The Cobb Chamber’s Northwest Cobb Area Council has named the 2024 Citizens of the Year for its four districts: Corporal Tamara Severtson (Acworth), Lewis and Andrew Bramlett (Kennesaw), Justin O’Dell (West Cobb), and Dan Buyers (Town Center). These awards honor individuals recognized as role models for their exceptional contributions to their communities. The recipients were selected from local nominations and received their awards at the Northwest Cobb Area Council luncheon at Governors Gun Club.

The press release announcing the awards included the following biographies of the recipients, which we’ve reprinted below:

2024 Acworth Citizen of the Year

Corporal Tamara Severtson

Acworth Police Department

Corporal Severtson’s journey with the Acworth Police Department (APD) began while serving as an intern while completing her bachelor’s degree at Kennesaw State University. Upon completing her internship, she was offered a position as a Detention Officer in the Acworth City Jail, where she served from 2013 to 2015. In 2020, she took on the additional responsibility of becoming a certified Field Training Officer (FTO), where she has been instrumental in mentoring and shaping the next generation of police officers at the Acworth Police Department. Recently, she was promoted to the rank of Corporal, a well-deserved position that will enable her to further demonstrate her leadership abilities and help shape the department for years to come.

Throughout her years of service, Corporal Severtson has been responsible for numerous lifesaving actions, a testament to her quick thinking and dedication to public safety. These actions have not only saved lives but have also had a lasting impact on the community, ultimately earning her the Acworth Police Department Officer of the Year award in both 2017 and 2021. Additionally, in 2018, she was recognized with the Award of Merit by the Cobb Chamber. This year, she received the Lifesaving Award after two significant lifesaving incidents, one involving the successful administration of CPR and another in which she saved a choking victim using a rescue device that she had personally purchased. Her initiative led to the department purchasing these devices for all officers.

Corporal Severtson is deeply committed to the well-being of the Acworth community. She regularly goes above and beyond her duties by personally providing food, clothing, toys, and even hotel rooms for those in need. Her compassion and dedication to the people of Acworth have made her a role model both within the police department and the wider community. Corporal Severtson’s extensive experience, numerous accolades, and genuine care for the community makes her a true civic leader and champion for Acworth.

2024 Kennesaw Citizens of the Year

Lewis and Andrew Bramlett

Community volunteers

Lewis and Andrew Bramlett are a father son duo who have dedicated themselves to making a profound impact on Kennesaw by embodying a spirit of service, leadership, and generosity. The two have been pillars of support and volunteerism for Kennesaw for many years, dedicating countless hours to improving the lives of their fellow residents. Whether they are coordinating logistics, assisting with set up and break down, or helping serve food, Lewis and Andrew are there helping to ensure that each event runs smoothly and benefits the community in meaningful ways.

Lewis and Andrew’s leadership extends beyond volunteerism to include active involvement on various advisory boards and commissions helping to preserve the history of Kennesaw. As advocates for preserving local history, they have worked closely with city staff and officials, lending their expertise and insights to help preserve historic sites and local history for future generations. Lewis serves on the Kennesaw Cemetery Commission and Andrew serves on the Kennesaw Historic Preservation Commission and the Kennesaw Cemetery Foundation. Both are key forces behind helping to preserve the historic Kennesaw Cemetery by participating in annual maintenance events, cleaning gravestones and organizing the annual “Life in the Cemetery” tours. 

Lewis and Andrew exemplify the core values of Kennesaw: being engaged and connected and having a deep commitment to the well-being of others. Their genuine care for the people of the community is evident in everything they do. Whether working behind the scenes to make an event a success or offering a helping hand to a neighbor in need, they consistently demonstrate what it means to be good citizens. Lewis and Andrew Bramlett are extraordinary individuals who have made Kennesaw a better place through their selfless dedication to others.

