Horizons October 2013
A publication of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce
Prestige Members Northside Hospital-Forsyth Premier Corporate Sponsor
Forsyth County Government
DeKalb Office
The City of Cumming
Georgia Power
Taubman
St. Joseph’s Children’s Healthcare Hospital of Atlanta of Atlanta
Alpharetta Children’s Dentistry
The Dentist
Smithfield Farmland
jTech Networks
Anchor Home Mortgage
Kaiser Permamente
Michael Williams
2013 Annual Dinner: Forsyth Fusion Celebration T
he 2013 Annual Dinner and Celebration, presented by Russell Landscape Group, Inc. creates a fusion like no other that will deliver fine cuisine, smooth sounds and the community’s most important business leaders. On October 25th, we will celebrate the successes of our year and recognize the prestigious 2013 Charles Welch award recipient. This year’s black tie optional affair will be held at the Forsyth Conference Center Ballroom at 3410 Ronald Reagan Boulevard, Cumming, Georgia 30041. Cocktails begin at 6:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person and can be purchased by calling 770-887-6461 or by visiting www.cummingforsythchamber.org. Partners include Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Forsyth, Phoenix Benefits Management, AT&T, Turner Construction, Hansgrohe, Inc., Kaiser Permanente, PNC Bank, Alliance National Bank and Jeff Mason Advertising & Design, Inc. Opportunities are still available to sponsor this unique event. If interested please contact the Chamber’s Membership Services department at 770-887-6461. Don’t miss this elegant networking opportunity!
Member Spotlight
Hometown CPAs Emerging as a National Firm
ore than 30 years ago, Jim M Frazier and David Deeter decided to launch a CPA firm together
in downtown Atlanta. They wanted to build a firm that offers exceptional service in conjunction with top-flight expertise. The firm grew steadily, recruiting partners from larger “Big 4” accounting firms who valued a culture that is both entrepreneurial and focused on furthering the success of each client. At a time when the economy has made growth challenging for many companies in the Atlanta area, Frazier & Deeter has emerged as an exciting growth story. In 2008, the firm made its debut in the rankings of top 100 CPA firms, a significant achievement in an industry with more than 40,000 providers. In 2013, Frazier & Deeter leapfrogged up the CPA rankings published by Accounting Today, moving from the 77 th to the 69 th largest firm in the nation. Based on this exceptional g r ow t h , t h e fi r m wa s n a m e d a “Pacesetter” Firm - the 10 th fastest growing firm amongst the top 100. Frazier & Deeter offers a full selection of services for both individuals and businesses. Services for individuals include tax planning and preparation,
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tax credits, divorce litigation support, estate planning, and wealth management. For businesses, the firm provides tax planning, tax preparation, international tax and audits of financial statements and employee benefit plans. The firm also provides advisory support for critical business areas such as process improvement, fraud prevention, business valuations and mergers and acquisitions. “Frazier & Deeter offers all the services you expect from a large accounting firm with the responsiveness of a smaller firm,” said Managing Partner Seth McDaniel. “Our core values mean we take the time to really understand the client’s long term objectives so we can help them achieve their goals.” Over the past two years the firm has begun merging with other firms, adding deep real estate and forensic accounting expertise to its offices in Atlanta and Alpharetta. Frazier & Deeter also acquired a firm in Nashville, which represented the first expansion outside of Georgia. “We pride ourselves on both our technical knowledge and our dedication to our clients,” said Alpharetta Office Managing Partner Roger Lusby. “We
Seth McDaniel, Managing Partner, Frazier & Deeter
support clients ranging from individuals with complex financial needs to some of the nation’s largest companies.” This year Frazier & Deeter launched two new subsidiaries. In March, the firm launched FD Venture Farm, a service that provides a platform for tracking d eve l o p m e n t s o f p r iva t e l y h e l d companies. The service was quickly embraced by the investor and analyst community, with organizations such as the Atlanta Technology Angels and Alabama’s Angel Investor Management Group becoming strategic partners. In June, Frazier & Deeter announced FD Fund Administration, a subsidiary that provides outsourced administration services for large investment funds, such
as private equity and real estate funds. These service expansions are not the first for the firm. Frazier & Deeter branched out beyond the CPA business back in 1997 with the launch of a wealth management firm called SignatureFD. SignatureFD has flourished and now manages nearly $1.7 billion in assets. “As one of the earliest partners of the firm, it has been exciting to see Frazier & Deeter’s growth,” noted Lusby. “But I’m even more excited as we look to the future and the many ways we can help our clients be successful.” For more information about Frazier & Deeter, call the Alpharetta office at 404.573.4200 or visit our website at www.frazierdeeter.com.
