March 2014 HCCC Newsletter

henrycounty.com a henry county chamber of commerce publication

YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS

MARCH 2014

Hampton • Locust Grove • McDonough • Stockbridge

in this issue

HCCC’s Annual Banquet -- An Evening of Honors

Chairman’s Message 2 Business Profile 3 Calendar 4 Leadership Henry 5 Annual Belles, Bulls, and Buck$ 6 Henry Happenings 7 Chamber Briefs 10 Chamber Membership 10 Business After Hours 11 Business Boosters Luncheon 12 Ribbon Cuttings 13 Youth Leadership Henry 13 Edward Jones 14

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.

The Henry County Chamber of Commerce held its 47th Annual Meeting/ Dinner on February 1 at Eagle’s Landing Country Club with almost 300 in attendance. David Gill, HCCC President and CEO, welcomed the guests, thanked Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for sponsoring the event, and highlighted a few of the Chamber accomplishments in 2013. An Annual Report was included in the program. Eddie Ausband, HCCC’s 2013 Chairman of the Board of Directors, emceed the event, introducing Dr. Randall Peters as the keynote speaker.

Dr. Peters, President of Southern Crescent Technical College, provided an update on the status of the Henry County campus, advising that building one is up and about to open, while planning for building two is underway. The Chamber presented Dr. Peters with the first personalized brick to be placed at the HC campus as part of the SCTC Foundation fundraising project.

A highlight of the event is the presentation of awards to worthy Henry County citizens. The 2013 awards went to: Southern Belle Farm – Business of the Year (Jake Carter accepting and bringing the crowd to tears as he spoke of the pride his granddaddy would have felt); Joyce Rodgers – Volunteer of the Year; Jimmy Carter – Billy Carter Public Service Award; and Nola Love – Citizen of the Year.

The Carter family has farmed in Henry County for at least six generations and their agritourism business is a source of pride for Henry County. Jake spoke of

Chamber members can promote their events on the Chamber events calendar?

the emotions he feels when school children who have never seen a cow, much less seen how milk is produced, visit the farm. He talked of changing times and how surprised his granddaddy would be to see the revenues generated by a corn maze!

Jake’s dad, Jimmy Carter, was selected by a separate committee to receive the Billy Carter Public Service Award for his years of public service to Henry County.

Jimmy served for 18 years on the Henry County Board of Education (ten as Chairman), as well as the Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority Board (the past three as Chairman). Jimmy is Vice President of the Henry County Farm Bureau, a position that he has held for the past five years, and he is active in ministries with Bethany Baptist Church.

Joyce Rodgers, a volunteer extraordinaire, also spends much time in serving on boards and ensuring quality of programs throughout our county. The litany of positions Joyce holds or has held include: Connecting Henry Board of Directors; Leadership Henry Board of Directors (since 1999); Department of Family & Children Services Board of Directors; A Friends House Board of Directors; the Local Emergency Planning Committee & Local Emergency Planning Board of Directors; multiple committees for Piedmont Henry Hospital; and the Henry County Optimist Club.

From left: Nola Love with granddaughter & daughter

Nola Love; 3 BOD Chair; Joyce Rodgers; From left: Eddie Ausband, 201David Gill, HCCC President and CEO Jimmy Carter; Jake Carter; At age 70, Nola Love took the reins as Executive Director for Helping in His Name Food Pantry/Samaritans Together in Henry County. In the past five years and due to the Great Recession, Nola has seen the number of hungry and homeless people in our county grow from 25-30 families per day to 95 per day who visit this non-profit seeking food. Nola finds an outlet for her passion to minister to others while helping them meet the physical need for food. She continually seeks volunteers and donations to meet the growing demand.

The evening concluded with the “passing of the gavel” from Eddie Ausband to 2014 Chairman of the Board of Directors, Charlie Scott. “I’m proud of the accomplishments the Chamber made this past year with its continued focus on education, the passage of the SPLOST, and especially the search for and installation of David Gill to lead the Chamber,” Eddie stated. “We have a great year ahead,” advised Charlie “as we seek to focus on our membership in 2014 and the growth of Henry County.”

To see the photos from the event, visit Henry County Chamber of Commerce on Facebook – and be sure to “LIKE” us.

Jake (left) and Jimmy Carter

Joyce Rodgers (center) and friends

Eddie Ausband (right) passes gavel to Charlie Scott

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Chairman’s Message

We welcome Southern Crescent Technical College to Henry County

Charlie Scott The 47th annual Henry County Banquet had the privilege of showcasing Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) through the eyes of its President, Dr. Randall Peters.

As Dr. Peters shared his message about the school, I was struck by the economic impact that this campus will have on Henry County and its citizens. I want to share some of that impact with you today.

There are two distinct forms of economic impact from SCTC, the first of which is the direct impact of the school. While not limited to Henry County and not including a multiplier effect, the school will have direct expenditures for salaries, operating expenses, capital expenses and student expenditures of almost $72 million dollars in the 9 county area it serves. As Henry County’s share of these direct spending increases, the presence of SCTC will be felt more positively.

The really significant impact, however, will be felt by individual students who avail themselves of the educational opportunity that SCTC will provide. There is a well-established truth about the relationship between education and income. Sadly, a person who has completed the 9th grade, but does not have a high school diploma can only anticipate lifetime earnings of approximately $450 thousand dollars. A high school graduate (or GED) will see that earnings level increase to approximately $870 thousand dollars. A student holding a technical certificate will earn approximately $1.08 million dollars in a lifetime or more than double that of a non-high school graduate.

