Troup Trends - May 2015

TROUP trends LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce

May 2015

Local business.

Global impact.

2BigFeet, Meridien, Atlas Turf Sell to the World

www.lagrangechamber.com

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May 2015

Contents May 2015 VOLUME II, ISSUE II A publication of the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce 111 Bull St./P.O. Box 636 LaGrange, GA 30241 (706) 884-8671 www.lagrangechamber.com

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Libby Willingham, Chair Mallory Agency

Eric Blackman, Chair-Elect Emory at LaGrange Grey Bell, Secretary/Treasurer J.K. Boatwright & Co. Robby Burch, Immediate Past Chair Interface Page Estes, President Casey Smith, Vice Chair for Leadership Development LaGrange Banking Company Cliff Meeks, Vice Chair for Business & Entrepreneurial Development Georgia Department of Labor Chunk Newman, Vice Chair for Talent Recruitment Batson-Cook Company Richard Ennis, Vice Chair for Membership New York Life JJ Kuerzi, Vice Chair for Travel & Tourism Troup County Parks and Recreation Patricia Rogers, Vice Chair for Marketing & Communications West Georgia Health Gayle Devereaux, Hogansville Business Council Blue Train Books Joanne Mabrey, West Point Business Council Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc.

4 | A Letter from the President

28 | East Meets West at LaGrange College

6 | Local business. Global impact.

30 | International Pioneers

12 | Movers, Shakers, Risk-Takers

31 | Chamber Website Reimagined

14 | Tourism Talk

32 | Business Spotlight – Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc.

16 | 13 Seconds 18 | Using Today's Conveniences Safely

34 | Nonprofit Spotlight – Troup Certified Literate Community Program

20 | A New Look at Downtown

36 | Spotlight on West Point

22 | Customer Service Makes All the Difference

38 | Spotlight on Hogansville

23 | Large Business, Manufacturer of the Year Award Winners 26 | Protect Your Skin for a Healthy Summer

40 | Chamber Events 42 | HYPE 44 | Upcoming Events 46 | Advertiser Index

Cheryl Magby, West Point Business Council City of West Point This publication is produced by the LaGrangeTroup County Chamber of Commerce.

Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written permission is prohibited.

All claims, materials and photos furnished or used are, to the publisher's knowledge, true and correct.

Publication of any article or advertisement is not an endorsement by the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce.

Troup Trends is published quarterly by the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce. Please send news items, suggestions, advertising requests and comments to:

On the Cover BRANDON ELEY, Owner of 2Bigfeet.com

Trey Wood Director of Communications P.O. Box 636 • LaGrange, GA 30241 trey@lagrangechamber.com www.lagrangechamber.com

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F R OM T H E P R E SI DEN T

D

ear friends:

“Students must be educated not only as scholars and scientists, but as citizens who will be engaged in shaping the destinies of the world.” Dr. James Kennedy Patterson, the first president of the University of Kentucky, made that declaration in his 1903 speech “Education and Empire.” Upon his death in 1922, his estate established a trust for the creation of a college of diplomacy. By 1959, the endowment was large enough to launch the UK Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, a program designed exclusively for graduate students and one that I was fortunate to attend.

of Roland Robertson who is credited with popularizing the concept of “glocalization.” In the late 1980s, articles written by Japanese economists discussed dochakuka, a word that means the co-presence of both universalizing and particularizing tendencies. Robertson translated this to glocalization: the concept that in a global market, a product or service is more likely to succeed when it is customized for the locality or culture in which it is sold. A simple example is the McDonald’s menu that is adapted to appeal to local palates. Global exposure is now just one tweet away, so all brands— even local ones—must think globally.

There were 30 students from around the world in my class. I was the only native Kentuckian and often wondered what I had done to earn a seat in such a classroom. Imagine discussing the first war in Iraq with a Finnish economist, a Chinese linguist, a Yale-educated political scientist and a Yugoslavian attorney. It was the most stimulating, challenging 18 months of my life. My mind literally was opened to a world of new ideas and opportunities.

One of my favorite authors is Thomas Friedman. He says glocalization is “the ability of a culture, when it encounters other strong cultures, to absorb influences that naturally fit into and can enrich the culture, to resist those things that are truly alien, and to compartmentalize those things that, while different, can nevertheless be enjoyed and celebrated as different.”

So, it is the art of attaining a balance of assimilating new ideas, new influences that add to diversity without overwhelming it.

In 1983, Theodore Levitt published “The Globalization of Markets” in Harvard Business Review that asserted a new global market had emerged. He argued that large companies began providing globally standardized products that took advantage of the “economics of simplicity.” He purported that the future belonged to companies that operated as if the world was one singular market rather than catering their products and services to local preferences. Levitt said, “everywhere everything gets more and more like everything else as the world’s preference structure is relentlessly homogenized.”

Less than a decade later, my class studied the writings

You’ll find great examples of glocalization in this issue of Troup Trends—from the transformation of West Point to small businesses excelling in international trade. Kaye Minchew walks us through how the current fabric of our population is woven with people from afar.

And Mark Lupo and Renae Willis remind us that no matter the size of our market, it all boils down to how we treat the customer.

Take a moment to step back into the classroom to learn something new about our community. Try to uncover the identity of our new mystery travel writer. And determine if you’re a “glocal” business.

Warm regards,

Page Estes, President LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce pestes@lagrangechamber.com 4

May 2015

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www.lagrangechamber.com

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C O V E R S T O RY John & Cathe

rine Holmes

Atlas Turf Inte

rnational

2BigFeet.com

Dave Murray

s

anie The Meridien Comp

Local Business. Global Impact.

How Troup Businesses are Selling Products Around the World

by Trey Wood “You’ve got to have a little luck,” said Dave Murray, owner of the Meridien Companies. “It’s great to work hard … but if you don’t have some breaks along the way – nobody’s that good. You’ve got to be lucky and good.”

Ask Dave Murray – luck is not the only key to business success. You also need an unfilled market and access to capital. These three things help a business succeed and weather whatever storms might come along.

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May 2015

The owners of The Meriden Companies, Atlas Turf International and 2BigFeet.com have all these things in common. Based in Troup County, these small businesses travel the globe in search of customers and products. They live in the clouds as much as live on the ground, and they’ve made it work to their advantage. But is hasn’t been easy.

THE SHOES MAKE THE MAN When Brandon Eley started 2BigFeet.com, a seller of hard-to-find large-size shoes, 14-24, it wasn’t even his idea. He doesn’t even have big feet.

In 1999, while working at a local manufacturing plant, Eley’s safety officer, who wore size 16 shoes, threw out an idea for an online store that would only sell large-size shoes.

“We use to sit around and chat about how we were going to make millions of dollars and get out of the ‘big plant’ life,” Eley said. “So he came up with the idea and asked me if I could build a website for him, and we both quit our jobs and started raising money.

“We got a warehouse on West Point Road in LaGrange, and went live with the website in April of 2000. We just celebrated our 15th year in business.”

In 2001, the first retail store was opened in Albany, but closed it in 2006 and moved back into a warehouse for order fulfillment. And in 2008, Eley bought out his partner. Since then, he and his wife, Tracy, started rebuilding 2BigFeet.

He was well aware of the risks, but he knew there was a need and that he had a niche.

“My partner was ready to get out. The business wasn’t doing well, and I was a minority partner at the time. So my wife and I took over the business.

We took over a bunch of debt and what little bit of inventory we had, but we knew there was a market out there. We were willing to take a gamble with it and make something of it.”

Before long, the venture paid off. They began seeing sales double along with the need for more room.

They moved to a 10,000 square-foot warehouse off South Davis Road, which is big enough to provide office space, a storefront and room for their kids to play after school. It also gives them room to grow.

“When we took over, the bank account was overdrawn,” Eley said. “But, we’ve had double-digit growth every single year -- mainly because we’re putting everything back into the business, building up inventory, selling good products.

“We ship anywhere. We’ve shipped to every country you could probably name, some you probably don’t even know about.”

Some of the shoes are shipped directly from the manufacturers, while hundreds of others, warehoused

by Eley and his employees, are labeled and mailed from the LaGrange location. They ship everywhere to all kinds of people, from king crab fishermen off the

Brandon Eley in the 2bigfeet.com showroom

coast of Alaska and plant workers in East Asia to firefighters and contractors at military bases all over the globe.

Eley recently spent a few days finding a manufacturer in Mexico to make branded dress and casual shoes for 2BigFeet, products they previously sold but stopped making in 2004.

“We’re at a point now where we’re growing.

We’re getting a lot of customers who ask about those products,” he said, “so I went back to Mexico. I found a company and acted as my own translator, agent and broker.”

His previous difficulties with manufacturing in a foreign country came from brokers who would hike up the cost of products at the border in Laredo, Texas, to split between the brokers in America and the manufacturers in Mexico.

While he’s had support over the years, Eley has been a self-made man, teaching himself what he needed to know to succeed in the distribution business.

“When we started, there really weren’t any kind of college courses on e-commerce. It was a really young industry back then. Amazon had only been around for a few years – “You’ve got to have people on your side. really they were the only players,” he There’s just so much logistically you have to said. “When we started doing our deal with either when you’re importing or research in 1999, we just went out exporting,” Eley said. “We ship out to all the there, looked at what was working, countries, but we’re really fortunate that they and taught ourselves, but now collect those duties and taxes on their end, so when we ship to a customer in Canada or the Google has a wealth of information, UK, we make sure that they’re very aware that so you can learn a lot by just doing the government’s going to charge them a pretty your own research; there are a lot of resources out there.” hefty tax to import from the United States.”

www.lagrangechamber.com

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WHAT A DIFFERENCE A STAY MAKES When Dave Murray, founder and CEO of the Meridien Companies on North Lewis Street in LaGrange, lost his job as president of a division for a major southern carpet producer, he knew his next employment needed to be something he loved doing.