Partners in Education Forsyth County Schools Salute our NEO 2013 Gold Sponsors orsyth County Gold Sponsors Evan Profeta, F State Farm; Kelly Sloan, Georgia United Credit Union; and John Heath, RE/MAX All Properties
welcomed more than 280 new educators to Forsyth County Schools. For over 10 years these committed partners have been the Gold Sponsors at the New Educators Orientation. The educators were treated with breakfast and greeted by Kelly, Evan and John. These three Partners in Education not only sponsor this event for Forsyth County Schools but also sponsor many other events throughout the year. The Credit Union provides numerous scholarships for not only students, but also teachers. They are involved with the transportation department, food service
department and the Teacher of the Year program. Their “Money Machine” has become a favorite with all schools. Evan and State Farm is very supportive of the “Ghost Out” events held at Forsyth County high schools and is also instrumental with our Driver’s Education program. Over the past five years John Heath’s unique “Referral Rewards” realtor’s program has given back over $35,000 to Forsyth County schools. Through this program John’s team will donate $1,000 to any school approved program for each closing referred to them by a teacher, parent, or staff member. Thanks to Kelly, Evan, and John for their unwavering support of Forsyth County Schools.
(L to R) Evan Profeta, Kelly Sloan and John Heath
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In-Depth
Small Business Finance Has Changed
Steve Bloom
Entrepreneur Expert
uring our “Great Recession” the availability D of capital to business and consumer was nonexistent. For the fortunate few who could qualify for a loan, the processing, underwriting and closing time and requirements were lengthy and cumbersome. Fast forward to 2013, however, and the market has changed for the better and continues to improve. Traditional lending organizations are now actively seeking borrowers and have funds to lend. Their underwriting today has not changed in the last 3 decades, and they continue to require collateral to support repayment of the debt. The economic debacle in 2007—2008 suggests underwriting was
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not restrictive and the results have been well documented and publicized for all to see. This means that the requirements for loan approval never changed, but some in senior management in the financial industry elected not to follow the guidelines and we all were affected by the consequences. What’s important to all of us is that business growth needs capital and we now have the opportunity to access funding at attractive rates, reasonable underwriting standards and timely closings. There are now alternate sources of financing that have developed as a result of our past recession and for those who seek funding from $10,000— $100,000+, opportunities are numerous. At a recent event, “Access to Capital - MONEY TO M A I N S T R E E T,” s p o n s o r e d b y D & B Credibility, Bank of America and Microsoft, attendees had the opportunity to meet with lenders one on one to discuss their financing requirements and learn about the numerous financing options available to small business owners. One of the most important takeaways from this event for our small business community is the availability of Peer to Peer lenders and the development of Crowdfunding platforms like Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE). All of the non-traditional lenders shared examples of the types of loans that they have closed. Their approved applicants all had good credit scores, but loan to income valuations were not considered; credit history, ability to repay, quality of the presentation, and experience were most important. From origination to closing, the norm was a mere two weeks. The average loans were in the $20,000$40,000 range. Peer to Peer, also known as Person to Person, is a relatively new financing vehicle that matches
private investors with qualified small businesses. www.Prosper.com and www.LendingClub.com are two of the largest. They originated and closed over $871 million last year. Crowdfunding involves individuals pooling their money in support of the efforts of other organizations. This network is similar to Peer to Peer and several of the presenters were newly
formed Crowdfunding lenders. Lendio is another useful tool for small businesses. It is a loan matching source that assists small business in finding the right loan online with banks, credit unions and alternate lenders. They can be found at www.Lendio.com. Now is the time for businesses to personally get to know their lenders. They should strive to understand what types of businesses, the underwriting requirements, loan types and preferred loan amounts that the lender requires before making an inquiry or application. Our banking community and various alternate lenders are actively seeking new borrowers, the economy is improving, interest rates are low and opportunities exist. Good luck!
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Month in Review
Business After Hours
(L to R) Caleb Gilbert, Edwin Natic, Annia and Patience Garmon.
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Jimmy Lane braves the dunk tank for a charitable cause. HORIZONS October 2013
(L to R) Crystal Johnson, Alex Girrbach and Irene Doehring
Carrabba’s Italian Grill serves delicious Italian cuisine.
Month in Review
Golf Tournament
Golfers head out for the Chamber’s Annual Golf Tournament.
