Claudia Reit, a former structural engineer and applied statistics expert, has been appointed to the Oglethorpe County Board of Assessors, replacing Larry Nackerud after his 24-year tenure.
After being a structural engineer and earning a master’s degree in applied statistics, Claudia Reit is now channeling her expertise into a different role, serving as the newest member of the Oglethorpe County Board of Assessors.
“When I moved to Oglethorpe, I felt like I was returning home,” Reit said. “It was family, friends, like they’d been waiting for me just to return home.”
This year, Reit was appointed to the Board of Assessors by the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 4, following Larry Nackerud’s retirement after 24 years of service.
The board consists of three members, with the other two members being Jesse Johnson and George Gray. Each member serves a six-year term and is responsible for valuing property in Oglethorpe County.
For Reit, who lives in Maxeys, the position represents both a challenge and an opportunity to contribute to a community she has quickly grown to love.
For nearly 15 years, she worked with Gwinnett County in plan review, where she became licensed as an International Code Council (ICC) plan reviewer.
After an early retirement in 2022, Reit moved to Oglethorpe County and pursued real estate, drawing on her familiarity with building and zoning. However, she soon discovered that her interests stretched beyond transactions.
“To jump into real estate that late in the game was a little bit more challenging for me,” Reit said. “So I just decided to do less real estate and more helping the community.”
This realization guided her deeper into Oglethorpe County life, where she joined the Chamber of Commerce and became the director of Working Oglethorpe Women, a women’s leadership group.
It was later that she spotted the opening for a seat on the board of assessors.
“Oglethorpe County is booming. It’s developing,” she said. “We cannot stop the progress, and I kind of want to be part of this progress.”
The board of assessors has a critical role in fairly valuing property for residents. Reit views the job as essential, particularly as new businesses and infrastructure projects arrive.
“People will have to realize that their property value is going to increase,” she said. “We have to acknowledge that we cannot stop the progress coming to Oglethorpe.”
Beyond her new role, Reit remains active in other parts of the community. She is a partner in Countryside Manor, an event venue located in Winterville, and continues her involvement in the Chamber of Commerce.
Linda Parish, officer manager of the Chamber of Commerce and owner of Local Color, describes Reit as hardworking, stepping up to the chamber’s board when needed, and involving herself in any way possible.
Reit said balancing all of these responsibilities, though, wasn’t a concern.
“Even when I worked full-time, I was teaching statistics at Georgia Gwinnett College, so I know I’m up to a challenge,” Reit said.
As Oglethorpe County prepares for growth, Reit hopes her work on the board will help ensure residents benefit from new opportunities without losing the county’s character.
“I would love to see more businesses in Oglethorpe, not just because of the tax revenue, but also for the local younger generation,” she said. “Even with those changes coming in Oglethorpe, I hope that the county is going to still be able to keep this rustic, country-chic vibe that I found when I came here.”
For Reit, service is also about gratitude.
“I’m very grateful to (Oglethorpe County) and for their help, for their support,” she said. “I am so pleased to call Oglethorpe not just where my home is, but where my family is.”