Main Street America is proud to recognize Josh Rogers, former President & CEO at NewTown Macon, as a 2025 Mary Means Leadership Award recipient. The prestigious award is the organization’s top honor recognizing individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership in the field of comprehensive preservation-based economic development and commercial district revitalization. The 2025 Mary Means Leadership Award was presented at the closing plenary for the Main Street Now Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Josh at the site of a new construction project that will bring 94 loft units, 2 retail spaces, a coworking space, and food hall to downtown Macon, Georgia. © Matt Odom
Nominated by former colleagues, and selected by a national jury, Josh Rogers is being recognized for his visionary leadership as President & CEO at NewTown Macon, and his pioneering work in community-driven revitalization.
“Josh Rogers was one of the most impactful leaders the Main Street movement has ever known. He didn’t just transform Macon’s downtown; he transformed the very framework for how Main Street programs across the country think about inclusive revitalization. His legacy is one of courage, creativity, and a relentless belief in the power of building local. We are honored to celebrate Josh’s visionary leadership and the lasting impression he left on the national Main Street community.”
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The Rogers family (Josh, Meaghan, Ellie, and Jack) attend NewTown Macon’s Flannels and Frost event. © Jessica Whitley Photography
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Josh shares his expertise on real estate development with Maconites during NewTown’s annual Developer’s Academy. © NewTown Macon
Though he passed unexpectedly in November 2024, Josh’s impact will resonate for generations to come through the values he embedded into his community.
Josh Rogers was a transformative and visionary leader whose legacy lives on in the streets, storefronts, and residents of Macon, Georgia. Through his leadership at both Historic Macon Foundation and NewTown Macon, Josh shaped a new future for his Main Street built on innovation and equity.
Local news interviews Josh Rogers about the incredible transformation of downtown Macon during the organization’s annual Tour of Progress. © Leah Yetter Photography
Josh believed in providing Macon residents with the tools they needed to build wealth and prosperity in their own backyard. At Historic Macon Foundation, he leveraged tax credits not only to restore historic buildings, but also to build a model for sustainable redevelopment. These efforts led Macon to complete more historic tax credit projects than any other Main Street community in the nation.
As President & CEO of NewTown Macon, he expanded this approach with the Developer’s Academy, teaching Maconites to renovate and revitalize income-producing properties. His leadership also contributed to the formation of Central Georgia’s first and only Community Development Financial Institution, providing capital for housing and small business development.
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Josh Rogers and former NewTown Macon staff member Bethany Rogers accept the Lighting the Way award from the SunTrust Foundation in 2019 for NewTown’s Entrepreneur’s Academy. © NewTown Macon
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Josh Rogers led the Macon Connects project in 2016 in partnership with 880 Cities, Macon-Bibb County, the Urban Development Authority, and Bike Walk Macon, to install the world’s largest pop-up bike network. © NewTown Macon
Under Josh’s stewardship, NewTown Macon catalyzed over $1 billion in public-private investment, growing storefront occupancy from 30% to 89%, creating over 830 lofts housing over 1,000 residents, and increasing Black-owned businesses from 18% to 29%.
“Josh had a singular gift of deploying his financial and real estate prowess to spearhead development projects and initiatives that profoundly benefited our community,” said Bethany Rogers, Director of Strategic Projects at Main Street America.
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Josh leads a tour with his son Jack and daughter Ellie during NewTown’s annual Tour of Progress. © Leah Yetter Photography
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2025 Mary Means Leadership Award recipient Josh Rogers speaks with Dan Forrester of Cadence Bank. © And So We Go Productions
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As part of a volunteer project led by Bike Walk Macon, Josh helps paint bike lanes to create more connectivity in downtown Macon. © Bike Walk Macon
Josh Rogers’ leadership, innovation, and ceaseless commitment to equity embodies the spirit of the Mary Means Leadership Award. His legacy is solidified in the foundations of NewTown Macon and into the hearts of everyone who had the privilege to work alongside him. He leaves behind not just a stronger more resilient Main Street, but a stronger, more resilient Main Street movement.