Doug P. Roper, III
Doug Roper is a native of Vidalia, Georgia and has spent most of his adult life giving back to his community. He is a 1995 graduate of Vidalia High School. During his senior year, he led the baseball team to its first state championship title. That same year, Doug accumulated many athletic honors including being named AA State Player of the Year, Savannah Morning News Player of the Year, and Macon Telegraph Player of the Year. He was selected to play in the Junior Olympics representing the South Team in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Team Georgia in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Following high school, Doug attended Clemson University on a baseball scholarship where he excelled both athletically and academically. He was a member of the 1996 College World Series team that competed for a National Championship in Omaha, Nebraska. In addition to the demands of being an NCAA athlete, he was an honor roll student and served as a mentor to local elementary children.
In 1999, Doug was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 26th round of the Major League Baseball Draft. He played two seasons in the Blue Jays organization; Rookie ball in the Pioneer League playing for the Medicine Hat Blue Jays in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada and Single A ball in the Sally League where he played for the Hagerstown Suns in Hagerstown, Maryland.
In 2000, Doug graduated from Clemson University with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Communications Studies. After graduation, he returned to Vidalia where he began his career at the Paul Anderson Youth Home (PAYH). PAYH is a residential home providing Christian rehabilitation for young men spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and socially. While there, Doug served several different roles including Counselor, Teacher, Public Relations and Director of Donor Relations and Direct Mail Program. In 2007, Doug transitioned to a career in banking, accepting a position with Vidalia Federal Savings Bank as Branch Manager where he continues working today.
Over the past twenty years, Doug has served in numerous volunteer capacities. For ten years, he served on the Vidalia Onion Festival Committee which included seven years on the Air Show Committee, three years on the Executive Committee, and was the 2009 Chairman of the Vidalia Onion Festival. He has served on the Vidalia Kiwanis Club Board of Directors and was the 2013 Kiwanis Club President. Doug is a graduate of the Leadership Toombs-Montgomery Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, on the fundraising committees for the Mercy Medical Clinic and Meadows Regional Medical Cancer Center, and as a mentor with the Toombs County Family Connection at the Toombs County Middle School and JR Trippe Middle School. Doug also served as Treasurer for the Vidalia All-Sports Boosters which supports athletics for the Vidalia City Schools System. In 2015, Doug received the honor of flying with the Blue Angels as a recipient of a Community Key Influencer ride. He is currently serving on the local Board of Directors for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and recently served as a Community Coach for the Vidalia High School Baseball Team. Doug is a member of the Vidalia First United Methodist Church where he teaches Sunday School to 3 and 4-year-olds and has served on the Finance Committee and Stewardship Committee.
Doug's true passion lies in his service to and support for public education. He served for nine years as a member of the Vidalia City Schools Board of Education. During his tenure he fulfilled the roles of Parliamentarian, Vice Chair and Chairman of the Board. Doug has not only impacted the lives of over 2,400 student in his community, but more than 1.7 million students in the State of Georgia by having served on the Board of Directors of the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA). The mission of GSBA is to ensure excellence in the governance of local school systems by providing leadership, advocacy and services, and by representing the collective resolve of Georgia's 180 elected boards of education. Doug served as Vice President, President Elect, President and Past President of GSBA from 2013-2016. While serving on the Board of GSBVA, he served on several committees including the Strategic Planning Committee, Governmental Operations Committee and the Georgia Vision Project. He was selected as a delegate to represent the State of Georgia at the Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C. and the 2014 National School Boards Association conference in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Doug has been married to his wife Marly for eighteen years and they have two sons Cutter (8) and Durham (5).
