James Lawrence Jr

James E. Lawrence Jr., MBA
City Manager, City of Quitman, Georgia

James E. Lawrence Jr. has served as City Manager of Quitman, Georgia, since January 2026. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Savannah State University and an MBA from Strayer University.

Before entering local government, James spent nearly two decades in the private retail sector. His roles included Operations Manager for a high-volume store and District Manager for a three-state territory serving approximately 200 to 350 retail accounts. He also founded an event planning company that managed large-scale events in the United States and internationally and worked as an Automotive Service Consultant.

Throughout his career, James has managed people, budgets, and complex operations while improving systems and accountability. As City Manager, he oversees Quitman’s departments and municipal utilities, with a focus on strengthening services, managing resources responsibly, and creating conditions for long-term growth.