Dr. Robert Tucker Receives the Tom Hall Award for Innovation 2021

LaGrange - Troup County Chamber of Commerce

Annual Meeting, January 25, 2022

By Mayor Jim Thornton

I have the honor tonight of presenting the Tom Hall Award for Innovation.

For those of you who knew Tom Hall, you know that he was an innovator. Tom served as the LaGrange city manager for 22 years, during which time the City’s record of innovation was recognized throughout the state and across the nation.

Tom streamlined city services to be more effective and efficient, managed the city’s finances to eliminate city property taxes—a feat the few cities in Georgia have been able to accomplish and oversaw the restructuring of the police and fire departments resulting in full accreditation.  Tom was also an early adopter of internet technology, and he placed the city in the telecom business in the late 1990s, earning the city the “intelligent city of the year award.”

And Tom was the creative energy and intellectual force behind many of the City’s most significant economic development efforts, including Great Wolf Lodge, which was literally the last project he worked on.  He finalized the negotiations of the MOU for this project while working from home on the day he died in 2016.  To honor his legacy, the Mayor and Council named this roadway on which Great Wolf is located Tom Hall Parkway.

In honoring his legacy, the chamber created the Tom Hall Award for Innovation.  It is presented periodically to recognize other community leaders who share Tom’s creativity, intellect, and determination to improve Troup County.

This year I am delighted to present this award to someone for whom Tom Hall had the utmost respect. When this individual first approached the city with an idea, Tom eagerly supported the effort. In fact, I remember one day that this person’s name came up in conversation at City Hall, and Tom’s response was “I really like that guy.”  It may not seem like much, but Tom was a man of few words, and coming from him, this was high praise.

The recipient of this year's award for innovation is a LaGrange native.  He was born and raised in this community, graduated from public schools during the time of segregation, and then moved on from LaGrange to attend Morehouse College.  He started a long career in education, in the Atlanta area, earning a doctorate from Clark Atlanta University, and ultimately retiring as a school administrator.  He returned to LaGrange and moved back into the neighborhood in which he was raised.

When he moved back, he didn’t see a distressed neighborhood, or a neglected public park, or residents without a future.  His vision was so much broader, inclusive, and hopeful. He saw possibility, purpose, and prosperity.

He saw a neighborhood that was prime for revitalization.  He saw a park that could be transformed into an attraction and a resource.  He saw residents that could be lifted up through better education, job training, and housing.

And in addition to seeing the world through a creative and innovative lens, he had the insight to “be the change” that he wanted to see in the world.

He recognized that he couldn’t make the changes happen by himself, but he also recognized that his participation and leadership would be key to getting things done. 

So he set about finding those other individuals and partners that would make the dream become reality.

His passion led him to a city council meeting one night when he came before the mayor and council to share his vision for a revitalized neighborhood, centered around an upgraded public park.  He didn’t ask for anything that night, but shared his vision and wanted to make sure the city council was okay with him trying to make things better in his neighborhood.  I and others expressed full support, and quite honestly were falling all over ourselves to get to him after the meeting and say, “thank you for your vision; how can we help?”

He wasn’t looking for someone else to solve his problem.  He just wanted to know that others were willing to stand beside him and help him along the journey.

Ultimately, he received support from the City of LaGrange and Troup County to upgrade and enhance the Calumet Park.  He founded a neighborhood association to involve residents of the neighborhood in determining their own future.  He gathered partnership and support from the churches in the area, LaGrange College, Ark Refuge Ministries, the Callaway Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Conservancy.

Much work has been completed, and more work is planned.

The vision is not just about improving the park, although that was seen as a first step.  The vision is about improving people’s lives, by addressing public safety, housing, education, jobs, and so much more, but with a focus on his neighborhood.  This man is truly blooming where he was planted and making a difference where he finds himself.

What if people in other neighborhoods would copy him?

His creativity, passion, and energy ought to be contagious.  We could all use a dose of it.

For innovative thinking in working to improve his community, the Chamber is pleased to present the Tom Hall Award to Robert Tucker.