One of the great things about moving to a new community is meeting new people and learning more about their lives. In the year-plus I’ve been here, Vicksburg and its people have certainly made an impact on me.

And there are plenty of positive folks in our community who want to see it grow and prosper for those in the now and in the future. Here are just a few I’d like to recognize.

Pablo Diaz and Linda Fondren were chosen the Man of the Year and Woman of the Year, respectively, for their service to our community. And both are very deserving.

Pablo, pretty much a newcomer to the community like myself, has made a huge positive impact on Vicksburg and Warren County through his job as economic development director. He’s bright and smart, but also very quick-witted.

I personally hope he and his young family remain in Vicksburg for years to come, not only because he’s an asset to economic development in the area, but he’s a good guy to talk to.

Linda has taken up the cause of making us all healthier — something I certainly need to be more cognizant of. But Linda, like so many others in our community, is an inviting person to those she doesn’t know or first meets. She is also what I call a “go-getter” and focuses on getting things done. I’m really hopeful that she and the River Path Junction folks are successful in their efforts of opening the Old Vicksburg Bridge to daily pedestrian and bicycle traffic sooner rather than later.

Does Annette Kirklin ever have a bad day? Every time I see her at the Vicksburg Convention Center, she has a smile on her face and a warm greeting for all she meets.

Chad Shealy is perhaps the most enthusiastic person in Vicksburg — especially when it comes to education. Chad was one of the first people I had the opportunity of meeting when I moved to Vicksburg in 2017 and right away I could tell how passionate he is about education as superintendent of the Vicksburg-Warren School District. If you follow him on social media, you know how passionate Chad is about his family, as well as finding ways to unite education and real life so students are prepared for the next chapter of their life.

And for the life of me, I don’t know how VWSD spokesperson Christi Kilroy can keep up with Chad. But somehow she does and is able to do a tremendous job in making sure the public is informed about all that is happening in the school district.

If there is one person who has the best interest at heart when it comes to the people of Vicksburg, it has to be Mayor George Flaggs Jr. I noticed right off how his enthusiasm for this city is contagious for all those around him. He is a champion for Vicksburg and will do whatever it takes.

Working regularly in covering the meetings of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, I know with certainty they too want what is best for this community. The proof is in their approval of numerous economic developments, as well as education initiatives.

I’ve gotten to know some tremendous leaders in this community that I’m certain have the best interest at heart.

We all just need to pull together in the effort.

Rob Sigler is editor of The Vicksburg Post. You may reach him at Rob.Sigler@VicksburgPost.com.