Finally, those who achieve an Associates degree can anticipate lifetime earnings of almost $1.35 million dollars. Clearly, the correlation between education and earnings capacity is significant.

To put these statistics in more meaningful terms, consider the SCTC 2012 class. 616 members of that class achieved a GED, or a high school equivalency degree. Based on the numbers above, this group will have their annual earnings increased by $422 thousand dollars each. As a group, this translates to approximately $260 million dollars in increased earnings. In 2012 SCTC graduated 1,069 students with technical certificates who will individually increase their lifetime earnings over high school graduates by over a quarter million dollars and as a group will approach a quarter of a billion dollars in additional earnings. Finally, the school graduated 368 with associates degrees which will enhance their earning potential over a high school graduate by almost a half million dollars and as a class will see approximately $176 million dollars in additional lifetime earnings.

Taken as a whole, the earnings impact of just one year’s educational success at SCTC will provide its graduates with well over a half billion dollars in increased lifetime earnings. That half billion dollars will be spent on houses, food, clothing, entertainment and future Charlie Scott is President and CEO of Piedmont Henry

educational opportunities for the graduate’s own children. Equally as important, those who are achieving the higher levels of income are far less likely to burden society with the need for social services. While impressive in its own right, this number does not represent the full picture. As those additional dollars circulate through the economy, they will significantly multiply the impact and the resulting economic benefit will be well over a billion dollars to the economy as a whole. It is obvious that this institution will pay its way and provide a generous dividend to our community.

As we welcome Dr. Peters and SCTC to Henry County, we want to thank those who worked so diligently to make their Henry County campus a reality and we wish to encourage our elected officials to continue to pursue funding for the remaining 7 buildings planned for the complete campus. What we have already achieved is good, but what can be achieved is great.

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Business Profile The Henry Players

About the Company The Henry Players were established in 1991 when a small group of community theatre buffs realized their dream of forming a thriving community theatre close to home. The Players’ first production, “Hello Dolly,” performed in the spring of 1992, was a huge success.

Twenty-two seasons later The Henry Players continue to provide quality family entertainment at affordable costs – in Henry County.

The Henry Players is a volunteerdriven organization. Hundreds of local and regional residents have graced their stage, played in their orchestra and/or worked behindthe-scenes. Many more have enjoyed their performances. It is through continued community support that the Players are able to continue to enjoy such phenomenal success. By becoming a sponsor, advertiser and/ or season ticket holder, you enable The Henry Players to continue to provide top-notch entertainment to a vastly growing community.

The Henry Players is governed by an all volunteer board of directors comprised of 19 members.

The Henry Players annually participate in the Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre (MAT) Awards, where they are regularly recognized through numerous nominations for their musical and play productions.

Most recently, The Henry Players were awarded a MAT for “Outstanding Youth Actor” which Jeb Sexton received for his performance of “The

Business Owner: You’re Taking Care of Your Employees, But Are You Taking Care of Yourself and Your Family?

Outsiders.” The Players’ 2012-2013 season was also honored with a total of eight MAT award nominations.

The 2013-2014 season marks Adriana’s third season as President of The Henry Players Board of Directors. She started her involvement with The Players as a stage manager in the 2006-2007 show, Hello Dolly. Always a fan of theatre and the arts, Adriana quickly found herself more involved in the following season with 4 of the 5 shows. She has stage managed, produced, run sound, performed, helped build sets, worked backstage, designed and sewn costumes, and directed. Adriana was excited to become part of the Board of Directors in July of 2008 as the Executive Producer. The Players have become a huge part of her life and she is happy to share her experiences with her husband, Elliot Beckner, who is also now a board member, and her 8 year old son Evan Beckner, who has fallen in love with theatre and found it to be a second home and family.

Community Support The Henry Players provide tremendous community support by sharing their unique talent and vast amounts of time to bring theatre to a local audience. Their performances often bring in tourists from outside the local community who spend time and money to dine while here. In addition, they support Henry and surrounding counties by offering performances that are conveniently located and affordable

at a level equal to that you would see at a metropolitan theatre at much greater cost.

Cast members often lend support to local non-profit causes.

In return, The Henry Players need the support of the community to survive….and to thrive.

Chamber Involvement The Henry Players organization has been From a previous perfo rm a valued Chamber Treasure Island The Muance of sical. member since 1996.

The Players utilize this partnership with both the Chamber and the Convention and Visitors Bureau to communicate Adriana Beckner upcoming productions in an President, Board of Directors effort to promote attendance at The Henry Players performances. As a way to “give back” to their community, the Players loan their talents in ways such as applying the make-up to the “undead” at the CVB’s annual “Undead Dash.” Long-time Henry Players actor, James Wojknowski, who is easily mistaken for Jim Carey’s role as The Grinch, has handed out door prizes and entertained the crowd at the past two Chamber Holiday parties.

For more information about The Henry Players, to volunteer, or to donate: The HenryPlayers@gmail.com www.henryplayers.com

You have likely paid attention to the needs of your employees and their families by providing access to health insurance and other employee benefits. You consider this your responsibility – something that “comes with the territory” as the owner of a business – and you can feel a certain measure of pride in knowing that you’re taking care of the people who work for you.

