Today, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce named Shan Cooper as the recipient of the 2025 Blanchard Servant Leadership Award. Originally established as the Blanchard Leadership Award by former Synovus Chairman of the Board & CEO Jim Blanchard in partnership with the Georgia Chamber, the award was revived for presentation at the Chamber’s 2025 Congressional Luncheon.

Cooper is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Journey Forward Strategies, LLC, a solutions-focused consulting firm that partners with organizations committed to improving and achieving sustainable results by ensuring alignment between their business and people strategies. Shan founded Journey Forward Strategies LLC following a distinguished career, serving as the former Executive Director for the Atlanta Committee for Progress and the former Chief Transformation Officer of WestRock. Prior to this, Cooper’s role as Vice President and General Manager at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company showcased her expertise in leading operations and business ethics. While at Lockheed, Shan also served as the first Corporate Vice President of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, where she led the company’s cultural transformation to a new age of inclusivity and equality.

The Blanchard Servant Leadership Award was presented as part of the 2025 Congressional Luncheon in Columbus. The Blanchard Servant Leadership Award was presented immediately after the W.C. Bradley Company was announced as the inaugural winner of the Georgia Chamber Corporate Citizenship Award.

A recording of the award presentations, as well as the entire Congressional Luncheon, will be available on the Georgia Chamber’s YouTube channel shortly.

Named in honor of former Synovus Chairman of the Board & CEO Jim Blanchard, the Blanchard Servant Leadership Award will be presented annually to a Georgia leader who exemplifies the highest ideals of servant leadership, civic engagement, and commitment to the greater good. Previous winners of the Blanchard Leadership Award include:

• James H. Blanchard, 2009

• B. Franklin Skinner, 2010

• Ray C. Anderson, 2011

• William B. Turner, 2012

• Robert S. Jepson Jr., 2013

• Thomas G. Cousins, 2014

• Daniel P. Amos, 2015

• Henry "Hank" M. Huckaby, 2016

• Dan T. Cathy, 2017

• Neely Young, 2018

• Steven T. Butler, 2019

• Juanita Powell Buranco, 2020

Shan Cooper, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Journey Forward Strategies, LLC and the inaugural recipient of the Blanchard Servant Leadership Award said:

“Receiving this recognition is both humbling and deeply affirming. It affirms that my efforts and time are invested in the right places and reinforces my commitment to uplift others. But this honor is not mine alone; it belongs to the remarkable nonprofit organizations that welcomed me, placed their trust in me, and allowed me to walk alongside them in service of their missions. I don’t serve for recognition—I serve because I’ve been profoundly blessed. And I hold close the belief that to whom much is given, much is required.”

Jim Blanchard, Retired Chairman & CEO, Synovus, and Vice Chairman of the Board, Covey Equity said:

“Congratulations to Shan Cooper for receiving the Blanchard Servant Leadership Award and to the W.C. Bradley Company for receiving the Georgia Chamber Corporate Citizen Award. These awards showcase true servant-hearted leadership and commitment to the greater good; values that Shan and the W.C. Bradley Company exemplify in all that they do. I hope that these awards inspire future generations of business leaders to continue embracing the Georgia Way of doing business.”

Chris Clark, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber said:

“In every regard, Shan Cooper embodies the values represented by the Blanchard Servant Leadership Award. She is a trailblazing leader whose career reflects the very essence of servant leadership—putting people first, inspiring excellence, and transforming organizations while strengthening communities. It is our hope that by recognizing Shan’s leadership, future generations of Georgia business leaders will model themselves after her vision and grace.”