January 2015 HCCC Newsletter

henrycounty.com a henry county chamber of commerce publication

JANUARY 2015

Hampton • Locust Grove • McDonough • Stockbridge

in this issue Chair’s Message 2 Business Profile 3 Calendar 4 SBDC 5 Chamber Briefs 6 Leadership Henry 6 Henry Happenings 7 Chamber Membership 10 Ribbon Cuttings 10 Business After Hours 11 Business Boosters Luncheon 12 Youth Leadership Henry 13 Chamber Connections 13 STAR Breakfast 15

unty o C y r n e H e Th rce e m m o C f o r Chambe Attend

Join Us At The Chamber Annual Banquet February 7

es You to Cordially Invit

et u q n a B l a u n n A h t 8 Th e 4 15 RUARY 7, 20 , FEB SATURDAY AT NDING EAGLE’S LA CLUB COUNTRY GE, GA STOCKBRID

Presenting Sponsor

Comfortably South of Atlanta The Henry County Chamber of Commerce serves as the voice for the business community, provides quality services and programs that meet the needs of its members, improves the economic environment of the community and creates a legacy of leadership for the future.

YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS

The ticket order form is available on the Chamber Banquet website at www.hcccannualbanquet.com, or you can call the Chamber at 770-957-5786 to purchase tickets. The deadline for purchasing tickets is Friday, January 23, 2015.

Chamber Board of Directors Chairman, Charlie Scott will officially pass the gavel to the 2015 Chair, June Wood. We will recognize the recipients of the 2014 Business of the Year; the Billy Carter Public Service Award; the Volunteer of the Year and the Citizen of the Year.

Together Making Henry Better

Our Chamber...O ur Community

CASH BAR A T 6:00 P.M. DINNER AT 7:00 P.M. TICKET: $1 www.HCCCAN 25 PER PERSON NUALBANQU ET.com PLEASE REP LY COCKTAIL A TTIRE

SAVE THE DATE: February 27 - March 1, 2015 You also can grow your business by advertising with the chamber and sponsoring events.

Three days, three races and one nonstop NASCAR weekend. Atlanta’s race weekend will feature brand new dates, the return of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and a full weekend of high-speed racing action. - See more at: www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.

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Message from the Chair A New Year with New Beginnings June Wood

I encourage you to make a commitment to help bring more positive change to our community.

June Wood Henry County Chamber of Commerce 2015 Board Chair “Together making Henry Better”

What a wonderful year 2015 will be as we all work together to make Henry County a better place to live, work, play and pray!

With a new year comes a new beginning, as well as resolutions.

This year, while you are making your resolutions, I encourage you to make a commitment to help bring more positive change to our community. We can start by making simple adjustments and becoming a conscious consumer.

Whether it be an evening out with family and friends, purchasing a vehicle, fine jewelry, or fulfilling technology and supply needs for your business, shopping locally is a great way to support one another. Make your resolution this year

to consciously patronize our Chamber Members Businesses!

There are approximately 700 members of our Henry County Chamber of Commerce. Take a moment to peruse the Chamber’s website at (www. henrycounty.com) and become familiar with the various member businesses right in this community. You may also take advantage of the opportunity to meet and get to know some of the local businesses and business owners by attending some of the many Chamber Events. Events such as the Chamber’s Business After Hours and Business Boosters Luncheon are held on a monthly basis and offer tremendous business building opportunities. Dates and times for these

and other chamber events can also be found on the Chamber’s website.

For 2015, our Henry County Chamber of Commerce Theme is, “Together making Henry Better…Our Chamber, Our Community.” We look forward to working together to strengthen the support of our chamber members and enhancing our community image.

Our goal is to retain as well as attract businesses and industries to Henry County thereby realizing the potential in the partnerships of our educational institutions and business community.

We want to be in a position to provide suitable local job opportunities and workforce development, all while fostering a stronger partnership with our

Arts Alliance to offer more quality of life options as a complement to our historical and cultural composition.

It is indeed an honor to serve you and our county as the 2015 Chair of our Henry County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. We are Henry County, and I look forward to our continued partnerships as a Chamber with committed business leaders, elected and appointed officials, and community servants.

Together, we can make our Chamber and our Community better.

June Wood Henry County Chamber of Commerce 2015 Board Chair “Together making Henry Better”

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Business Profile Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, Inc. About Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling provides an array of high-quality heating, cooling, and plumbing services to both residential and commercial customers in Jonesboro, McDonough, Hampton, Locust Grove, Stockbridge and Love Joy. Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling have been serving Henry County since 1974 and has more than 35 years of experience in handling sewer and septic problems.

