Chamber of Commerce Board

chamber of commerce Board of directors

scott preston

2020 Chair Rome Floyd Chamber Synovus

As President of the Synovus Northwest Georgia Division, Scott Preston leads 90 team members with approximately $1 billion in assets. The NWGA division encompasses Rome, Cartersville, Calhoun, Dalton, Chickamauga, and Lafayette. Scott began his banking career during graduate school in 1991. After receiving his MBA, he began working at a small bank in Southwest Georgia as a lender, then made one more stop at another financial institution in Columbus, Georgia before beginning his career at Synovus Financial Corp in 1997. Upon joining Synovus at the corporate office in Columbus, he worked in various capacities, including credit administration, loan review, product development and treasury management. While he was in Columbus, Synovus was named the #1 company to work for in the United States by Forbes magazine in 1998. It was there that Scott learned about applying a mindset of Servant Leadership in the workplace. In 2004, after Synovus attempted on multiple occasions to buy a bank in Jacksonville, Florida, Synovus decided to start a bank from scratch for the first time. Scott was assigned to join a team in Jacksonville which became the Synovus Bank of Jacksonville. The team started the bank with zero assets, funded by a $10 million capital infusion by Synovus, and grew the bank to over $600 million in assets in a 12-year period. While in Jacksonville, Scott served as Executive Vice President and COO before moving to Rome in 2016 to assume the role of President of the Synovus NWGA division.

Scott graduated from Valdosta State University with his Bachelor of Business Administration, from Troy State University with his MBA, and received his graduate banking school degree from Indiana/Purdue University. In addition to serving as Chair of the Rome/Floyd Chamber for 2020, he is also a Board Member of the Rome Floyd Development Authority, Free Clinic of Rome, Network Day Center, and the Shorter University Ledbetter College of Business. He previously served as a Board Member of the Florida Bankers Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the International Learning Center of Jacksonville, and a United Way loaned Executive. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children: Emily, a senior at the University of Georgia, and Jackson, a 6th grader at Darlington School. Scott and his family reside in Rome and are members of the First Baptist Church.

elaine abercrombie

Greene’s Jewelers, Inc.

A lifelong Roman, Elaine Manning Abercrombie, has demonstrated her commitment to Rome and especially Downtown Rome through years of service to the local community. She served as Chair of the Rome Floyd Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2019. Her family has owned Greene’s Jewelers in Downtown Rome since 1948. After graduating from Auburn University in 1981, Elaine married Tony Abercrombie, also a lifelong Roman. They have one son, Jackson; a daughter-in-law, Heather Ratliff Abercrombie; and one grandson, Tucker. The Abercrombies attend First Baptist Church of Lindale.

Brinson, Askew, Berry, Seigler, Richardson & Davis, LLP

A partner at Brinson, Askew, and Berry, Lee Carter practices law focusing primarily on representing businesses and business owners in their complex commercial disputes. Lee is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubble and has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in Business Litigation. Prior to joining Brinson, Askew, and Berry, Lee practiced in Atlanta at King and Spalding LLP in its Business Litigation Practice Group. There, he represented clients in significant business disputes filed across the country. Lee is a cum laude graduate of The University of Georgia School of Law and a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia, Phi Beta Kappa. Lee and his wife, Cassidy Carter, have two children: Ann and Barrett; they are members of Second Avenue Baptist Church in Rome.

j.r. davis

Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Georgia

Including his current service as Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Georgia, J.R. Davis has developed and led youth programs in California, Florida, and Georgia over the past 19 years and estimates his programs have successfully served more than 30,000 youth. Immediately after high school, J.R. joined the U.S. military and served for eight years, including service during the Persian Gulf War. He is married to Gini Davis, a local RN, and they have two adult children and one in high school. J.R. plays an active role in the community through his service with the Rome Seven Hills Rotary Club and as a Board Member for the Floyd County Schools College and Career Academy and the Rome-Floyd Chamber of Commerce.

david early

Floyd Medical Center

Promoted to Vice President of Support Services and Operations in 2018, David Early has responsibility for Floyd Cherokee Medical Center; Imaging Services at The Breast Center at Floyd; Respiratory Therapy for Neurodiagnostics, Non-Invasive Vascular Labs, Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Sleep Lab; and a number of support services. He became part of Floyd’s executive team in 2015, having joined Floyd in 2004 as Project Manager for the supply chain. He was named Director of Materials Management in 2005, and in 2011, was promoted to Director of Support Services. David holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from Covenant College and the Master of Business Administration and Master of Health Administration from Georgia State University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management and serves on the Board of Directors of Floyd Cherokee Medical Center. He is Chairman of the Board for Distributive Cooperative, Inc., and a member of the Seven Hills Rotary Club.

