Spotlight on Leadership

30 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP TROUP

An idea took root 30 years ago and today continues to branch out into a second generation. This year, Leadership Troup celebrates 30 years of educating local professionals about issues and concerns of the community.

Sponsored by LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Troup is a ten-month program that includes leadership modules as well as sessions focused on local government, social issues, health care, education, tourism and more.

Bill and Helen Rice participated in Leadership Georgia and when they moved to LaGrange, pitched the idea in their new community.

“We found Leadership Georgia to be most informative. We visited towns across the state and learned about education, government, health care, community service and other issues,” Helen Rice recalled.

The couple helped start a similar program in south Georgia and wanted to do the same in Troup County. They found a willing and supportive community and in 1991 helped with the inaugural class. However, they don’t take credit for its long tenure.

“When something lasts this long, there are good people behind it,” she said. This year, two members of the 2021 Leadership Troup class are following in their parents footsteps.

Kim Myers, director of Get Troup Reading, remembers her mother, Peggy Lukken, participating in one of the early groups.

“I remember her talking about it, going to the events and visiting around town. She was very involved in the community and it meant a lot to her,” Myers said.

The concept hasn’t changed much according to Peggy Lukken, who was a social worker at West Georgia Medical Center when she participated in Leadership Troup.

“Our first session was out at a farm near the lake. We did the team building exercises and got to know each other. Then we visited the different areas we learned about,” Lukken said. “The value of it for me was to see and get to know the resources we have in LaGrange. It was very helpful to me in my work.”

For Myers, being able to participate was not only helpful in her position with Get Troup Reading, but it also was a way to connect with her mother’s experience.

“I’ve always followed the stories about Leadership Troup because I remember mom doing it. I wasn’t able to participate because I was a teacher in the school system. I’m so glad to be participating and I’m learning so much. Even living here the majority of my life, I’m learning a lot I never knew about Troup County.” Brandon Solomon has a similar story. His father, Ellis Solomon, was in the first Leadership Troup class in 1991.

“I’ve traveled my entire career and I never was able to participate in Leadership Troup,” said Solomon, a business development consultant in Physician Relations at Wellstar. “Then in 2020 I started working at Wellstar out of LaGrange and I was nominated to be in the program. There’s a lot that goes on in Troup County that you don’t really know about. I want to know about it and I want to know how I can help and make a difference.”

In the current class, Solomon was a little surprised to discover he didn’t know most of his classmates.

“There was one in the group that I really knew. I think it’s great I’m meeting more individuals in my city. “I love LaGrange and Troup County and I’m honored to continue the family tradition in Leadership Troup,” he said.

Kim Myers, her mother Peggy Lukken, and her two daughters Anna & Sophie both of whom are Youth Leadership Graduates.

Ken Smith, CPA will join Gay & Joseph, CPA, PC as a partner beginning in January 2021. Ken has 30+ years of public accounting experience primarily in the corporate tax area, handling federal and state tax issues for multinational, multi-state corporations, accounting for income taxes, tax implications of mergers and acquisitions, federal tax accounting methods, compensation tax issues, R&D tax credit studies, state and local tax planning and issues, and international tax matters. Ken has worked with clients in small business, manufacturing and distribution, technology and life sciences, telecommunications, broadcasting, retail, healthcare, transportation, construction and real estate, business services and automotive industries. Before joining Gay and Joseph, Ken was a tax partner with BDO, a tax partner with both a big four accounting firm, and a tax partner with a smaller local firm.

Trae Long, CPA of Gay &

Joseph, CPA, PC has been promoted to partner. Trae was born and raised in LaGrange, Georgia and graduated as the valedictorian from LaGrange College in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in accountancy and mathematics, beginning working at Gay & Joseph in October 2012. Trae obtained his CPA certification in January 2014 and was honored by the AICPA with the Elijah Watt Sells Award for his performance on the CPA exam. In his time at Gay & Joseph, Trae has worked in the tax and audit departments working with various nonprofits, small businesses, and individuals. Trae is actively involved in the Troup County community and holds leadership roles in a variety of community programs, including the Rotary Club of LaGrange, Troup County Historical Society, and The Exceptional Way.

