2025 Outstanding Chapter Volunteer: Sidney Douse

Sidney Douse, AICP, is the Georgia Chapter’s 2025 recipient for volunteer of the year for his ongoing support and steady financial guidance for the Georgia Chapter in the critical role of Treasurer. Sidney has served as the Georgia Chapter Treasurer since 2017 and first joined the Georgia Chapter Board in 2015 as the Planning Officials Development Officer. He has served as valuable member of the Executive Committee and helped to keep the Chapter solvent and with good credit throughout his long term.

Sidney took over the role of Treasurer when Jim Summerbell was elected President-Elect of the Chapter. Sidney brought new ideas such as hiring outside firms to assist in tax preparation, and he brought a strong work ethic to stay on top of the books. Along with Chapter President Corey Hull, Sidney worked with the President and Executive Committee to restructure the Chapter’s dues. That effort required careful budget analysis, honest conversations about future revenue needs, and a clear understanding of what the Chapter would need to remain financially stable into the future.
 
Sidney worked with the Chapter’s new tax preparer to amend the Chapter tax return when there were errors from a previous filing. During this process, Sidney even stopped by the Chapter President’s house on Christmas Eve to get his signature on the tax return, as he wanted to avoid any further delays.  

In this role, Sidney does work that provides vital support for nearly all Chapter activities. He reliably gets things done for other board members, committee chairs, and our members, and he does this behind the scenes with almost no recognition. He also has administered banking privileges with the incoming and outgoing Chapter Presidents and has had to track down “checks in the mail” as the official address of our Chapter. Sidney has an exceptional ability to make sense of complex financial details, whether it’s managing conference finances, meeting required deadlines with the bank and taxes, or ensuring continuity as leadership changes. His reliability, institutional knowledge, and quiet dedication have made a lasting difference for the Georgia Chapter and its ability to plan confidently for the future. Congratulations to Sidney for the 2025 APA Chapter Presidents Council Outstanding Chapter Volunteer!