38 Having begun his banking career in 1995 in Rome, Ryan Earnest joined the staff of Heritage First Bank in 2002 as a lender and in 2005 became Senior Vice President and Senior Lending Officer until being elected President in May 2008. In December 2017, he was named Chief Executive Officer, and in March of 2019, became Chief Executive Officer of Heritage First Bancshares, Inc., the bank’s holding company. Ryanreceived a Bachelor of Arts degreefrom West Georgia College and a diploma from the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University. He serves as the Chairman of the Board for the Rome/Floyd County YMCA and the Development Authority of Floyd County. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for LSU’s Graduate School of Banking and the Board of Directors for the Georgia Bankers Association Insurance Trust, Inc. He is former Chairman of the Board for the Floyd Healthcare Foundation and South Rome Redevelopment Corporation, a former Board Member of Seven Hills Rotary Club and previous Chairman of the Diaconate at First Presbyterian Church of Rome. Ryan is a member of the Boards of Directors for Heritage First Bank and Heritage First Bancshares, Inc. Heritage First Bank

andy garner

McRae, Smith, Peek, Harmon & Monroe, LLP

C. Andrew (Andy) Garner, III is an attorney and partner with McRae, Smith and Peek and was elected to the partnership in 2006. He represents and provides assistance for the firm’s banking clients in collection matters and is on call for clients who require quick response regarding real and personal property. Andy has also served in local government law, and as counsel to the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission for some years. He has served as an assistant county attorney for Floyd County from 2003 – 2015, and primary contact for the Floyd County Commissioner, the Board of Tax Assessors and the Health Department. He represents the Georgia Department of Transportation in the right of way acquisitions, and offers comprehensive estate planning services to the firm’s clients. Appointed in 2012 by Governor Deal, Andy served on the Rome Circuit Public Defender Oversight Panel to review the local public defender’s office on an annual basis. The panel holds the responsibility to select a candidate to serve a Chief Public Defender for this circuit. Andy holds membership in many organizations and actively serves as board member in most. He is a past board member of the Seven Hills Rotary Club and a Paul Harris Fellow. He has held the offices of President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasure of the Rome Bar Association.

ian Griffin

V3 Publications, LLC

Ian Griffin is the current Owner/CEO of V3 Publications LLC, a full-service creative agency located in Rome. Prior to this position, he was a founding partner of what started as V3 Magazine, a Northwest Georgia feature reader that highlighted the people and places important to the area. He began by working in sales, marketing and public relations. Under his direction, V3 has grown from a three-man operation to a staff of over 20 editors, writers, designers and photographers who specialize in business promotions across all platforms. A Rome native, Ian graduated from the Carolina School of Broadcasting in Charlotte in 2000 and returned to Rome in 2006 to start V3.

Jenna Guzman is a content and brand communications professional currently serving as the Communications Manager for the International Paper Rome Containerboard Mill. With a decade of professional experience in communications, public relations, and social media strategy, Jenna previously worked with the Department of Defense through various DoD contractor positions across the southwest and southeast, including White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. With more than 500 publications as a columnist and journalist, Jenna’s award-winning work has been published in USA Today, ESPN Online, the Scoop Magazine, and Pulse Magazine. She is Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certified, OSHA 30-Hour Certified, and holds various military clearances. Jenna serves on the board of the United Way of Rome and Floyd County, as well as the Board of Directors for the Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce. Jenna holds a BA in journalism and mass communications from New Mexico State University and an MA in journalism, with emphasis on digital media from the University of Missouri (Mizzou). International Paper

