June 2014 Features

  • Chamber Quarterly Board Meeting Highlights Healthcare & Education Partnership

    June 30, 2014

    Randy Sauls, CEO of South Georgia Medical Center and Dr. Tina Anderson, president of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College were on hand for a panel discussion at the June 24 Quarterly Board Meeting of the Chamber.

  • New V-State Mobile App Facilitates On-The-Go Communication

    June 27, 2014

    Valdosta State University’s newly released V-State Mobile app streamlines the way students, faculty and staff access campus services and places safety and emergency services in the palms of their hands. Available in the iTunes and Google Play stores, V-State Mobile facilitates communication, collaboration, and information sharing on-the-go.

  • Aflac-Backed Communicorp Gives Customers FORTUNE 500 Stability

    June 26, 2014

    The seeds of Communicorp, Inc. started over fifty years ago as a vehicle to provide Aflac headquarters and field force offices with business cards, letterhead, and brochures. The concept quickly grew to an internal print shop chartered in 1981 to the Georgia-based corporation it is today with locations in Columbus and Atlanta, with a presence throughout Georgia.

  • Cancer Coalition Holds Valdosta Luncheon for Hope

    June 25, 2014

    The Cancer Coalition of South Georgia held a Luncheon for Hope last week in downtown Valdosta. The purpose of the luncheon was to bring Lowndes county area business and community leaders together to hear about the Coalition’s work in the community in response to the high rates of cancer throughout South Georgia.

  • Georgia Ranked 10th Friendliest State for Small Businesses in Nationwide Survey

    June 24, 2014

    Thumbtack.com, in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, today released new data showing that Georgia has won praise as one of the top ten states for small businesses. Jon Lieber, Chief Economist of Thumbtack.com, said “Creating a business climate that is welcoming to small, dynamic businesses is more important than ever, and Georgia's friendliness towards small business is helping to make that happen.”

  • It Takes Regional Collaboration to Bring More Business to Area

    June 23, 2014

    For many years, Valdosta-Lowndes has worked diligently to become South Georgia’s hub for economic growth and expansion. Local institutions like Moody Air Force Base, South Georgia Medical Center, Valdosta State University and Wiregrass Georgia Technical College have contributed to the region’s success and increasing population by way of revenue, human capital and jobs. In addition, many other community organizations and small businesses work to help the area and its inhabitants grow and prosper.

  • Valdosta City Council Delivers a Balanced Budget

    June 20, 2014

    The Valdosta City Council approved the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget for the City of Valdosta at the yesterday's City Council meeting, after having the opportunity to hear the proposed budget at the hearings on June 10 and 11. City staff presented the council with a balanced budget, as required by the City Charter, and one that City Manager Larry Hanson said was one of the most challenging and difficult budgets prepared in years.

  • City Breaks Ground on $32 Million Force Main Project

    June 19, 2014

    Yesterday, the City of Valdosta broke ground on the $32 million Force Main Project at the 75-acre future site of the new Withlacoochee Wastewater Treatment Plant, on Wetherington Lane. The project will take approximately 18 months to complete and is expected to resolve the overwhelming majority of the sanitary sewer overflows in flood-prone areas of the city during heavy rain events.

  • 5 Ways to Boost Your Retail Sales This Summer

    June 18, 2014

    For many retailers, summer isn’t exactly the high season. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a bust. With summer about to go into full swing, have you thought about how you’ll boost business for your retail store this season?

  • VSU Partners with Valdosta Chamber to Offer Internship Opportunities

    June 16, 2014

    As college graduates begin to enter the workforce, many companies are observing that today’s entry-level employees lack necessary workforce skills, including effective communication, critical thinking, creativity, and ability to collaborate or work as a team. VSU’s office of Career Opportunities, in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, is providing students with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience through internships in the local community.

  • 4 Steps to Facing the Challenge in Strategy

    June 13, 2014

    Strategy is a way through a difficulty, an approach to overcoming an obstacle, a response to a challenge. If the challenge is not defined, it is difficult or impossible to overcome it.

  • Blanchard Leadership Forum Brings Big Names to Georgia

    June 12, 2014

    The Jim Blanchard Leadership Forum consistently hosts some of the biggest names in business during this annual event on August 25th and 26th, and this year’s event lives up to its expectations. The 2014 line-up is headlined by Entrepreneur Mark Cuban and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.

  • Chamber Partners With VSU’s College of Business to Host Economic Summit

    June 11, 2014

    The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce and Valdosta State University will host the 4thAnnual Economic Summit in late August. Top community leaders will come together to discuss strategy for improving Valdosta-Lowndes County economically.

  • Ellen Hill Named Valdosta Main Street Director

    June 09, 2014

    The City of Valdosta has named Ellen Hill as its new Valdosta Main Street Director. Hill, has served as the Main Street Program Coordinator for over seven years, will coordinate downtown revitalization efforts, public outreach and planning, marketing and promotional activities for the downtown area, and facilitate the administrative functions of the Central Valdosta Development Authority (CVDA).

  • Are You Hiring for the Right Traits?

    June 06, 2014

    There’s lots of talk lately about the talent shortage – how employers, especially small ones, can’t find workers with the skills and experience they are seeking. But maybe the problem is that small business owners are putting too much emphasis on the wrong things.

  • Coleman Talley Achieves Milestone in the 2014 Georgia Legal Food Frenzy

    June 05, 2014

    Coleman Talley LLP delivered the goods in the 2014 Georgia Legal Food Frenzy, providing 87,640 pounds of food – double its poundage in 2013 – and winning the medium firm size category for the third straight year. Attorney General Sam Olens announced the results last week of the third annual food drive in which lawyers and staff compete outside the courtroom for two weeks to raise food and funds for Georgia's seven regional food banks.

  • 9 Things You Shouldn’t Overlook When Planning Your Next Event

    June 04, 2014

    Business events are a great way to build relationships with potential partners, meet investors and network. But making sure your event goes well requires a lot of forethought and planning. There’s nothing worse than a lousy event. From location to food, there’s much to consider when picking the perfect venue for your event.

  • Georgia Manufacturing Activity Continues Growth in May

    June 03, 2014

    Georgia manufacturing activity remained strong for May, even as new orders fell from its high April reading, according to the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) released today by Kennesaw State University’s Econometric Center in the Michael J. Coles College of Business.

  • Stacy Bush Gives a Retirement Reality Check

    June 02, 2014

    If you have already retired or if you can count the number of years until retirement on your fingers then please heed this friendly warning: Unless you're already making the most of your current retirement planning strategies, then it may be difficult to lay the groundwork for a financially secure future.