But ironically, and all too often, business owners don’t take the time to take care of themselves and their families.

If you stop and think about it, the primary

reason that you built your business was to provide a livelihood for yourself and a base of financial security for your family. But unless you’ve taken the proper steps, just how secure should you feel?

Hopefully you’ve worked with your broker to take care of life insurance needs. Often overlooked, however, is the need to replace lost income in the event of your becoming disabled.

And according to a study by the Health Insurance Association of America, 1/3 of all people between the ages of 30 and 64 will become disabled sometime during their lives.

From a previous performance of 1940’s Radio Hour

And when business owners become too sick or too hurt to work, they not only face losing their personal income, they face the risk of losing their businesses as well.

Through our Chamber’s participation in the Healthy Business Alliance®, you can enjoy discounts on several plans offered by the Principal Financial Group® that address income protection needs that you might have. Depending on the product chosen, chamber members receive 10% 30% discounts for individual disability insurance for business owners. The Principal® also offers

disability plans for business succession planning, overhead expense, buy-out, loan protection, and key person policies as well.

For more information, contact your local Chamber member insurance broker or Purchasing Alliance Solutions at (800) 782-8254.

Don’t leave yourself and your family unprotected!

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MARCH 2014 Sunday

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Wednesday

5 8 AM Leadership Henry BOD, BR

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Friday

Saturday

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8:30 AM Community Connections Comm, BR

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8 AM Youth Leadership Henry BOD, BR

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11:30 AM Government Affairs Committee, BR 12 PM Media Appreciation Lunch, HR

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18 8:30 AM CVB BOD, BR

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19 3 PM One Henry Econ Dev Committee, BR

10 AM Membership Committee, BR

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25 8:30 AM Education Committee, BR 11:30 AM Executive Committee, BR

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Chamber Staff David Gill, President and CEO Laura Luker, Director of Tourism Diane Ide, Director of Communications Gary Sparrow, Membership Director Phyllis Reeves, Information Specialist 2014 Board of Directors Executive Committee Charlie Scott, Chairman, Piedmont Henry June Wood, Chair Elect, Individual Member Leonard Moreland, Secretary/Treasurer, Heritage Bank Eddie Ausband, Immediate Past Chair, The Ausband Agency, Inc. Brad Thomas, Vice Chair for Economic & Cultural Development, Snapping Shoals EMC William Strickland, Vice Chair for Chamber Development, Bellamy-Strickland Chevrolet-Buick-GMC

10 AM Small Business Council, BR 11 AM Business Boosters Luncheon, HR

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7:30 AM HCCC BOD, BR 12 PM Ambassadors Luncheon

Shane Persaud, Vice Chair for Government & Education, Communities in Schools of Henry County Jeff Mills, CVB Chair David Gill, HCCC President and CEO

CLASS OF 2014 James Chafin, Henry County State Court Lisa Kinchen, Southern Journal Magazine Leonard Moreland, Heritage Bank William Strickland, Bellamy-Strickland Chevrolet-Buick-GMC Brad Thomas, Snapping Shoals EMC

CLASS OF 2015 Herschel Arant, Central Georgia EMC Greg Hammonds, Whaley Hammonds Tomasello John Newman, Classic Landscapes, Inc. Rhett Tucker, Checks Superstore Laura Turner, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta June Wood, Individual Member

5:30 PM Business After Hours, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

CLASS OF 2016 Toni Davis, Individual Member Wayne Lowrey, United Community Bank Melissa Malcom, Melissa P. Malcom, LLC Steve Nail, Nail Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. Shane Persaud, Communities In Schools of Henry County Denise Sowell, Cap1tol Street Financial Services Group

Ex Officio Members Tommy Smith, Chairman, HC Board of Commissioners Mayor Billy Copeland, City of McDonough Mayor Robert Price, City of Locust Grove Mayor Steve Hutchison, City of Hampton Mayor Tim Thompson, City of Stockbridge Dr. Ethan Hildreth, Superintendent, Henry County Schools Bill Herndon, Chairman, Henry County Development Authority Roderick Burch, Henry County Water Authority Mary Evans-Battle, Chair, Leadership Henry

CHAIR APPOINTEES Rod Meadows, Meadows & Macie, PC Nick Williams, Eagle’s Landing Family Practice

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO’S ACCOUNTABLE, JUST READ THE NAME ON THE DOOR. “For 40 years, Strawn & Co., Insurance has operated under the vision and values set by my father. He held himself directly accountable for the success of his clients, valuing relationships much more than transactions.

I saw his integrity in action, sometimes at the expense of the company - but always what he thought was right. He built his name upon the respect and honesty of these long-term partnerships. And as a Strawn, I couldn’t work any other way.”

- Rusty Strawn, President

PROUDLY OFFERING PERSONAL, BUSINESS & HEALTH INSURANCE As an independent insurance agency, Strawn & Co., Insurance is free to focus on what really counts: providing your family and/ or business with the most comprehensive coverages and competitive premiums available. This type of focus for our customers has kept Strawn & Co., Insurance one of the leading providers of property, casualty, life & health insurance in south Atlanta.

