Meet Rusty Ligon! Rusty is the Community and Economic Development Director for the City of Gainesville.
“One of Gainesville’s biggest cheerleaders is Rusty Ligon. He is also one of our community’s hardest workers behind the scenes making our town better. We are very fortunate that he and his family love our town so much, which anchored him here, because with his vision, passion, and leadership, other towns would have recruited him away long ago.” – Brad Abernathy
He is married to Carol Ann Ligon. They have two children, Eli who is 20 and Emily who is 17. Rusty was born and raised in Jasper and Carol Ann is from Jefferson.
Question: Please tell us about your current career. What do you love most about what you do?
Answer: “I am the Community and Economic Development Director for the City. I’ve worked for the City for 19 years. Prior to my work for the City, I worked as a Planning Consultant for 10 years. I love being part of a team that helps direct future growth in the City.”
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
A: “Breakfast at Longstreet, lunch at Sweet Magnolias and dinner at Hopscotch.”
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
A: “Carol Ann and I moved to Gainesville in the Summer of 1996. e were going to live here until we figured out where we wanted to live as a married couple. We never left!”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
A: “I’ve met a number of interesting people through my work with the City. One of my favorites is Jack Bailey, a great local architect. It seems that any time I am around him I learn something new, usually about Gainesville.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
A: “I would have to say Italy. Carol Ann has always wanted to eat and drink her way through Italy and I think that sounds like a great plan.”
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
A: “I am not a movie-goer so that is a really tough question. If I do watch a movie, it’s typically funny or lighthearted. As for TV shows, it would have to be ‘The Office.'”
Q: What advice would you want to give or leave with people?
A: “Live life with passion.”
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
A: “Longstreet and Green’s Grocery. Both are iconic and unique to Gainesville.”
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
A: “Coach Saban. As an Alabama graduate, I see him as a legend, but I would love to hear how he maintains his high level of drive and focus day in and day out. We would eat at Sweet Magnolias as he would likely only give me 20 minutes for lunch, so we would have to meet at 11:00 to get in and out.”
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community? And secondly, what is something you hope our community has or does in the future?
A: “I love our Downtown area, it’s great and only getting better. I hope we continue to capitalize on what makes us unique such as Lake Lanier, the Square, our Midland area, historic neighborhoods and our expanding trail network.”
Q: “Where do you see yourself in five to 10 years?
A: “In Gainesville and doing my part to make our City the best in the State.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “We would like to buy a mountain cabin, maybe something near my hometown.”
Q: And, what is something you have been proud to check off your bucket list?
A: “A few years ago, our family had the opportunity to meet Coach Saban and some of his assistant coaches in the athletic facility at the University of Alabama. We got a tour of Coach Saban’s office and the entire facility and even got to watch a football practice. That is a once in a lifetime experience, we will never forget.”
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
A: “I like different types of music; it just depends on my mood. However, I will typically default to something blues/rock/country, so The Allman Brothers, Eric Church, Sturgill Simpson or I’ve just discovered the Tedeschi Trucks Band.”
Q: In hard times we can sometimes see and recognize greatness in those around us. Hard working. Positive attitudes. Helping on the front lines. Who is one of our local shining lights today?
A: “Doug Hanson, who led the founding of North Georgia Works in Gainesville, is a shining light in our community. He tirelessly worked to establish this program that is helping get men off the street and into a productive life. Despite the various struggles to establish North Georgia Works, he never gave up, pushed forward and did it all with a great attitude.”
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
A: The Grand Teton National Park would be hard to beat for beauty. I will say though that North Georgia has some outstanding beauty as well, especially looking out at the Blue Ridge Mountains.”
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
A: “Christmas season is my favorite. The best day of the year is the start of college football season.”
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A: “As our kids continue to get older, all of us being together is rare, so I would say any time that we can all be together in one place would be a 10.”
Q: Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?
A: “I had to ask Carol Ann about this one and she said George Clooney, so I’ll go with that.”
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
A: “I always think you can smell the change of season in the Spring and Fall. I am definitely ready for a change in both of these times of year.”
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
A: “My kids.”