Catalyst Physical Medicine greets golfers at Hole 14. HORIZONS October 2013
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Tourism
Transportation Chamber, Rotary and County to Host Transportation Summit
Down Home Country Fun!
ongestion on GA-400 has become C a major issue for residents, businesses and economic development
prospects in the community. In a recent business climate survey 31 percent of existing businesses said that congestion had a negative impact on their ability to do business. Approximately 22 percent noted that congestion had a negative impact on their ability to retain high quality employees. The population of Forsyth County is expected to exceed 200,000 by 2017. As the community continues to grow and enjoy economic prosperity, infrastructure must be in place to ensure a sustainable economic future. Other needs in the community include Hwy. 9, repaving and widening of Hwy. 369, McGinnis Ferry Road and Hwy. 20 (from 575 to Sugar Hill). “Forsyth County continues to be one of the fastest growing counties in the state, so transportation is a key topic for our community to address,” District 4 Commissioner Cindy Jones Mills said. “Transportation impacts all facets of our community, not the least of which is economic development. From the McGinnis Ferry Road interchange to the widening of Highway 20, transportation projects impact not only existing businesses and but also businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Forsyth County.” To have your voice heard and your questions answered mark your calendar for the 2013 Transportation Summit. This lunch event, jointly hosted by the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of
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Commerce, Forsyth County government and the South Forsyth Rotary Club will be held on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center located at 3410 Ronald Reagan Boulevard, Cumming, GA 30041. The cost of this event is $15.00 and includes lunch and the opportunity to hear from and ask questions of invited guests: Rudy Bowen (Georgia Department of Transportation, District Seven), Keith Golden (Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Transportation), Emily D u n n ( G e o rg i a D e p a r t m e n t o f Transportation, District Nine), Bayne S m i t h ( G e o rg i a D e p a r t m e n t o f Transportation, District Engineer), John Cunard (Director of the Forsyth County Government Engineering Department), Bert Brantley and Chris Tomlinson (State Road and Tollway Authority). Limited seating will be available at no cost for those choosing to not partake in lunch. The program will begin at 12:30 p.m. and will conclude at 1:30 p.m. To r e g i s t e r t o a t t e n d v i s i t w w w. cummingforsythchamber.org or call 770-887-6461. “The transportation summit will provide a great opportunity for open dialogue and communication regarding the future of transportation in our county and I would encourage everyone to attend this event,” comments Commissioner Mills.
T
he fall is settling in and it’s that time of year again – the Annual Cumming Country Fair & Festival. The fair will be held at the Cumming Fairgrounds from Oct. 3 - 13, 2013. This is the fair and festival’s 20 th year in Cumming, and will prove to be another ten days of fun, rides, music, food, shows and history. An impressive array of special guests will be at this year’s festival. Kellie Pickler, Dancing with the Stars winner and American Idol contestant, will be in concert on Oct. 10 th. She came from country-girl obscurity to the Top Six of American Idol’s fifth season. Her charming southern girl persona also contributed to her post-Idol success, resulting in a near platinum-selling album and three CMT Awards. Jeff n Mark’s Carolina Moonshine are the “newbies” on The Discovery Channel’s Season 2 Moonshiners. They will be hosting a meet and greet at the fair on Oct. 4th. Come to the fair on Oct. 8th for a day of unlimited rides and to see Don Williams. He was called “the Gentle Giant” in the decades he was a dominating country hit-maker because of his unique blend of commanding presence and that laid-back, easy style that has helped him to cut across
national and genre boundaries. KIDZ BOP will be in concert on Oct. 9 th . They will be performing hit songs from radio’s top 40. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Forsyth will have a patient parade on this day as well. American Bull Riders Tour will be at the fair on its final weekend, Oct. 12th and 13th. The American Bullriders Tour is for qualifying events and was designed by a cowboy. The tour travels across the mid-west to the south. In addition to all of these incredible guests and events, the fair boasts the Heritage Village, the Cherokee Indian Village, a Tiger Encounter, the Carnival Midway, a petting zoo, Greg Bates, Casey James and much more. To learn more check out www. cummingfair.net or call 770-781-3491. The fun doesn’t stop with the Cumming Fair, though. The Atlanta Halloween Half Marathon and 5K will be an annual event that will kick off Halloween! The event will take place on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013 in Cumming, GA. The half marathon begins at 8:00 a.m. and the 5K Run begins at 8:30 a.m. The start and finish area will be at the Cumming Fairgrounds. There will be plenty of free parking and bathrooms located at the Fairgrounds. For more info please visit halloweenhalfmarathon. com/events/atlanta/.
HCA The Affordable Care Act and its Implications on the Business Community
Healthcare Association gives to Parks Foundation
he 2013 Healthcare Summit, presented by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta T Forsyth will cover the Affordable Care Act and how it will affect individuals, families and businesses.