At Harding Plumbing Heating and Cooling, their goal is to offer the most reasonably priced HVAC work

to consumers. They do everything they can to keep service costs down without skimping on quality.

Community Support The agency has twenty-eight employees who are experienced and skilled McDonough HVAC specialists.

Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling has sponsored several local events as well as youth activities.

Chamber Involvement Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling has been a member of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce since 1997.

They believe that being a Chamber Member provides the opportunity of getting to know the businesses in

Every LIFE has a story.

Celebrate it!

Greg Cannon

BELLAMY-STRICKLAND Chevrolet • Buick • Pontiac • GMC Trucks

770 -954-3000 I-75 . 155 Hwy McDonough

For more information about Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Services, contact: 63 Keys Ferry Street McDonough, GA 30253 Website: www. hardingplumbingandhvac.com/

Jack Harding, President, Harding Plumbing, Heating & Cooling, Inc.

Email: info@ hardingplumbingandhvac.com Phone 770-957-5770 Fax 770-957-1596 Business Hours Mon-Fri: 8:00am - 5:00pm Additional hours by appointment.

770-914-1414

www.cannonclevelandfunerals.com

BELLAMY STRICKLAND

Henry County and what they have to offer and that the information provided by the Chamber’s newsletters, meetings, special events, etc. are very instrumental resources for everyone to gain knowledge of the county and what it has to offer.

“Chamber membership keeps us informed and aware of all relevant business activity in the area”, says owner Jack Harding. “It gives us a presence in the business community”.

I-75 • Exit 216 145 Industrial Blvd.

McDonough, GA

May 8 is the Date: 3rd Annual Belles, Bulls & Bucks

We hope you received some boots for Christmas because you’re going to need them for the 3rd Annual Belles, Bulls & Bucks on May 8, 2015 at Southern Belle Farm. Last year we cranked up the fun with the additions of carnival games, cow chip bingo and the First Annual Running of the Belles.

Look for all the same fun features, but bigger and better than ever! Keep an eye on your inbox for more information about this fun event.

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JANUARY 2015 Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

thursday New Year’s Day -- Chamber Closed

Friday

Saturday

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8 AM Leadership Henry, BR

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8 AM Youth Leadership Henry, BR

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10 AM Small Business Council, BR

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Chamber Closed

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8:30 AM CVB BOD, BR

11 AM Business Boosters Luncheon, HR

10 AM Membership Committee, BR

5:30 PM Business After Hours, Fidelity Bank

27 8:30 AM Education Committee, BR

2015 Board of Directors Executive Committee June Wood, Chair Leonard Moreland, Chair Elect, Heritage Bank Melissa Malcolm, Secretary/Treasurer, Melissa P. Malcolm, LLC Charlie Scott, Immediate Past Chair, Piedmont Henry Hospital Brad Thomas, Vice Chair for Economic & Cultural Development, Snapping Shoals EMC Steve Nail, Vice Chair for Chamber Development, Nail Heating & Air Shane Persaud, Vice Chair for Government & Education, Communities in Schools of Henry County Jeff Mills, CVB Chair, David Gill, HCCC President & CEO

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8 AM HCCC BOD, BR 12 PM Ambassadors Luncheon

Class of 2015: Herschel Arant, Central Georgia EMC Greg Hammonds, Whaley Hammonds Tomasello, PC John Newman, Classic Landscapes Rhett tucker, Georgia Power Laura Turner, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Scott Whitmire, Georgia Power

Class of 2017: Nadia Faucette, Georgia Power Greg Guy, Goodyear Aviation Products Rod Meadows, Meadows & Macie, PC Sharon Ponder, Benett International Group Brad Thomas, Snapping Shoals EMC Dr. Gopal Rao, Atlanta Heart Associates

Class of 2016: Toni Davis, Individual Member Wayne Lowrey, United Community Bank Melissa Malcom, Melissa P. Malcolm, LLC Steve Nail, Nail Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Shane Persaud, Communities in Schools of Henry County Denise Sowell, Capitol Street Financial Services

Ex Officio Members Rodney Bowler, Henry County Schools Donna Braddy, Leadership Henry Tony Carnell, HC Water Authority Mayor Billy Copeland, City of McDonough Bill Herndon, HC Development Authority Mayor Steve Hutchison, City of Hampton Mayor Robert Price, City of Locust Grove Tommy Smith, Henry County Board of Commissioners Mayor Tim Thompson, City of Stockbridge

Chair Appointees Patti Brown, SERVPRO Dr. Randall Peters, Southern Crescent Technical College Kedon Williams, Southern States, LLC CHAMBER STAFF David Gill, President & CEO Laura Luker, Director of Tourism Lydia Pierre, Director of Communications Gary Sparrow, Membership Director Phyllis Reeves, Information Specialist

Strawn & Co. Insurance

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16 Hampton Street McDonough, GA 30253

770-957-9005 StrawnInsurance.com

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Three Things to Help Your Business Thrive in 2015 Heather Chaney, Clayton State un- or underserved that you University Small Business could serve.

