Features

• SGMC and LifeLink Raise Organ Donor Awareness

  March 25, 2015

  This April, during the federally sanctioned National Donate Life Month, LifeLink of Georgia and South Georgia Medical Center honor the spirit of those individuals who make transplants possible—organ, tissue, and eye donors. We celebrate the lives of those who received their second chance - and finally, we call attention to the more than 123,000 - over 4,800 of whom are local men, women and children - who still wait across the United States.

• Tips On Effective Ways to Market to Millennials

  March 23, 2015

  The millennial generation has grown to be one of the largest populations in the United States, even outnumbering the baby boomer generation. And now, not only are they the largest group in America, but they are also the most financially influential group, representing more than $1.3 trillion in consumer spending power, according to the Hartman Group. Communicorp's Amanda Bass gives us some tips on marketing to this growing generation.

• Herschend Enterprises CEO Joel Manby to Lead SeaWorld Entertainment

  March 20, 2015

  SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., a leading theme park and entertainment company, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Joel Manby as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective April 7, 2015. At that time, Manby, 55, will also join the Company's Board of Directors. Manby has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Herschend Enterprises, Wild Adventures' Parent Company.

• Ed Farley: What Do Your Customers Think?

  March 20, 2015

  How many times do you hear companies brag that they are…world-class ….have top-rated products! How often do we hear the claims of an incredible sales force! The best customer service! Are these claims true? How do they know? How do you know?

• Curt Fowler on Meetings That Drive Results

  March 19, 2015

  Meetings that drive results? I thought that most meetings were just a colossal waste of time. After many years of research, I still do – at least for most organizations. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Having the right meetings, done the right way can and will drive the performance of your organization, Curt Fowler explains.

• VSU’s Invest. Ignite. Inspire. Campaign Raises $30 Million in Eight Months

  March 18, 2015

  President William J. McKinney announced Monday that the University Advancement team has already raised $30,184,902.55 through Valdosta State’s first-ever comprehensive capital campaign — Invest. Ignite. Inspire. The Campaign for Valdosta State University.

• Lowndes County GOP Elects New State of Officers

  March 16, 2015

  The Lowndes County Republican Party held its biennial county convention Saturday morning and elected its executive officers for the next two years. Outgoing Chairman Sondra Supp officiated at the meeting held at Austin’s Cattle Company which was attended by over 40 delegates.

• SGMC's Bob Foster Receives Hospital IT Executive of the Year Award

  March 13, 2015

  Health Connect Partners, Inc., a healthcare education firm, recently announced that Bob Foster is the recipient of the company’s 2015 Hospital Information Technology Executive of the Year Award.

• Jim Blanchard on Changing the Leadership Culture

  March 12, 2015

  When former Chairman & CEO of Synovus Jim Blanchard retired, his agenda didn’t fill with days dedicated to front-porch sitting. He desired to perpetuate and expand the influence of what he calls “servant leadership.” He proposed the concept of a leadership forum to his successor, who, understanding the value, eagerly agreed to sponsor the program. That was 10 years ago. The 10th annual Jim Blanchard Leadership Forum will roll out later this year in August.

• Stacy Bush on Your Estate Management Checklist

  March 11, 2015

  Valdosta's Stacy Bush of Bush Wealth Management goes through the essential estate management checklist.

• Turner Furniture Company Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary

  March 10, 2015

  Turner Furniture started out as a hardware store in Pelham, Georgia in 1915. It began with M.W. Turner, Sr. and a business partner not related to the Turner family. However, in 1929 the partnership was dissolved and M.W. Turner and his son M.W. Turner, Jr. opened a new hardware store across the street as competitors. It was during World War II that Turner’s began selling used furniture.

• Locate South Georgia Takes Economic Development to a New Regional Level

  March 09, 2015

  Leaders of Locate South Georgia, a newly formed regional economic development group representing 21 counties, were in Atlanta last week to promote the group to state economic development officials. Launched at the beginning of 2015, Locate South Georgia combines the efforts of two previous groups – an older version of Locate South Georgia and the Southwest Georgia Chamber Council.