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Writing A Living Business Plan

By Judiffier Pearson, Business Consultant Clayton State University Small Business Development Center Long gone are the days of toiling over a 30+ page business plan for a startup or bank loan that ends up collecting dust as soon as financing is secured. A “living business plan” is like a good roadmap. It provides detailed information about the journey ahead and, as you travel, it is referenced frequently for guidance and measuring progress.

A living business plan also provides instrumentation for internal checks and balances, as well as contingencies to respond to significant marketplace

changes. It must be adaptable to remain relevant and translated into the user’s native language. Not English, Spanish, or Japanese, but visual, audible, spatial and textual.

In short, a living business plan comes “alive” for its audience. And the first audience that should be impacted and transformed by the plan is you, the creator. It should speak to you in a way that satisfactorily articulates your vision, its execution, and impact.

Once your plan authentically speaks to you, it can be converted into other formats that speak the language of other audiences, like bankers, investors, prospective business partners, and team members.

Living business plans function well beyond the start-up phase of a company. They are an evergreen necessity throughout the business lifecycle and are particularly useful for the strategic planning needs of

Leadership Henry Weathers the Weather

The Leadership Henry Class was scheduled to visit the State Capitol for State Government Day on February 12, but Mother Nature had other plans. With Atlanta about to be in the grip of the worst winter weather in years, the visit to the Capitol had to be re-scheduled for a later date.

The weather situation did highlight an aspect of our program that we

don’t often think about. Alumni of the Leadership Henry program were working hard throughout the situation. From the staff at Emergency Management, to the school system, public safety, municipalities, Board of Commissioners, various authorities, etc., our alumni were using the skills and networks enhanced through their participation in our program to ensure that Henry

seasoned companies. Regardless of the format you choose to capture your plan, it should be updated at least annually, and reviewed much more frequently -- preferably monthly.

These are not random units of time, but periods for enough activity to be executed, measured, and compared.

Proper analysis of the data collected will provide the business intelligence needed to take the best next steps.

Writing and maintaining a living business plan bolsters the cycle of planning, executing, evaluating, and adjusting. With repetition, this practice is sure to have your business in top form and position it as a force to be reckoned with in the marketplace. For instruction and assistance with writing your living business plan, contact the Clayton State University SBDC at (678) 4665100 or morrow@georgiasbdc.org

Countians and visitors to our community were safe throughout the emergency.

We are very proud of the way that our alumni displayed the qualities that make Leadership Henry a premier program in our region.

For more information, visit leadershiphenry.com, “like” and explore our Facebook page, or drop us a line at leadership@leadershiphenry.com.

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County Fair Flair with a little “Drag”

April 25 ~ Southern Belle Farm

Photos from last year’s foot-stomping good time

Be a kid again…with a decidedly adult flair during the 2nd Annual Belles, Bulls & Buck$ event on April 25. In addition to food, drinks, and a chance at $5,000, there will be opportunities to reconnect with your childhood with county fair style games where the prizes are much better than a giant teddy bear.

A $50 ticket earns you entry to the event, a meal, JailHouse beer, wine, hayrides, mechanical bull rides courtesy of Astro Events, and of course a chance to win the $5,000 reverse raffle. Game tickets ($1 per ticket or $20 for a book of 25) are available for advanced and onsite purchase. Trade these tickets in for snacks or to try your hand at ring toss, hoops or even the dunking booth where a certain Chamber President will be “out on a ledge” for attendees’ entertainment. Lucky winners will be entered in a game’s grand prize.

While the event rocks on under the barn with music and dancing, Southern Belle’s mascot, Belle the cow, will be wandering in her gridded and numbered enclosure deciding where to drop her “chips.” The lucky owner of the ticket number matching the “chipped” square will take home 50% of the proceeds (up to $1,000). Tickets for Cow Chip Bingo are for sale for $10 each and are

available online or at the Chamber office.

The highlight of the evening will certainly be the first annual Running of the Belles. A few brave gentlemen have been nominated and are accepting donations. All belles who raise at least $500 will compete. In return, the top ten fundraisers will earn money for both the Chamber and a non-profit organization of their choice. They will have the distinction of donning a hoop skirt and bonnet to participate in what promises to be perhaps the least elegant display of southern gentility ever. Once arrayed in their finery, these “belles” will attempt to navigate the 50-yard sprint, avoiding stepping on their skirt or those of their fellow “belles.”

Sponsorship Opportunities: Belle of the Ball Sponsor - $1,000: • 8 complimentary tickets (Includes dinner, drinks and raffle entry) • On Site signage • Yard Sign featuring logo • Logo on Banner & $5,000 raffle presentation check • Logo on table tent cards • Logo on photo background • Logo on HCCC event listing on website • Reserved Seating for 8 VIP Parking for 4 cars

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The Buck Stops Here - $500 4 Complimentary Tickets (Includes dinner, drinks and raffle entry) Reserved Seating for 4 On Site Signage • Logo on Banner • Yard Sign featuring logo • Logo on table tent cards • Logo on HCCC event listing on website

8-Second Ride - $300 (Game Sponsor) • 2 complimentary meal tickets (raffle entry purchased separately) • Includes game based on availability (first-come/first served; tent and game equipment included) • Onsite Signage around booth Purchase tickets for Belles, Bulls & Bucks, Cow Chip Bingo and added attractions online at http://tinyurl.com/BellesBullsBucks.

