Features
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Azalea Merger Shows Health IT Still Blooming in Georgia
July 24, 2014
Seven years ago, Baha Zeidan and two of his Valdosta colleagues entered a local competition for business plans, looking to build on their idea for a health care software startup. On Tuesday, seven years after the contest award, the company announced a merger with Alpharetta-based simplifyMD, another private health IT firm. The merged company will have 70 employees and will have offices in Valdosta, Alpharetta and Macon as well as in Gainesville, Fla. The merger underscores the importance of the health IT sector in Georgia, and its broad geographic reach within the state.
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Azalea Health Announces Agreement to Merge with simplifyMD
July 23, 2014
Azalea Health, a provider of cloud-based healthcare solutions and services, announced today an agreement to merge with simplifyMD, a complete electronic health records provider. The merger positions the two privately held companies to become a leading provider of a fully integrated, cloud-based healthcare management and medical billing solution.
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How to Improve Your Self Control – It’s the Key to Your Success
July 21, 2014
If you’re tired of reading self help books and seemingly never getting anywhere, you may be interested in a study that found a single factor — self-control — to be one of the primary keys to success.
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Manage Your Future – Building your personal brand...
July 18, 2014
Have you ever wondered why certain people always appear to be in te right place at the right time? You know the ones I’m talking about; they always seem to get the next great opportunity; the promotion, the new job, the big order. In a world with so much noise and so many choices, how do we set ourselves apart and actually differentiate who we are? How do we become this sought-after person?
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Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority Cuts Ribbon on New Office
July 17, 2014
Members of the Valdosta-Lowndes Development Authority cut the ribbon at 103 Roosevelt Wednesday morning, welcoming a fresh name in a new space where prospects are surrounded by a vibrant Valdosta community.
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Merrill Lynch Scorecard Shows Productivity Tied to Employees’ Financial Well-Being
July 17, 2014
Merrill Lynch recently released their 401(k) Wellness Scorecard for the second quarter, with results showing a positive increase in financial habits from plan participants. We spoke with James Wallace and Deborah Howard, Managing Directors – Wealth Management, Global Corporate & Institutional Advisory Services, to get their take on the results of the scorecard and why more companies need to become invested in the financial well-being of their employees.
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GDOL to Participate in Valdosta's Operation Moody Transition
July 15, 2014
The Georgia Department of Labor’s (GDOL) Valdosta Career Center, along with other local organizations, will participate in a hiring event Wednesday, July 23, to help veterans find jobs and get information about educational and training opportunities and other benefits.
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VSU President Announces Appointment of Dr. Kimberly Luse as Chief of Staff
July 14, 2014
Valdosta State University President William J. McKinney has named Dr. Kimberly A. Luse as his new chief of staff, effective July 21.
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Dr. Ben Carson to Speak at Langdale College of Business Administration Event
July 11, 2014
Valdosta State University will hold "An Evening with Dr. Ben Carson" beginning at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 11, in Whitehead Auditorium. The renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, motivational speaker, New York Times bestselling author, and Fox News contributor is a highly sought national speaker.
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3 Classic Recipes in Case Your Brand Ever Gets Grilled
July 10, 2014
Yes, it’s true. The Paula Deen Network is launching in September. The celebrity cook, whose career was nearly burnt, is cooking up something new – and digital. Just in case your brand ever gets grilled, we look at three fast and easy tips inspired by the digital rebranding of Paula Deen.
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Valdosta Industrial Authority Leads Regional Group on Tour of Georgia Ports
July 08, 2014
The Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority recently led a group on a tour of the Georgia Port Garden Center and Ocean Terminals in Savannah. The group listened to a presentation by Stacy Watson, General Manager, Economic & Industrial Development at the Georgia Ports Authority and then proceeded on the tour.
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Curt Fowler: Do Customers Buy Because of Your Core Values?
July 07, 2014
As we've discussed in previous posts, customers buy brands and they pay more for brands that they want to be associated with. But, it's not just your logo and advertising that creates your brand.
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Business Butterfly, Angela Roark Spreads Her Wings
July 02, 2014
Monarch Hair Solutions & Salon, LLC, Valdosta’s new cranial prostheses center, opened its doors Thursday, immediately following its ribbon cutting ceremony. Angela Roark, also the owner of Hair Spray Salon and Spa, is excited about her new business and looks forward to serving the Valdosta community.
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City of Valdosta Hosts Small Business Resource Fair on August 5th
July 01, 2014
The City of Valdosta and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have partnered to host a Small Business Resource Fair on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2014, at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.