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The Chamber Ambassadors honored Kinderlou Inn as the Leading Business of the Week for May 6, 2019. Kinderlou Inn is passionate about working as one team with one goal to offer guests a “home away from home” experience. “Whether guests are traveling for business, leisure, or evacuating from a storm it is always a pleasure to speak to our guests and to make them feel welcome,” said Darlene Gist, General Manager. According to Gist, Kinderlou Inn has hosted well-known guests such as, Bob Hope, former President Bill Clinton and the boy band, Back Street Boys. In addition to providing visitors with a memorable lodging experience, Kinderlou has partnered with Austin’s Cattle Company. “What is unique is that we partner with Austin’s Cattle Company to offer an award winning steak house to our guests,” said Gist. Kinderlou Inn is a proud member of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. “Not only is the Chamber instrumental in business awareness locally, they are also a great representation of our community to those prospective guests outside of the Valdosta-Lowndes area,” said Gist. “Our Chamber has done a superb job in building a community that encourages networking and business to business relationships. The Leading Business of the Week program is designed to recognize members who have partnered with the Chamber for at least five years. Marcotek Digital Office Solutions proudly sponsors the 2019 Leading Business of the Week program. For more information visit www.ValdostaChamber.com/Leading-Business-of-the-Week 
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The Chamber Ambassadors honored Friendly Express with a ribbon cutting on May 9, 2019 to celebrate the grand opening and introduce their two stores to the community. With forty-two locations in southeast Georgia, Friendly Express is a family friendly convenient store with food service destination, and allowing customers to enjoy the state of the art equipment. “We pride ourselves on being family friendly,” said Danny Smith, Chief Executive Officer. “We love the opportunity to serve the community in many ways.” Friendly Express is passionate about giving back and helping others in their communities. “Aside from our store offerings, we also give back to the communities/counties where we are located through our Charitable Foundation,” said Smith. Visit Friendly Express located at 3645 Inner Perimeter Road or 4129 North Valdosta Road.  The Chamber Ambassadors honored Valdosta Vault as the Leading Business of the Week for April 29, 2019. A locally owned jewelry store in the Valdosta Mall, Valdosta Vault offers many jewelry options. Valdosta Vault has a large choice of engagement rings and bridal jewelry along with fashion jewelry, vintage jewelry and watches from top designers. Passionate about interacting with the community, Valdosta Vault offers chances for the people of the community to get involved. “We are currently running a promotion on Facebook called, Find Supermom,” said Susan Nebel, general manager. Customers can enter to win prizes such as a $50 gift card to the Vault.” Valdosta Vault is a proud member of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber has offered their support since we opened and are always willing to help promote our business, “said Nebel. According to Nebel, “I love working here because of the people. I’ve met so many people from all walks of life in the last seven years of working here.” The Leading Business of the Week program is designed to recognize members who have partnered with the Chamber for at least five years. Marcotek Digital Office Solutions proudly sponsors the 2019 Leading Business of the Week program. For more information visit www.ValdostaChamber.com/Leading-Business-of-the-Week  The Chamber Ambassadors honored Cinnaholic with a ribbon cutting on April 26, 2019 to celebrate the business’grand opening. Cinnaholic is an up and coming franchise with more than 35 stores in the United States and Canada. Cinnaholic’s products are scratch-made and fresh-baked. All products are 100 percent plant-based, dairy and lactose-free, egg-free and cholesterol-free. “Our business differs from our competitors because our products use high quality, fresh and organic ingredients. They contain no cholesterol, are one-third the calories and everything is freshly made,” said Emily Dokoupil, store manager. According the Dokoupil, Cinnaholic was one of the top ten deals established on Shark Tank and since then the business has swept the nation. Cinnaholic is a new and proud member of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber. Dokoupil stated, “The Chamber has given us great publicity and connections to the community.” “We love what we do because we have the honor to serve the community humanely, ethically resourced, gourmet bakery goods,” said Dokoupil.  More than 80 business owners came together Thursday, May 2nd for a standing-room only conference dedicated to women in business. The She Creates Business conference, now in its third year, was originally started in Thomasville and was brought to Valdosta by the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. “I had the privilege of attending She Creates Business in Thomasville in 2018 and was impressed by the quality of the speakers and the attendees,” said Betty Morgan, Vice President of Business Development for the Valdosta Chamber. “The room was packed with outstanding leaders. It was really inspirational to see so many dynamic women in business gathered in one place to take their businesses to the next level. Our Chamber is dedicated to bringing the best quality content we can to our business community. I knew She Creates Business was something we needed in Valdosta,” continued Morgan. Conference founder Dara Barwick, of Dara Barwick Consulting, explained her inspiration for creating the conference. “During my career working in economic development, I interacted with thousands of small and large business owners all over the state. Over time, I learned, the secret to success may be different for everyone, but the principles of business growth are nearly universal. I founded this conference because I saw a need to support women with access to very high-quality information. We bring in speakers who are truly at the top of their game. Every one of them is someone you wouldn’t want to miss,” said Barwick. Barwick credits the steady growth of the conference in part to her partnership with Adele Creative Marketing & Design. “They came in alongside us in our second year and gave us the branding and messaging we needed to reach our target market. There really is something different about the way they message, and it produces visible results. We had founder Lauren Vann come in and give a session on using Digital Marketing for Business Growth, because that level of