Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia honored Marty Owens as the 2024 Gainesville Woman of Distinction. The Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction award honors a woman who reflects the values in the Girl Scout Promise and Law and who serves as an excellent role model for girls.
Marty Owens was born and raised in a suburb of Rochester, New York. She attended Houghton University in New York and received a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in German, Sociology, and Elementary Education.
Marty has been an active member of the Gainesville community for decades. With her children, she opened the first Dunkin Donuts in Hall County. She has also helped found several local organizations, including My Sister’s Place, Heritage Academy (now combined with Lanier Christian Academy), Our Neighbor, Inc., Randy and Friends, Inc., and, most recently, GRACE Worldwide, Inc. She is a governor-appointed member of the State Use Council and has served as a Docent at the State Capitol. She has also served on the Board of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities for this region as well as the Board for Choices Pregnancy Center.
Marty is a member of the Hall County Rotary, served as President of the South Hall Rotary Club, and was a recipient of the Woman of the Year Award from the Gainesville Rotary. She is also a mentor with SCORE, where she helps people who are seeking advice about starting non-profits or businesses. In addition to her contributions to our local community, Marty has also been recognized internationally for her work. In 2018, she was recognized by members of the Liberian government for her partnership in facilitating transformation and improving lives.
In addition to her work with nonprofits, Marty is an active member of Lakewood Baptist Church, where she sings in the choir and serves as a greeter. She is also the proud mother of eight children (Mark, Cheri, Eric, Chad, Robb, Randy, Gregg, and Todd) and the proud grandmother of 18 grandchildren.