In the textile industry, he had become a major player in hospitality sales, selling carpets to hotels and networking with people across the globe. He had a small side business selling custom area rugs that had been dormant for several years, so he decided to give that another shot.

“He started doing that, and then one thing led to another and he added granite and then that led to him adding mosaics, and the rest is history,” said Dave’s wife and Meridien CFO Patti Murray. “For seven years, we’ve been doing this together full time. We’ve gone from $3 million in sales to $15 million in sales, but it’s really been since 2012 that we’ve experienced exponential growth.”

The recent recession in American markets led many hotel chains to hold back on regular refurbishing projects. But, in 2012, as the market began to bounce back, the floodgates opened. The Meridien Companies were primed and ready.

“We have so much business, it’s sometimes hard to keep it all going,” Patti said. “We’ve added three positions since the beginning of 2015. It’s a lot in a very short time, and they’re all right here in Troup County.”

The Meridien Companies is an umbrella corporation for six different distribution divisions for the hospitality industry. Meridien Accents and Meridien Rugs, Meridien Stone, furniture manufacturer Gainwell International, Patriot Meridien and carpet producer Feltex|Meridien.

The firm was named the Chamber’s 2014 Small Business of the Year in the ?? category.

Dave travels all over the world finding manufacturers, distributors and companies that can provide the quality products he needs for hotel owners and designers that require them at an affordable cost. A regular trip for him includes various stops in East Asia – Thailand, China, Vietnam, Korea – or a quick trip to London or Oman or Dubai, followed by a return to the states for a few trade events, back to LaGrange for business meetings or employee consultations, then to Miami, where they also have a home. Once there, he’ll settle back into a normal time schedule, have a few more meetings, then, maybe, rest a little bit. A few weeks later, he’ll do it all over again.

“If it were easy, everyone would be doing it,” Dave said. “The older you get the harder it gets.”

Dave brought Patti, a former executive at cargo airline corporation FedEx Express for 23 years, into the company in 2008. She does a fair amount of global travel herself but is the one who gets to spend more time in the office.

For a pair of globe-trotting business entrepreneurs, Troup County might not seem like the most obvious choice, but it was one of the only places they considered locating their headquarters, especially since Dave’s four sons were in school here.

At top is Meridien Companies CFO Patti Murray, and below is Patti's husband, Meridien Companies President and CEO Dave Murray.

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May 2015

“You don’t have to be in a downtown tower in Atlanta to be strategically important today,” Dave said. “We’re an hour from a major airport. I can be anywhere in the world in pretty much 24 hours, and that’s important. We love the small town ambience. We love being a part of this community, and we wouldn’t trade this kind of Meridien Companies' Dave Murray holds a design environment for anything.” meeting in Vietnam.

Yas Island Links, Abu Dhabi, UAE

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER Atlas Turf International owner John Holmes figuratively fell into his job selling turf grasses in foreign countries. He worked at Highland Country Club in LaGrange when he was 15, deciding he permanently wanted to be a golf course superintendent.

He graduated from Lake City Community College in Lake City, Forida, now Florida Gateway College, in turf grass management and began work in golf course construction before joining a group that sold turf grass internationally. He, along with his wife, Catherine, lived in Mexico and the Philippines as superintendent and construction manager of seven new golf courses. He then bought out the international division of the company he was working for in 2011 and created Atlas Turf, located in LaGrange.

“We’re recognized in the golf and sports field industries as the company to go to for quality turf products and the ability to get it there no matter the destination,” John said. “Certain places like Sri Lanka and Mauritius have been difficult logistically, but we enjoy the challenge.”

Atlas Turf's John Holmes and local caddies at the Laguna Lăng Cô Golf Club in Phu Loc, Vietnam

The turf grasses Atlas Turf distributes are not the same as the bags of seed you see at lawn care centers. John and Catherine provide grasses genetically engineered for specific traits required for golf courses and athletic fields across the world. Soccer fields in the Middle East need grasses that are heat resistant, golf courses near the ocean need grasses accepting of salt water and projects without clean water sources need grasses that tolerate effluent irrigation.

Atlas Turf owns the licensing for several turf grasses which are contract grown by farms in southern Georgia and South Carolina. The farms will harvest sprigs of the specific grass, wash and hydro cool them like bags of lettuce, and box and fly them refrigerated to the destination country.

“These are turf grasses that are developed to have certain traits that meet the needs of different uses and climates,” Catherine said. “Sports fields require extreme durability and wear tolerance. Golf courses require grasses that can be mowed at low heights for faster green speeds and grasses with quick recovery from divots and traffic.”

Each grass they sell is licensed and certified like MiniVerde, a turf grass that’s popular for golf course greens. A golf course architect or field manager will tell John and Catherine about their project,

and Atlas Turf will recommend a turf grass with traits that meet that project’s particular needs.

This was not overnight success, however. Each country has its own rules and regulations dealing with live plants being shipped from the United States, along with sometimes difficult travel in getting the sprigs where they need to be.

Plus, as their business began to grow, John and Catherine needed some outside assistance.

“Like any small company, we plugged along growing in small increments,” John said. “Then we reached a point where we wanted to expand into new markets, but we knew we needed help.” www.lagrangechamber.com

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Troup County is also a hub for international business operations

John Holmes and client inspect playing surface at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi, Arabia

“We had no training in so many of the elements that go into making a successful company,” Catherine continued.

So they turned to Mark Lupo and the Georgia Small Business Development Center.

“Working with Mark and the SBDC has been so valuable,” John said, “not only learning the nuts and bolts of things like strategic planning and human resources that we didn’t know but also giving us the confidence that we’re on the right track.”

“We would never have even known that resource was available to us without our connections at the Chamber,” Catherine said.

Now, they have projects in more than 37 countries and have hired a few more employees, including Jennifer Emery of LaGrange, to help with the business side of turf grass sales. They have expanded in the seed business for cool-season grasses with farms in Oregon and are breaking into markets outside of sports.

“When you watch an international golf tournament on the Golf Channel, many of those golf courses have turf that we provided,” John said. “When I look at magazines with international destinations and see a nice picture of a beautiful golf course, a lot of times it’s the turf grass we provided – that’s gratifying for sure.”

Trey Wood is the Director of Communications for the Chamber and serves to provide print and online support to members. Reach him at trey@lagrangechamber.com

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May 2015

Commitment to America.

Commitment to Troup County.

www.lagrangechamber.com

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MOVERS, SHAKERS, RISK-TAKERS GIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER ATLANTA'S Emily Fain of LaGrange

Troop 12208 and Cheyenne Childers of LaGrange Troop 294 earned the nationally recognized Girl Scout Silver Award.

Emily earned the award by organizing the curriculum room at Maidee Smith Memorial Day Care. Cheyenne earned the award by hosting a pajama collection and Christmas party for the Troup County Kinship program.

Special thanks to their advisor Cindy Bucheger.

THE MERIDIEN COMPANIES recently welcomed Ashley Anderson who joined the team as manager, project support and contracts administrator, reporting directly to Bill Griffin, Senior Vice President of Operations.

Ashley, originally from South Carolina, is a long-time resident of LaGrange and holds a bachelor's in Industrial Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

She previously served as Director of Finance for Harmony House, and operated a family construction business.

The Meridien Companies are extremely pleased to welcome Ashley, her husband Jay, and their three children, Emily, Ben and Matthew, to the Meridien family.

INTERFACE INC. recently

announced the appointment of Jay Gould as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the company. Gould will oversee global operations, marketing, and organizational development for the carpet tile manufacturing company that is a recognized leader in sustainability worldwide.

Gould will help the group design a future for Interface that builds on its legacy and maximizes its potential to be a highperforming organization while also fulfilling the group's overall mission of being environmentally and socially progressive.

Before joining Interface, Gould was Chief Executive Officer of American Standard Brands, where he re-energized the 138-yearold brand and steered the struggling kitchen and bath products company back on track in terms of profitability, innovation and brand stewardship. Prior to American Standard, Gould held senior executive roles at Newell Rubbermaid, Campbell Soup Company and the Coca-Cola Company.

He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1985 and lives in Atlanta.

In its expanding operations,

BIG BROTHERS AND BIG SISTERS OF LAGRANGE has moved into a new home at the old Cannon Street Elementary School. The facility also houses Boys and Girls Club of West Georgia.

Along with the new program location, a new full-time Program Manager for BBBS has been hired. Long-time LaGrange marketing and public relations professional, Kelley Mitchell, is Executive Director. Mitchell previously was the Marketing Director of LaGrange Mall and Village Mall in Auburn, Alabama. She has executed hundreds of community events which includes working with many of the nonprofit agencies in the West Georgia region.

Mitchell has also worked in marketing at FOX television, Burger King Regional Offices and the Atlanta Apparel Mart.

DIVERSE POWER INC. Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Wade Hall recently was named the 2014 Optimist of the Year by the Optimist Club of LaGrange for his attitude toward optimism and volunteerism.

Hall volunteers in many local groups including several churches, as a trustee on the board of the Pineland Campus of the Georgia Sheriffs' Youth Homes and as past president of the Troup County chapter of the American Heart Association.