Development Center • Do a competitive analysis.

Game-changing elements

Happy New Year! 2015 is like government regulation, the halfway point for this decade social and digital media, and a blank slate for your small and technology changed the business. How can you thrive in competitive landscape in 2014.

Consequently, now is a good 2015 and beyond?

Here are three things you should time to revisit your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, do this year: • Determine what you really threats (SWOT) analysis. Some want from your business and of your competitors changed then make Specific, Measurable, markets or simply went out of Attainable, Realistic, and Timely business, while others may have (SMART) goals. Have you set gotten stronger and became sales and revenue goals? Will more of a threat to you. Pay you stop serving an unprofitable attention to what is looming market or fire a customer? this year.

Determine who isn’t worth • Re-evaluate your talent. doing business with anymore. Are you satisfied with all of See if there is a market that is your employees? Just like you

may need to fire a customer; you may need re-home an employee. In the book Good to Great, Author Jim Collins states “good-to-great companies first got the right people on the bus–and the wrong people off the bus–and then figured out where to drive it.” Evaluate your employees’ performance and job descriptions in their next review. If they aren’t in the right “seat on your bus”, would they be more productive, effective, or happy in a different position or with a different company?

These three things could yield positive results for your business and for you personally.

Take deliberate steps to make 2015 a prosperous year.

The Educated Plumber Rooter & Septic www.eduplumber.com • Plumbing • Sewer & Drain • Water Heaters • Leak Detection • Septic Pumping & Repairs

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Chamber Briefs.

Congratulations to...

Georgia Power for being recognized as the Business of the Year by the Henry Council for Quality Growth, for their outstanding contributions to the organization and our community. External Affairs Manager Nadia Faucette accepted the award on behalf of the Georgia Power team.

Board member, Sharon Ponder who was promoted from Corporate Controller to Vice President - Finance & Comptroller at Bennett International Group, LLC.

Genie Griffin on becoming a Board member for the Haven House

Education Day Leadership Henry’s Class of 2015 went back to school for their second focus day in Henry County as they learned about the county’s education system. With both strong public and private schools, class members had the opportunity to hear from and learn about both. The day started at Strong Rock Christian School where class members heard from their staff regarding their mission and work in the area. Information was shared on the vision of the school and how it is currently impacting the lives of its students. A wonderful breakfast and tour were provided before departing.

The day’s activities then shifted to Henry County Schools’ newest addition in Hampton High School. Class members had the chance to hear from students, teachers, and administrators, including the Henry County school district Superintendent Rodney Bowler and members of the district’s senior staff, on the school’s unique qualities and its focus on Personalized Learning for its student body. Information was also given regarding the operations for the 41,000+ students and 5,000+ employees in the district. Tours of the new facility and small mementos of the visit were given before

everyone departed for the next stop at the Academy for Advanced Studies in McDonough.

The Academy for Advanced Studies is a college and career academy giving students across the school system the opportunity to explore many post-secondary and career-ready courses. Lunch was provided by the culinary arts students and a presentation was given by Assistant Superintendent Aaryn Schmuhl on the district-wide vision for Personalized Learning.

Class members were also given the opportunity to tour the program’s 56,000-square-foot expansion.

A visit to Patrick Henry Academy in Stockbridge concluded the day’s events.

Members of the class got the chance to hear of the positive impact the school has had on students needing a smaller class structure and extra assistance in order to excel. Class members departed the facility with a fresh perspective on Patrick Henry Academy and its role in the school system in educating and preparing students for success.

The December’s class day featured the topic of economic development in Henry County.

Piedmont Henry on being recently recognized

by LifeCord for its life-saving efforts through the hospital’s Cord Blood Donation program.

Class members hear from Julie Sparks with Strong Rock Christian School as she shows them a model of what the future holds for their campus.

The Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) for being recognized for outstanding professional achievement during the recent Fall Conference of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP).

If you are a Chamber member with good news to share, send your logo and/or photo and information to lpierre@henrycounty.com and let us congratulate YOUR business!