For more information or to nominate a belle, contact Laura Luker at (770) 957-5786 or lluker@henrycounty.com.

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it’s happening in Henry Comfortably South of Atlanta

Walkin with MS 5K/10K presented by GORDO’s Cheese Dip March 1 – 9:00 a.m.

Henry County Water Authority

This event is being hosted by Get Set Grow and will benefit the Shepherd Center MS Institute Wellness Program.

Register online at www.getsetgrow.com.

Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball March 1 – 8:00 p.m.

French Market & Tavern

Want to experience a New Orleans Mardi Gras Ball? Join the French Market & Tavern for their inaugural Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball. Tickets include upscale tapas buffet, live band, photobooth, beads, doubloons, cash bar, Hurricanes, King Cake & beignets. Dress is semi-formal or black tie optional but masquerade/mask required! Tickets are $60 per person including gratuity and must be purchased in advance. Tickets can be purchased in person or by calling 770-914-9312.

Legends Races March 1, 14 & 29 Atlanta Motor Speedway

NASCAR’s stars of tomorrow battle for short-track supremacy on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s “Thunder Ring,” the facility’s frontstretch quarter-mile oval track.

Each event features multiple classes of Legends and Bandolero racing. Fans can purchase infield passes at the Security Command building near the speedway’s main entrance. Infield access costs just $12 for adults, $5 for children ages six

through 11 and admission is free for children ages five and younger. Cost to race is just $25. Minors and their guardians are required to complete a minor waiver before children ages 17 and younger can enter the infield; the waiver and instructions can be found at www. atlantamotorspeedway.com. For more information, visit www.legendsofga.com.

7 Sale has helped families in the community by giving them an outlet to sell outgrown items or no longer needed children items.

The sale also helps shoppers buy new items at a reasonable price. For more information, visit www.sweetrepeats.org.

Bacon Chase March 22 Atlanta Motor Speedway

Bacon Chase is a celebration honoring the gloriously divine food of the gods: bacon.

St. Patrick’s Day 5K/10K Rejoice along a 5K piggy pilgrimage or March 15 – 11:00 a.m.

Pilgreens at Lake Dow 0.05K blitz to the bacon while feasting Celebrate St. Patty’s Day with a run, on savory strips of crackling meat-candy. green beer and live music. Benefiting the Celebrate your crowning achievement Kensley Grace Foundation. by toasting your bacon-feasting brethren at the finish line with a Bloody-Mary and boatloads of unlimited bacon in all its meaty majesty. Head to www.

BaconChase.com to learn more.

6th Annual Yellow Pollen Street Festival March 22 – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Downtown Hampton

Mardi Growl March 15 – 11:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Downtown Locust Grove

Join more than 80 vendors and over 2,500 visitors at Hampton’s premiere event! Celebrate that pesky pollen in style! Sponsored by the Downtown Development Authority and Main Street Program. Returning is Tom Bonnell— beekeeper extraordinaire!

Also, LifeSouth Blood Mobile, PACE Car from Atlanta Motor Speedway, among other favorites. Listen to the chatter and tunes

by DJ Jimmy Smith! This only happens once a year—so join us from 10 am until 5 pm for food and fun and educational experiences in Hampton’s downtown.

Be a part of the 4th Annual Mardi Growl celebration! The parade will begin behind the Historic Downtown in Trailhead Park with festivities to follow! Vendors will also be set up in the park. Pet and vendor applications are available at City Hall or online at www.locustgrove-ga.gov/events as well as on the Locust Grove Main Street Facebook page.

Willett Honda Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament Sweet Repeats Consignment Sale March 20-22 –Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 – 3:30 p.m. & Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Atlanta Motor Speedway

March 22 – 6:00 p.m.

Eagle’s Landing Country Club

This event is be held by Get Set Grow and is benefiting the Willett Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse. Register at www.

Since 1998, Sweet Repeats Consignment getsetgrow.com.

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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! OF CLAYTON COUNTY OF DECATUR OF HENRY & SPALDING COUNTIES

Ethan Hildreth Superintendent 770-957-6601 770-914-6178 FAX

Billy Copeland, Mayor

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Tim Thompson, Mayor 770-389-7910

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February Chamber Briefs ... Congratulations to: Rev. Bill Herndon, who gave the invocation on the Senate Floor at the state capitol on February.

overseen by physicians who specialize in treating patients in the hospital’s Critical Care Units, a program which begin in July 2013.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta on ranking among the “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the ninth year in a row by Fortune Magazine. Children’s is one of only two healthcare systems in Georgia and one of only four companies headquartered in Georgia, to appear on the list. Children’s was also recognized for being a top employer for minorities and women.

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

Ola High School, whose softball team was recognized on the Senate Floor at the state capitol February 10 for winning the AAAA State Championship.

Welcome to our NEW Chamber Members Pasta Max Café on being ranked the Ola Middle School orchestra on #1 restaurant in McDonough and the performing at the state capitol on recipient of the 2013 TripAdvisor Award February 10. of Excellence.

Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, also recognized on the Senate Floor at the Henry County Board of Education and state capitol February 10 for their state Henry County Emergency Management championships in softball and baseball.

Agency for effective decision making and execution during the February snow and ice scenarios. Thanks for their rapid analysis and assessments, which ensured the safety of not only our children, but citizens of all ages.