SPLASH KITCHENS & BATHS LLC recently announced the expansion of the Splash Kitchens & Baths Design Gallery located at 115 Broad St. inside the historic Coca-Cola Building. The renovations will add a specialty design and selection center.

The current showroom will continue as a 12

May 2015

gallery with expanded inspirational displays and retail offerings. The expansion area houses the design staff and project selection material and will be designed to allow clients and other designers the ease of reviewing and selecting the many products that are required for new or remodel construction projects.

This expansion will allow Splash to increase the amount of selection material offered.

The space is designed in a “public friendly� way that will allow outside designers to bring their clients to view product selections and utilize Splash for their product needs.

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www.lagrangechamber.com

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TO U R I S M TA L K

Tourism Advocates Honored for Their Extraordinary Service

by Dave Marler

In Troup County, tourism is economic development. With a host of great attractions, an emerging culinary scene, West Point Lake and unrivaled recreational facilities, more and more visitors are learning why Troup County is a great place to be.

Each year, we select individuals who work tirelessly to provide our visitors with the best possible tourism experience and honor their efforts with our annual tourism awards. This year, we recognized three of our strongest tourism advocates for their service.

Al Brannon of Marketplace at Lafayette Square is the 2015 Tourism Service Star Award winner. Al has an infectious enthusiasm for LaGrange, and he serves as an unofficial ambassador for the community.

Along with his business partner, he has brought life back to a prominent corner of LaFayette Square where he is always quick to tell people that the area is truly a tourism destination. It is this enthusiasm, hospitality and passion for customer service that earned the much-deserved recognition for Al.

From left, 2015 Service Star Award winner Al Brannon, Chamber Board Chair Libby Willingham

Ideas come from many people and places. Sometimes though, it takes a visionary to see the possibilities and transform a good idea into a great event.

The 2015 Tourism Visionary Award was presented to Hogansville Mayor and First Lady Bill Stankiewicz and Mary Stewart, for their commitment to downtown Hogansville and their exceptional efforts on behalf of the Hogansville Hummingbird Festival.

Since its inception in 1998, the Hummingbird Festival has provided thousands of visitors to downtown Hogansville with two days of old-fashioned family fun on the third weekend of October.

From left, Todd Pike, 2015 Hogansville Hummingbird Festival Chairman, Chamber Board Chair Libby Willingham, and 2015 Tourism Visionary Award winners, Mary Stewart and Bill Stankiewicz

IN 2013, TROUP COUNTY’S TOURISM INDUSTRY Supported

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Congratulations to each of our honorees. We are grateful for their commitment to our community and their work in support of tourism.

Generated

1,160 + $151.7 JOBS

For the past 15 years, our honorees have grown the festival from one with just a few exhibitors to one with more than 200 vendors, while raising more than $325,000 to benefit the Hogansville Charitable Trust. With their vision and leadership, the event has reached unprecedented heights, culminating in last year’s designation by the Southeast Tourism Society as a Top 20 Event for the month of October.

MILLION

in direct tourist spending

LaGrange-Troup County Director of Tourism Dave Marler is determined to make Troup County a top travel destination in Georgia.

Reach him at dave@lagrangechamber.com

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From tent tops to tabletops and everything in between, we’ve got you covered.

Weddings and special events, tents, tables, chairs, china, barware, flatware and more!

202 Greenville St. LaGrange, GA 30241 (706) 882-8665 www.lagrangechamber.com

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S MAL L B U S I N E SS DEVELO PM EN T

13 SECONDS

by Mark Lupo Back in the late fall of 2014, our UGA Small Business Development Center team conducted a tour of 11 southwest Georgia counties in our service area. Our travels put us in Meriwether County for the lunchtime hour, and we decided to dine at the Bulloch House. Many of you are familiar with this eating establishment, nestled close to the heart of Warm Springs.

After enjoying a great meal of fried green tomatoes, vegetables and fried chicken with all the trimmings (not to mention all the calories), we arrived at the inevitable final question: "Did you leave any room for dessert?"

Most of the time at an-all-you-can-eat buffet, the answer is "No," although this time, feeling adventuresome, two of our team decided to go for the dessert. One ordered a piece of chocolate cake and the other a piece of caramel cake then they eagerly awaited the server’s return with the sweet finale to our lunch together.

As the server returned with their slices and they each took a bite; they both mentioned that their cake tasted like it had just come out of the oven. It was warm, not hot, and seemed to be served at just the perfect temperature. How could that be? As busy as this restaurant was at lunchtime during the holiday season, how could they bake their cakes so that each slice served came out at just the right temperature, tasting as if freshly baked?

Most businesses that we work with at the SBDC tell us they plan to differentiate themselves from their competition with exceptional customer service, going above and beyond the customer’s expectations. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all businesses operated this way?

So how do you, as a consumer, define great customer service?

From a business owner's standpoint, how can he or she then provide that great customer service to you? UGA SBDC’s upcoming seminar series will focus upon maximizing great customer service (Maximum Service): what it is, how do we achieve it and how can we measure it.

Within that course, the 10 Commandments of Good Customer Service are discussed – 10 things that you can do within your organization to succeed in providing customer service that excels. Here are three of those 10.

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May 2015

First, Know Your Products. Understand the subtleties of the products and services that you offer. So many times, the owner of a business starts with a passion to provide the best quality product or service and must know the product inside and out. Transferring that knowledge to other workers in the organization sometimes does not occur as effectively. Every member of the team should know the products and services you offer, and if they don’t, they need to have a source for that information readily available.

Second, Always Provide What You Promise. There is value in consistency. If your business model promises "something," then your goal is to develop a system that can provide that "something" in the same way, to the same level of quality, no matter the volume and in the same amount of time that you espouse in your marketing messaging. Insure that if you promise a certain level of service in your messaging, that you always provide what you say you can provide.

Focus on Making Customers, not Sales.

Third, Focus on Making Customers, not Sales. Each of us have been in situations where we have felt on the receiving end of a sales pitch, where the focus of the communication goes from not satisfying our needs as a customer but in making a sale for the employee. As a business owner, our goal should always be to help the customer. In the Christmas movie Miracle on 34th Street, the “real” Santa Claus begins telling the holiday shoppers of Macy's where they can find that special gift for their children, which wasn’t always at Macy’s. He was concerned about satisfying the customer's need, not making the immediate sale.

I now return to my story of delectable delights at the Bulloch House. When my colleagues tasted the warm chocolate and caramel cakes, they mentioned how the cakes were just the right temperature, like they had just emerged from the oven. When we asked the server if the cake was fresh-baked, she stated that it wasn't right out of the oven, but had been briefly reheated. How long did they reheat the cake in order to bring it to just the right temperature to taste freshly baked? Thirteen seconds, she replied.

Thirteen. Not 10 seconds, not 15 seconds – it had to be 13 seconds. During their preparation they had found that 13 seconds was the magic amount of time to reheat each cake slice to bring it to that fresh-baked temperature.

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They had done their homework. So to go back to our three "commandments" of customer service, the server knew her product, she served it the same way to every customer and she focused on satisfying the customer, not just making a sale.

How can you build that culture in your organization that creates a great customer experience? Join us for the upcoming Maximum Service course in May, provided through the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce and the UGA SBDC, to learn the other seven commandments of great customer service and how you can move your team to the next level. Until next time.

Mark Lupo has been with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center in Columbus since 2005.

Reach him at mlupo@georgiasbdc.org.

www.lagrangechamber.com

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F IN AN C E

There are many ways to keep yourself safe in today's online banking world. Keep tabs on growing trends to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

Using Today's Conveniences Safely

by Barbara Quinton Gone are the days when you could only access the web via a desktop computer, or needed checks or cash in hand to make a purchase.

Our society is more mobile than ever using a variety of devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptops to surf the internet while shoppers use plastic cards or smartphones to pay for purchases. These tools are more convenient and can be used from practically anywhere.

Unfortunately, thieves evolve with the times and are savvy when 1. Always use a strong password (uppercase, lowercase, number and at least one special character (%$#@)) that is unique for each system that contains any of your sensitive information.

2. If a PIN (Personal Identification Number) is needed, use random numbers rather than 1234, the last four digits of your Social Security number or your birthdate.

3. Periodically change passwords and PINs.

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May 2015

it comes to devising ways to take advantage of these modern conveniences. Financial Institutions invest a great deal of resources to provide safety and security for their customers from cyber attackers who are continually looking for new ways to defraud them. However, this battle is a joint effort requiring both financial institutions and consumers to continually be on guard.

The following will help you safeguard your financial accounts and your personal information when using today’s technology.

4. Never leave your mobile device unattended. Enable the "time-out" or "auto-lock" feature that secures your mobile device when it is unused for a period of time.

5. Never reply to phone calls, emails or text messages requesting your account information.

6. Be on guard against unsolicited emails or text messages.

These could be "phishing" messages containing some sort of urgent request (such as a warning that you need to "verify" your bank account or other personal information) or an

amazing offer (one that is "too good to be true") designed to lead you to a fake website controlled by thieves.

7. Do not click on links or attachments in emails that are suspicious. These usually contain typos or an incorrect logo.

8. Always have an antivirus and malware protection program running on your device and keep it current.

9. If you receive a phone call alerting you about your account, hang up and call your financial institution directly.

10. Be mindful of where and how you conduct financial transactions. Avoid unsecure Wi-Fi networks, such as those found at restaurants or coffee shops. Fraud artists may be able to access information you are transmitting or viewing.

11. Avoid emailing or texting account numbers or other sensitive information – these methods may not be secure.

12. Take additional precautions – your wireless provider can show you features that will allow you to remotely erase content or turn off access to your device or account if you lose your phone.

