City Manager Regina McDuffie Receives Georgia City-County Management Association’s (GCCMA) Pillar of Professional Excellence Award

The City of Brunswick is proud to announce that City Manager Regina McDuffie has received the Georgia City-County Management Association’s (GCCMA) Pillar of Professional Excellence Award, recognizing her commitment to professional local government management, leadership, mentorship, innovation, and service throughout her career.

The Pillar of Professional Excellence Award recognizes City and County Managers and Administrators who have championed professional local government management, demonstrated a commitment to personal and professional development, mentored and coached others, supported and initiated innovation within their organizations and communities, actively participated in GCCMA, and exemplified the GCCMA Code of Ethics.

McDuffie has served as City Manager of the City of Brunswick since May 2020, bringing more than three decades of public administration experience to the role. During her tenure, she has worked with the Mayor and Board of Commissioners, City employees, and community partners to advance priorities related to housing, infrastructure, transportation, resilience, workforce development, and community engagement. Her leadership has included establishing the City’s first dedicated housing fund, advancing housing rehabilitation and new construction efforts, supporting innovative drainage and flood resilience projects, and prioritizing the development of affordable and accessible transportation through Brunswick Breeze. The City’s recent infrastructure and resilience work has received back-to-back Project of the Year awards from the American Public Works Association Georgia Chapter and a Visionary Award from the Georgia Municipal Association.

Beyond her work in the City of Brunswick, McDuffie has remained actively involved in the local government management profession. She currently serves as GCCMA District 12 Director, representing local government managers across Georgia’s coastal region, and has worked to provide meaningful professional development and networking opportunities for managers throughout the district. She also serves on the Georgia Municipal Association’s Legislative Policy Committee and chairs its Workforce Advisory Committee.

This nomination was supported by letters from colleagues, regional partners, community leaders, and others who have worked alongside McDuffie throughout her career. Across the letters, a common theme emerged: a leader who invests in people, builds partnerships, encourages professional growth, and approaches complex challenges with professionalism and collaboration.

“Regina McDuffie leads with steadiness and heart. When she became the first woman permanently appointed as Brunswick’s City Manager in 2020, she didn’t just open a door, she showed everyone watching what real leadership looks like. She has never chased recognition, but this one found her, and no one in Brunswick is surprised. The Pillar of Excellence award confirms what our commission and our residents have seen every day since,” said Honorable Cosby Johnson, Mayor of the City of Brunswick

“Regina McDuffie is an outstanding community leader who exemplifies excellence in local government management. While highly effective in her role as City Manager, Regina’s focus extends far beyond city operations. She is deeply committed to improving the quality of life for everyone in the community and has worked tirelessly to build partnerships across the city and county to address shared challenges and opportunities, “said Dr. Johnny L. Evans Jr., President, College of Coastal Georgia.

“I can honestly state that the City of Brunswick through Regina McDuffie’s management and leadership, has the most stable, tenured, committed and diligent base of employees that I’ve seen in the last 25 years,” said Julie Martin, Brunswick City Commissioner from 2012-2024.

“Her vision, dedication, and professionalism have had a profound impact on our community. Regina exemplifies the very best of public service,” said Bill Fallon, Glynn County Manager.

“Regina has always been generous with her time, perspective, and encouragement, and she is the kind of professional who makes those around her better. Her commitment to professional development is evident not only in her own participation in GCCMA, but in the way she encourages others to remain connected to their profession and to one another,” said Kathryn Downs, Assistant County Administrator, Bryan County.

“In a profession where trust is the most important currency a manager has, Regina has built and nurtured that through every interaction,” said Michelle Johnston, President, University of Montevallo.

“Regina has helped foster a culture of collaboration and forward-thinking within our community, and I believe that approach has played an important role in the continued momentum and growth of Historic Downtown Brunswick. What I appreciate most is her ability to look at challenges from a broader perspective and bring the appropriate people and resources to the table. She is willing to listen, explore new approaches, and work collaboratively to implement solutions. As a DDA board member and downtown business owner, I have valued having a City Manager who understands that innovation is not always about creating something completely new—it is often about finding better, more creative ways to serve our community and build on what is already working,” said Whitney Herndon, DDA Board Chairman and Owner of Grace Graffiti.

CM Regina McDuffie shared, “This a tremendous honor. I am truly grateful and overwhelmed to receive this award and the recognition from my peers. I was totally surprised and had no idea that I had been nominated.”

The City of Brunswick congratulates City Manager Regina McDuffie on receiving the GCCMA Pillar of Professional Excellence Award and recognizes her continued commitment to the city, its employees, and the Brunswick community.