The Georgia House of Representatives honored Garland Thompson of Douglas recently by adopting a resolution recognizing and commending Thompson for his tireless efforts as an advocate for economic development in Douglas and Coffee County. The resolution was read and adopted on February 27, 2017.
When Mr. Garland Thompson was born on June 5, 1928 in Soperton, Georgia his father was a one-horse sharecropper and young Garland grew up farming. He’s lived in Savannah, Warner Robbins, and places all up and down Highway 441: Athens, Milledgeville, Irwinton, Dublin, and Douglas. He’s been in Douglas now for nearly 47 years.
It was in Dublin, however, that he met the three Willis brothers. Bill Willis became his mentor and in 1970 Garland followed him to Douglas and to the Trust Company Bank of Coffee County. There as Senior Vice President he headed up the department in charge of making agricultural loans.
He met his wife Anita in June of 1953 and they had four children; Kirby, Andy, Beth, and Tim and five grandchildren; Betsy, Macie, Kip, Katie, and Trent.
The resolution notes that Mr. Thompson has long played a direct role in the economic development of Douglas and Coffee County, helping relocate numerous businesses to the area, among them Fortune 500 companies. The text of the resolution notes, in part:
- He received an associate’s degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and his bachelor’s in agricultural economics from the University of Georgia. He went on to do post-graduate work in banking at UGA and Louisiana State University.
- He worked as County Office Manager with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service from 1957 until 1970.
- He currently serves on the SunTrust Bank Board of Directors and as the senior consultant of the United States 441 Economic Development Council.
- He is also the Chairman of the Georgia State Soil and Water Conservation Committee and Vice President of the Coffee County Kidney Foundation.
- He was also President of the Southeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Committee; President of the Douglas Lions Club, President of the University of Georgia Agriculture Alumni; President of ABAC Alumni, and Director of the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia.
- He won the Humanitarian Award from the East Central Technical College Foundation, the Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame award, Governor’s GIDA Volunteer of the Year award, the ABAC Distinguished Alumnus award, the University of Georgia Advisory Board Gold Kist “Good Egg” Award, and the Volunteer of the Year Award from the City of Douglas and Coffee County.
The full text of the resolution can be found by clicking on the link below:
https://legiscan.com/GA/text/HR433/2017