13. Contact your financial services provider immediately if your phone is lost. This will help prevent or resolve problems with unauthorized transactions.

14. Download apps from official websites of the company you are doing business with or from a legitimate app store.

Typically the business will direct you to an app store.

Protect financial apps with a password different from the password for your device.

Be sure to check your credit report regularly for fraudulent activity. Due to the passage of the 2003 Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA), all Americans are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – upon request every 12 months. There are several ways you can request yours:

LaGrange

555 South Davis Rd 300 Church Street 2231 West Point Rd

ONLINE: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com or call (877) 322-8228.

This is the only site that’s truly free.

Barbara Quinton is the Marketing Manager and Assistant Vice President for CharterBank, headquartered in West Point. She can be reached at bquinton@charterbank.net.

West Point 600 Third Ave

www.charterbank.net 800.763.4444

Carrollton | Newnan | East Alabama | Florida Panhandle

www.lagrangechamber.com

19

MY S T E RY T R AV E LER

A NEW LOOK AT DOWNTOWN

“I’d hate to put my nose to that grindstone!”

That thought pops in my head as I arrive outside the 1917 Neoclassical-style bank building, now Legacy Museum on Main, early on a glorious spring morning. A massive millstone from a 19th-century Troup Factory grist mill guards the corner of Broome and Main streets – tough and graceful, utilitarian and elegant, plain and beautiful, all at the same time. I find myself wondering how a streak of red Georgia clay got ingrained in the glistening gray granite.

My musings fit the morning. The plan is to set off strolling, following the newly-developed electronic Downtown Walking Tour of Historic LaGrange, with Legacy Museum as its first stop. As soon as I heard about the tour app, I knew I had to try it. Walking has always been my favorite way to see a city, but I’d never used an app as “tour guide.”

Today is the day. Free app downloaded and smart phone in hand, I head out to see the sights – and hear the stories – of charming LaGrange.

The app packs a lot of interesting info into the palm of my hand: multiple historic photos, plus audio histories ranging from 30 seconds to just over a minute, for each of the 28 stops on the tour. In the first two minutes, I learn at least a dozen things.

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May 2015

Did you know that famed composer John Philip Sousa and his band paraded along Main Street playing exuberant patriotic marches in 1926? They passed right where I am standing, in front of Del’avant, the former Kress and McClellan 5 and 10cent stores, now an impressive event center, restaurant, condos and rooftop garden. I can just picture little girls in starched dresses begging for a trip to the Kress candy counter after the trumpets and tubas passed by.

I continue down Broome to what once was St. John’s Methodist Church, now Taste of Lemon restaurant, listening as the app describes its distinctive design and unusual history.

On foot, I can spot splendid architectural details not glimpsed by motorists whizzing by on busy Morgan Street. (They are also missing some mighty tasty greens and cornbread, I am told.)

A sidewalk takes me beside the newly-remodeled Center for Creative Learning, with bright art studios occupying what was once the county barn. Around the corner, I find the LaGrange Art Museum, which started life in 1892 as the county jail.

Paintings now hang where condemned prisoners once were hanged, the app informs me. The splendor of the handsome Victorian building was likely lost on the poor souls confined inside, but it is not lost on me. Have to love a town that turns a jail into an art museum.

I follow the tour to Lafayette Square – called Court Square for decades because four courthouses stood here from 1828 to 1936, when the beloved 1904 courthouse burned. I can almost feel the heat – and the distress of gathered townspeople – in a photo showing flames bringing the grand old lady down. Still it’s easy to see that the well-landscaped square, with its fountain and Lafayette statue, remains the heart of the town.

At the Broad Street corner, First Baptist Church’s sign announces the upcoming message: “Joyful people even in times of trouble.” I sit for a while in the spectacular pink shade of a cherry tree nearby, the smell of Country’s Barbecue drifting over on the breeze. A teacher guides a line of adorable children and a cherubic girl smiles at me.

“I’ve got pockets!” she calls out, showing them off. I smile back, savoring the simple pleasures of a small town morning.

I head down Ridley Avenue, passing the yellow brick Hotel Colonial, where FDR once spoke to the LaGrange Rotary Club, and the old Art Deco Troup County Courthouse, a marble landmark built by Works Progress Administration workers during the Great Depression and LaGrange’s first and only city hall building, with its construction date – 1926 – still proudly displayed in the entry tiles.

The remainder of the walking tour takes in lovely homes, businesses, churches and LaGrange College sites up and down Broad Street, with side trips to Bellevue, LaGrange’s only National Historic Landmark, and Hills and Dales Estate, the impressive Callaway family home and gardens.

I mosey up Ridley to the oft-relocated Confederate monument, erected on Court Square in 1902 and now a solemn sentinel on a well-kept traffic island across from Hillview Cemetery, which dates to 1830. Walking close, I see the poignant engraving, not visible from the street: “In our hearts, they perish not.”

Nearby, Boyd Park buzzes with construction workers as the graceful Georgian pavilion, another WPA project, is restored and a future landmark, Sweetland Amphitheater, is taking shape. I wish for a hard hat so I could sneak a closer look.

My traipse down Church Street is full of surprises: Temple BethEl, a miniature masterpiece and home to LaGrange’s Jewish congregation since 1945, was erected as an Episcopal church in 1893. The two congregations shared the facility for a while. An old photo shows Covenant Presbyterian Church, downtown’s oldest non-residential building, with a soaring steeple built by John King, son of famed bridge builder and former slave Horace King. Where did it go, I wonder.

It is mid-morning, about an hour into my tour, and I can feel the pace of the day picking up. This is what I love about a walking tour.

The quotidian vibe of the city envelops me: a merchant polishing his front doorknob, a lady in a big hat waving as we pass on opposite sides of the street, a pair of well-worn running shoes tucked near the side door of a lawyer’s office (The phrase “quick getaway” leaps to mind). I overhear a friendly exchange at a bank drive-through: “Good morning!,” then, “Yes, it is!”

I watch a housekeeper, broom in hand, chatting on a cell phone on the porch of the Bailey-Heard-Dallis house at 206 Broad, the oldest residence in LaGrange. The home’s first occupant, Gen. Samuel A. Bailey, could not have imagined a cell phone, and I wonder if the housekeeper knows that the home was Bailey’s headquarters during the Creek Indian War of 1836.

I learn that the beautiful red-brick Mansour home at 306 Broad was designed by the same architect as Atlanta’s majestic Fox Theater and that the stately Broad Street Apartments, now home to the college’s Servant Scholars, were the first “modern” apartments in LaGrange.

The app tells me LaGrange’s Nancy Harts, a female Civil War militia featured in a recent PBS documentary, faced down Union troops at the intersection of Broad and Springdale, near the 1852 home known as the Elms, its outside walls a full 18 inches thick.

A circular bench on Lafayette Square calls my name and I sit down to study the engaging mural on the Chamber plaza, last stop on the tour. It is almost lunch time, and I am thinking about the cornbread at Taste of Lemon or maybe a hotdog at Charlie Joseph’s, which isn’t on the tour but looks pretty historic to me.

I walk away feeling like I’ve made a new friend. In just over two hours, I learned things about this charming little city that many longtime residents may not know.

And it occurs to me that downtown LaGrange is a lot like that millstone outside the Legacy Museum. This special place is tough and graceful, utilitarian and elegant, plain and beautiful, all at the same time.

MEET MISTY REE My tourist gene runs deep. I love to go, to see, to do. I am always ready to eat, shop, play, listen, view, wander or try something new. I want you to go along with me, at least in spirit. We’ll visit some familiar places and others off the beaten path, from one end of beautiful Troup County to the other. To make our journeys more interesting, I am going incognito. You won’t see me coming. You won’t know where I am going next.

If you have a suggestion of a place I ought to visit, just drop a line to my buddy Dave Marler, Tourism Director at the Chamber. (dave@lagrangechamber.com). Tell him you have a message for Troup’s Mystery Traveler, or use my nickname: Misty Ree www.lagrangechamber.com

21

C U S T O ME R S E RVI C E

Customer Service Makes All the Difference

by Renae Willis If you ask someone about their best customer service experience, they’ll likely have to give it some thought, but if you ask them about their worst customer experience, they’re quick to give you a long litany of examples.

If your customer service isn’t up to the level it should be, don’t feel too comfortable just because you haven’t heard about it from unhappy customers. A typical business hears from only four percent of its dissatisfied customers, which means they don’t hear from 96 percent of them. Even more alarming, 91 percent of those will never return, and news of a bad customer experience reaches more than twice as many ears as praise for a positive experience.

Good customer service doesn’t cost a thing, save a little training, but bad customer service can be extremely costly to

your business. That’s why it’s worth the effort to make sure your team is on board with trying to give your customers a good experience with every interaction. Customers overwhelmingly show appreciation for great service with their wallets.

The customer service experience considered the gold standard is Ritz-Carlton’s “Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen.” Each and every employee is expected to provide the same consistent level of exceptional customer service, from the janitor to the hotel manager.

If you are interested in creating a “WOW” experience for your customers, here are a few basics that you and your employees can use to ramp up your customer service.

1.

Provide a warm and sincere greeting, and use the customer’s name.

6.

Be knowledgeable of your business so you can answer customer inquiries.

2.

Smile. Project a positive, professional attitude.

7.

Use proper telephone etiquette.

3.

Create a positive work environment, practice teamwork.

8.

Attire should be professional and immaculate.

4.

Be an ambassador for your employer, inside and outside of the workplace.

