Features
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VFD Forms Response Team With Citizens Fire Academy Graduates
July 27, 2015
The Valdosta Fire Department is once again partnering with the community through its Citizens Fire Academy Response Team (CFAR), a new citizens group designed to assist firefighters with non-suppression activities.
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Atlanta Braves EVP, Mike Plant, Well-Trained for Olympian Task of Moving Team to Cobb County
July 23, 2015
The first sporting event at the Atlanta Braves’ Turner Field in June of 1996 was not a baseball game, but, rather, the venue for the U.S Olympic Track and Field Trials, followed the next month by the actual Olympic Games. That irony is not lost on Atlanta Braves’ Executive Vice-President, Mike Plant, an Olympian speed skater and member of several Olympic committees, who has taken on overall responsibility for the 2017 move of the team to SunTrust Park in Cobb County.
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Teachers Become Students During AP Summer Institutes at VSU
July 22, 2015
Valdosta State University’s Regional Center for Continuing Education hosted the 2015 Advanced Placement (AP) Summer Institutes last week.
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SGRC Seeking Public Comments on 2040 Transportation Vision Plan
July 21, 2015
The Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC) is seeking public comments on the proposed 2040 Transportation Vision Plan (TVP) for the Valdosta-Lowndes County Metropolitan Planning Organization (VLMPO). The TVP outlines the vision for transportation investment in Valdosta, Lowndes County and surrounding areas for the next 25 years.
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6 Easy Steps to Creating Your Entrepreneurial Sales Process
July 20, 2015
How many times have you felt like you had gotten “lost” when trying to sell a prospect on your product or service? How frustrated have you been when you felt like you weren’t in control of your sales interactions? Navigating the sales process isn’t always easy. It’s something even experienced salespeople can have trouble with.
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Six Valdosta-Lowndes County Expansions Spur $27.25M Investment, 95 Jobs
July 14, 2015
The Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority continues to see the growth of Valdosta-Lowndes County businesses with expansion of existing companies driving both investment and job growth resulting in $27.25 combined capital investment and 95 direct new jobs.
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Curt Fowler on Listening to Your Customers
July 13, 2015
There are a lot of great ways you can be listening to your customers. Surveys, using different tools including the Net Promoter Score, are just one of the tools you can use to listen to your customers. Here are some others you can try.
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Interim President of VSU Dr. Cecil Staton Announces Administrative Restructuring
July 07, 2015
During his first official day as interim president of Valdosta State University July 1, Dr. Cecil P. Staton issued a series of announcements to the campus community regarding permanent and temporary restructuring at the administrative level.
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Valdosta Mayor John Gayle Receives Certificate of Achievement
July 07, 2015
Valdosta Mayor John Gayle received the prestigious Certificate of Achievement from the Georgia Municipal Training Institute at the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) 82nd Annual Convention in Savannah on June 29th.
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$1 Billion Planned for Transportation Improvements in Region, Comments Sought for VLMPO
July 06, 2015
The Southern Georgia Regional Commission is seeking public comments on the 2040 Transportation Vision Plan for the Valdosta-Lowndes County Metropolitan Planning Organization (VLMPO). This document, which outlines the vision for transportation investment in Valdosta, Lowndes County and surrounding areas for the next 25 years, projects over $1 Billion in spending on transportation for the region.
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Merger with Renasant Means Positive Changes Ahead for HeritageBank of the South Clients
July 01, 2015
Last December, Renasant Corporation of Tupelo, Ms. and Heritage Financial Group, Inc. of Albany, Ga. announced their definitive merger agreement. The all-stock transaction, which closes today (July 1), will result in HeritageBank of the South merging with and into Renasant Bank. Len Dorminey, former president and CEO of Heritage and new executive vice president of Renasant Corporation and president of Renasant Bank's Georgia region, predicts a smooth transition for customers, stockholders and team members.
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Cliff Oxford: How Entrepreneurs Can Trump Donald Trump
June 30, 2015
Cliff Oxford discusses former President of Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Sam William's book "The CEO as Urban Statesman," and shares some real-world examples on how entrepreneurs can make a difference in cities after exiting their companies.
