Columbus flaunts 'servant leadership' as city's spirit

Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson of Georgia speaks during the third session of the 2025 Jinju International Forum on Entrepreneurship at Centennial Memorial Hall on the campus of Gyeongsang National University in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. Courtesy of Jinju City

JINJU, South Gyeongsang Province — The U.S. city of Columbus in Georgia highlighted its long-standing “servant leadership” approach for local residents and businesses at a forum in Jinju, presenting a new model of leadership for today’s rapidly changing technological and business environment.

The third session of the 2025 Jinju International Forum on Entrepreneurship focused on how the city’s unique leadership spirit has shaped communities and fostered more sustainable businesses. Seven participants took part in the session, six from Columbus and Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin, who joined as a “surprise guest speaker.” They likened Jinju’s identity as the birthplace of founders of Korea’s global companies to Columbus’ vision of grounded, community-oriented entrepreneurship.

Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson said during the forum that both cities share a “natural friendship.”

“We share an industrial and manufacturing background. Columbus was formed as a textile town using our river for power. Jinju is the leading manufacturer of silk and bio industrial products. We both have a sense of historic identity and heritage that we celebrate locally. We're both river cities. Most importantly, though, we share a spirit of entrepreneurship,” he said.

Stuart Rayfield, president of Columbus State University, speaks during the third session of the 2025 Jinju International Forum on Entrepreneurship at Centennial Memorial Hall on the campus of Gyeongsang National University in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. Courtesy of Choose Columbus

“Servant leadership, a willingness to partner with the community to make it a better place, is what has helped our city's companies grow and thrive. Over the years we've seen many changes in Columbus. But one thing has remained constant and has not changed and that is our ability to adapt as a community. Our entrepreneurial spirit in our ability to stay at the leading edge of emerging technologies in global trends remains steadfast.”

Chris Woodruff, founder and CEO of Cotton Companies, a real estate developer based in Columbus, illustrated the essence of servant leadership through his own experiences. He recounted how, last year, he transformed a long-abandoned compound with boarded-up windows into a thriving business complex and community recreation center. He called the initiative “community renewable.”

“It was my vision to create a place that can incubate and create a home for new entrepreneurs, that can create a place for new businesses to come but more importantly to create a place for people to gather and get together. So what occurred after much planning and processes was bringing life back to a block. Over 15 new businesses have launched or expanded there," he said.

"I can help by creating a development that's not just brick and mortar. It’s a heartbeat. It's proof that when business is done with a servant's heart, it can restore not just buildings but beliefs."

Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin speaks during the third session of the 2025 Jinju International Forum on Entrepreneurship at Centennial Memorial Hall on the campus of Gyeongsang National University in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, Monday. Courtesy of Jinju City

Woodruff said Columbus was founded on the idea of "servant leadership," and that community renewal has been the driving force behind the city’s industrial growth.

“There's a balance between service and enterprise. It's that balance, that intersection that is where the future is born. I’m a real estate developer but I’m more than that. I'm a peacemaker and a lover of community. I have succeeded and I have failed. I have learned from those mistakes and I have succeeded and I will fail again. That is the life of an entrepreneur,” he said.

Missy Kendrick, president and CEO of Choose Columbus, a government agency dedicated to attracting outside investment, said she urges investors interested in the city to embrace the same spirit of faithful entrepreneurship.

“We want them to understand and the rest of our community to understand that economic development in Columbus is a marriage. It's not a one-way street. It's not just about what a company might want from us but it's what we want from a company as well. We want a conscientious servant leadership perspective from the industries that locate in our community,” she said.