9.

Strive to raise the standards of your performance every day.

5.

Any team member who receives a complaint owns the complaint until it’s resolved. Empower your team to make decisions to provide a satisfactory resolution for the customer.

Customer service shouldn’t just be a department, it should be the entire company.

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos

10. Always, always, always say, “Thank you.”

Not all of these may be applicable to your business, but you can adapt them to suit your own circumstance. Or you can create your own list – just keep it simple.

Good customer service certainly seems to be on the verge of extinction, so when your business is the exception, rather than the rule, then you will certainly stand out from the crowd in a good way.

It is much more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to keep a current one. And good customers are worth their weight in gold.

Renae Willis is the Vice President of Business Development & Marketing at the Chamber. She is a longtime education advocate and former chairman of the Chamber board. Reach her at renae@lagrangechamber.com.

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May 2015

L AR G E B USINESS, MANU FACT URE R

CHAMBER NAMES LARGE BUSINESS, MANUFACTURERS OF THE YEAR The Chamber recently recognized four outstanding companies with the 2015 Large Business and Manufacturer of the Year Awards. Members are recognized for their excellence in leadership, performance, profitability and workforce relations, and they are

honored for their contributions to the region’s economy and overall community spirit. US Congressman Lynn Westmoreland, Chamber Board Chairman Libby Willingham and Chamber Board Vice Chair for Business Retention Cliff Meeks presented the awards.

2015 Large Business of the Year, Category 2 (151-500 employees), CHARTERBANK – CharterBank Chairman & CEO Robert Johnson and President Lee Washam celebrate with members of the CharterBank team.

2015 Large Business of the Year, Category 1 (51-150 employees), DIVERSE POWER -- From left, Diverse Power’s Ken Pope, Willingham, Meeks, Diverse Power’s President Wayne Livingston, Diverse Power’s Board Member Harrell Landreth, and Westmoreland.

2015 Manufacturer of the Year, Category 2 (151-500 employees), P&G DURACELL – From left, Willingham, Meeks, P&G Duracell Plant Manager Deirdre White and Westmoreland.

2015 Manufacturer of the Year, Category 3 (500+ employees), SEWON AMERICA – From left, Sewon’s Nate Jung, Sewon’s Maria Lyle, Willingham, Meeks, Sewon America President C J Lee, Westmoreland, Sewon’s Ken Horton and Sewon’s Susan Newsome.

www.lagrangechamber.com

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May 2015

www.lagrangechamber.com

25

HEALT H C A R E

Protect your Skin for a Healthy Summer

From left, Refresh Me Salon and Spa esthetician Brittany Lester gently steams the face of Ashbi Alford. With summer around the corner, taking care of your skin, particularly on your face, should be of the utmost importance.

Having healthy skin can make you look better and feel better everyday, no matter the season. Follows these five rules to keep your skin in shape.* 1. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing sunscreen, seeking shade and wearing protective clothing.

2. Don't smoke.

3. Be gentle on your skin with shorter baths, not using strong soaps, shaving carefully and moisturizing.

4. Eat a healthy diet.

5. Manage stress. *mayoclinic.org

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May 2015

Proper skin care and maintenance is of the utmost important year-round. However, it is never more important than in the blistering heat of a Georgia summer when temperatures soar to 90 degrees or higher in the afternoons.

“The most important thing is to wear sunscreen. Put it on before you put your makeup on, and try to find a moisturizer with it already in it,” Refresh Me Salon and Spa esthetician Brittany Lester said.

Lester spends her days caring for the skin of those who visit Refresh Me, whether through steam, facials, exfoliation or proper education. When it comes to your skin, proper education is the key to having a safe summer.

“When you get sunburns, the melanin in your skin is duplicating itself,” she said.

A human body creates melanin as an active sun blocker for the skin, a natural sunscreen.

As the body begins taking on ultraviolet radiation from the sun, melanin is produced to protect the cells, causing a tan to appear.

Eventually, if in the sun long enough, the Ultra Violet rays will break through the melanin, causing sunburns. Proper use of sunscreen can more than double the amount of time you can spend in the sun as well as protect from UV damage, but it needs to be applied regularly.

“If the sunscreen is rated as an SPF 30, you need to reapply 30 minutes later,” Lester said.

SPF, or sun protection factor, is what different sunscreens are judged on.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, ultraviolet radiation from the sun reaches the earth in the form of UVA and UVB rays.

UVBs often play a role in skin cancer and are what sunscreens block.

A sunscreen with a SPF of 15 can block about 93 percent of UVB rays when applied correctly. A sunscreen with a SPF of 30 can block about 97 percent. That doesn’t mean you should stay out all day in it.

“People don’t realize if you wear sunscreen that you’re still going to get a little bit of color. You will still get tan,” she said.

Lester suggested taking breaks from the sun during the summer, particularly when the sun is highest in the sky.

Also, be sure to use sunscreens that block both UVB and UVA rays. UVA rays can accelerate skin aging and have been shown to act as triggers for skin cancer alongside UVB rays. A sunscreen that protects from both kinds generally will be labeled with broad spectrum, multi-spectrum or UVA/ UVB protection.

Lester reiterates that proper skin care maintenance is not just for hot days.

Keeping moisturized year-round can keep skin from aging too quickly. Too much sun can cause wrinkles to form earlier than normal. To help combat skin aging, Lester suggested the process of exfoliation, which allows skin to rebuild itself.

“The main reason to exfoliate is to get the dry skin cells off your face because if you have dry skin it accentuates your fine lines and wrinkles. Try to use a moisturizer with antioxidants and vitamin C to fight free radicals,” Lester continued.

Free radicals damage healthy skin cells, causing damaged collagen to build up.

They have also been associated with skin cancer and premature skin aging.

A one-hour facial can act as a great jumpstart to healthy skin care routines.

“The whole hour process stimulates your muscles, your blood flow, everything your

skin needs to start rebuilding itself. Once you exfoliate, you get all the dead skin cells off so that new good cells grow,” Lester said.

“You need to exfoliate your face, and your whole body, really, at least once a week.”

Lester recommended getting a facial every month. If every month is too much of a commitment, once with each change of the seasons is adequate.

“Another thing I recommend is simplifying your makeup, something with moisturizer in the summer – not anything too thick because it can clog your pores.”

Facial mists also have become popular from a skin care perspective, allowing on-the-go rehydration and the side benefits of setting makeup and feeling generally refreshed.

Don’t stop there, however – proper skin care requires a change in attitude. There are plenty of other ways to keep your skin healthy this summer and for summers to come, even for men. Drink plenty of water, do not smoke or quit if you do, and eat healthy.

“You need to eat healthy--eat things with a lot of antioxidants because that stimulates rebuilding collagen in your face,” she said.

Properly protecting and caring for your skin takes effort and dedication, but you’ll thank yourself for it. This summer, be sure to let a little moisturizer and sunscreen go a long way toward keeping you safe.

“It’s a lifestyle change, really,” Lester said.

One with long-term benefits to your health.

“The most important thing is to wear sunscreen. Put it on before you put your makeup on, and try to find a moisturizer with it already in it,” - esthetician Brittany Lester

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27

EDU C AT I O N

East Meets West at LaGrange College “We’re not little Troup County here, tucked away in a rural area,” said Dr. Joshua Van Lieu, LaGrange College's assistant professor of history and curriculum director for the Asian Studies Program. “We are part of a global capitalist economy. We are intimately connected to it.”

Van Lieu has the unique position of showcasing East Asia to LaGrange College students. Through the Asian Studies Program, students have the opportunity to earn a minor in Asian Studies as well as learn about the cultures that play significant roles in their daily lives.

“I think one of the most important things is the understanding that East Asia is a center of the world,” Van Lieu said. “Just as you’d want to know about the United States and just as you’d want to know about Europe, as a major cultural, economic center of the world, you would also need to know about East Asia.”

Van Lieu was tasked by the college in 2011 to create a minor focusing on East Asia.

The increase of East Asian businesses and industries locally, particularly from South Korea, led college administrators to move forward with creating a program dedicated to teaching the history, culture and

languages of those countries.

“We are part of the global system right here in LaGrange. There are dozens of Korean companies on the Interstate 85 corridor going from Atlanta to Montgomery,” Van Lieu said. “You’ve got Kia in West Point and you’ve got Hyundai in Montgomery, and all their suppliers, so even if you live in West Point or Valley or Lanett, you are still seeing the influence of the global economy.”

To earn a minor in the program, students are required to take courses in East Asian Religions, developed by Dr. David Ahern, college Chair of Religion and Philosophy; an Introduction to East Asian History taught by Van Lieu, and year-long courses in either Korean and Japanese, created with the help of Dr. Amanda Plumlee, college Chair of Modern Languages and Director of Asian Studies Language Courses. Various electives are also required to fill out the remaining coursework.

Tracts in Chinese language and history are planned for the future.

“I would love the minor to develop into a full-fledged major, and that’s going to require more faculty. You’d have people with research in different fields like social

sciences, foreign language and literature so we could have a wider scope and coverage on not just Korea but China and Japan – especially China.”

Students learn more than current events concerning the eastern side of the world – they learn about the causes of the events, how religious beliefs and education have shaped eastern cultures, and how, in many ways, those cultures aren't much different than ours.

Van Lieu wants each of his students to be knowledgeable about the cultures shaping the world and the effects those have locally and globally.

“There is a dialectical relationship here – we influence them, they influence us, and the result is going to be something entirely new,” he said. “We need to see the world as what it is – a global system with multiple centers, and East Asia is one of the most important.”

