Cobb’s Citizens & Businesses of the Year T
he Cobb Chamber’s Area Councils and the local business associations have selected their 2020 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 Acworth Citizen of the Year: Janet Paulsen, a speaker and advocate for domestic violence, is an engaged and active member of the Acworth Community who shows her passion for defending the defenseless in everything she does. On the night of Nov. 5, 2015, Paulsen’s then-husband attempted to kill her by shooting her six times. The shooting left her in critical condition, with a spinal cord injury that paralyzed her right leg. After years of invasive surgeries and grueling physical therapy, she began working as a domestic violence advocate and public speaker. She fought to close a loophole in state law that allowed some domestic violence perpetrators to keep their firearms, a provision that could have prevented her attack. She has spoken at many engagements on domestic violence, including the liveSAFE Resources Domestic Violence Candlelight Vigil in 2017, and in 2020 was appointed by Governor Kemp to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. “Janet Paulsen’s survival story and her
In front: Janet Paulsen, 2020 Acworth Citizen of the Year; Second Row (L-R): John Loud, 2020 Cobb Chamber Chairman; Sharon Mason, President and CEO of the Cobb Chamber; Janet’s two sons; District 1 Commissioner, Keli Gambrill; Tommy Allegood, Mayor of Acworth. 28
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work to prevent domestic violence is truly inspiring,” says Sharon Mason, president and CEO of the Cobb Chamber. “She displays such bravery and commitment to ending domestic violence and she has made a lasting positive impact on her community.” East Cobb Citizen of the Year: Mitch Rhoden, president & CEO of Futren Hospitality, has been named East Cobb Citizen of the Year for his years of community service and stepping up to support his community during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, Rhoden spearheaded Operation Meal Plan, a small business and non-profit support initiative created to provide food to those in need, help local restaurants keep their workers employed, and provide a vehicle for citizens to help Mitch Rhoden each other. Supported through a community-backed fund, local restaurants received orders in increments of 25 meals, which they delivered to non-profit organizations around Cobb who serve meals as part of their missions. The restaurants were paid at unit cost from Operation Meal Plan. Through Operation Meal Plan, restaurants were able to keep their workers employed and Cobb’s local non-profits were able to provide food to those in need. “Mitch Rhoden has been an outstanding leader for our community for more than 20 years,” said Mason. “In addition to leading a small business and chairing many key initiatives and organizations over the years, for 2020 in particular, Mitch has been a champion for helping our non-profits and small businesses stay afloat.” Kennesaw Citizen of the Year: Cris EatonWelsh, owner of Eaton Chiropractic, is a crucial fixture within the Kennesaw community. From sitting on the city council to founding the Swift Kids Running Club and the Kennesaw Grand Prix Race Series,
Left to right: John Loud, 2020 Cobb Chamber Chairman; District 1 Commissioner, Keli Gambrill; Cris EatonWelsh, Kennesaw Citizen of the Year; Sharon Mason, President and CEO of the Cobb Chamber; Derek Easterling, Mayor of Kennesaw.
Eaton-Welsh is passionate about promoting a healthy, happy and productive community. She was heavily involved in the fundraising efforts for Swift Cantrell Park, including championing its skate park, and served on the Cobb2020 Steering Committee to promote health in the county. “Our community is lucky to have Cris Eaton-Welsh,” says Mason. “Cris is an outstanding community leader for Kennesaw. She has served on the city council, on many non-profit boards, and she works tirelessly to make Kennesaw a vibrant place to live, work and play.” Marietta Citizen of the Year: Lisa Crossman, deputy director/director of public health with Cobb & Douglas Public Health, is the 2020 Marietta Citizen of the Year because of her tireless advocacy within the Cobb community. Crossman has personally served on the front lines, fighting COVID-19 from the very start. Through long hours and stressful circumstances, she has remained dedicated to keeping her community safe and healthy. At the beginning of the pandemic, she reached out to the nonprofit agencies in the area to answer questions and offer expert advice on how to meet the needs of those they serve. She set up a hotline, prioritized Lisa Crossman their team members
