Myrna Ballard

Myrna Ballard has been President of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce since January 1997. She was formerly Vice President for Economic Development for the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber, Economic Developer for Quitman-Brooks County (Georgia), and Director of Economic Development for the Brazos Valley Development Council (Texas). She has more than 27 years experience in community and economic development. Ballard is a native of Hyden, Kentucky. She has a bachelors degree from Western Kentucky University and a masters degree in community development/rural sociology from Texas A&M University. Her masters thesis was entitled, "The Role of Banks and Bankers in Rural Industrial Development." Ballard is active in several community and professional organizations. She serves on the South Georgia Workforce Investment Board, the Valdosta Early College Academy Board, is current president of the Valdosta Rotary Club, former president of the Civic Roundtable, former member of the Valdosta Technical College Board of Directors, and was formerly chairman of the board of the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. She has been married to Dr. Chet Ballard for 33 years. They have lived in the Valdosta area since 1985.