Mark Massey, Clerk of Council for the City of Savannah, has been named the 2026 Georgia Municipal Clerk of the Year by the Georgia Municipal Clerks Association (GMCA). The honor was announced during the Georgia Municipal Association's (GMA) Annual Convention in Savannah.
The award recognizes a municipal clerk each year who shows outstanding leadership, professionalism, community service, and commitment to advancing the clerk profession statewide.
Massey brings more than 32 years of experience in municipal government, including 24 years as a clerk. He currently serves as Clerk of Council, Open Records Officer, and Parliamentarian for the Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Savannah — acting as the city's official record keeper. His duties include maintaining records of official acts, oaths, orders, and proceedings; preparing meeting minutes; managing city contracts; overseeing ordinance codification; and administering cemetery transfers for Savannah's five city-owned cemeteries.
Massey has built a career defined by leadership, mentorship, and innovation in local government. Before joining Savannah, he spent 23 years with Fulton County, where he led the automation of the county's Board of Commissioners meeting minutes — records dating back to the 1800s. After retiring from Fulton County, he became the very first employee of the newly incorporated City of South Fulton, where he helped stand up essential government functions, from securing tax-exempt status and banking authorizations to drafting and codifying the city's founding documents.
"Throughout his career, Mark has distinguished himself as a leader, mentor, and educator within local government," said Sharon Nelson, president of GMCA. "His willingness to share knowledge, support fellow clerks and invest in the professional development of others has strengthened communities and municipal governments across our state."
Beyond his municipal work, Massey has played a key role in training the next generation of Georgia's local government professionals. As a peer educator with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, he has helped mentor public servants across the state. He's also an active member of the National Association of Parliamentarians and Protocol Diplomacy International-Protocol Officers Association.
Massey holds certifications as a county clerk, city clerk, and public manager, along with a master's degree in Educational Leadership Administration and Supervision from Georgia State University and a bachelor's degree in Mathematics Education from Fort Valley State University.
A well-respected figure among his peers, Massey previously served as president of the Georgia County Clerks Association and was once named Georgia County Clerk of the Year himself. He has sat on numerous nonprofit and professional boards throughout his career and remains dedicated to mentoring rising leaders in the field.
"Receiving the Georgia Municipal Clerk of the Year Award is one of the highest honors in our profession, and Mark's career exemplifies the dedication, innovation, and commitment to public service that this award represents," Nelson added. "His contributions have strengthened local government operations and helped shape the next generation of municipal clerks across Georgia."
