Features
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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Governor Deal Pushes Georgia to Improve Education and Infrastructure in 2015
February 10, 2015
Georgia ranks number one in the nation in terms of its business climate. In an interview with Georgia CEO, Governor Nathan Deal shares how he believes attention to industry and infrastructure in 2015 will move Georgia forward and preserve its status as the best state to do business.
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VSU’s WebMBA Program Earns High Rankings
February 09, 2015
The Georgia WebMBA, the online Master of Business Administration program offered by Valdosta State University and five other members of the University System of Georgia, was ranked No. 10 among the CEO Magazine’s Global MBA rankings.
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Top Business Leaders Invited to 2015 Business Outlook Breakfast
February 06, 2015
Whether you run a small business or a major corporation, the economy has an impact on the success of your company. Southeastern Federal Credit Union and the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber invite the public to the 2015 Business Outlook Breakfast on Thursday, Feb. 19 from 7:30-9 a.m. at the Rainwater Conference Center.
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Azalea Health Expands Leadership Team
February 05, 2015
Azalea Health, a leading provider of cloud-based healthcare solutions and services, announces the addition of Helen Williams, CPC, to the team as director of practice management services.
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AT&T Georgia: Connectivity and the Internet of Things
February 04, 2015
Under the guidance of Beth Shiroishi, President, AT&T Georgia, the company participates in and supports the eco-system created by the crossover of the technology and communications industries. The company focuses on improving high speed access to networks and the productive, innovative use of those networks to change the way people interact with their world.
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VSU President McKinney Selected to Serve Second Term on CAEL Board of Trustees
February 02, 2015
Valdosta State University President William J. McKinney has been re-elected to serve a second term on the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) Board of Trustees, effective July 1.
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Chamber Celebrates Success, Leadership at Annual Membership Meeting
January 30, 2015
The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber hosted its 103rd Annual Membership Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 29 at the Rainwater Conference Center. There were more than 350 in attendance for the event, which celebrated the chamber’s successes in 2014, highlighted 2015 goals, and honored chamber members and community leaders.