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Wayne Shackelford

Wayne Shackelford, who has been called Mr. Gwinnett for decades, has led a life filled with a deep-rooted passion for public service. His hard work, devotion, leadership and dedication to the rise of this county has now earned him another title: Citizen of the Year.

For more than 40 years, Shackelford has served on numerous organizations, boards and leadership roles that many say contributed to the success of Gwinnett County. Now, the 73-year-old may be getting older, but he is definitely not slowing down. Don’t let his oxygen tank fool you. He is no retired has-been. Among his many hats, Shackelford is currently the chair of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. He sees his role as one of the county’s leaders as a legacy still in the making.
“You would anticipate someday I would stop this hectic schedule but I won’t,” said Shackelford. “I call it paying my civic rent.”

His rise to success

Growing up, Shackelford didn’t eat out of a silver spoon. He was the son of a sharecropper. “That’s as poor as it gets,” he said. “There is no lower place on the socioeconomic level.”

Despite his humble beginnings, his mother and father instilled in him strong values of hard work, dedication and perseverance. Coupled with his natural ability to lead and motivate others, it was a combination for success. And Gwinnett County became the benefactor.

Shackelford came to Gwinnett in 1960 after starting his career as Assistant County Agent in Haralson County in 1959. He was transferred to Gwinnett as Assistant County Agent and promoted to County Agent in 1963 when J. T. Alexander was disability-retired as County Agent. “Mr. Alexander taught me so very much in a very short time,” he said. “He always introduced me as his co-worker, and I have tried to do the same ever since.”

Shackelford was then asked to become the first full-time county administrator in 1973. The title was executive assistant to the County Commission. He served Gwinnett when the county was one of the fastest growing counties in America, percentage-wise. He is the longest serving county administrator Gwinnett has ever had, having served until 1984 when he moved to the private sector as Manager of Land Development for Cadillac Fairview Shopping Centers (US) Limited, which was the firm that built Gwinnett Place Mall along with Gwinnett's D. Scott Hudgins. His president left to form his own company and he rejoined Alex Conroy in 1987 as Manager of Property Development, Southern Region for the Conroy Company.

His leadership style, personality and love for the county quickly gained him respect among Gwinnett’s big wigs. It wasn’t long before he was one of the most influential men in the county. His style of leadership became his calling card.

“I’m a motivational engineer,” Shackelford said. “I can cause people to change and I can lead. I can espouse a goal and get success with those around me.”

In 1991, Governor Miller asked the State Transportation Board to elect Shackelford as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation. He was sworn in on the last day in October that year and served until he retired in 2000.

Taking the reigns of the 6,300-person DOT was no difficult task for Shackelford. Under his leadership, he worked to ensure that personnel was better trained, better paid and more respected. But he knew he had a job to do - and he could only do it if he used the talents of those around him.

“You can't micromanage,” he said. “When I took over the leadership of the DOT I told my leadership team I cannot micromanage this department and get the job done. I have to deal with the vision, maintain relationships with the State Transportation Board, with the Governor and his team, the Legislature, other state agencies, county and city elected and appointed officials, our congressmen and senators as well as federal transportation officials, and the private sector construction industry and consultative force. I had to respect the ability of my work force and empower them. When I retired I had cut their numbers to 5800 and grown the budget to one and one-half billion dollars. In fact we let to construction $989 million during my last fiscal year (2000).”

Shackelford became Senior Vice President of Gresham Smith and Partners upon his retirement. This consultative architectural, engineering, and planning firm is a 775-person firm with offices in fourteen cities in ten states. He has also devoted his time to serving through various committees. He has earned power the old fashioned way - working hard for it, keeping his word and treating others with respect.
“Power is earned and not anointed,” he said. “Elected and appointed officials who believe they're granted immediate power are in for hard times. You earn your power, but having earned it one must claim it.”

Although he has not endured failure in his life each position of power he obtained put him at risk for it. “Leaders must be risk-takers,” he said. “They must be willing to risk failure.”

But sparking a fire in people and watching them achieve success is what powers Shackelford. It’s a passion for motivation that keeps him ticking.

“I’ve always been in the business of motivating people; hoping people will catch a vision for that,” he said. “You have to believe in the goal but you have to believe in the people around you. They have to catch the vision. The capacity to care influences how far you can take motivation.”