Class members hear from Academy for Advanced Studies CEO John Uesseler as he shows them an example of an object created by a 3D printer.

Class members listen to an overview of the new Hampton High School given by Principal Todd Finn (right).

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it’s happening in Henry Comfortably South of Atlanta Gift of Lights Holiday Lights Spectacular Thru January 3 Atlanta Motor Speedway Celebrate the holiday season as Atlanta Motor Speedway turns into one of the area’s biggest drivethrough Christmas light parks!

Hundreds of displays with over 2 million lights will help get you into the holiday spirit.

Resolution Run January 1 – 9:45 AM Grace Management Services – 325 Country Club Drive, Stockbridge Join Get Set Grow for the 2015 Resolution Run. www.GetSetGrow. com.

Art in Unusual Places January 5 Atlanta Motor Speedway – Media Center Art in Unusual Places is a way to bring art to the public in a very different format. It was thought that viewing art in places other than galleries would help viewers to see the location as an enhancement of the art. In other words, it would open up the possibilities of “art”

and “location” as artistic partners.

The beauty of Art in Unusual Places exhibits is that the world of art is being opened to so many more people than just those who visit art galleries and museums. This installment, held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, will coordinate with the announcement of the finalists for the Henry County Convention and Visitors Bureau’s “Race to Henry” T-Shirt Design Contest.

For more information visit www.

HenryArtsAlliance.org.

Livvy’s Love Fun Run/Walk January 17- 8:00 a.m.

Stone Mountain Park Join Get Set Grow for the 4th annual Livvy’s Love Fun Run/Walk! Expect to have a fun-filled, family-friendly experience time again! Visit www.GetSetGrow.com for more information.

Legends Race: Winter Flurry Weeks 3 & 4 January 17 & 31 Atlanta Motor Speedway Legends and Bandolero racing returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway this winter with off-season racing as

NASCAR’s stars of tomorrow prepare for the 2015 summer Thursday Thunder series. See all the action from the pits as kids ages 6 to 11 are admitted for just $5 while adults pay only $12; admission is free for children ages five and younger.

Visit www.atlantamotorspeedway. com for more information or call (770) 946-4211.

17th Annual High School Art Contest Sponsored by Meadows & Macie, P.C. of Stockbridge & the Henry Arts Alliance, Inc. Pre-Registration January 6-29 Henry County Performing Arts Center The Alliance, along with the Visual Arts Collective, sponsors the Annual High School Art Contest.

Students, under the guidance of their art teachers, produce pieces that are judged by member artists from the Visual Arts Collective.

Winning students receive small cash prizes funded by the local law firm Meadows & Macie. The contest is open to 10th – 12th grade high School Students. Visit http://henryartsalliance.org/

HighSchoolArtContest.htm for existing wildlife habitats, while also providing an avenue for public complete details. education and enjoyment. The center Key Life Decisions seminar has 10 miles of nature trails nestled January 20th 10 am between three reservoirs. A naturalist McDonough Public Library is on duty.

At Edward Jones, we believe education is an important part Heritage Park Veterans of achieving your goals. We Museum & Wall of Honor also realize there is more to life Mondays- Saturdays – 10 AM – than just financial goals. We 3 PM – Heritage Park want to help you prepare for The museum hosts an impressive the future. We will have a CPA, collection of original uniforms, estate attorney, funeral director, military memorabilia, vehicles and and financial advisor providing aircraft from World War I to present. planning strategies and to answer The Veterans Wall of Honor, sits questions. RSVP required at 770- atop a 2.5 acre hilltop just steps from the Veterans Museum and 288-4151. is a unique national monument Atlanta Motor that honors all veterans, living and Speedway Track Tour deceased. Both the museum and the Daily wall are free to visit.

Atlanta Motor Speedway The tours are only $5 and operate JailHouse Brewing Company daily from the Gift Shop. They Tours & Visitation include a ride on the 1.54-mile, Thursdays 5:30 PM – 8 PM & quad-oval track.

Saturdays 2 PM – 6 PM

palatability. Come see how simple ingredients-- barley, water and hops—become something to celebrate.

Nash Farm Museum Fridays & Saturdays 9 AM – 5 PM The 204-acre Nash Farm Battlefield was the site of the largest cavalry raid in Georgia’s history and is the only battlefield south of Kennesaw Mountain that remains meticulously preserved so that visitors can step back in time to the final days of the Atlanta Campaign.

The Nash Farm Battlefield Museum, located on-site, introduces visitors to life at Nash Farm in the 1800s and to its historic role in the Civil War. Free to visit.

Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary Tuesdays – Saturday – Noon – 3:00 PM Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary has more than 1,500 animals (exotic, Brewed in the former city jail in domestic and wildlife) and is Cubihatcha Outdoor Center Hampton, Georgia, JailHouse open to the public year round.

Mondays – Fridays – Brewing Company offers hand- Free to visit.

8 AM – 4 PM The Cubihatcha Outdoor Center crafted beers that marry smallwas created to improve and protect batch ingenuity with refreshing

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Publication of Henrycounty.com is made possible in part by the support of the Board Members of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce. Thank You!

City of McDonough

Henry County Chamber of Commerce Convention & Visitors Bureau

Billy Copeland, Mayor

1709 Highway 20 West Westridge Business Center McDonough, GA 30253

770-957-3915

770-957-5786

8 Macon Street McDonough, GA 30253 770.389.9060 x102 eausband@revanta.com

Tim Thompson, Mayor 770-389-7910

770-946-8088 Nail-Air.com

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 75 FIFTH STREET NW, SUITE 175 ATLANTA, GA 30308 ECONDEVGA@SOUTHERNCO.COM WWW.SELECTGEORGIA.NET

Henry County’s choice for

Eddie Ausband, CFP

City of Stockbridge

If you’re looking for the perfect location, we can help. Along with SelectGeorgia, our powerful new state-of-the-art system for finding the best site or building for your company, our team of professionals provides world-class service to meet all your site location needs. We are here to be part of your team by providing our expertise, products, and services to you free of charge.

From target industry knowledge to site analysis to visit coordination, we do it all. Contact us.

We’re ON so you can be.®

770-775-7857 www.cgemc.com

Rodney Bowler Superintendent 770-957-6601 770-914-6178 FAX rodney.bowler@henry.k12.ga.us 22 N. Zack Hinton Parkway McDonough, Georgia 30253

McDonough

865 Hwy.20/81 West McDonough, GA 30253

770-898-1988

StockbriDge

850 Eagles Lndg. Pkwy.

Stockbridge, GA 30281

770-507-5855

LocuSt grove

Henry County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

770-288-3500

Proudly Serving Henry County

4870 Bill Gardner Pkwy.

Locust Grove, HA 30248

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Ribbon Cuttings

Welcome to our NEW Chamber Members Genesis Home Care LLC. Brian Greer 195 Milam Dr Ellenwood GA 30294 (770) 875-7153

Pipeline Trey Sheneman 280 Country Club Drive, Suite 101 Stockbridge GA 30281 (678) 972-8814

Georgia Behavioral Health Professionals Kelley Berry 250 Corporate Center Ct Stockbridge GA 30253 (770) 389-8100

Platinum Pro Construction Shane Craven 2220 Commerce Place McDonough GA 30253 (770) 380-7976

Impact Signs, Inc. Henry Dick 1607 Meredith Park Dr. McDonough GA 30253 (404) 985-1662

S-2international LLC Jennifer Mead 395 McDonough Parkway McDonough GA 30253 (678) 432-9502

Law Office of Deborah L. Britt, LLC Debbie Britt P.O. Box 3159 McDonough GA 30253 (770) 313-1214

TSYS Cynthia DeShields 3500 Loop Road McDonough GA 30253 (678) 583-2602

To our RENEWING Chamber Members 1st Franklin Financial Corp.

Allan Vigil Ford Lincoln Mercury Ashley Furniture Home Store Atlanta Motor Speedway Atlanta Regional Commission Bobbie Wingo Briggs & Stratton, Yard Power Products Group Connecting Henry, Inc. Eagle’s Landing Country Club Eagle’s Landing OB/GYN, Assoc., P.C. Ecolab Fallas Family Vision Griffin Insurance Agency Hamilton State Bank - Stockbridge Henry County Cooperative Extension Lambert Sand & Gravel Co., Inc.

Laura S. Crumbley, CPA, PC Linda King DDS, MAGD Meadows & Macie, PC Miller & Key P.A. Oliver K. Fretz Pinnacle Advertising Specialties, Inc. Point to Point Land Surveyors, Inc. Preston Creek Apartments Pro Studio, Inc. Smith, Welch, Webb & White, LLC Sons Honda Strawn & Co. Insurance The Kids Specialists, Henry Pediatrics, LLC True Natural Gas Wallace Electric Company

