Missy Kendrick, President and CEO of Choose Columbus, participated in a featured discussion session spotlighting Columbus, Georgia, at the 2025 Jinju K-Entrepreneurship International Forum, held in Jinju, South Korea, on October 27 from 3:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
She was joined by a distinguished delegation of Columbus leaders, including:
- Hon. Skip Henderson, Mayor of Columbus
- Dr. Stuart Rayfield, President of Columbus State University
- Dr. David F. Lewis, Superintendent of the Muscogee County School District
- Chris Woodruff, CEO of The Cotton Companies and Woodruff Brokerage Company
The session was moderated by Dr. Daewoo Lee, Director of the Korean Institute at Columbus State University. Dr. Lee opened the forum with a brief introduction to the City of Columbus and encouraged audience participation during the Q&A session, adding a touch of fun by offering “mystery gold box” prizes to those who engaged in discussion.
The Columbus session began with a Korean-dubbed video highlighting the city’s strategic advantages as a hub for international investment. The presentation showcased Columbus’s strengths across various sectors—industry, education, and cultural exchange—emphasizing the growing partnership between Korea and Columbus.
Mayor Skip Henderson opened his remarks with a personal story, sharing that his father was stationed in Incheon, South Korea, 56 years ago, and that his father’s mementos from that time are still cherished at home. He drew parallels between the two cities, noting, “Columbus, like Jinju, has a river—the Chattahoochee—running through the heart of the city, and it has grown around it.”
He also highlighted Jinju’s distinction as the birthplace of several founders of Korea’s major corporations—LG, GS, Hyosung, and Samsung. Mayor Henderson compared this entrepreneurial legacy to Columbus’s own business icons—Aflac, Synovus, and WC Bradley—emphasizing Columbus’s culture of servant leadership, family values, honor, and the spirit of entrepreneurship.
Dr. Stuart Rayfield described servant leadership as meeting the highest needs of others, especially the underprivileged. She shared the story of G. Gunby Jordan, who founded CB&T—later Synovus, now a $60 billion institution—on trust and community service. CB&T began in 1888 with a simple act of kindness. At the Eagle & Phenix Mill in Columbus, a worker’s dress caught in machinery, spilling her hidden savings. Seeing this, G. Gunby Jordan, the mill’s secretary and treasurer, offered to keep her money safe and pay interest. He extended the offer to other workers, leading to the creation of Synovus.
Dr. Rayfield also highlighted the histories of TSYS, Aflac, and Columbus State University, emphasizing that each organization was founded with a deep commitment to addressing essential community priorities and serving the needs of others.
Dr. David F. Lewis provided an overview of the MCSD and highlighted that Columbus High School ranks #76 nationally and #2 in Georgia, according to U.S. News & World Report. He described how MCSD schools cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset through programs such as CTAE (Career, Technical & Agricultural Education) and START, while also promoting STEM education through district-wide robotics initiatives that include 76 robotics teams.
Dr. Lewis also shared a story about a Columbus father who became frustrated with traditional golf cup designs that required him to bend down repeatedly to retrieve his golf balls. Inspired by his experience, his daughter and her friends decided to take on the challenge as a school project. Applying innovative thinking, they developed a magnetic golf cup with a removable base, demonstrating how creativity and problem-solving are encouraged in MCSD classrooms.
Missy Kendrick shared her personal story of entrepreneurship, recounting how she bought her first business in her early twenties. She encouraged college students in attendance to seek opportunities, ask questions, and think innovatively to create positive change. She also elaborated on the mission of Choose Columbus, explaining that its role is to facilitate corporate relocation and expansion into the region while fostering reciprocal relationships with the community.
“The relationship between a company and its community can’t be one-way—it’s more like a marriage,” Kendrick said. “Choose Columbus not only helps businesses move or expand into Columbus but also asks how those companies can, in turn, support our community. Our mission extends beyond Columbus—it’s for the entire region.”
Chris Woodruff shared his journey as a real estate developer and how his work contributes to the community. He highlighted the Highside Market project, explaining how a once-boarded-up building in 2018 was transformed into a vibrant hub for dining and entertainment. He emphasized that this achievement was not something he could have accomplished alone, noting that collaboration was key. Woodruff worked closely with the City of Columbus, Columbus State University, and even first- and second-grade students from the Muscogee County School District, who helped paint a mural. He concluded by saying that the project began with a simple question: “How can I help?”
Following the panel presentations, Dr. Daewoo Lee moderated an engaging Q&A session. Audience members posed a variety of thoughtful questions — from an Air Force officer asking how to manage conflict and disagreement with subordinates, to a student inquiring how Missy Kendrick was able to successfully run multiple businesses as a woman entrepreneur. Others raised current concerns such as visa challenges faced by international college students, sharing their experiences and expressing gratitude to the Columbus delegation for their insights and inspiration.