andy harris

Having served as President/CEO of Coosa Valley Credit Union since 2015, Andy Harris joined CVCU as VP of Retail Services in 2010, bringing years of financial services industry leadership and expertise to his role with the company. During his tenure as CEO, CVCU has doubled in size, growing from $165 million in assets to $365 million in assets and more than 100 employees. Under his leadership, CVCU has completed two mergers in three years, significantly lowered operating expenses, and achieved record income. Andy previously worked for Community Bank of Rockmart, having begun his career at Suntrust Bank in Rome. He is very active in the Bartow County community, having been born and raised in Taylorsville. He has served on the Cartersville Bartow County Chamber of Commerce Board, is a member and past president of Rotary Club of Etowah and is an active member of Tabernacle Baptist Church. Andy holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, both from Shorter College. The Rockmart High graduate and his wife, Krista Kimsey Harris (a second grade teacher at Cartersville Primary), daughters Addie and Lauren, and dog Bella reside in Taylorsville. Coosa Valley Credit Union

dr. joyce heames

Berry College

Dr. Joyce Heames is the Dean and a Full Professor of Management of the Campbell School of Business at Berry College. She came to Berry from West Virginia University, where she served as Associate Dean of Innovation, Outreach, and Engagement for the John Chambers College of Business & Economics. Before that appointment, she was Chair of the Department of Management (programs in Entrepreneurship, Hospitality and Tourism, International Business) and Coordinator of the Master of Science of Industrial Relations program. She started the PhD program in Management for the Business School. Her academic career started at Samford University in Alabama, where she served in administration for the Brock School of Business. Joyce is a native of Birmingham and holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from Samford University and earned her Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi. She and her husband, Tim, have four children and ten grandchildren.

Shorter University

Dr. Heath Hooper is in his eight-year at Shorter University and in his fourth year of serving as the Dean of the Ledbetter College of Business and an Associate Professor of Sport Management. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Sport Studies from Reinhardt College, a Master of Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University – Irvine, and a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Sport Management from North Central University. Before coming to Shorter University, Dr. Hooper worked as an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Reinhardt University and Young Harris College. Dr. Hooper serves the Rome Community by being involved with the Rome Floyd Chamber and as a Board Member for the Rome-Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth. Dr. Hooper is married to AnnMarie Hooper; they have one son, Ty.

Jarrod “J.J.” Johnson

Smoothie King

The owner of Smoothie King in Rome, J.J. Johnson, actively serves the Rome Floyd community as a member of the advisory board of the Shorter University Business School, a committee member for Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, and as a volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club. Originally from Houston, Texas, J.J. is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a former Houston Police Officer. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Texas Southern University. He is married to Dr. Bridgette Dingle and is the father of Katherine Johnson.

stephanie jones

Redmond Regional Medical Center

Stephanie serves as the Chief Nursing Officer at Redmond Hospital, a position she has held since 2016. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of West Georgia. Active in our community, in addition to serving on the Chamber’s committee for Government Affairs, she has also served as moderator for local electoral discussions and is active in the HCA Government Group. Stephanie served as Treasurer for the Rome-Floyd Cancer Initiative and as a member of the Northwest Regional Cancer Coalition since inception. She has served as a preceptor/mentor Vanderbilt University’s MSN Administrative tract and the University of West Georgia’s, BSN and MSN programs.

Hardy Realty

Chris Kerr is a Director and Sales Agent at Hardy Realty. He has previous work experience at companies in NYC and LA, such as onefinestay (a luxury home-sharing business), DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, Hulu, and Gerson Lehrman Group. Chris graduated from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1996 and was chosen by the Georgia Rotary Student Program to attend the University of Oslo in Norway. He also received a master’s degree from the Annenberg School at The University of Southern California in 2000. Chris is a member of the Rome Rotary Club and serves on the Board of Directors for the Rome Area Council for the Arts, the Heart of the Community Foundation, and the Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2019.

nancy knight

Knight’s Car Store and Garage

A native of Rockmart, Nancy graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science. She currently serves on the Chamber executive committee as Vice-Chair of Community Development. She is Co-Founder of North Georgia Animal Partnership and Claws for Paws. She is a graduate of Leadership Georgia Class of 2002. She has served on the Board of Chieftain’s Museum, Heart of the Community, and Coosa Country Club. As a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, she has served as Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Finance Chair, Chair of the Rector Search Committee, and Chair of Building Renovation. Nancy and her husband, Jack, are owners of Knight’s Car Store and Garage. They are the parents of three adult children, Ford, Katherine and Cliff, and a house full of rescue dogs.

jill maslanka

Whittington, Jones & Rudert, CPAs, LLC

A partner at Whittington, Jones & Rudert CPAs LLC, Jill serves as the treasurer of the Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce and the Harbor House. She is a graduate of Leadership Rome XVI and Past President of the Rome Chapter of the Georgia Society of CPAs. Additionally, she is a member of the finance committee and the advisory council at St. Mary’s Catholic School. She also volunteers her time at the Rome Floyd Community Kitchen. Jill is a native Roman and a graduate of Berry College. She is married to Matt Maslanka and has a daughter Kate, who is a student at the University of Georgia and a daughter Abby, who attends Rome High School.