2024 West Cobb Citizen of the Year

Justin O’Dell

Partner at O’Dell, O’Neal, Hungerford, & Blanchard

Justin O’Dell, a law partner at O’Dell, O’Neal, Hungerford, & Blanchard, has been actively involved in both the business side of Cobb County and the community itself for over 22 years. Under Justin’s leadership, the law firm has supported multiple schools and charities around the county.

O’Dell is actively involved in Kiwanis and has served as president and on a dozen other

committees throughout the years, including the Flag Committee – in which he and his children place American Flags around the community for various holidays during the year.

O’Dell and the firm also sponsor a breakfast free of charge every July 4 for the community to come and preview the Marietta July 4th parade. He has raised money and donations for various other groups such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Cobb County Diaper Day, Reconnecting Families, and the Boy Scouts, for which he serves as a mentor for boys and young men. O’Dell’s many efforts to better the community are often done without any recognition, which he does not seek.

O’Dell is a Leadership Cobb Alumni and has continued to serve on various committees with the organization. He is a Sunday School Instructor, a Deacon, and sits on the Board of Trustee for his church. He, along with his wife and law firm, donate to various activities through the church including missionary trips. Anyone that knows O’Dell will agree, he is a successful businessman, husband, father, faithful servant, philanthropist, and strives to make West Cobb better every day.

2024 Town Center Citizen of the Year

Dan Buyers
Partner atMcWhirter Realty Partners

Dan Buyers, Partner at McWhirter Realty Partners, is consistently generous with his time, talents and treasures, serving with humility and devotion. For more than 30 years, Buyers has worked throughout Cobb County to ensure that economic development and growth is strategic, thoughtful, and mutually beneficial to investors, individuals, and the county. An active member of the commercial real estate industry, Buyers is a past recipient of the Phoenix Award, numerous Top Ten Land Sales Producer Awards, Young Realtor of the Year and a Life Member of the Million Dollar Club as recognized by the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors (ACBR).

His impact can be seen throughout the metro region through commercial and residential developments, as well as his civic and philanthropic endeavors. He is credited for his involvement in the South Barrett Reliever and Skip Spann Connector, projects designed to decrease traffic congestion around Town Center during peak hours. Buyers helped to organize and implement the first ever CID bikeshare program in the state, providing 24/7 rental access to the community. He was also involved in the CID’s Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) Study for Town Center to develop strategic direction for the area.

He is an active community member and serves on the Boards of the Cobb Chamber, the Council for Quality Growth, the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, the Town Center Area Community Improvement District, the Atlanta Commercial Board of REALTORS® and the Wellstar Foundation. Throughout his many years in Cobb, Buyers has continuously contributed to the wellbeing of the Town Center community through his servitude and dedication.

Photo Gallery of Citizens of the Year

All photos courtesy of the Cobb Chamber

About the Cobb Chamber

The Cobb Chamber, incorporated as the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, is the largest business organization in the county.

Sharon Mason is the Cobb Chamber’s president and CEO, Dana Johnson is its Chief Operating Officer, and Mike Plant of the Atlanta Braves organization is its chairman of the board of directors.

The Cobb Chamber’s projects include Cobb Executive Women, Cobb Young Professionals, and the Area Councils: Cumberland, East Cobb, Marietta, Northwest Cobb (Acworth, Kennesaw, West Cobb), Smyrna, and South Cobb.

On its website, the Cobb Chamber promotes itself as follows:

As one of the most influential business advocacy organizations in Georgia and one of the top three chambers in the nation, the Cobb Chamber is dedicated to bringing the community and its leaders together to create jobs and strengthen the economy and quality of life so businesses and the community can achieve more.

Who We Are: We are a community of businesses working together to advance a vibrant economy.

Why We Do It: When businesses thrive, communities flourish.

What We Do (Our Mission): Together, with diverse partnerships, we:

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• Attract, recruit and retain jobs.
  
• Help companies start, grow and prosper.
  
• Advocate and collaborate to enhance our state’s business climate.
  
• Connect members to opportunities, new networks, and resources.
  
• Develop workforce and support education.
  
• Cultivate current and future leaders.