November 19, 2014 SelecSource Staffing Services

November 20, 2014 Goodwill of North Georgia Career Center

December 1, 2014 Academy for Advanced Studies

December 2, 2014 Fan Zone Pizza & Wings

December 3, 2014 Law Office of Deborah L. Britt, LLC

December 8, 2014 Georgia Behavioral Health Professionals

Contact: Kathryn Fraebel 1615 Hwy 20 West McDonough, GA 30253 (678) 735-4119 www.selecsource.com

Contact: John Uesseler 401 E. Tomlinson Street McDonough, GA 770-320-7997 www.schoolwires.henry.k12.ga.us/aas7

Contact: Debbie Britt 176 Atlanta Street, Suite B McDonough, GA 30253 (770) 313-1214

Contact: Brenda Marshall 3871 Highway 138 SE Stockbridge, GA 30281 (770) 507-6468 www.goodwillng.org

Contact: Kwesi Kirk 108 Woolsey Road Hampton, GA 30228 (770) 897-0082

Contact: Kelley Berry 250 Corporate Center Ct Stockbridge, GA 30253 (770) 389-8100 www.gabehavioralhealth.com

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business AFTER HOURS

January

Business After Hours Hosted by: Thursday, January 22, 2015 • 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm Fidelity Bank • 1375 Highway 20 West • McDonough, GA 30253

770-914-4302

locations.lionbank.com/mcdonough-branch Fidelity Bank is the largest community bank in metro • Loans and Lines of Credit Atlanta. With over 40 years of experience, Fidelity Bank provides a wide range of personal and corporate financial services, including consumer, commercial, construction and mortgage lending, traditional deposit and other credit services. They value the importance of community, and put local needs first. Their employees are our neighbors and friends, and they strive to provide outstanding customer service to all customers in areas such as: • • • • •

Personal and Business Checking Accounts Personal and Business Savings Accounts Mobile Banking Credit Cards IRAs

• Safe Deposit Box Take this opportunity to learn more about their services while you mingle with colleagues and enjoy refreshments. Business After Hours are free networking events for members and their invited (adult) guests.

About Business After Hours: Business After Hours is a monthly networking event designed to bring 40-50 business professionals together to meet and build relationships in an informal setting. Each event is hosted by a different Chamber member and is a great way to meet new people and see the diverse business community in Henry County. If you would like to host a Business After Hours, please contact, Lydia Pierre at: lpierre@henrycounty.com.

“Home of the Largest Single Weekend Amateur Baseball Tournament in the World”

Henry County holds this prestigious distinction. In March of each year Henry County welcomes the USSSA Super NIT baseball tournament and its more than 500 teams. This tournament, along with the more than 30 other tournaments held locally means more than $14 million in economic impact and more than 40,000 out-of-town guests to Henry County each year. In

order to showcase local businesses and enrich the visitors’ experience, the Henry County Convention and Visitors Bureau is working with the Henry County Parks and Recreation Department and the tournament directors to provide valuable sponsorship opportunities. Contact Laura Luker at lluker@henrycounty. com or 770-957-5786 for more details.

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Chamber Holiday Party Recap The holidays are a time of cheerfulness and joy for many people around the world. This year the Henry County Chamber of Commerce hosted its fourth annual Holiday Party. The event was sponsored by the Holiday Inn & Suites of Stockbridge, which tastefully decorated its lobby with enough holiday magic to make even the grumpiest scrooge smile.

The lights twinkled majestically on the towering tree engrossed with glistening red and gold ornaments while the steam rose steadily from the gourmet meal that was prepared by the hotel’s onsite 5-star chef.

The low rumble of chatter wafted throughout the room as members and their guests mingled with each other cordially. Bursts of laughter could be heard from the back room while adult after adult lined up to

sit on Santa Clause’s lap. There was no pushing or shoving as the members whispered their holiday wishes into the red ears of this jolly saint. As plates and glasses clinked together, guests were given the chance to try samples of the new food that would be arriving at the hotel’s new restaurant, The Burger Theory.

Members were compelled to go back for seconds, thirds and fourths of the delicious meal the chef laid out. From a seafood melody to a smoked brisket that was cut at request, the spread was truly one that would be remembered long after the night was over. Some guests even had the chance to meet the 5-star chef as he walked around the event inquiring about everyone’s evening.

He was fully assured that there were definitely no problems with the full tummies that had grown since the

start of the event. As the cacophony subsided the President & CEO of the Chamber, Mr. David H. Gill, stood up to give a lovely speech and thank all of the members for coming to such a joyous occasion.

