Macon Magazine

C ities are built – and sometimes rescued from their erosion and decline – by a few men and women whose intelligence, energy, and leadership enable them to make an extraordinary difference in the history of a community. On Sunday, November 24, Macon lost a young giant – a giant in mind, a giant in passion and hard work, a giant in his devotion to achieving a better future for Macon. Josh Rogers was the chief executive and leader of NewTown Macon from 2014 until his death. During these 10 years, his presence and his voice, his vision and his determination, coursed through the plans and the actions and he, along with his colleagues, fostered an indefatigable spirit within NewTown Macon. Josh was a master collaborator. He would have abhorred the idea that he should claim credit for this unparalleled period of progress in our inner city. Even so, as we walk the streets of Downtown Macon, we will always be reminded of his creative mind, his resilient leadership, and his singular capacity to inspire new dreams. One of his most important legacies is that he gathered around him a team of professionals and empowered them to become knowledgeable, independent, and creative in achieving NewTown's mission. Because of that prescient wisdom, the transformative work of NewTown will move forward, and every step forward will be lasting tribute to his leadership. Josh Rogers knew that Macon could not become a truly great city with a declining urban core. He loved Macon, and he loved downtown. In tackling the hard work of assuring that downtown would not dri back toward decay and despair, Josh's mind and his passion were his most important assets. The change in downtown during his years of leading NewTown Macon is almost breathtaking, a change for which he would always credit his staff and the board, the Peyton Anderson Foundation, and the developers that joined him in this journey of transformation. At regular intervals, Josh would gather the staff and the board to evaluate their progress and to make specific plans for the years to follow. The achievements have been remarkable. They have included: • Launching a Developers Academy to teach and to provide knowledge and tools for local residents to be equipped and empowered to develop vacant buildings downtown • Creating Central Georgia's first and only Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in 2021 and already making over 50 loans, almost half of which have been made to people of color and women entrepreneurs • Working with over 100 downtown business and property owners • Increasing storefront occupancy from 56% to 83% • Driving over $350 million in public and private investments in downtown • Launching downtown's first self- taxing district, known as the Business Improvement District (BID) • Accelerating the development of lo s downtown, adding more than 350 units in the last 10 years • Receiving the highest national award for downtown revitalization from Main Street America earlier this year. • Mostly under the leadership of Josh Rogers, NewTown has approved almost 100 loans for approximately $36 million, added 378 new lo units, had 215 commercial units renovated or newly constructed, added 200 new jobs, completed 55 individual development projects with 41 individual developers. The list goes on. The skyline and the streets of downtown bear testimony to the work of NewTown Macon, to each board and staff member, but also to the brilliance, creative vision, passion, and down-to-earth good sense of Josh Rogers. Josh's analytic and creative mind was matched with unflagging integrity and a wide, inclusive embrace for all who wanted to join the race toward building a better future for Macon. The death of Josh Rogers is a stark reality to confront. For years and decades to come, our community will move forward in the light of the leadership he provided, the energy he fostered, and the hopes he engendered. In the wake of his powerful presence, and suddenly his tragic absence, the citizens of our city mourn his premature death, when clearly he had so much more to imagine, so much more to inspire, so much more to achieve. His voice becomes silent, but his presence will linger among us for years to come. History is certain to regard him as one of Macon's legendary leaders. Most importantly, he leaves behind the love of his life, Meaghan Slonaker Rogers, and his two bright and beautiful children Jack and Ellie, who may be Josh's most important gi to the world. They know, above all else, that Josh's love and passion as husband and father were the were the center of gravity for his life. Our city mourns with them and embraces them as they walk through this valley of staggering loss. In this season of Thanksgiving, we offer our high tribute to this leader, this husband and father, this first citizen of our city, Josh Rogers. R. Kirby Godsey is the former president of Mercer University. He was the founding board chair of NewTown Macon. A T R I B U T E T O J O S H R O G E R S In Memoriam BY KIRBY GODSEY | PHOTOS BY MATT ODOM December 2024/January 2025 | maconmagazine.com 109

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