Institute Associate Professor Joseph Whorton received the Georgia Municipal Association's Georgia Key Citizen Award from the Georgia Municipal Association at its annual meeting in Savannah last week. The award is presented annually by the GMA to individuals for outstanding contributions to municipalities and the state of Georgia.

"Dr. Whorton has been a friend of Georgia's cities since the first day he arrived in Georgia," said GMA Executive Director Jim Higdon. "His understanding of issues that face cities and his willingness to help tackle some of the more contentious issues make him a worthy recipient of GMA's 'Key Citizen' award."

Previous recipients of the award include the Institute's Hal Holtz and Kitty Clark, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, U.S. Senator Zell Miller, former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, and former Georgia Governor Joe Frank Harris.

Right Photo: Joe Whorton, center, accepts the Georgia Key Citizen Award from GMA executive director Jim Higdon, left, and outgoing president Mayor Floyd Adams of Savannah.