Marglen Industries, Inc.

Having graduated from The University of Alabama with a BS in Commerce and Business Administration, Ben McElrath began working at Marglen Industries in 2009 as Sales and Procurement Manager. Solely responsible for raw material purchases and sales transactions, he was instrumental in building Marglen’s recycled food-grade PET resin business. In 2012 Ben was promoted to President, and today, Marglen is one of the largest users of recycled PET in the country with over 130 million pounds of capacity for recycled PET annually. Ben has been active in The Association of PostConsumer Plastic Recyclers, Foundation for Plastic Recycling, National Association for PET Container Resources, and Georgia Association of Manufacturing. He is a Board Member of the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Georgia, a Board Member and past Chairman of The Greater Rome Existing Industries Association, a past Board Member of Coosa Country Club, President of Nine O’clock Cotillion, and a past Member of the Darlington School Alumni Council. A 2015 graduate of Leadership Darlington and a 2018 graduate of Leadership Georgia, he and his wife, Sarah, are active members of St. Peters Church. They have two children and live in historic Downtown Rome.

alli mitchell

United Way

In January 2019, Alli Mitchell stepped into the role of Executive Director/CEO of United Way of Rome and Floyd County, charged with revisioning and rebuilding the organization. Previously, she served two years as Executive Director of the American Red Cross in Western North Carolina and led The Davies Shelter for nearly ten years. Alli holds a degree from the University of Georgia. She is an AmeriCorps Alumna, participated in Leadership Rome and Leadership Asheville, co-founded the Leadership Asheville Executive Director Roundtable and is founder of the Rome-Floyd Nonprofit Executive’s Roundtable. Alli is a member of the inaugural class of the Linda B. Williamson Foundation Leadership Academy. A humanitarian and servant leader at heart, she is passionate about relationship management, building and strengthening community, and driving innovative collaboration across sectors to improve the quality of life for all. Alli enjoys reading, yoga, and adventuring with her Airedale Terrier, Tilda.

Parrish owens

G&L Holdings

As Director of Corporate Development for G&L Holdings, Parrish Owens is responsible for advancing the strategic initiatives of the business by identifying, analyzing, and executing on opportunities that accelerate the long-term success of the enterprise. Prior to this role, Parrish worked at Southeastern Mills and Tri-Eagle Sales. He earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Florida State University, where he is still involved as an alumnus and serves on the Board of Directors’ Executive Committee for the Seminole Boosters. He also achieved further executive education at Emory University, Kennesaw State University, and Kansas State University. Parrish and his wife, Catherine, live in Atlanta.

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Pinson’s Inc.

Born in Rome in 1979, Will Pinson graduated from Pepperell High School and attended Shorter University on a golf scholarship. While in college, he began framing houses with some high school friends and discovered a love for construction. He worked for several companies performing different construction tasks while establishing his first business, Will Pinson Properties, through which he began building homes and remodeling. In 2011, he joined Pinson’s Inc., and from there has been able to broaden his construction management abilities into commercial and light industrial work. He continues to build custom homes and remodel. He and his wife, Courtney, have three sons: Britton, Bennett, and Campbell. He said the people and businesses of Rome have been very good to him, and he plans to offer them top-notch construction services for years to come.

dr. heidi popham

Georgia Northwestern Technical College

In June 2019, Dr. Heidi Popham was named President of Georgia Northwestern Technical College. She has worked for GNTC for more than 23 years, beginning as the Executive Assistant to the President. She gained significant leadership experience through her service as Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, and Executive Vice President. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Covenant College and both Master of Education and Doctor of Education degrees from the University of Georgia.

ryan simmons

Brand RED

An avid film lover and storyteller since childhood, Ryan Simmons is a director and owner of Brand RED Studios, a film production and marketing company based in Rome. His first short film premiered to a packed auditorium and kick-started his career in filmmaking. Since then, Ryan has gone on to win prestigious awards at the Cannes International Film Festival and the NYC film competition The Christophers Award. Ryan directed and produced Running A.T. Full Speed, a feature-length documentary on one man’s journey of breaking the speed record of the Appalachian Trail to raise $100,000 for orphans in Uganda. Ryan holds an MBA from Berry College.