Dr. Karen Minyard, Director & Associate Research Professor with the Georgia Health Policy Center at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies will update the community on the Affordable Care Act and the steps employers and employees should take to prepare. Discussion topics will include: • What business owners need to know • Time frame for the business community • Potential economic impact in Georgia • Health insurance exchanges for individuals and small businesses By October 1, 2013 employers will be obligated to provide each current employee with a written notice describing the individual employee’s options in the insurance exchanges. Business owners should make plans to attend this event to learn as much as possible about these options. The Summit will take place on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at the Forsyth Conference Center (3410 Ronald Reagan Boulevard, Cumming, GA 30041). This is a joint event between the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Lanier Forsyth. The event will be held from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. and cost $15 for Chamber Members and $30 for Non-Members. To reserve your spot please contact the Chamber at 770-887-6461 or visit the Chamber’s website at www.cummingforsythchamber.org.
Jason Mock on behalf of the Healthcare Association of Forsyth County presents a check to the Forsyth County Parks and Rec Foundation, represented by Mary Helen McGruder and Tommy Bruce from the Forsyth County Parks and Rec Department.
he Healthcare Association of Forsyth County presented a $6,000 donation to T the Forsyth County Parks Foundation during a recent Chamber board of directors meeting. The donation was made with proceeds from the Boulder Dash
5K hosted by the Healthcare Association of Forsyth County and sponsored by Northside Hospital-Forsyth and Bluegrass Materials Company. More than 1,500 runners, walkers and businesses participated in the 2013 Boulder Dash. The donation will be used by the Forsyth County Parks Foundation to support the goals of Envision a Fit Forsyth, an initiative of the HCA to support healthy lifestyles by engaging them in activities with the Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department. A previous contribution of proceeds from Boulder Dash funded signage along the greenway to educate residents about the health benefits of exercise. Over the past four years, the HCA has presented an impressive $30,000 to the Forsyth County Parks Foundation. For more information about the Forsyth County Parks Foundation, visit their web site at www.forstyh-countyparks.org.
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Member News Cottrell Speaker Series returning to UNG
Representative Hamilton presented Small Business Guardian Award
Cumming • Dahlonega • Gainesville • Oconee | w w w.ung.edu
his year’s Cottrell Speaker Series T has focused on entrepreneurship. On November 4, 2013, Melanie FewHarrison, founder of the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, will speak at the U n ive r s i t y o f N o r t h G e o rg i a ’s Gainesville Campus at noon. This event will be held in the auditorium of the
Continuing Education/Performing Arts Center (Building 10: 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA). The event is free to attend and open to the public. A live simulcast of the event will be available on every campus for students, faculty and staff to participate.
South Forsyth’s DECA Program creates international promotional video
ach year, DECA Inc. strives to E portray the DECA experience through a promotional video to expand
outreach, increase interest and inform the public about the organization. This year, South Forsyth High School was selected as the subject for DECA’s internationally reaching video. South Forsyth High School has been named the largest DECA chapter in the world for the past five consecutive years. At this year’s International Career
Development Conference SFHS boasted an impressive 1,020+ members. In order to capture the perspective of South Forsyth DECA members, Clayton Carter, a film director from Cybis Communications, used a Go Pro camera for the video. The camera attaches to students’ bodies to portray the DECA experience through their eyes. The camera follows the students as they attend meetings, practice role-plays, give presentations and win a first place trophy in a competition. The video received very positive feedback. South Forsyth and DECA Inc. believe that it truly represents the DECA experience. The video, titled “See For Yourself – 2013 DECA Membership Video,” can be viewed at DECADirect.org or YouTube.com.
t a t e R e p r e s e n t a t ive M a r k S Hamilton was recently presented the 2013 Small Business Guardian Award by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The award is the federation’s highest honor for legislators who advocate and support the interests of small businesses.
“I am honored to receive this special award from NFIB,” said Hamilton. “As a small business owner myself, I take special interest in the work that the NFIB does to advocate for small bu s i n e s s e s i n G e o rg i a . S m a l l businesses are the real leaders in job growth and I remain dedicated to providing sound policy that allows the free market to work in Georgia, as that benefits not only business, but all Georgians.” The NFIB tracks certain legislation that is important to small business success in Georgia. The organization then measures legislators’ votes for these key issues and assigns them a score from 0 – 100 based on their support, or lack thereof, for small businesses.