Dr. Ali Araghi on being selected to join the Intensivist program at Piedmont Henry Hospital. The Intensivist program is

June R. Wood, for receiving a proclamation on the Senate Floor at the state capitol February 10 on the occasion of her recent retirement from Georgia Power and recognizing her years of service and dedication.

Edward Jones Josh Duncan 305 Olde Towne Way McDonough, GA 30252 770-288-4151

Flame-n-Soul Barbeque Melvin Hudson 1065 Meredith Park Drive McDonough, GA 30253 202-288-0450

Life Enrichment Realty Audrey Clark 3434 Highway 155 Locust Grove, GA 30248 678-583-3411

Five Star Painting Lodato Joseph 608 Banbury Court McDonough, GA 30253 678-712-4144

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches Rick Patel 1419 Highway 20 West McDonough, GA 30253 (419) 509-3492

Natural Enclosures Fence Company, LLC Danny Kilpatrick 101 Jonesboro Road McDonough, GA 30253 770-506-3222

Total Affairs Resale Shop Laurie McGhee 220 Keys Ferry Street McDonough. GA 30253 (678) 272-7370

To our RENEWING Chamber Members Animal Control Experts, LLC Atlanta Top Billing, LLC Best Insurance Group Boy Scouts of America Brooks & Maddox Cosmetic & Family Dentistry City of Locust Grove City of Stockbridge DeVry University Doug House Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy Ecolab First Baptist Church of McDonough First National Bank - Hampton First National Bank - Heron Bay

Fun Bowl of Henry County Georgia Link Greater Henry SHRM Haddon Place Apartments Hargrave, Freeman & Leto, P.C. Helping in His Name Ministries, Inc Hire Dynamics Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Hudgins Construction Company Italian Oven Joyce Rodgers Laura S. Crumbley, CPA, PC Lincoln Insurance Group, LLC McDonough Presbyterian Church

Palms at Lake Spivey (The) Pinnacle Advertising Specialties, Inc. Ramada Limited Reserves Network (The) Security Finance Southern Belle Farm Southern Crescent Technical College State Farm Insurance - Brian Brakefield Timberridge Presbyterian Church TireSouth, Inc. Vitas Innovative Hospice Care We Are Henry Magazine

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business AFTER HOURS

March Business After Hours Hosted by

1510 Hudson Bridge Road, Stockbridge Thursday, March 27th from 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta provides care and support for children in Henry County and parts southward. The need is great and the facility on Hudson Bridge Road has been operating at capacity since opening in 2012. The Henry County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta on Thursday, March 27 presents an opportunity for networking, having fun, winning door prizes and enjoying a good time. You can tour the clinic and learn about the quality care that Children’s provides.

Business After Hours are monthly networking events hosted by Chamber members for current and potential Chamber members and invited guests (adults only please). The events are free and you do not need to RSVP to attend. Join us and get to know your fellow chamber members, business neighbors, and to make new friends.

Bring plenty of business cards for networking and for a chance to win door prizes. Each month there is a Chamber jackpot drawing -but you MUST be present to win. Don’t forget to bring a door prize!

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Fidelity Bank Hosted A Great January Business After Hours The January 23 BAH at Fidelity Bank’s McDonough Branch had a “Beat The Winter Blues” theme as attendees came in from the bitter cold to enjoy a delicious buffet prepared by FarmHouse Catering, along with their choice of beer or wine. Host Shawn Shuman, McDonough Branch Manager, welcomed everyone and there was networking at its best as Chamber members and guests made connections and exchanged business contact information.

Honorable mention goes to Ken Fretz who saw a truck with a phone number on it of someone he wanted to get to know, so he called the man driving the truck and invited him to the Chamber Business After Hours…..the man and two others from his company came and a business connection was made! Hopefully that man and his company will become a new Chamber member as

well – and folks, that’s how it’s done! Everyone is a Chamber ambassador and can invite potential candidates – they can even be someone you want to do business with!

A number of door prizes were given away and it did not go without notice that many of Fidelity’s door prizes were won by representatives from other banks! Shawn exclaimed, “I can’t wait to see that Fidelity lion on Ed Taylor’s desk at First National Bank tomorrow!”

The following names were drawn for the $300 Chamber jackpot: Coy Leverette with Physical Therapy in Motion, Inc; Buddy Welch with Smith, Welch Webb & White, LLC and Deborah Sims with Sweet Serenity, SSI, Inc. Since they were not present to win, the jackpot continues to increase.

To see more photos from this Business After Hours, check out the Chamber’s Facebook page.

Scott McCarter, FNB wins gift basket

Shawn Shuman, Fidelity Branch Manager draws for door prizes

Ed Taylor, FNB wins Fidelity Lion

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business

Boosters luncheon

March Business Boosters Luncheon

STATE OF THE COUNTY A Year in Review/Looking Ahead Henry County Chamber Hudgins Room March 20, 2014 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Catered by:

Tommy Smith , Chairman Henry County Board of Commissioners

With a year under his belt as Chairman of the Henry County Board of Commissioners, Tommy Smith is making his mark on the county’s landscape.

If you have questions such as: • What transportation projects are planned?

• What’s being done to promote the movie industry and bring their revenue into Henry County?

• When will we have emergency warning systems throughout the county?

• With the potential to bring in revenue for our county, are our parks and recreational facilities ready? If not, what’s the cost (and who pays?) to get them ready?

