Thank You, President Underwood!
William D. Underwood is stepping down after nearly two decades as Chair of NewTown Macon's Board of Directors, and we're incredibly grateful for everything he's brought to this organization and our downtown community.
His vision and dedication have shaped so much of what makes downtown Macon special today. Read the full letter below to learn more about his impact and the milestones achieved during his time with NewTown. Keep scrolling for photos of President Underwood over the years.
"As the year comes to an end, we would like to express our gratitude to President Underwood for his leadership as the chair of NewTown's board of directors for the past 18 years. Under President Underwood's leadership, downtown has transformed and been recognized as one of the best downtown experiences in the nation, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the NewTown board of directors under President Underwood.
As President Underwood often stated, what's good for downtown is good for Mercer, and this is the relationship we have witnessed since NewTown's founding in 1996. Mercer has been an essential partner in downtown's revitalization, and President Underwood has been a faithful steward, directing investments into downtown, such as the McEachern Art Center, Mercer Music at Capricorn, and, most recently and notably, the relocation of Mercer Medicine to Riverside Drive.
In the 19 years that President Underwood has served, not only has downtown been transformed, but so has NewTown. During President Underwood's tenure, NewTown has established downtown Macon's first Business Improvement District, absorbed Macon's Main Street program, and become Central Georgia's first Community Development Financial Institution, making NewTown one of the most robust and innovative downtown development organizations in the nation.
President Underwood has provided a steadfast and unwavering commitment to downtown Macon and NewTown Macon as an organization. When faced with the unthinkable loss of President and CEO Josh Rogers last year, President Underwood guided the board through crises, ensuring no loss of momentum in the organization's efforts. As a result, NewTown has experienced one of its most financially successful years to date, with over $100 million of development currently underway in the downtown area.
NewTown Macon is forever grateful to President Underwood for his guidance, his questions, and his wisdom in helping downtown Macon become one of the greatest downtowns in America. We wish him well as he transitions to Mercer's School of Law and enjoys the downtown he helped build."