07/23/2026
Community invited to retirement reception
LAVONIA – The Franklin County Citizen Leader will host a retirement reception Friday for long-time sales representative Diane Rice.
Rice’s clients and friends are invited to come bid her farewell from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Citizen Leader office at 12150 Augusta Road in Lavonia.
The reception will also give the community a chance to welcome new sales representative Suzanne Cook.
Rice will retire from her sales position on Friday after several years spread over two stints with the Citizen Leader.
“It is a great understatement to say Diane has done a wonderful job representing our newspaper and helping businesses in Franklin County promote themselves in our products over the years,” Publisher Shane Scoggins said. “Her hard work and dedication will be hard to replace, and we will surely miss her. We invite our clients to come and share with Diane what she has meant to them during her years with the paper.”
Rice has a family history in the newspaper business. Her father, Bill Bridges, owned The Hartwell Sun, where she worked after finishing high school.
“Life has a way of throwing curve balls when we least expect it and when we are not looking,” she said. “My coming to work at the Franklin County Citizen Leader in 2019 was the last thing I ever expected or the turn I would choose to make, but I did and, yes I am glad I did. Working at the paper has been rewarding in so many ways. It has taken me back to my roots as a teenager right out of high school working for my dad at the Hartwell Sun. On this journey not only did I make many business acquaintances but true life friendships. Some I have laughed with, cried with and prayed with. Working for the paper has been so much more than a job, it became a way of life, building community day to day.”
Rice said she has enjoyed working with the staff of the Citizen Leader, which includes Scoggins, Jennifer Phillips, Charlie Eavenson and her sister Vickie Baskins.
“I love the paper as you do,” she said. My time spent working with Shane as editor/publisher, boss and friend were simply the best. Jennifer, our office manager, and I have built a lasting crazy and fun friendship for sure. And Charlie is the coolest writer there is and a champion at it. Vickie, my amazing sister and my graphic designer is the best of all! She always puts the paper first and her graphic skills cannot be topped. I love you sis.”
Rice has already started a part-time retirement job in Madison County.
“I will miss each of you and wish you all the best life has to offer,” she said. “As I begin semi-retirement, I look forward to spending time with my husband, Steve, wood working, working in my nursery and spending time with family. Thanks for a great ride, Franklin County Citizen Leader, and I will leave you with some words of wisdom that Keith Turman gave me way back when: the 5 E’s – Energy and Effort equals Effective and Efficient and means you Earned it!”
The Citizen Leader has also welcomed Suzanne Cook to fill Rice’s position.
Cook is a native of Royston.
She joins the newspaper staff after working with her husband’s construction business, Tri-County Construction, for several years.
Cook has worked in marketing in one form or another for the last 15-20 years and said she enjoys it very much.
“I love to see businesses grow and thrive,” she said. “When people ask me what I like about the position, that’s what I tell them is my passion. And I also care a lot about the community.”
Cook has three children and a grandchild on the way.
“We are excited to have Suzanne join our staff,” Scoggins said. “She has already shown great enthusiasm to meet and build relationships with our local businesses. She is going to do a great job.”