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VFD Urges Citizens to Play it Safe this Fourth of July Holiday
June 29, 2015
Effective July 1, the sale of consumer fireworks will be legal in Georgia, and with bigger explosives comes bigger risks. The City of Valdosta urges citizens to be aware of these risks and employ the proper safety measures to prevent harm to themselves and those around them.
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City of Valdosta Delivers a Balanced Budget
June 26, 2015
After making some tough decisions that resulted in the reduction of over $6 million of department requests, the City of Valdosta Fiscal Year 2016 Budget, balanced and with no property tax increase, was approved by the Mayor and City Council at their June 25 City Council meeting.
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VSU Welcomes 676 High School Students for Governor’s Honors Program
June 25, 2015
Sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, the 2015 Governor’s Honors Program kicked off Sunday, with 676 rising juniors and seniors from public and private high schools across the state moving onto the Valdosta State University campus. The summer residential enrichment program will run through July 18.
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Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Expanding Opportunities for Dual Enrollment
June 23, 2015
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College has been a leader in South Central Georgia for dual enrollment programs for many years. Students attending public or private high schools and approved home school programs in Wiregrass Georgia Technical College’s 11-county service region are given an opportunity to take technical and college level courses while working toward earning a high school diploma
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Georgia Credit Unions Affiliates Host Business Leaders from Dominican Republic
June 22, 2015
Georgia Credit Union Affiliates will host a group of business leaders from the Dominican Foundation for Social and Cooperative Development (FUNDESCOOP) in Atlanta June 22-24. The visitors represent financial and non-financial cooperatives in the Dominican Republic. Established in 2007, FUNDESCOOP is a non-profit group devoted to finding solutions to social and business needs in the Dominican Republic.
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Guardian Bank Strengthens Community Businesses Through Rapid Growth Management Seminar
June 18, 2015
Guardian Bank was established to serve the citizens and businesses of Valdosta and Lowndes County. In partnership with the UGA Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Valdosta State University, Guardian Bank will sponsor a Grow Manage Fund seminar on June 24th.
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5 Tips to Get Higher Email Open Rates on Mobile
June 18, 2015
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Ambling University Development Group Rebrands as RISE: A Real Estate Company
June 16, 2015
RISE: A Real Estate Company, formerly Ambling University Development Group, today unveiled the company’s new name and branding.
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Smart Solutions: Redesigning the Open Door in the Age of Entrepreneurship
June 12, 2015
Texting and social media have made the open door policy an old door that needs to be closed. It is obsolete. You don’t need people in your office all day long. Nowadays, you can keep the pulse on your organization with just your iPhone. The open door policy, as we knew it, no longer makes sense.
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South Georgia Pecan Company Expansion Set for Processing Facility
June 09, 2015
The Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority announced that in the effort to meet the capacity and growth needs, South Georgia Pecan Company, the Valdosta-based family-owned leading sheller and processor of shelled pecans in the United States, will expand its operations in Valdosta with the construction of a new 74,000-square-foot expansion.
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Ed Farley on What is CRM?…You Really Should Know
June 08, 2015
There are a myriad of CRM software companies out there; SalesForce, Infusionsoft, Snapforce, SageCRM and Bullhorn are some of the most popular. Some are web based and other are “in-house” managed. The CRM solutions all vary in complexity, some are even designed for specific industry types.
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AT&T Supports Student Scholarships at VSU
June 05, 2015
Committed to advancing education, strengthening communities, and improving lives, AT&T recently presented a $3,500 gift to Valdosta State University. The funds will be used to support scholarships for high-achieving, ambitious, motivated students who are successful inside and outside the classroom and engaged leaders on and off campus.
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Cliff Oxford: How Joe's BBQ Got Ranked the Best BBQ in the Country
June 03, 2015
TripAdvisor.com, based in Newton, MA announced last Wednesday that Joe’s BBQ in Blue Ridge, GA was the best BBQ restaurant in the country. That’s big news here in the South, but it went national fast. Major media like CNN, Huffington Post and Fox News poured fuel on the story by repeating it over and over.