The group erupted with applause when person after person came up to the front to accept the door prize that they had won. From Starbucks gift cards to a co-host opportunity on SCB-TV, the multitude of prizes donated were a treat for everyone involved. As the night slowly came to an end and people began to pick away at the delectable dessert spread, there was a tangible sense of contentment throughout the room. Another year of hard work had passed and been celebrated with great excitement. All of the guests left with a feeling of completeness and a feeling that next year’s holiday party would be even better.

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business

Boosters luncheon

January Business Boosters Luncheon

November BBL ... “SHOW & TELL” “Show and Tell” was one of the earliest games you played in kindergarten. You loved it so much you still remember it half a lifetime later. Your teacher had you play it so you could learn how to share with others, and how to speak in public, essential skills that still serve you today.

Economic Trends in Georgia

The “show” in ‘show and tell’ presentations, is slowly making a comeback in corporate America and these Business owners took a moment to exercise that skill and put their creativity in the forefront.

We thoroughly enjoyed watching everyone bring out their inner child and showcase their business.

January 22, 2015 • HCCC Hudgins Room 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Nearly 50 people participated in the November Business Boosters Luncheon that featured a filling meal from Sam’s Southern Eatery of McDonough, GA followed by a fun and memorable program of “Show & Tell”. Some told stories, others showed pictures and there were those that even performed an excerpt from a play. It was an opportunity for members to present a single item that would make a lasting impression of their business upon the audience. Whatever the method, our members proved that presenting can be a whole lot of fun, and that indeed it was.

Dr. Rajeev Dhawan Director and Professor Economic Forecasting Center J. Mack Robinson College of Business Georgia State University

Dr. Rajeev Dhawan wears a dual hat as Professor and as Director of the Economic Forecasting Center at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. As director of one of the country’s premier forecasting centers, Dr. Dhawan develops forecasts for the U.S. Southeast regional and local metro Atlanta economies. These forecasts are routinely published and presented to business executives and the media at the center’s popular, well-respected quarterly forecasting conferences.

At the January Business Boosters Luncheon find out more about: • Interlinkages between the global and the local metro economy • Economic Trends in Georgia • Economic Development Dr. Dhawan’s academic research analyzes U.S. business cycles with a special emphasis on the impact

of monetary policy changes on the growth and survival of small firms. His industrial organization work quantifies the contribution of organizational and technological factors in improving firm efficiency.

His other areas of specialization include small business strategy and entrepreneurship, energy economics and econometric modeling.

The early registration cost for this catered lunch is $12 for Chamber members and $20 for non-members. Reservations are required for planning purposes and Chamber members can make reservations and pay online at www.henrycounty.com under “Events” – select the BBL event on November 15. Guests and non-members can RSVP by calling (770) 957-5786 or email preeves@henrycounty.com. To cover catering costs, no-shows will be expected to make payment.

Dottie WISE

Associate Broker

Companion Care Cremation Services

910 Dailey Mill Road McDonough, GA 30253

owner

404.843.2500 Office 678-443-8407 Direct 404.683.0912 Mobile METRO BROKERS 1401 Highway 20 West

770-692-3819 Greg Cannon

dottie.wise@metrobrokers.com metrobrokers.com/dottie.wise

“Lillie”

www.companioncarega.com

McDonough, GA 30253

Each Firm is independently Owned and Operated

HenryCounty.com

13

Public Safety and Education Day

The Youth Leadership Henry Class of 2015 assembled at the Henry County Emergency Operations (911) Center in the early hours of Saturday, December 6, 2014. From there, they went to their first destination, Henry County Fire Station #1.

At the fire station, they were divided into three groups,

and learned about each piece of equipment. They also learned about the life of fire/ EMT personnel, and the vital role they play in public safety in our community.

The next destination was the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. There, Sheriff McBrayer shared with the class the role of the Sheriff, its history, and differences between it and other law enforcement organizations.

They then toured the jail, including a stop in cell block

F where they were able to walk around the cell block and see the advantages of direct inmate supervision.

The tour ended at the courtroom where pre-trial hearings are conducted. It was a fascinating look at an organization that many take for granted.

Any emergency call must be received and appropriately dispatched, so the class returned to the 911 center for a tour of that facility.

They received an explanation

of how calls are received and dispatched, in the room where calls were coming in and emergency services dispatched.

They also learned about the EMA function housed there, so that governmental units can efficiently manage any foreseeable emergency (yes Henry does have an Ebola plan).

After lunch at the 911 center, The Youth Leadership Class went to the Henry County Academy for Advanced studies; the largest Charter College &

Career Academy in the state, adjacent to Henry County High School. There they learned about dualenrollment, advanced CTAE, and a variety of online opportunities from Counselor Sheila Malone. Many parents arrived at the Academy early, so they could hear about these opportunities, and then tour the facility and its brandnew state-of-the art addition as well.