Harbin Clinic

As Chief Executive Officer of Harbin Clinic, Kenna Stock heads the largest privately owned, multi-specialty physician group in Georgia, comprising 240 medical professionals representing 40 different medical specialties and services. With 13 medical offices throughout Northwest Georgia, Harbin provides care for nearly 250,000 patients. An active member of the community, Kenna serves on the Board of Directors of Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Mercy Care – Rome, and United Community Bank, in addition to her service with the Rome Floyd Chamber. She is a member of the Executive Advisory Council of Berry College’s Campbell School of Business. Kenna joined Harbin Clinic in 1999 as Business Office Director. She served as Chief Operations Officer from 2001-2013 and became Harbin’s Executive Director in 2014. She was named CEO in 2015. Before coming to Harbin Clinic, she was the business office director at Esse Health, a multi-specialty physician group in St. Louis, Missouri. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lindenwood University and an MBA from Shorter College.

mary transue

Georgia Highlands College

A member of the Georgia Highlands College administration since December 2014, Mary Transue currently serves as Vice President of Advancement and Government Relations and Executive Director of the GHC Foundation. She has 12 years’ experience with the University System of Georgia, as well as extensive experience in corporate healthcare and non-profit leadership. Building and maintaining strong relationships and partnerships with communities and businesses are the keys to success for any organization and one of the aspects of her job she enjoys the most.

tashia twyman

Rome City Schools

Currently serving as Director of Communications and Public Engagement for Rome City Schools, Tashia Twyman is a lifelong advocate of children and education. She served as an adjunct instructor and tutor at several colleges and schools, including Rome Middle School, Shorter University, Georgia Northwestern Technical College and Georgia Highlands College. A 2017 recipient of the Heart of the Community Award, Tashia is a Member and Past Chair of the Open Door Children’s Home Board, President and Chair of several fundraisers for the Montessori School of Rome Booster Club, a Parent Volunteer at Darlington School, and a member of the 2004 class of Leadership Georgia. She is a Sustainer of the Junior Service League of Rome and a youth department volunteer at Lovejoy Baptist Church. Tashia earned a BA in Marketing and English from Georgia Southern University and a Master of Education Administration degree from Jacksonville State University. She and her husband Chris, have two children: Lauren Christa and Myles Christopher.

Floyd County Schools College and Career Academy

An educator with over 20 years’ experience, Eric Waters was named CEO and Principal of Floyd County Schools College and Career Academy in 2012. As CEO, he is responsible for the overall operations and coordination of programs to meet industry and community needs, budgets and collaborative partnerships with economic development, business, postsecondary education, government and community leaders. He also has more than 15 years of experience in healthcare management and as a business owner. Waters holds master’s degrees in Business Administration, Health Administration and Education in addition to a Specialist degree in Education. He is currently Rotary Assistant District Governor for District 6910 and Past President of the Rome Seven Hills Rotary Club.

cassandra wheeler

Georgia Power

Since November 2017, Cassandra Wheeler has served as Regional Director for Georgia Power’s Northwest Region with responsibility for the operations, sales, customer service, economic and community development, and eternal affairs activities for 14 counties and over 160,000 customers. Having served for more than six years as a B-18 avionics technician, she went on to earn a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Cincinnati and an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She began her career at Alabama Power in 2001 as an engineer and held positions of increasing responsibility before becoming plant manager at Plant Hammond in May 2014. In addition to her service with the Chamber, Cassandra serves on the Boards of Directors for Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Open Door Children’s Home, and the YMCA.

mark white

The Fairbanks Company

A native Roman, Mark White serves as Vice President and General Manager at Fairbanks, where he began working as an Industrial Engineer in 1997. He has been active with the Chamber over the years, serving on various committees and boards. He currently serves as Chairman of the Greater Rome Existing Industry Association (GREIA) and the Board of Directors for the Rome Floyd County Development Authority (RFCDA). He is a member and Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees for The Model/Johnson Schools Foundation. He is a graduate of Model High School and the Southern College of Technology. He and his wife, Brandy, have three daughters, Hannah, Lauren and Maggie Jon, and one granddaughter, Harper Katherine.

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