East Asia provides an important component to Troup County business. Thousands of jobs have landed here because of it, and its local influence is sure to grow.

Dr. Joshua Van Lieu, LaGrange College's assistant professor of history and curriculum director for the Asian Studies Program, has made the study of Asian culture an important part of his life, and he aims to make it important to any LaGrange College students looking to learn.

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May 2015

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29

A N O D T O H I S T ORY

INTERNATIONAL PIONEERS

by Kaye Lanning Minchew

Photo courtesy of the Troup County Archives.

Mansour's Department Store, center, was established in 1917 in LaGrange's West Court Square. This photo from the 1930s shows the building in downtown LaGrange.

Since it was established in 1826, Troup County has often benefitted from the talents, influence and businesses of immigrants. Different time periods have seen specific groups of people coming into the area. In the 19th century, many immigrants came from Germany, Ireland, Austria and France. New residents to West Point included ancestors of the Zimmer, Wolf, Berringer, Freisleben, Merz, Hagedorn, Herzberg and Hyman families who established farms and businesses in the local area. Several of these men born in foreign countries served the Confederacy during the Civil War. The Troup County Archives has personal records of some of these early residents, including the Civil War diary of Louis Merz which was published by the Chattahoochee Valley Historical Society.

Others who migrated to the community during the 19th century included Albert Lehmann, a jeweler whose family ran a business on the square in LaGrange for several generations; Frederick Holle, a German, who descendants are still active in the business community; Morris Berringer, one of the first known firemen in LaGrange, and Robert Robertson, a native of Scotland who established the first textile mill in Troup County, Robertson’s Woolen Mill. Thomas Miller came from Belfast, Ireland, to the area and served as an Inferior Court judge from 1856 to 1858 and sheriff from 1858 to 1861 and 1869 to 1875. Daniel Merz served on the West Point Board of Education in the 1870s and 1880s.

During the early 20th century, families with Russian and Lebanese roots started businesses in LaGrange and left their mark on the local economy. Familiar Lebanese families include the Mansours, Jabaleys, Solomons, Katters and Josephs. Nasor Mansour first opened his Racket Shop on the west side of the square in 1918.

Mansour’s Department store operated for almost a century before 30

May 2015

closing in the early 2000s. Charlie Solomon’s father opened Solomon’s Department Store in 1932 during the height of the depression; it is still thriving today.

Other immigrant families who started businesses or left their names on local streets during this time included the Edelsons whose Army Store is a LaGrange landmark. The Eichelbergers, who had earlier emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in the 1720s, operated McCosh’s Mill. Many others have offered their services to the community as doctors, tailors, launderers, restaurant owners and business entrepreneurs. Descendants of many of these families continue to live and work in the community and have gone on to serve as community leaders, including mayors of our cities.

Immigration in the late 20th century reflected local business recruitment efforts. Troup County has benefited from the talents of new residents who hail south of the border from Mexico and several Latin and South American countries. New international business also brought employees from Japan, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. More recently, the 21st century has brought numerous Indian and Korean families into our midst.

This study of the impact of immigrants in Troup County is far from exhaustive. Visit the Troup County Archives for more information and to tell your family’s story.

Kaye Lanning Minchew has served as Director of the Troup County Archives since 1985 after having served as archivist from 1983 to 1985. Reach her at kaye@trouparchives.org.

TE CH NOLOGY

Chamber Website Reimagined Keeping pace with rapidly changing technology in the online world, www.lagrangechamber.com has undergone a renewal to provide an enhanced experience for visitors and Chamber members alike.

“We call it the bite-snack-meal hierarchy,” Zwilling said. “You get little bites of information that attract your attention that lead you to a little more information, like a snack. Then if you want more information, you click on into the site to get the full meal.”

Designed with added service and convenience for Chamber members in mind, The Branding Firm's Shawn Zwilling and Adam Richards recently went live with the updated website, giving visitors and Chamber members a peek into the future of Chamber technology.

The new site provides a crisp, clean online experience, no matter what device you're experiencing it on.

“We wanted to make it easy to navigate, we wanted the Chamber to have the ability to update it and keep it current on a daily basis, so we added functionality there, and we wanted to allow the Chamber to use its membership database – ChamberMaster-to the fullest extent, meaning the two interface more directly together.”

The new website allows for much more discussion between itself and ChamberMaster, giving more interactivity between the member directory and members, themselves.

It will also allow faster updates to the online calendar, the ability to pay for membership and event fees online and provides an avenue for future blog posts by Chamber staff.

“It’s a cleaner, easier approach to navigation,” Richards said.

“There’s a lot of nice white space. The fonts are up-to-date. It works great on tablets and phones as well. People use multiple platforms, and it works on all of them.”

From blog posts and social media to membership accounts and online event registration, the new site is guaranteed to enhance the Chamber's services to all its members.

“The site has been designed as a robust, interactive site to provide value-added service for Chamber members,” Zwilling said.

“That was one of the reasons that we embarked on the project – to get it to current technology, including being mobile device friendly,” Zwilling said.

The site is designed to give small amounts of information up front and allow for more information as a user digs deeper into it.

From left, the Branding Firm’s Adam Richards and Shawn Zwilling review the Chamber’s updated website at www. lagrangechamber.com.

www.lagrangechamber.com

31

BU S IN E S S S P O T LI GH T

KIA MOTORS MANUFACTURING GEORGIA, INC.

Kia Motors plant off Interstate 85 in West Point.

The announcement that Kia would be building its first North American manufacturing facility in West Point took place on March 13, 2006, with a groundbreaking ceremony following on Oct. 20, 2006.

On March 25, 2008, the Kia Georgia Training Center (KGTC) held a grand opening ceremony to begin the process of selecting and training the new members of the Kia team.

Jointly operated by Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) and Georgia Quick Start, the KGTC is designed and equipped to provide pre-employment assessments and jobspecific training for KMMG’s team members.

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia began production of its first product, the Kia Sorento, on Nov. 16, 2009, quickly adding the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Optima to its product mix in the two years to follow.

To accommodate three products and record-breaking success, KMMG’s 3,000 team members defied industry tradition by launching a third shift, 24 hours per day. This is also when KMMG completed the expansion to its current capacity of more than 360,000 units per year.

Today KMMG continues to build on that success with the launch of the 2016 Sorento this past November and with more great products to come.

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May 2015

ADDRESS

7777 Kia Parkway, West Point, GA 31833

OPENED

Start of Production: Nov. 16, 2009; Grand Opening: Feb. 26, 2010

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

3,000 split amongst three different shifts.

WHAT WE DO

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia Inc. (KMMG) is the first manufacturing site in North America for Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, Korea. With an annual capacity of 360,000 units, KMMG is located on 2,200 acres and is home to the Sorento CUV and the Optima mid-size sedan, two of Kia’s top selling models in the U.S.

HOW WE’RE DIFFERENT

Because people are the heart and soul of KMMG, we created a corporate culture called the “Kia Way.” This is a collection of guiding principles built on trust and effective two-way communication. Central to the one system, one team approach is a “can do” mindset where all the members of our team have a “passion to create value.”

A MEASURE OF OUR SUCCESS

Because of the hard work and dedication of KMMG’s team members, we have achieved a number of milestones since production began in November 2009 including: production of more than 1 million vehicles in less than four years and producing more than 1.5 million vehicles in less than five years; launching an industry standardsetting third shift of production; and, because of our success, undergoing a $100 million expansion, increasing the annual production at KMMG from 300,000 vehicles per year to more than 360,000 vehicles per year.

Kia’s success has resulted in the creation of more than 15,000 well-paying jobs between KMMG and our suppliers, and KMMG was named the state of Georgia’s Large Manufacturer of the Year in 2012.

HOW THAT SUCCESS HAPPENED

KMMG’s success is the result of our team members’ commitment to making KMMG the best and most innovative automotive company in the world. We do this by maintaining trust, positive morale, teamwork and by focusing on being a good corporate citizen.

We are proud to call this region home and the support of our community is a part of our success. KMMG has valuable partnerships with the state of Georgia, Troup County, the City of West Point and many other municipalities and organizations.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Communication differs among generations. At the root of most problems is usually miscommunication. Going forward, workforce development will be a big challenge and opportunity for Kia. KMMG is working with local communities in our region to stimulate interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), providing funding for the THINC College and Career Academy and by supporting the technical college system.

KMMG has committed $2.1 million to the SAE Foundation to fund the implementation of a STEM-based program called A World In Motion (AWIM) into local elementary and middle schools and another $3 million to the THINC College and Career Academy in Troup County.

FUTURE PLANS

With current and prospective customers in mind, it is important that KMMG nurture our workforce of the future. We can give back to our community by making sure that the next generation workforce is well prepared for the challenges of a 21st Century, high-technology, advanced manufacturing environment. Through AWIM, the THINC College and Career Academy and a variety of other initiatives along with the support of the community, we can ensure that the next generation of KMMG team members are as outstanding as the first.

BUSINESS MOTTO

“People are the heart and soul of our company.”

CONTACT INFO

Phone: (706) 902-7777; E-mail: KMMGPR@kmmgusa.com

A Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia team member afixes a Kia label to a vehicle.

Want to see your organization spotlighted in Troup Trends? Come to the Early Bird Breakfast to be entered into a drawing to win as the next business or non-profit feature! www.lagrangechamber.com

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N O N P R O FI T S P O T LI GH T

TROUP CLCP

CLCP Director Debbie Burdette dresses in her signature bee outfit during the community Spelling Bee.

