Energetic. Always smiling. Effective. And even, as Joan McFather said, “The vice president of everything that needs to happen.”
Those were some of the words used to describe JoEllen Wilson, the most recent recipient of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce First Citizen of Cherokee County award.
The chamber surprised Wilson with the 37th annual award at the culmination of its 41st annual meeting on Jan. 26.
On accepting the award in front of a room filled with community leaders and her family members, Wilson said, “I’m humbled because there are so many in this room who deserve this more than I, but thank you.”
(LEFT: Seated with her husband, John, Canton resident JoEllen Wilson is pictured at the time her name was announced as the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce’s First Citizen for 2012. The award recipient is surprised at the Chamber’s annual meeting each year. Photo by Carolyn Mathews | Ledger-News)
The chamber presented a video about Wilson, vice president for institutional advancement and external affairs at Reinhardt University and former Canton City Council member, in which her colleagues and husband, John Wilson, were asked to share their feelings about her.
“She’s patient and kind and, most importantly, effective,” said Reinhardt President Dr. Thomas Isherwood. “She is a vital member of the Reinhardt University family and of this community.”
Pam Carnes, president and CEO of the chamber, said a quote from Mahatma Gandhi best personified Wilson in her mind, “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
Wilson is known for her extensive community involvement.
Dr. Floyd Falany, past president of Reinhardt, told the Ledger-News that Wilson deserved a great deal of the credit for the highly-rated public school system Cherokee County has today.
Falany said that just as he retired, he was asked to chair a blue ribbon committee that would address the school district’s facility and technology needs in the face of rapid growth.
“There was $235 million worth of buildings needed that no one could afford,” he said. “To do this, we had to have a SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) and a bond issue. Along with me, JoEllen co-chaired the committee. We hit every club, every PTA and every organization to help it pass.”
Falany, who worked for years at Reinhardt with Wilson, said Wilson could be found on the “correct and right side of every issue.”
(LEFT: Wilson gets a congratulatory hug from Canton Mayor Gene Hobgood. Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Authority General Manager Tom Heard, who took over as chairman of the Chamber Board, also is pictured. Photo by Carolyn Mathews | Ledger-News)
“She is evidence of what a true Christian professional should be,” he added.
JoEllen Bell Wilson, 69, is a native of Bartow County. Wilson received an Associate of Arts degree from Reinhardt, where she met her husband. They have lived in the county for 44 years.
After the Wilsons’ twin sons, John and Jim, graduated from high school, JoEllen went back to school, earning her undergraduate degree from Oglethorpe University at age 50 and her master’s degree from Brenau University at age 56.
From 1990 until the end of 2009, Wilson served as a member of the Canton City Council, during a time when the population of the city grew from 6,000 to roughly 24,000. During that time she served as mayor pro-tem, chair of the alcohol committee, chair of the water committee and chair of the parks & recreation committee.
She was instrumental in the passage of a referendum to allow pouring in restaurants, the implementation of impact fees, the building of the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir, securing grant funds for the Etowah River corridor greenway and backing the downtown Canton streetscape effort.
At Reinhardt, she began, in 1981, as alumni director before transferring to the president’s office to serve as special assistant to the president.
In her current position, Wilson oversees development, alumni, marketing, public relations, fundraising and the Funk Heritage Center.
She also is active in her church, Canton First United Methodist. Community organizations she has been affiliated, along with the chamber, include the Boy Scouts, Cherokee High School PTA, the board of directors of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Foundation, the Cherokee DUI/Drug Court, the Cherokee County Boys & Girls Club, the Service League of Cherokee County, the Cherokee County Arts Council, the Etowah Garden Club, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Canton Rotary Club, the United Way of Cherokee County, the Cherokee County Historical Society, the Cherokee County Republican Party, the Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital Ethics Committee and the Anna Crawford Child Advocacy Advisory Board, among others.
Former Waleska Mayor Marguerite Cline, a former First Citizen, said Wilson could “walk into any into a tough situation and kind of lighten it up.”
Another former First Citizen, Don Stevens, said he picked Wilson in 2000 to follow him as chairman of the chamber.
“She’s a dedicated, hard-working ball of energy,” he said.
Wilson’s two sons are both now married and she has four grandchildren, Rachel, Matthew, Alec and Sam.
Grandson Matthew, a student at Teasley Middle School, summed up what his grandmother likes to do for fun: playing tennis, camping and walking on the beach in the rain.
“She’s such a great person and I’m glad she’s my grandma,” he said.
At its annual meeting, Tom Heard, general manager of the Cherokee County Water and Sewerage Association, took over the chairmanship from Ben Looper, president of Southeast Restoration Group.
The chamber recognized Chuck Flagg, of Cruise Holidays, as Volunteer of the Year and John Barker, of Delphi Global Technology, as Entrepreneur of the Year.
