Dawson County Commission Chair Mike Berg last week received the ACCG Emory Green Leadership Award.

Mike Berg is an outstanding public servant and true professional whose vision has contributed to the growth of ACCG, and, in turn, the advancement of all 159 of Georgias counties, said ACCG Executive Director Ross King. It is an honor to recognize his service to those of Dawson County as well as the members of ACCG with this prestigious award. He is the true definition of a leader as he is actively engaged in association matters and always willing to work on behalf of his fellow county officials.

The Emory Greene Leadership Award is the highest honor a commissioner can receive from Georgias county association in its annual awards & recognition program. Chairman Berg accepted the award April 19 at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center during the 2015 ACCG Annual Conference.

Its probably the most prestigious award Ive ever received, Berg said Thursday. I was totally surprised. When I was ACCGs president last year, I pressed hard for connectivity, much like Ive done in Dawson County. We spend more time on Skype than on the road driving to meetings. I also did a lot of visioning with ACCG and initiated asked where are you and where do you want to be in five years. I think those are the kinds of things the nominating committee was looking at.

This years ACCG President and Walton County Chair, Kevin Little, agreed.

There arent many leaders who possess the vision of Mike Berg, Little said. Mike was always willing to assist, in any capacity, to help move the organization forward.

The Emory Greene Leadership Award is named in honor of the late Bibb County Commissioner Emory Greene. As Chairman of the Board, Greene was an outstanding leader in his home county, but he was also admired as a statewide leader in his service on numerous boards and commissions. The Emory Greene Leadership Award recognizes a county commissioner who has made significant contributions at the state and local levels. ACCG has presented this prestigious award to deserving county commissioners since 1990.

Berg is chairman of the First Citizens Bank of North Georgia, a member of Dawson County Family Connection as well as the Dawson County Board of Health, and the Chamber of Commerce. He served on the Gwinnett PTA for two years and also was a state PTA officer. He is the founder of Gwinnett United in Drug Education (GUIDE) where he served as president for 12 years.