Alpharetta Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics ribbon cutting
l p h a r e t t a C h i l d r e n ’s A Dentistry & Orthodontics celebrated the official grand
opening of their office at 110 North Corners Pkwy in Cumming on Friday, September 13. The dentistry opened this third location in response to repeated Drs. George MacMaster and Meaghan Kindregan, request from parents in the Walter Sears, Ian MacMaster, chamber employees Cumming area. For more and chamber guests. information about Alpharetta Children’s Dentistry & Orthodontics or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Meaghan Kindregan (pediatric dentist) or Dr. Dan Kratzer (orthodontist) please visit alpharettachildrensdentistry.com or call 770-664-4936.
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Upcoming Events October 1
October 22
Key to the events
7:30 a.m., Old Atlanta Park
Noon, Silk Road Asian Kitchen
Member Power Networking Lunch — Meets every Tuesday at noon at a different location and includes casual networking for 20-35 other business professionals. Business After Hours — Meets the second Tuesday of every month from 5-7 p.m. at a different host location every month. The purpose is networking and to experience new businesses in the community. Women Who Mean Business — Meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30 a.m. This is a specialized networking group of over 50 female business professionals. Join them for breakfast.
Women Who Mean Business-
Member Power Networking Lunch-
October 1
October 25
Noon, Windermere Golf Club
6:30 p.m., Forsyth County Conference Center
Member Power Networking Lunch-
Annual Dinner & Celebration-
October 8
October 29
Noon, Marie’s Italian Deli
Noon, Outback Steakhouse
Member Power Networking Lunch-
Member Power Networking Lunch-
October 10
October 30
5:00 p.m., Hansgrohe
11:30 a.m., Forsyth County Conference Center
Business After Hours-
October 15
Member Power Networking Lunch-
Noon, Mellow Mushroom
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Transportation Summit
• Please visit our Event’s Calendar at www.cummingforsythchamber.org to see a full list of events, more information and registration.
Horizons 2013 Officers
Board of Directors
Linda Cole, Chair,
Jerry Bowman
David Seago, Past-Chair
Kevin Garmon
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Georgia Power - retired
Ann-Margaret Johnston, First Chair-Elect,
Johnston & Associates, Inc.
John Hall, Second Chair-Elect, Forsyth County News
Ann-Margaret Johnston, Secretary/Treasurer
Johnston & Associates, Inc.
Cardinal Logistics Management
Bannister Creek, LLC
Jonathan Green American Proteins
Drew Walker
Alliance National Bank
Chuck Button
Jacobs Engineering Group
Mike Caspar Walmart
John Deruki
Deruki Construction
Ex-Officio
Chamber Staff
Nelish Patel
Jeff Pruitt
Bert Durand
Jay Ryerse
Doug Derrer
Rep. Mark Hamilton
James McCoy
Bruce Longmore
Royce Owens
Ethan Underwood
Fran Forehand
Hon. Phil Smith
Rep. Mike Dudgeon
Randall Toussaint
Mark Bond
Bobby Thomas
Sen. Jack Murphy
Alex Girrbach
Sen. Steve Gooch
Laura Stewart
Rep. Geoff Duncan
Jason Mock
Hampton Inn
Lenny’s Sub Shop
Lynn Jackson
Forsyth Conference Center Mimms Enterprises
Bruce Hagenau
Northside Hospital-Forsyth
Metcam
Shawn LaFave
John Rasper
North Georgia Promotions
Dekalb Office
Scott Jordan
Tim Perry
BB&T
Cindy Mills
Bryan Properties
Chris Etheridge
Frazier & Deeter, LLC
Tracy Moon
Fisher & Phillips LLP
Citizen’s Bank
Bob Russell
Russell Landscape
Terry Smith
United Community Bank
Lipscomb, Johnson, Sleister, Dailey, & Smith LLP
Pete Amos
Chairman, Forsyth County Board of Commissioners
Paul Chambers AT&T
Bill Cupp
AGL Resources
Darla Light
A.C. Smith Poultry Co.
Chair, Forsyth County Board of Education
Wells Fargo
Dr. Buster Evans
Connie Sanders
Superintendent, Forsyth County Schools
Jtech Networks, LLC
Georgia Power
Hayes, James & Associates, Inc.
H. Ford Gravitt
Mayor, City of Cumming
Blake House Sawnee EMC
Jon McDaniel
Forsyth County Public Library
Mary Helen McGruder Sawnee Mountain Foundation
Forsyth County Manager
State Court Judge
Chair, Forsyth County Development Authority
Dr. Joanne Tolleson Lanier Technical College
President & CEO
Vice President of Economic Development
Director of Operations
Director of Communications & Events
Director of Small Business Services
Anna Barlow
Director of Tourism Development
Jimmy Lane
Director of Membership Services
Maggie Schmitz, Sherri Klug Administrative Assistants
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