• How to Get Your Management Team to Buy Into Marketing Strategy

  March 06, 2015

  Have you ever had your management team agree on something unanimously? If I were a betting man, I’d say probably not. That’s why facing a challenge like implementing a new marketing strategy can be so tiring. Not only do you have to develop the strategy – which will definitely take up a fair amount of time and resources – you also have to get your management team to support the plan.

• From The Floor Up – Georgia's Shaw Industries Invests In People

  March 05, 2015

  Vance Bell, CEO of Shaw Industries, headquartered in Dalton, maintains that there are few businesses for which people aren’t the company’s greatest asset. That is why Shaw’s mission —“Great People. Great Products. Great Service. Always.”—begins with people.

• Nominations Open for 2015 Winners in the Workplace

  March 04, 2015

  Nominations are now open for the 2015 Winners in the Workplace awards hosted by the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber, First State Bank & Trust Co. and Fresh Beginnings/ELead1one. Employers are encouraged to nominate those employees who have truly gone above and beyond the call of duty in the workplace.

• VLCDA's Andrea Schruijer Named One of North America's Top 50 Economic Developers

  March 03, 2015

  Consultant Connect, a consulting agency that bridges the gap between economic developers and site consultants, named Andrea Schruijer, Executive Director of Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers.

• Image Advertising Specialties Expands to Valdosta

  March 02, 2015

  Image Advertising Specialties recently joined with Chamber Ambassadors as they hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of their new Valdosta Regional Office.

• Georgia Chamber CEO Chris Clark on Transportation Funding: We Can’t Afford to Wait

  February 27, 2015

  There are few things more important to any community than transportation, and the same goes for any business. No matter what size or location our communities need safe, efficient connectivity for both residents and businesses. This is why improving Georgia’s transportation infrastructure has long been a focus of the Georgia Chamber and why it is our highest priority for the 2015 legislative session.

• Curt Fowler: How Do Your Customers Want to Be Heard?

  February 26, 2015

  We now know that understanding the needs of each of your customer segments is key to your organization’s success. But, did you know that each of your customer groups want to be listened to differently? That how they want to interact with your organization varies based on where they are in your customer lifecycle?

• Jason Wilcox on FLSA 2015: Employee Classification and Revised Exemptions

  February 25, 2015

  Change is coming to the Wage and Hour landscape and employers should take time now to analyze the classification of each exempt employee to avoid large headaches and penalties later in the year. Attorney with Moore Clarke DuVall & Rodgers Jason Wilcox gives us some more insight into the Fair Labor Standards Act.

• Law Partners from the Studstill Firm Admitted to Practice Before U.S. Supreme Court

  February 19, 2015

  Georgia attorneys and law partners Danny, Justin and Haynes Studstill were admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court Jan. 26. The ceremony was held inside the nation’s highest courthouse building in Washington D.C., and was presided over by Chief Justice John Roberts, with Justices Thomas, Scalia, Ginsburg and Kagan in attendance.

• VSU Presents TIES Conference Feb. 18th-20th

  February 18, 2015

  Valdosta State University’s Center for eLearning will present the Conference on Instructional Technologies, Innovations, and Educational Strategies — commonly referred to as the TIES Conference — Feb. 18-20 in the Student Union.

• Invision Technologies Acquires Alarm Detection Technology to Further Growth

  February 16, 2015

  On January 1st, Invision Technologies LLC acquired Alarm Detection Technology, Inc., the ADT Security Services provider for South Georgia. Both firms are located in Albany. The new combined company, which will use the Invision Technologies name, will continue to provide ADT security and automation services along with IT services and support.

• Georgia Leaders Weigh in on This Week's 27th Annual Georgia Quail Hunt

  February 12, 2015

  While business expansion and recruitment for Georgia is the overall goal of the 27th annual Georgia Quail Hunt this week, the wooing is taking place among the wiregrass and pines of Southwest Georgia plantations.The event welcomed 18 business and industry recruitment and expansion prospects from around the world to Southwest Georgia.

• Community Leaders Recognized for A.L. Girardin Award

  February 11, 2015

  Since its inception in 1975, the A.L. Girardin Award has been presented to a member of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber that has made extraordinary contributions to the Chamber and the local business community. Oftentimes the award highlights the efforts of an individual, but this year the Chamber recognized the outstanding contributions of both Beverly Edwards of Southwest Georgia Bank and Lee McArthur of Voya Financial.

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