Cobb’s Citizens & Businesses of the Year T
he Cobb Chamber’s Area Councils and the local business associations have selected their 2021 Citizens of the Year and Businesses/ Members of the Year to honor those who have made our community a better place in which to live and work. The awards were announced late last year for the following communities:
Outstanding citizens The Acworth Citizen of the Year is Tia Amlett, principal of Barber Middle School. Amlett is in tune to the needs, struggles, and challenges that her staff and school families face, and she finds ways to keep those individuals uplifted. During the challenges of the past two years, she has remained a strong and steadfast advocate for teachers, students, and parents. Under Amlett’s leadership, Barber Middle School was named a Title 1 Reward School, a distinction that is earned by those schools that are ranked in the top 5 percent of Title 1 Schools in the state. In addition, the school also was awarded STEM School Certification by the Cobb County School District. Austell Citizen of the Year is Malcolm Lewis, pastor of Beacon of Light Ministries and owner of Cenacle Coffee Shop and Bestway Financial Services. After moving Beacon of Light Ministries to the area in 2008 and purchasing two buildings to open Cenacle Coffee Shop and Bestway Financial Services in 2015, Lewis has been instrumental in the revitalization efforts of downtown Austell. During the start of the pandemic, when many in the community were left hungry due to the shelter-in-place mandate, Lewis opened the Cenacle’s doors and offered hot meals to anyone in need. Passionate about education and entrepreneurism, Lewis is proposing to fund a private middle school in Austell. He was an Austell Business Association Board Member from 2016-2020 and has been a part of the Austell Community Collaborative since 2015. As a veteran, Lewis has helped celebrate and honor local veterans each year at the annual Veterans Day event held in Veterans Park. He has continuously contributed to the wellbeing of the Austell community through his servitude and giving spirit. East Cobb Citizen of the Year is Bob Ott. Former East Cobb District 2 Commissioner, Ott has been an active member of the East Cobb community for more than 10 years. From the East Cobb Civic Association to the Cobb Planning Commission, Ott strives to make 14
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the citizens of Cobb feel as though they are connected to their government. In the wake of the pandemic, Ott was vigilant in helping small businesses stay open, working alongside SelectCobb to propose that $50 million of the county’s federal CARES Act funding would be dedicated to developing grants for small business owners. After stepping down from politics in late 2020, Ott has continued to stay active within East Cobb. He is a member of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church and volunteer with Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts of America. Kennesaw Citizen of the Year is Jeff Drobney, city manager of Kennesaw, and a man of action that finds ways to make everything work to benefit those involved. Drobney has taken the City of Kennesaw to the next level in operations, staffing, technology, and economic growth. He has built an all-star team of professionals and created a succession plan to ensure the city is able to maintain exceptional professional services and continued strong economic growth. Over the course of 15 years, he has served as past president of the Kennesaw Business Association, executive director of the Southern Museum, agency director for Recreation and Culture, and past board member for Cobb Travel and Tourism. Involved in several areas within the city, Drobney has dedicated much of his career to serve and help improve the quality of Kennesaw and the wellbeing of its citizens. Mableton Citizen of the Year is Robin Meyer, chairwoman emeritus of the Mableton Improvement Coalition. Meyer is known as a crucial fixture within the Mableton community. She is a founding member of the Mableton Improvement Coalition and has served in numerous leadership roles, including chairwoman, president, secretary, and head of the Zoning Committee. Meyer has worked for more than 20 years to help in the redevelopment of the Mableton community. She has assisted countless residents with issues ranging from homelessness, code enforcement, traffic, litter, and more. Additionally, she has written several grant applications resulting in the historic preservation of local parks, as well as development of new parks, and continues to work with Cobb County Government and developers on zoning applications for the redevelopment of Mableton.
