There was one last executive session for Kenny Howard before he wrapped up his final Hinesville City Council meeting as city manager — even getting to gavel the meeting to a close.

Howard, who is retiring as city manager after 33 years with the city, will be feted for his service to the city today in a farewell reception.

Council members, upon exiting that last executive session with Howard, approved naming Ryan Arnold, the current assistant city manager, as Howard’s successor, starting in the position December 12 at 5:01 p.m.

But the former standout linebacker in high school and college was caught off guard when Bradi Ryon, the teenage daughter of city chief financial officer Kim Ryon, delivered an emotional tribute, thanking Howard for all he had for her and her family over the years.

“This is a day I’ve been dreading ever since Mr. Howard announced his retirement,” the younger Ryon said. “I knew it was coming, but I kept wishing somehow it wouldn’t get here so fast. Saying goodbye to someone who has meant so much to me and my family is so much harder than I could imagine.”

Bradi Ryon thanked Howard for his role after her father, city council member Bobby Ryon, passed away in 2021.

“Mr. Howard, you have been a huge part of my life as long as I can remember. Yes, you’re my mom’s boss but you are never just that. You were a good friend of my dad’s and after my dad passed away, when our whole life fell apart, you helped hold pieces of it together,” she said. “You were gentle when things were heavy steady when things felt shaky, and present in moments that mattered more than you know.”

Ryon also offered her gratitude to Howard in how he helped out again after her grandmother passed away in 2023.

“When my nana got sick, and shortly passed away, you showed our family once again the kind of grace and understanding that can’t be taught to people. It was just who you were as a person,” she said. “You offered help and understanding. You made us feel supported. You made us feel cared for. You gave us room to breathe and in the middle of all that stress and pain, that meant more than I could ever tell you.”

Ryon also thanked Howard for helping develop her as a person and for displaying leadership skills she hopes to emulate in the future.

“I think what makes this goodbye so emotional for me is knowing how much of an impact you had on the person I am becoming and the leader I want to be,” she said. “You have been a leader I have watched very closely, someone I have learned from even when you didn’t realize you were teaching me. You have shown me what respect looks like and what patience looks like and what it means to treat people with real kindness. I’ve always looked up to you, not for just what you do but for who you are.”

Ryon added she will miss the simple things on a day-to-day basis in her interactions with Howard, be it a word of advice or even a small joke to lighten her mood.

“Those small moments added up to something big,” she said. “They made me feel seen, they made me feel important and they always made me feel like I had someone in my corner.

“I wish I could repay you for everything you’ve done for me and my family, but the truth is there is no amount of words, gifts, or even a speech that could ever equal the impact you’ve had on our lives. All I can do is tell you how deeply grateful I am and how much you have always meant to us. Thank you for being a mentor, a friend and being a blessing in our lives.”

Howard was struck by the heartfelt speech from Ryon.

“I have received a lot of honors in my life. I have plaques galore. But I have never experienced anything like that,” he said.

Howard said he was reserving most of his farewell speech for his retirement ceremony, but thanked the mayor and city council for enabling him to serve as city manager and also expressed his gratitude for the city staff.

“This was not something I could do on my own. But because of God, I have been able to achieve what I have done,” he said. “We have worked diligently over the last eight years. We were not at a place where are now. I know the best is yet to come. This city is in very good hands and we know this city is going to continue to achieve and you will do things that make this community proud.

“God blesses you tremendously when you give back and I will leave with that. If you trust in Him, He will direct your path. He will lead every time.”