Dear Ms. Holloway:

On behalf of the Thomasville City Council and the City of Thomasville, I would like to thank the entire Thomasville community for participating with us in the street renaming celebration held on Monday, February 24th at The Ritz Amphitheater in downtown Thomasville. This event was held to officially commemorate the renaming of the portion of Stevens Street from West Jackson Street to Fletcher Street as ‘GEN Lloyd J. Austin, III Way’ in recognition of former United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. We were fortunate to have Secretary Austin, his wife Charlene, and members of his family as well as close friends, classmates and many proud citizens on hand for this special occasion. For those who attended, I’m sure you will agree that this day was an outstanding day for our city!

Secretary Austin served as the 28th Unites States Secretary of Defense from January 22, 2021, to January 20, 2025. In this capacity, he served as the principal assistant to the President in all matters related to the Department of Defense and served on the National Security Council. While born in Mobile, Alabama, Secretary Austin was raised in Thomasville and was a proud graduate of Thomasville High School. He went on to graduate from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission in the infantry as a Second Lieutenant. He later earned a Master of Arts degree from Auburn University and a Master of Science from Webster University. Secretary Austin served more than 40 years with the United States Army and retired as a four-star general before being named as Secretary of Defense.

During the celebration on Monday, Secretary Austin honored us with inspiring remarks that truly captivated those in attendance. He shared wisdom from his mother, in which she shared that he could truly be anything he wanted to be if he was willing to do the hard work that is required. What an inspiration this was to the young citizens that were present! Secretary Austin encouraged the students in attendance to hold no limits as to what they could achieve in their own lives, using his journey from Thomasville to the White House as an example. He also shared insights into successful leadership attributes that we could all value, from his previous coaches to commanding officers. One such example that resonated with the crowd was his encouragement to take care of your people and they would never let you fail. To be in Secretary Austin’s presence and know that he, like many of us, is a product of our own Thomasville was truly something special. I, like many others, was honored to have heard his comments and make his acquaintance.

If you were unable to attend, you definitely missed out on one of the most special events I remember happening in Thomasville for some time. However, CNSNext was able to film the Secretary’s remarks, which will be shared with our community beginning next week on NextStream Channel 22 and the City’s YouTube channel. I urge everyone to take the time to listen to the words of wisdom and encouragement that were shared by Secretary Austin.

Again, my sincere appreciation to City staff that organized this special event. We’d also like to thank Trinity Anglican Church for their hospitality and other community partners for their assistance, including the Thomasville Entertainment Foundation, Thomasville Center for the Arts, Thomasville High School Marching Band, Thomasville High School Air Force JROTC, James Banks, Flowers Foods, Thomasville Police Department, Thomasville Fire Rescue, Thomas County Emergency Services, Thomas County Sherriff’s Office, local West Point graduates and, of course, all of Team Thomasville. Partnerships such as these are truly what make our community such a special place.

Sincerely,

Chris White

City Manager