Here’s your opportunity to get answers. Attend the March 20 Business Boosters Luncheon to hear about the state of Henry County today as well as plans for the near-term from Chairman Smith.

The cost for this catered lunch is $12 for Chamber members who register and pay online or $15 at the door and $20 for non-members who register and pay online or $23 at the door. Reservations are required for planning purposes and reservations can be made and paid online at www.henrycounty.com. Go to the Events calendar, then the BBL for March 20. To cover catering costs, no-shows will be billed. Lunch will be catered by Farm House Catering.

Henry County Day at the Capitol More than 150 community and business leaders, students and school representatives traveled to the Georgia State Capitol for Henry County Day at the Capitol on February 10. Over coffee, Henry County residents mingled with legislators and other State leaders.

In attendance were Representatives Brian Strickland, Dale Rutledge, David Knight and John Yates as well as Senators Rick Jeffares and Emanuel Jones, Attorney General Sam Olens and former Henry County Solicitor General and current Executive Director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council, Chuck Spahos.

Attendees were joined on the Capitol steps by Governor Deal for a photo before entering the Senate gallery where Rev. Bill Herndon, a Henry County resident, gave the invocation. Another Henry Countian, June Wood, was honored with a resolution on the occasion of her retirement from Georgia Power.

Ola High School’s softball team was recognized for winning the AAAA

State Championship and Eagle’s Landing Christian School’s softball and baseball teams were honored for their State Championships.

As part of Henry County Day at the Capitol, each Legislator was given a gift bag with the Henry County CVB logo that was filled with products manufactured in, or representing, Henry County.

Items included a Southern Journal Magazine, We are Henry Magazine, Shane’s Rib Shack Barbeque Sauce courtesy of The Original Shane’s Rib Shack, Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauce and Ken’s Salad Dressing courtesy of Ken’s Foods, a die cast race car provided by Atlanta Motor Speedway, a half pint paint can filled with candy from BEHR, an Oh Henry! Candy Bar provided by Food Depot and a stylus/pen combo from Piedmont Henry. Visitors to the Capitol were greeted with the sight of the Atlanta Motor Speedway pace car on the front lawn providing a great photo opportunity and clearly promoting the Henry County presence at the Capitol.

While at the Capitol, Secretary of State Brian Kemp dropped by to greet the group, as did Bert Brantley of State Roads and Tollway Authority, who was accompanied by representatives of GDOT. Together they discussed the new managed lanes planned for Henry County and answered questions from the group.

During the day legislators were reminded of Henry County’s legislative priorities for a new interchange off Interstate 75 and funding for additional phases of the Southern Crescent Technical College’s Henry County Campus.

“Henry County residents clearly demonstrated support for items such as the SCTC campus and transportation – and that kind of community commitment and involvement matters,” relayed Representative Brian Strickland.

To see all the photos from this event, visit the Henry County Chamber of Commerce Facebook page – and be sure to “Like” us.

2014 Henry County Chamber Golf Classic SAVE THE DATE The 14th annual Henry County Chamber of Commerce Golf Classic will be held on Tuesday, September 30th at Eagle’s Landing Country Club. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to promote your business at this prestigious annual golfing event. There are many sponsorship opportunities available, including some new ones added this year. No matter what your budget is, we have a sponsorship package for your business. It will be a great day of golf, networking and all around fun. If you are interested in participating at any level in this year’s event, contact Gary Sparrow at gsparrow@henrycounty.com or (770) 957-5786.

HC group poses with Governor Deal

Posing with AMS Car on Capitol Lawn

Gift bag items

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January 8 Safeguard Security Solutions LLC

January 31 Natural Enclosures Fence Company, LLC

February 3 OrthoAtlanta

February 6 Total Affairs Resale Shop

1781 Hwy 42 North McDonough, GA 30253 Contact: Michael Randall (678) 369-7920 www.safeguardsecurityllc.com

101 Jonesboro Road McDonough, GA 30253 Contact: Danny Kilpatrick (770) 506-3222 www.ne-fence.com

1240 Eagles Landing Pkwy, Ste 300 Stockbridge, GA 30281 Contact: Mike Briscoe (770) 506-4350 www.orthoatlanta.com

Every LIFE has a story.

Celebrate it!

Greg Cannon

770-914-1414

www.cannonclevelandfunerals.com

Companion Care Cremation Services

910 Dailey Mill Road McDonough, GA 30253

770-692-3819 Greg Cannon owner

“Lillie”

www.companioncarega.com

220 Keys Ferry Street McDonough, GA 30253 Contact: Laurie McGhee (678) 272-7370

Youth Leadership Henry to Engage with the Henry Delegation The Youth Leadership Henry Class of 2014 visited the Georgia Capitol on February 26 to meet the members of our legislative delegation, hear from the Secretary of State, and see the legislature in action from the galleries. This is always an excellent learning experience for these Henry County sophomores. To prepare, they research their Representative/ Senator, contemplate issues impacting them that their members can affect (yes – we encourage them to get input from their parents), then they get to interact with those members to get their feedback on

classmember concerns.

An interesting opportunity for our classmembers was hearing firsthand from the legislators about the “behind the scenes” process of how a bill is created, and the way it moves through committees and houses to ultimately end up on the Governor’s desk. When they visited the galleries later in the morning, they had a much better idea of what was actually happening on the floor of the chamber below them.