It was an amazing and informative day!

HenryCounty.com

14

FINANCIAL FOCUS Seek to balance ‘risk tolerance’ and ‘required risk’ Like everyone else, you have financial goals. To help achieve these goals, you may need to invest — and when you invest, you’ll need to take on some risk.

But the more you understand this risk, and the better you are at managing it, the greater your potential for staying invested for the long term.

To begin with, then, take a look at these terms: • Risk tolerance — Your risk tolerance is essentially your comfort level with taking risk.

For example, if you have a high tolerance for risk, you may be comfortable investing aggressively. Conversely, if you tend to be risk-averse, you might lean more toward more conservative investment vehicles that offer greater

protection of principal.

• Required risk — While the term “required risk” may sound odd, it is actually an integral component of your ability to invest successfully.

Basically, your required risk is the level of risk necessary to help you achieve your investment goals. The higher the return necessary to reach those goals, the more potential risk you’ll need to assume.

As you invest, you’ll need to balance these two aspects of risk. For example, what might happen if you have a low risk tolerance, leading you toward “safer,” low-growth investments, but your goal is to retire early? For most people, this goal requires them to invest in vehicles that offer significant

growth potential, such as stocks. And, as you know, investing in stocks entails risk — specifically, the risk that your stocks will lose value.

So in this situation, your risk tolerance — the fact that you are risk-averse — is going to collide with your required risk level, the amount of risk you are going to need to take (by investing in stocks) to achieve your goal of early retirement.

When such a collision occurs, you have two choices.

First, you could “stretch” your risk tolerance and accept the need to take on riskier investments in exchange for the growth potential you will require. Your other choice is to stay within your risk tolerance and adjust your ultimate goal

— which, in this example, may mean accepting a later retirement date.

Obviously, this is a personal decision. However, you may have more flexibility than you might have imagined.

For instance, you might feel that you should be riskaverse because you have seen so many fluctuations in the financial markets. But if you have many decades to go until you retire, you actually do have time to recover from short-term losses, which means you may be able to reasonably handle more volatility. On the other hand, once you’re retired, you won’t have as many years to bounce back from market downturns, so you’ll have less “risk capacity” than you did

when you were younger.

In any case, by balancing your risk tolerance and your required risk level — and by understanding your risk capacity — you can be better prepared to take the emotion out of investing. When investors let their emotions get the better of them, they can make mistakes such as chasing “hot” stocks or selling quality investments due to temporary price drops. By having a clear sense of what risk really entails, however, you may be able to avoid costly detours — and stick with your long-term investment strategy.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor. Edward Jones does not provide tax or legal advice.

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Even If You Lose Your Job, To make sense of your retirement You Still Have Choices. savings alternatives, call today During difficult times, it’s easy to feel like things are out of your control. So it’s essential to consider every financial decision carefully, especially when it comes to your retirement savings.

Edward Jones can help. We’ll start by getting to know your goals. Then we’ll sort through your current situation and work with you face-to-face to develop a strategy that can help you keep your retirement on track.

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Financial Advisor Financial Advisor Financial Advisor John H. Dorminy IV, AAMS® Paul D. Rippa Lin Watts, AAMS® 190 Turner Street 2141 Highway 155 North 305 Olde Towne Way McDonough, GA 30253 McDonough, GA 30252 McDonough, GA 30252 (770) 957-0250 (678) 583-5090 (678) 583-1325

Member SIPC

www.edwardjones.com

HenryCounty.com

Sponsor The 2015

STAR Breakfast

Student / Teacher Appreciation Recognition Breakfast The Henry County Chamber of Commerce Education Committee is proud to once again host Henry County’s STAR Breakfast at 8 a.m. on February 10, 2015 at Eagle’s Landing Country Club. During the annual event, Chamber officials will honor our county’s 2015 STAR Students and Teachers. Chamber members are invited to show support for the STAR Breakfast by sponsoring at one of the levels below. (Deadline for sponsorships is February 5) Supernova — $500 — Recognized at the STAR Breakfast, newspaper articles and on the STAR printed program. Three of your representatives may attend the breakfast and have your picture taken with the STAR student and STAR teacher for the press release Shining Star — $300 — Recognized at the STAR Breakfast and on the STAR printed program. Two of your representatives may attend the breakfast.

Rising Star — $150 — Recognized at the STAR Breakfast and on the STAR printed program. One representative may attend the breakfast.

Contact the Chamber at (770) 957-5786 for additional information.

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