The Cobb Chamber issued the following press release announcing the Citizens of the Year for Acworth, Kennesaw, and West Cobb:

The Cobb Chamber’s Northwest Cobb Area Council, which represents Northwest Cobb’s three distinct districts of Acworth, Kennesaw and West Cobb, has selected three community advocates as 2021 Citizens of the Year: Tia Amlett for Acworth, Jeff Drobney for Kennesaw, and Christal McNair for West Cobb.

The Citizen of the Year Awards are given to honor an individual whose impact through the years will be recognized and regarded with pride throughout the area as a role model. These outstanding citizens are chosen for their definable, exceptional deeds, with which he or she have made their community a better place to live. Awards are given based on local area nominations. The 2021 Northwest Cobb Citizen of the Year awards were presented at the Northwest Cobb Area Council breakfast at Governors Gun Club.

Tia Amlett

Tia Amlett, Principal of Barber Middle School, is a servant leader who is both humble and kind. 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, Amlett has remained a strong and steadfast advocate for teachers, students, and parents. She continues to work tirelessly to ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are met.

Amlett makes the intentional effort to greet each student by name as they climb off the bus in the morning. She knows every student in her school and makes sure they know that they are important and cared for. It is nearly impossible to know the full impact of her service. She does it all to support and lead others, without desire for anything in return. While students, parents, and the community may not remember the specific details of their interactions with her, they will always remember how valued she made them feel.

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, during that time, Barber Middle School was also awarded STEM School Certification by the Cobb County School District. What others might view as a challenge, Amlett sees as an opportunity for success time and time again.

Jeff Drobney

2021 Kennesaw Citizen of the Year

Jeff Drobney, City Manager of Kennesaw, is a man of action that finds ways to make everything work to benefit those involved. Under his leadership, 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.

An active member of the International City/County Management Association, Drobney has completed and maintained certification of ICMA, the world’s leading association of professional city and county managers who serve local governments. Drobney has continued his professional learning by completing advanced leadership courses and graduating from the Leadership Cobb program. 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.

Drobney has been described by others as Iron Man – literally and figuratively. He recently completed his sixth Iron Man competition and finished in the top half of an international field of competitors. 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.

Christal McNair

2021 West Cobb Citizen of the Year

Christal McNair, small business owner with Studio Bungee, is an unsung hero to many organizations and people in West Cobb. She is the first to say yes to difficult tasks – whether it’s chairing a new committee with a non-profit, helping to navigate challenging waters during a pandemic, or just pushing hard to get the word out about a cause she believes in.

An active member of the Cobb Chamber, Cobb Executive Women, Marietta Business Association, West Cobb Business Association and Kiwanis of Marietta, McNair shows her passion for the community through her involvement in each organization and acts of service to help her neighbors. In the wake of the pandemic, McNair helped many small businesses translate PPP and manage their financial plans.

McNair is always the first to raise her hand, step in, and happily help to make our community a better place. Her servitude, hard work ethic, and giving spirit make her a valuable contributor to the neighborhoods and communities of West Cobb.

For more information about Area Councils, contact Katie Guice at kguice@cobbchamber.org or 770-859-2334. Thank you to Series Presenting Sponsor, Kaiser Permanente, and Program Sponsors, GeoHydro Engineers and Town Center Community Improvement District.