The Certified Literate Community Program is an umbrella organization working with all literacy agencies in Troup County. We promote the importance of education and lifelong learning, from our newborn babies to our senior citizens.

agency, support placement of “Little Free Libraries” in Troup County, place children’s books in waiting areas, and have provided dictionaries to all third graders in Troup County since 2003.

We serve the entire community by encouraging, supporting and enhancing community literacy efforts, whatever the size.

1 College Circle, LaGrange

A network is formed to coordinate business, church, volunteer, social service, local government and schools, media and other groups in effortof reaching the community, along with influencing and supporting those who want to improve their education. CLCPs are about economic development, workplace skills, parents able to help their children with their homework, people able to understand and follow prescription medicine directions for themselves and their children, being able to read a map or road sign, immigrants acquiring English language skills, and anyone acquiring computer skills. CLCP is about lifelong learning and acquiring a new skill at any point in life.

We provide GED scholarships to students enrolled in the adult education program at West Georgia Technical College, provide resources and incentives for adult education classes, support a summer reading program in the LaGrange Housing Authority and provide books for children to take home over the summer break, provide funds for summer programs at a United Way childcare 34

May 2015

ADDRESS OPENED

We became a participant in the state program in May 2002. The program started out as Troup READS in 1998 with a vision to become a CLCP participant.

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES One and the CLCP board.

WHO WE SERVE

Our services are provided to residents of Troup County

WHY WE DO IT

The CLCP serves to create and sustain public demand for a literate community. A better educated community means a more productive workforce.

An educated community is the best way to ensure continued economic growth and vitality for our community. One of the main

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3486 Hogansville Road, Suite A, LaGrange, GA 30241 (706) 756-1003 • www.lovelylolas.com

Mama Jama with books collected by Chloe Harrell

target groups for the CLCP to serve are those residents without a high school or GED diploma.

A mission of the CLCP is to reach those residents and to encourage them to increase their literacy skills thus providing our industries with a better prepared and literate workforce. This will not only improve the availability of a better educated workforce for our businesses but will also help improve the lives of families as parents become more supportive of the importance of education and hopefully provide a better quality of life for our residents.

HOW WE'RE DIFFERENT

I am not sure we are different. I hope we are all working toward the same goal to help Troup County continue to be the best place to live, work and raise a family.

A MEASURE OF OUR SUCCESS

We have provided GED scholarships to more than 133 students, and the students have passed the GED exam. Some of these students have continued their education at West Georgia Technical College and some have been able to get jobs.

We have also given out more than 11,000 dictionaries to third graders in Troup County since 2003-04.

Tree Health Care Preservation Removals Fertilization Professional Tree Services

Growing & Caring for the Next Generation

ISA Certified Arborist Licensed and Insured

www.diversifiedtrees.com (706) 663-0300 OUR GOAL

To make education the BUZZ WORD in Troup County and that education is a priority and should be valued by everyone.

FUTURE PLANS

To continue to promote education and reach all the residents that are in need of literacy resources.

BUSINESS MOTTO

BUZZ BUZZ! We're making education the BUZZ word in Troup County!

CONTACT

Debbie Burdette, Executive Director (706) 756-4645 debbie.burdette@westgatech.edu

www.lagrangechamber.com

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S POT L I GH T O N W EST PO I N T

Downtown West Point has been revitalized since several international businesses decided to make their homes within the city.

MAKING A

POINT West Point Grows through International Business The City of West Point came to life in the 1880s as a bustling textile town with a vibrant workforce and amenities that included a wellknown opera house. After gradually losing much of its workforce to globalization, the town staged a comeback in the 1990s during the technology boom. In 2006, West Point became the epicenter of a new economic corridor for high tech auto manufacturers through the addition of Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. and its suppliers. Today, globalization is working to West Point’s advantage and its leaders are dedicated to further propel the city’s economic renewal.

“Even though the Kia project stood on its own, there were forces here at work that were able to make that project happen because of all that work that had been done before,” West Point City Manager Ed Moon said. “Just take downtown, for instance – I think it’s 36

May 2015

created an environment where people are willing to take risks on a small community.

Moon said in addition to thousands of new jobs, international business partners have help create new amenities for residents and visitors such as West Point’s planned Downtown River Park. The Park will include green space, a splash pad and an amphitheater. It will be located right on the Chattahoochee River next to West Point City Hall.

“We’re going to create an area for outdoor events like concerts,” Moon said. “We really don’t have a place like that here. West Point has never had that type of venue, and it’s connected to downtown, so we’re going to bring more people into the downtown business district.”

To create space for the park, the city utilities department, formerly next to city hall, relocated to an empty building off Highway 29. The fire department also was relocated to a new station on Kia Parkway.

International business has created opportunities in West Point for bigger and better things. It has brought people, new cultures and values that allow the West Point community to be more varied and unique.

“It brings in new ideas, it brings in new cultures that enhance what we already do here,” West Point Mayor Drew Ferguson said.

“The diversity of opinions and ideas that come to this community has certainly made it a richer place to be and certainly, in my opinion, have made it a more welcoming community.”

Establishing Point University’s main campus in West Point from Atlanta was one of those ideas. Enrollment continues to grow, and the campus has expanded to several renovated buildings in downtown West Point.

The city’s recreation department has created a new football field, baseball fields and greenspace for use by students, residents and visitors. The city’s youth services continue to expand as well through West Point CARES and a recently completed playground at the West Point Youth Services Center off O.G. Skinner Drive.

A worker prepares an area along West Ninth Street and Fourth Avenue in West Point for sidewalk placement.

State and local projects continue in the downtown area as streetscapes are designed and put into place and buildings are renovated into restaurants, meeting places and apartments.

Various developments still are being planned in other parts of West Point, including DASH’s Forest Mills Apartments, an 80-unit complex off Hatchett Street.

The different projects all represent opportunities the City of West Point has gained due to significant growth in its international businesses, a layer of bedrock that was already in place and a dynamic shift in the city’s identity.

“It has come at a good time in the history of West Point because of the focus that the mayor and council have put on redevelopment and creating a sense of place,” Moon said. “The way I see things, we have countless opportunities because there are so many things happening.

We’re talking about so many different things with so many different people who are interested, and that’s what makes it exciting.”

River Overlook Park in downtown West Point

www.lagrangechamber.com

37

S POT L I GH T O N H O GA N SVI LLE

FOR HOGANSVILLE

Water is Life Jimmy Jackson Lake, originally named Blue Creek Reservoir, most recently was used as the city of Hogansville's water source.

Joe Vidal, the City of Hogansville’s water plant operator, has a bumper sticker on the back of his work truck – “WATER IS LIFE.” Access to water is an essential part of life in a community, large or small. Despite challenges in the past, the City of Hogansville has been recently recognized for efforts to keep this vital resource flowing by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Featured in the EPA’s documentary, “Drought Response and Resilience,” city officials outlined the steps taken to overcome water supply problems and the progressive measures they’ve taken to ensure the city’s viability.

For several years Hogansville had a serious water problem.

In 1988, the source of water, Flat Creek, dried up during a drought and required water to be transferred into it from Blue Creek Reservoir. In 2008, after permanently switching to Blue Creek Reservoir for water access, another drought came, and city officials found themselves draining water from one side of the reservoir and transferring it to the other, monitoring the activity 24 hours a day to be sure the water plant was full.

At its worst, Vidal said they had a maximum of six days of water left in the reservoir.

38

May 2015

The city was facing yet another drought and a 10-percent mandated water use reduction from the state.

In short, they were losing water at a record pace, and they needed it under control to help pull some of the strain off of Blue Creek Reservoir. They implemented a tiered water level plan, requiring water customers to pay for each gallon used rather than a flat rate for the first 1,000 gallons.

They upgraded all of the water meters to allow for better monitoring.

“Our citizens were not paying much attention to the request for decreasing their water usage, so with the advent of a tiered water fee, it started to hit their pocketbooks. People started to respond, and we were able to meet our 10-percent water reduction,” City Manager James Woods said.

They approached the City of LaGrange about tying onto their system, a plan that was approved by Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division. Hogansville officials went an additional step and also contracted with Coweta County.

“We have in place contracts that will provide us up to 2 million gallons a day, and we’re using less than half a million, so we have a water supply that could supply potential

growth in the foreseeable future because of regional cooperation,” Stankiewicz said. “It put us in a great position, and it was only because the governments, the people, were willing to work together.”

That regional cooperation began, for Stankiewicz, with the creation of Troup County’s Center for Strategic Planning.

“I think the fact that we meet every month with all the governments, all the key players, all the stakeholders in Troup County – we all know each other, and that was the first step toward cooperation,” Stankiewicz said.

Water coming into the city from LaGrange first runs through a chlorine pump that Hogansville water plant operator Joe Vidal can control from his smartphone.

Now, Hogansville finds itself in the position to accept new developments and major businesses and corporations looking to locate to the city. With adequate water and a new sewer treatment plant on the horizon, infrastructure is no longer an issue.

“It gives us the ability to grow in the future,” Hogansville City Clerk Lisa Kelly said, “so when a developer comes in and says ‘What’s your infrastructure like?’ We can say, ‘We’re good. We’ve got you covered.’” www.lagrangechamber.com

39

C HAM B E R E V E N T S

Join us in celebrating our members!

