Richmond Hill Mayor Harold Fowler recently received the Certificate of Excellence and the Robert E. Knox Jr. Municipal Leadership Institute Certificate at the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) 83rd Annual Convention in Savannah on June 27.

To receive the Certificate of Excellence, Fowler completed 120 hours of training in topics such as economic development, emergency management, ethics, municipal finance and law, and public policy development and implementation. The Robert E. Knox Jr. Municipal Leadership Institute Certificate required participation in an intensive multi-day seminar that focuses on helping city officials enhance and sharpen their leadership skills and includes an interactive simulation exercise that confronts participants with the daily problems of governing and ultimately demonstrates the necessity of communication and collaboration in achieving good governance.   

“This is an outstanding achievement,” said GMA Executive Director Lamar Norton. “We commend Mayor Fowler for this accomplishment and for the dedication he’s shown in using this valuable resource to become a more effective city official.”

Fowler was elected mayor in 2009, having served as a councilmember for 10 years and as mayor pro-tem for four years. He is retired from the U.S. Department of Labor and is active in the local community, serving in the Lions and Exchange Club, Richmond Hill Rotary and American Legion. He is also a member of the Bryan County Hospital Authority, Bryan County Chamber of Commerce, and several other local civic organizations.

Fowler is a 25-year resident of Bryan County and is married with three daughters.