Interview by Abernathy Cochran intern and Gainesville High junior Donangelo Marshall
Meet your Ward 2 Gainesville City Councilman Zack Thompson! Zack owns Pro Touch Landscapes with his brother Ryan Thompson; Pro Touch has been in business since 1997. He is married to Ali and the couple has two daughters: Page and Ashley. He just began his second term as city councilman.
We want to thank Zack for recently spending time with us and telling us more about his life and love of Hall County.

Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: “All during high school, I worked on golf courses in the summer, and I fell in love with being outdoors. I enjoyed cutting grass and doing landscape type activities, from there I graduated high school and went to the University of Georgia. I majored in Horticulture Turfgrass Management and graduated with a four-year degree bachelors of science and horticulture.”

Q: How long have you lived or worked in Hall County?
A:  “I have lived here all my life, I only moved away for two years to Roswell and worked there and then moved back to Gainesville. It reminds me of what Gainesville is now.”

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County, and what do you love there?
A: “I would say Luna’s on the square and one of my favorite dishes there is the Jamaican chicken.”

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?
A: “I would say probably somewhere in Europe, I’ve never been overseas. I think there’s so much history and culture. I would say Italy or Rome in that Mediterranean direction. Our country is so young compared to them. They have houses over there older than our country.”

Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: “I would say one of my favorite movies would be ‘The Matrix.’”

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “Stay true to yourself while you respect those around you. Now being in public office I see how people are passionate with their ideas and their way of doing things…People who respect others as they explain the way they do things means a lot more to society. Don’t bully your way through society.”

Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “Sky diving, I just don’t really know if I could do it.”

Q: What is your favorite music/ three bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?
A: “Lifehouse, Dave Matthews Band, and Johnny Cash.”

Q: What current or local business makes you most nostalgic about Hall County?
A: “I would say Green’s Grocery and the Inn-Between Sandwich Shop, they’ve stayed true to themselves as they changed hands throughout the years.”

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Hall County?
A: “I really like the sense of community that we have. When there are times of national issues, we always unite as one and stick together.”
Q: What three words or phrases that come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
A: “Gainesville, family, stability.”
Q: (Even for friends or family) , what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “That I enjoy alone time. It allows me to recharge.”

Q: If you had a full-time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?
A: “A housekeeper because it’s my least favorite thing to do in the house.”

Q: Since you’re on the city council what are some goals that you have for Gainesville?
A: “We are really pushing for development in the mid-town area and want to get more people living in Downtown Gainesville housing. It’s my main goal because we want the area to be revitalized.”

The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live or work in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.

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