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Baughs Cross Road Bridge Baughs Cross Road • LaGrange

Roy Spinks Drive Roy Spinks Drive • LaGrange

Big Brothers Big Sisters 115 E. Cannon St. • LaGrange

Jam-N-Java 708 Third Ave. • West Point

GLL Marine 3017 West Point Road • LaGrange

ITC Security Partners 1791 O.G. Skinner Drive • West Point

Center for Creative Learning 112 Lafayette Square • LaGrange

Cofield Comfort Systems 1258 North Davis Road • LaGrange

Results Property Management 833 New Franklin Road • LaGrange

May 2015

West Georgia Garden Center 601 Greenville St. • LaGrange

Wilshire Bank 1508 Lafayette Parkway • LaGrange

J. Perry Boutique 131 Bull St. • LaGrange

Red Door Antiques 33 S. Lafayette Square • LaGrange

Commercial Bankers Luncheon

Facts of Franchising Seminar Scott vonCannon of Retail Strategies

Chamber Golf Tournament Kilt Hole

Chamber Golf Tournament Kyle Hosick wins $1,000

Chamber Golf Tournament Business After Hours • Putting Challenge

Chamber Golf Tournament Kimble's takes Champion's Cup www.lagrangechamber.com

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HY PE – H EL P I N G YO U N G PRO FESSIO N ALS E NGAGE HYPE is a high impact group of diverse young professionals working together to showcase Troup County as a unique and fun place to work and live. HYPE provides its members with opportunities for building relationships with community and business leaders and cultivates an atmosphere for building personal relationships and a sense of purpose within the community.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

EVENTS IN REVIEW

Jorge Del Angel When did you move from Mexico to the United States? What brought you to the US? I came to Atlanta in 2001 as a college student for an internship at Georgia Tech.

How long have you lived in Troup County?

I have lived here for one year and six months, but I have been working in LaGrange for nine years.

HYPE Annual Kick-off Meeting The HYPE Board of Directors held HYPE's Annual Kick-off Meeting on March 23 at Blondie Roux in downtown LaGrange including food, beverages and some great networking.

What do you enjoy about life in Troup County?

Great family oriented environment, lots of activities for all ages and the community is really welcoming.

Troup County is beautiful and I'm proud to live here.

I really enjoy LaGrange's downtown area, just driving or walking around and seeing how full of life it is – it just energizes me. Our lake is something to be jealous of. We have amazing views and areas that make this county feel like you are living at a retreat.

How is life in Troup County different from life in Mexico?

Life in Mexico City is fast paced – 20+ million people make it that way. There isn't much green space there.

Lots of traffic. I feel like you get better quality of life in Troup County. There is a lot more opportunity here to be outside and breathe cleaner air!

What do you do at Interface?

It varies. I am a designer and product developer.

Sometimes I create products, carpet or designing bags from waste. Some other days I create processes. I have the luxury of doing something different every day.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Strategic, creative and outgoing.

What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday?

I love to be spontaneous and make every Saturday different, so as long as I have my three girls, family and friends with me I call that a good Saturday – but there is only one tradition that I cannot miss and it's a breakfast at the Waffle House.

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May 2015

HYPE group at the Chamber golf Tournament enjoying the 19th Hole BASH

UPCOMING EVENTS Lunch & Learn May 18, 12-1 pm Financial Planning for Young Professionals Speaker: Chris Joseph, CPA Location: Chamber of Commerce Cost: $10/HYPE member Cocktails & Connections May 27, 5:30-6:30 pm HYPE Happy Hour Location: Los Nopales Cost: Cash bar; appetizers provided

Lunch & Learn June 18, 12-1 pm Leadership Luncheon Speakers: Mayor Jim Thornton, Mayor Drew Ferguson & Commission Chairman Patrick Crews Location: Chamber of Commerce Cost: $10/HYPE member

For more information and to register for above events.

hypelagrange.com facebook.com/hypetroup

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New Homes | Great Locations | Affordable Prices 706.882.7773 • 89 Durand Road, off Lafayette Pkwy.

NEW HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS! VIEW THEM ALL AT DANRIC.COM *Buyers subject to credit approval and lending guidelines. All information herein subject to error, omission and/or change without notice. Equal housing opportunity. Listings held by Coldwell Banker Spinks Brown Durand Realtors 706-884-5681.

V O T E D B E S T B A R B E C U E R E S TA U R A N T

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Our comprehensive payroll solutions offer: Direct Deposit Automatic tax filing and payments Automatic tax updates Quick and easy setup in less than one week

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For a limited time, initial setup cost is free!

Contact us today for more details at (706) 298.0541 or sales@adminitor.com! www.adminitor.com • 133 Main St. • LaGrange, GA 30240 A division of

124 Vernon Street, LaGrange • 706.845.9687 • Bobby Padgett, Prop.

www.lagrangechamber.com

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C AL E N D A R

THINGS TO SEE AND DO LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce

Summer Camps MAY 21 – JULY 16 Toddler Thursday at LaGrange Art Museum Toddler Thursday, our early childhood museum program, is designed just for 3-5 year olds and their favorite adult. Fees: $12/ per toddler for non-members, $10/members. art@lagrangeartmuseum.org www.lagrangeartmuseum.org

Events

MAY 30 – SEPT. 10 West Point Lake at 40 Years Legacy Museum on Main • LegacyMuseumOnMain.org (706) 884-1828

SATURDAY, MAY 30 THROUGH OCT. 8-10 A.M. Market on Main – Downtown LaGrange Downtown LaGrange Development Authority Downtownlagrange.com • (706) 298-4534

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27 – 2 P.M. Summer Reading Program Kickoff: Every Hero Has a Story Wednesday, May 27, is the first day for kids, teens and adults to sign up for the Summer Reading Program this year at the LaGrange Memorial Library.

JUNE 1-19 Around the World in Artful Ways Around the World in Artful Ways Summertime is a wonderful time for children to expand and grow. LAM camps will offer weeks of fun, age appropriate and worthwhile visual arts integrated lessons. www.lagrangeartmuseum.org • Sallie Keith, (706) 882-3267

JUNE 8-12 WinShape Camp - Lafayette Christian School Summer camp for children who have completed 1-6 grades. Sponsored by Chickfil-A LaGrange stores as well as Western Heights Baptist, New Community Church, First Baptist Church on the Square and Baptist Tabernacle. winshapecamps.org

JUNE 8-26 Learn2Serve Summer Camp Learn2Serve is a three-week academic summer camp for rising fifth-eighth graders hosted by the LaGrange College Department of Education. The camp will meet MondayFriday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch and snacks will be provided.

For more information, Rebekah Ralph, learn2serve@lagrange.edu 44

May 2015

JUNE 11-12 BRAG – LaGrange The Bicycle Ride Across Georgia is an annual odyssey of discovery of gorgeous Georgia by bicycle. Enjoy a showing of Space Jam on Thursday night and a Battle of the Bands Friday evening. Both events will take place in Downtown LaGrange and are free and open to the public.

(706) 298-4534

THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 7-11 P.M. Summer Concert & Movie Series

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 5 P.M. – 12 A.M. 2015 Battle of the Bands Downtown LaGrange Development Authority Downtownlagrange.com • (706) 298-4534

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, THROUGH FRIDAY, JULY 31 Paintings by Vee Brown Cochran Gallery - 4 E. Lafayette Square

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 7-11 P.M. Red, White & Blue Friday - Picnic, Concert & Free Movie Downtown LaGrange Development Authority Downtownlagrange.com - (706) 298-4534

JUNE THROUGH AUGUST The County Collects The County Collects showcases Troup County residents’ passionate pursuit of every imaginable kind of object. LaGrange Art Museum - www.lagrangeartmuseum.org - (706) 882-3267

JULY 4 Sweet Land of Liberty Parade Boyd Park Contact info@jsloflagrange.com or pick up applications at Mike Daniel Recreation Center

LaGrange Housing Authority is dedicated to the service of our community. We are always willing to lend a helping hand.

www.lagrangechamber.com

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ADV E R T I S E R I N D EX

Thank You, Advertisers!

Berney’s Office Solutions: 29 www.berney.com

LaGrange Equipment & Tool Rental: 15 (706) 882-8665

CharterBank: 19 charterbank.net

LaGrange Fasteners & Supply: 13 srfinc.com

Commercial Bank & Trust: 5 combanktrust.com

LaGrange Housing Authority: 45 phalagrange.net

Country’s Barbecue: 43 706-845-9687

Lovely Lola’s: 35 lovelylolas.com

Dan-Ric Homes: 43 danric.com

The Meridien Companies: 13 meridienstone.com/meridien-companies

Diversified Trees Incorporated: 35 diversifiedtrees.com

Payentry: 43 Adminitor.com

Emory at LaGrange: 48 emoryclarkholderclinic.com

Security Finance: 29 security-finance.com

Hills & Dales: 15 hillsanddales.org

Tournesol: 27 tournesolshop.com

Joynus Staffing: 15 ujoynus.com

Vernon Woods Retirement Community: 17 vernonwoods.com

Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc.: 11 kmmgusa.com

West Georgia Health: 2 wghealth.org

Kid’s Zone Dentistry: 47 706-882-0591

West Georgia Physicians: 24-25 wgphysicians.org

LaGrange Car Wash: 29 (706) 884-2566

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May 2015

The Kid’s Zone Team

Flossy the Clown!

Come and get your smile ready for school! www.lagrangechamber.com

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Advancing the possibilities.

Closer to home.

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• BARIATRIC SURGERY • CARDIOLOGY • COSMETIC TREATMENTS • ENT • FACIAL PLASTICS • FAMILY MEDICINE

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May 2015

V IS I T EM ORYCLARKHOLDERC LINIC.COM OR SOUTHERNORTHOPEDICS.COM