Pat deserves a pat on the back.

     His civic involvement increased this week as Pat Lowery was named to the Brookhaven School District board of trustees. City aldermen made the appointment to have the longtime local CPA replace Karen Braden, who opted not to seek another term on the school board.

     Lowery will take office formally in March after the conclusion of Braden’s term. School board members serve five-year terms.

     In his new capacity, Lowery will be one of three school board members, including Dan Brown and Willie Harrison, who are appointed by aldermen. Stan Patrick and Erin Williamson Smith serve on the board as elected members representing the portion of the school district outside the Brookhaven city limits.

     Lowery said he is honored and excited to serve on the school board to help the school district that is strong now and will only get better. He said Braden did a great job and he hopes to, as well.

     Lowery and his wife, Celeste, have a daughter, Emily, who graduated from the school district in May and a son, Jack, who is a seventh-grader at Alexander Junior High School.

     As a CPA, Lowery is no stranger to the financial goings-on of school districts.

     His firm has handled multiple audits for many school districts for 16 years. From his experience, Lowery said the good, progressive school districts have leadership that sets a goal of excellence but does not enter into the day-to-day activities of the schools.

     “They have great people in place and let them do their jobs,” Lowery said. “That’s the right way to do it.”

     Lowery’s school board hat is just another way he will be looking out for the community’s betterment.

     Lowery is serving this year as president of the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce. Certainly, overall economic development and the growth of the local retail and business community will be high on Lowery’s list of goals.

     Lowery discussed the connection between his two posts.

     “They’re really complementary jobs,” Lowery said. “The best thing for the chamber and the community as a whole is to have a great school system.”

     Of course, Lowery is not the only person working for the betterment of the community. It is commendable, though, that he is willing to simultaneously take on two important tasks of chamber president and school board member.