His love for family, faith and community

The engine that powers Shackelford is his family, faith and his affiliation with friends and the community. Married to his wife Anna for 46 years, Shackelford and his sweetheart have raised three kids - each of whom is enjoying successful homes of their own while adding to the Shackelford family with seven grandchildren.

Shackelford says all three of his children have his passion for motivating people. “It is both born in you and learned,” he said.

As members of First Baptist Lawrenceville, Wayne and Anna are active in various roles in church. Shackelford is a deacon and a member of the stewardship committee. Anna is in the church choir.

“We both enjoy being an active part of the community,” Shackelford said. “I chair Georgians for Better Transportation, a transportation advocacy group, and Anna is involved in different charities to give back to the community.”

Shackelford has also been the president of American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, chairman of the board of Intelligent Transportation Society of America, and chairman of the Executive Committee Transportation Research Board. He has also served on the transportation initiatives task force appointed by the governor.

Recently, he was informed that he has been chosen to receive the third lifetime achievement award presented by Georgia 4-H. The first award was presented to his long-time friend and supporter of Georgia 4-H and member of the Board of Regents, Edgar Rhodes, who is now deceased. The second award was presented to Dr. Tommy Rodgers, former State 4-H and Youth leader and former Vice President for Services at UGA.

“It is a huge honor for me,” he said. 

Among his many honors, he helped organize the first student government at Berry College as a sophomore. The State Transportation Board named the building that houses the Navigator Transportation Management Center in Atlanta the Wayne Shackelford Building, the Chatham County Commission named the boulevard on Hutcheson Island from the Talmadge Memorial bridge over the Savannah River to the International Trade Center as Wayne Shackelford Boulevard and the Carrollton City Council asked the State Transportation Board to name the interchange on the Carrollton Bypass and U.S.27 South in the community where Shackelford grew up as the Wayne Shackelford Interchange. But he doesn't believe these are his greatest accomplishments.

“I don’t deserve these honors,” he said. “My greatest accomplishment is being a husband and father. When things are right at home everything else is easier. Anna is my north star. I make the living and she makes the living worthwhile.”

Shackelford said there are many life lessons he has learned along the way that have made him the man he is today. Patience, listening, deserving trust and sharing the truth are among the most valuable characteristics of a good man - and leader.

His love for Gwinnett

Not too many people would still love Gwinnett if their home was acquired by the county to make way for progress. But when the Shackelfords found themselves in that situation several years ago with their Snellville home, they embraced it.

“When the lot on which our house was located was acquired by Chick-Fil-A on Hwy. 124 in Snellville in 2003, we could have moved anywhere,” he said. “Our children hoped we would get closer to them in Athens, Marietta, or Nebraska. But we moved eight tenths of a mile from where we had lived for 31 years. We were not willing to move from our church and this county. I love Gwinnett. It's home.”

News swept quickly of the Shackelford home being acquired for more development in the county. But Shackelford knew it was a sacrifice he had to make in order to further the county.

His love for Gwinnett is a message he has been espousing for many years. He has been a featured speaker at numerous chamber of commerce luncheons, banquets and meetings, and has taken the vision of Gwinnett throughout the state.

“He is totally devoted to this county,” said Bill Baughman, vice president of the Gwinnett County Fair Board and trustee with Gwinnett Historical Society. “Ever since he’s been in Gwinnett he has put his heart and soul into this community and loves it dearly, and he tells everybody about it all over the state. He always relays the fact that Gwinnett is great.”

Baughman and Shackelford worked together in the county agents office in 1966 and have been friends ever since. They also work together on the board of the Gwinnett County Fair. Baughman isn’t surprised that Shackelford received the Citizen of the Year award.

“He certainly deserves that award,” he said. “He’s a unique person. What he says is what he means. I’m glad he’s received this recognition. He certainly deserves it.”

Shackelford said his story is one of success because of the opportunities he has been afforded. From the son of a sharecropper to a man in positions of trust, his life’s story is still unfolding as one dedicated to continually influence positive change.

“I am so honored to receive the Citizen of the Year award,” he said. “Public affairs is my hobby. My life has been study, get the facts, arrive at the truth and rally people around me to turn dreams and aspirations into reality.”

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