GUYTON, Ga. — The Rev. Lon Maurice Harden has been named the 2025 recipient of the John Adam Treutlen Award, the highest honor presented by the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce.
Harden was recognized during the Chamber’s annual meeting for his decades of service, leadership and dedication to the Effingham County community.
“I’m grateful, honored and shocked,” Harden said after he accepted the award from Tamela Mydell, owner of Southern Kafe on 17 in Guyton. “My heart is full of joy.”
The award is named after Georgia’s first elected governor, who settled in this area after emigrating from Germany. It honors individuals who demonstrate the same kind of courage, resilience and commitment to the public good.
A lifelong Effingham County resident, Harden has spent his life building stronger communities through faith and public service. He is the longtime pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Guyton, where he previously served as a deacon, Sunday school superintendent, chairman of deacons and youth pastor.
“He may be the pastor of Macedonia Baptist but he’s everyone’s pastor in Effingham County,” Mydell said.
He is also a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served as a religious lay leader, and had a 30-year career with Signature Flight Support in Savannah. He rose to duty manager and was later selected to represent the company as a global ambassador.
In addition to his spiritual and professional leadership, Harden has held several civic roles. He currently serves as secretary of the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority and has been a member of the Guyton Planning and Zoning Board. He also sits on the chaplain board for the Effingham Health System and its foundation.
Harden is the owner of Harlawn Yard Services LLC, a local business that contributes to the county’s economy. He has also been an advocate for justice and community unity, leading the Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Committee for 14 years and serving as the 2025 MLK Day Parade grand marshal in Springfield.
He also serves as chaplain for Widow’s Son Masonic Lodge No. 396 and volunteers with the Effingham County Victim-Witness Assistance Program.
“Rev. Harden’s leadership has been a guiding force in Effingham County for years,” the Chamber said in a statement. “Whether in a church, a meeting room or beside someone in need, he offers compassion, wisdom and strength.”
In addition to the Treutlen Award, Harden was honored with a resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, introduced by House Speaker Jon Burns of District 159. The resolution commended Harden for his service and lasting impact on the community.
Harden joins a distinguished list of past Treutlen Award recipients, including Burns, the late Sen. Jack Hill, Ann Purcell, Dr. Franklin Goldwire, Warren Ratchford and Gussie Neese.
James Carlson, owner of Carlson & Company in Springfield, was honored with the Small Business Legacy Award.
