GMA Hall of Fame in 2011. “I credit that to the political leadership we have had all these years, as well as the high-quality people who work for the city. Valdosta has a lot of talented people, and they are the ones who have set us apart from other cities.” As city manager, Hanson worked closely with three mayors and numerous city council members. With each he pledged his dedication to make Valdosta a better place to live and work. “As city manager, I could make recommendations all day long,” said Hanson, who was a founding member of Leadership Lowndes and a member of Leadership Georgia. “But if we didn’t have support from the mayor and city council members, then we wouldn’t be able to carry out projects, like the new wastewater treatment plant, which won an award.” In 2017, the City of Valdosta won Project of the Year from the Georgia Chapter of the American Public Works Association for construction of the $23 million Withlacoochee Water Pollution Control Plan (WPCP) and the $36 million Force Main Project. Hanson said Valdosta receiving the designation of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in 2005 was a highlight of his career. “Receiving MSA status was a real game changer for this community,” Hanson said. “Once you receive MSA status you are on the radar and get looks that you wouldn’t have otherwise. It is why we have Home Depot, Lowes, and other national shops and restaurants here in Valdosta. It has also provided us with federal grants. Growth doesn’t just happen by itself. You don’t wake up, and there are new businesses and people. There is a lot of work, planning, and preparation to achieve this type of growth. Not taking things for granted is a lesson Hanson said he and others in the community learned during the early 1990s when Moody Air Force Base was placed on the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) list. Hanson, who was working as director of parks and recreation during the BRAC hearings, said this was a time when the community came together in a united effort to protect Moody’s future. “I was with Mayor Rainwater when he got the call that Moody was on the BRAC list,’ Hanson said. “Obviously growing up in a career Air Force house—my father was retired from the Air Force and had been stationed at Moody—I understand the importance of Moody to this community.” Since becoming city manager, Hanson has worked closely with W. Parker Greene, who along with his wife, Dr. Lucy Greene, leads the Moody Support Committee. “I have had the honor of working with Parker to make sure Moody is kept off future BRAC lists,” said Hanson, who serves with Greene on the Air Combat Command Commander’s Group. “The relationships that Parker has developed with the Pentagon and Air Force have paid dividends for this community.” Over the years, Hanson has assisted Greene in various roles, including approximately 20 visits to the Pentagon. He was also appointed to U.S. Senator David Perdue’s Strategic Military Advisory Group and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Military Advisory Committee. As Hanson settles into his new responsibilities with the GMA, he said that it is the people and experiences in Valdosta that prepared him for his dream job. “This is truly the only job that would take me from Valdosta,” Hanson said. “When Mayor Gayle was seeking re-election he asked me if I would stay for another four years. After careful consideration, I told him I would stay unless the GMA executive director job came open.” Hanson said Gayle gave his full support when he decided to apply for the job. “Serving as the city manager has been the most rewarding experience of my life. The opportunity to be part of the Valdosta team and serve elected officials, employees, and citizens has been a privilege I will always cherish,” Hanson said. “This city will achieve even greater success in the future because of the citizens we serve and the dedicated public servants who provide exceptional service each and every day."