This is the only class meeting that takes place on a school day. This class is approved as an Educational

Field Trip by the Superintendent of Schools, due to the educational nature of the day, and the pre-/ post- work that the participants do in preparing for it.

If this sounds exciting to you, and you know a young Henry County freshman that would benefit from the program, invite them to “like” the Youth Leadership Henry” Facebook page to see when the online application opens for the Class of 2015. Interested persons can also visit our web page at youthleadershiphenry.com or email youthleadership@ leadershiphenry.com.

Dottie WISE

Associate Broker dottie.wise@metrobrokers.com metrobrokers.com/dottie.wise 404.843.2500 Office 678-443-8407 Direct 404.683.0912 Mobile METRO BROKERS 1401 Highway 20 West McDonough, GA 30253

Each Firm is independently Owned and Operated

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FINANCIAL FOCUS Use “Tax Diversification” to Help Manage Retirement Income You need to save and invest as much as possible to pay for the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned. But your retirement income also depends, to a certain degree, on how your retirement funds are taxed. And that’s why you may be interested in tax diversification.

To understand the concept of tax diversification, you’ll need to be familiar with how two of the most important retirement-savings vehicles — an IRA and a 401(k) — are taxed. Essentially, these accounts can be classified as either “traditional” or “Roth.”

When you invest in a traditional IRA or 401(k), your contributions may be tax-deductible and your earnings can grow tax deferred. With a Roth IRA or 401(k), your contributions are not deductible, but your distributions can potentially be tax-free, provided you meet certain conditions. (Keep in mind, though, that to contribute to a Roth IRA,

you can’t exceed designated income limits. Also, not all employers offer the Roth option for 401(k) plans.)

Of course, “tax free” sounds better than “tax deferred,” so you might think that a Roth option is always going to be preferable. But that’s not necessarily the case. If you think your tax bracket will be lower in retirement than when you were working, a traditional IRA or 401(k) might be a better choice, due to the cumulative tax deductions you took at a higher tax rate. But if your tax bracket will be the same, or higher, during retirement, then the value of tax-free distributions from a Roth IRA or 401(k) may outweigh the benefits of the tax deductions you’d get from a traditional IRA or 401(k).

So making the choice between “traditional” and “Roth” could be tricky. But here’s the good news: You don’t necessarily have to choose, at

least not with your IRA. That’s because you may be able to contribute to both a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA, assuming you meet the Roth’s income guidelines. This allows you to benefit from both the tax deductions of the traditional IRA and the potential taxfree distributions of the Roth IRA. And once you retire, this “tax diversification” can be especially valuable. Why? Because when you have money in different types of accounts, you gain flexibility in how you structure your withdrawals — and this flexibility can help you potentially increase the amount of your aftertax disposable income. If you have a variety of accounts, with different tax treatments, you could decide to first make your required withdrawals (from a traditional IRA and 401(k) or other employer-sponsored plan), followed, in order, by withdrawals from your

Make your financial future a Priority

Unlike other chores that pile up in the driveway, clutter the garage or run wild in the front yard, your financial situation is a little less obvious.

That’s why it’s so important to take advantage of our complimentary financial review at least once a year.

We will discuss the different strategies available to help put your finances in line with both your short- and long-term goals.

taxable investment accounts, your taxdeferred accounts and, finally, your taxfree accounts. Keep in mind, though, that you may need to vary your actual sequence of withdrawals from year to year, depending on your tax situation.

For example, it might make sense to change the order of withdrawals, or take withdrawals from multiple accounts, to help reduce taxes and avoid moving into a different tax bracket.

Clearly, tax diversification can be beneficial. So after consulting with your tax and financial advisors, consider ways of allocating your retirement plan contributions to provide the flexibility you need to maximize your income during your retirement years.

Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

You need to save and invest as much as possible to pay for the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned.

To schedule your complimentary financial review, call or visit today.

Financial Advisor Lin Watts, AAMS® 305 Olde Towne Way McDonough, GA 30252 (678) 583-1325

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

Member SIPC

www.edwardjones.com

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Prepared for All Types of Emergencies

On January 18, 2014, Nail Heating & Air Conditioning in Hampton, GA teamed with fellow Henry County Chamber of Commerce member, MedPrepSouth, to provide CPR certification training to all their service technicians, installation technicians and office staff as a way to ensure they were prepared for not only heating and air emergencies, but all types of emergencies. Employees received a combination of CPR, AED (automated external defibrillator), and first aid training.

The President of Nail Heating & Air Conditioning, Steve Nail, says, “We are always looking for ways to be better prepared to serve our customers. They trust

us to be in their home and this training will help our employees to react immediately, decisively and with knowledge and preparation in the event of an unforeseen emergency while we’re there. Having this training could mean the difference between life or death for one of our customers, an employee or a family member.”

State of the art mannequins were used to instruct employees and provided them with the ability to simulate the procedures used by emergency service providers every day. CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, and provider assisted respiratory care for both children and adults were just some of the skills gained. Certification is good for two years and is a great asset to have. The training is also consistent with OSHA’s Best Practices for Workplace First Aid Training Programs.

Congratulations to Nail Heating & Air Conditioning and to MedPrepSouth for this kind of collaboration and for demonstrating this level of care and concern.

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