Mary Stewart has been a resident of Hogansville for 22 years owning and operating William & Mary's Antiques all that time. Stewart has also led the Hogansville Hummingbird Festival for 20 years, and has achieved, with the help of others, phenomenal growth from a small festival of a dozen vendors and 200 or so visitors to the premier event in the region with over 200 vendors and crowds exceeding 15,000 over the two day event. The festival in that time has raised over $750,000 for municipal improvements in the City.

Carroll EMC Recognized for Workplace Culture

Top workplace honors follow Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) for the seventh consecutive year as a 2021 Best Places to Work recipient by the Atlanta Business Chronicle (ABC). The recognition comes only months after the cooperative announced its Top Workplaces award from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

To qualify as a high-ranking employer, Carroll EMC employees were invited to participate in an anonymous, third-party survey conducted by Quantum Workplace, a research firm that administers workplace culture assessments on behalf of ABC. The questionnaire, consisting of closed and open-ended questions, measures their satisfaction and engagement within the cooperative and allows for honest feedback.

Results reflected both high employee satisfaction and engagement with the co-op’s family-like culture being a main driver. For 2021, 100 companies qualified for a Best Places to Work nomination including 45 small companies, 25 medium companies, 25 large companies and 5 extra-large companies. Carroll EMC ranked 19 in the large business category.

"We’re in the people business, and we want to foster an environment that encourages both personal and professional growth," said Kim Jennings, Human Resources Manager for Carroll EMC. “The workforce is changing, and we are doing all we can to meet the needs of our employees so they can better serve our Members.”

Association Services Group, LLC, Announces New Ownership Team

Association Services Group, LLC, (ASG) founded in 1995, is excited to announce the transition of company ownership from founder, owner and President Charles Hall to existing management partners and veteran association management professionals, Caitlin Hyatt and Samantha Kilgore will be Chief Client Officer (CCO) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), respectively.

Katie Oxford, Certified Association Executive, will be ASG's new Chief Executive Officer. Oxford began her career in association management in 2013 and most recently served as ASG's Director of Operations. "ASG has a culture deeply rooted in top-notch service to our client associations, and we are all so excited to continue to lead and develop our team to the next level of that standard," she said. Oxford graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Business. Her eight-year career at ASG has led to a unique specialty in financial management, operations, and strategy.

Caitlin Hyatt joined the ASG team in 2012 after gaining experience in the association management space through a job with Atlanta-based international management firm Kellen Company. Hyatt has served as an account manager for several national professional societies and trade organizations. As CCO, Hyatt will direct client relations, partnerships, and the leadership training and development of ASG's team of more than 30 employees.

Circles of Troup County was

chosen to pilot a new national partnership program with Circles USA and Ideos Institute to address poverty issues in Troup County.

“Circles USA selected Circles Troup County as the pilot site for our new partnership with Ideos because this chapter already has a deep connection to its community members and a successful history of advocacy,” said Kamatara Johnson, Circles USA chief learning officer. “We know that Sherri and her team have the experience and skill to do this pioneering work well, paving the way for other chapters in our community of practice to be bold in facilitating community dialogues that heal our nation.”

The project includes multiple listening sessions with a racial, gender and economically diverse group of community members.

“We were honored to be chosen for this project and I’m excited to bring together diverse voices to learn from and work together to create a thriving community for everyone,” said Sherri Brown, executive director of Circles of Troup. Ideos Institute specializes in facilitating group discussions that use empathy-based communication story sharing and joint action to increase understanding and trust among community members.

Samantha Kilgore, an agricultural communications graduate from the University of Georgia, began her tenure at ASG as an intern in 2012. There she discovered a passion for helping organizations meet their goals for growth and program development. Today, Kilgore serves as an account manager for organizations ranging from agriculture and trade to STEM advocacy and media relations. As CMO, Kilgore will direct ASG brand development and develop overall client communication strategies.

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CONTACT: leslie@lagrangechamber.com