insight is what we’re providing to our attendees. There’s a focus on greater value, deeper insights and real change that goes beyond surface level workshops.” Lauren Vann, founder of Adele Creative, concurred. “When Dara approached me about collaborating with She Creates Business, I was really captured by her vision. Dara is one of our region’s most sought after business consultants, and for a reason. I knew she was building a conference that provided a real value to the business community. It’s been an awesome experience working with her as well as with the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. The Valdosta business community has a lot to be proud of in their Chamber. They are definitely the reason this conference was sold out its first year in Valdosta.” She Creates Business was held at Birdie’s Events & Catering, and brought together speakers including Keira Moritz-Johnson, founder of Steel Magnolias; Montina Portis, founder of CIA Media Group; Renee Moss, founder of Farmer’s Daughter Vineyard; Deana Bibb, founder of Proper Pepper Pimento Cheese; and Layne Varnedoe, the entrepreneurial mind behind Lee Container, Lauri Jo’s Southern Style Canning, the Coffee Corner, and other business ventures. The 2019 Conference was hosted by the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, presented by Dara Barwick Consulting and Adele Creative Marketing & Design with lead sponsor Tickle Me Pink Daycare and Learning Center. Pam Cater with Tickle Me Pink Daycare and Learning Center told the audience, “I jumped at the opportunity to sponsor this conference dedicated to inspire women to grow their businesses, and be the business leaders that this community needs and deserves. I truly believe that it is important to look at our goals, to learn from each other, and build each other up.”  The Chamber Ambassadors honored Smile Doctors as the Leading Business of the Week for April 22, 2019. Doctor Marsha Holloway and her Smile Doctor team takes pride in providing the ultimate experience to their patients of all ages. “We want to connect with our patients and make them feel like a part of the Smile Doctors family before, during and after their treatment,” said Sarah Evans. Passionate about helping and interacting with the Valdosta-Lowndes County community, Smile Doctors has partnered with Second Harvest food bank to help end hunger. “This is an amazing opportunity to give back to our community and help fight hunger here in our hometown,” said Evans. Smile Doctors is a proud member of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Holloway stated, “It has truly been our pleasure to work with everyone at the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. We have thoroughly enjoyed our many years of partnering with the Chamber.” The Leading Business of the Week program is designed to recognize members who have partnered with the Chamber for at least five years. Marcotek Digital Office Solutions proudly sponsors the 2019 Leading Business of the Week program. For more information visit www.ValdostaChamber.com/Leading-Business-of-the-Week.  U.S. Representative Austin Scott joined Valdosta Chamber leaders on Wednesday, April 17th for a roundtable discussion on policy issues ranging from transportation to military affairs. Among those participating were chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors, Lee McArthur, Chamber president, Myrna Ballard, chairman of the Chamber’s Government Affairs Council, John P. Page and chairman of the Chamber’s Healthcare Policy Committee, Steven Heddon. One of the key issues discussed was the Chamber’s opposition to the FAA’s so-called “1,500-hour rule.” The rule requires new pilots to receive an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate attesting that they have 1,500 hours of cockpit training. This mostly impacts regional (i.e. rural) trunk carriers where 1,500 hour pilots are difficult to find and recruit, thus creating a pilot shortage and curtailing regional air service. Another topic discussed at the meeting pertained to issues surrounding the measurements of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, which determines the possibility of a military base closing. Led by Nick Lacey, chairman of the Military Affairs Policy Committee on the Chamber’s Government Affairs Council, issues of rural broadband and the quality of education at local school systems were agenda items that were concerning. While these two subjects are certainly important from a BRAC standpoint, they are also significant when considering economic development, labor, education and workforce development and healthcare. The Congressman was happy to listen to the concerns of the business community. “Congressman Scott is very accessible to his constituents,” said Ballard. “He takes the time to listen to the concerns of the business community. These face-to-face discussions with our elected officials are the best way to advocate for our members.”  The Chamber and Renasant Bank presented Motion Wave Productions, LLC with the April Small Business of the Month award. Co-owners Glenn Boswell and TJ Taylor joined forces in 2016 to start an all-inclusive company offering high quality video production, photography, marketing solutions and more to the Valdosta-Lowndes County community. “Motion Wave Productions provides companies of any size the opportunity to have professional quality videos created for their business and used to promote themselves online through their website, social media, and ad campaigns,” said Boswell. “Motion Wave has the knowledge and creativity to set a company apart from the competition.” Boswell and Taylor have more than 16 years of combined experience in producing television shows and working live events. Motion Waves Productions’ goal is to highlight and showcase businesses and companies in the community. “We wanted to open our company in Valdosta and help show business owners the benefit of online video marketing,” said Boswell. Motion Wave Productions is passionate about community involvement. Motion Wave is a proud and active member of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber. Boswell and Taylor have worked with the Chamber’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy. “The most significant way Motion Wave has shown community involvement merely is by providing our services to clients and being able to create videos that highlight what they are doing for our great community,” said Boswell. Motion Wave Productions is located at 509 N. Patterson St, Valdosta. For more information, call 229-329-2767.  The Chamber Ambassadors honored White Weddings as the Leading Business of the Week for April 15, 2019. Passionate about supporting local businesses in the Valdosta-Lowndes community, Brooke and Charles White established White Weddings in 2012. Offering an exceptional bridal shopping experience, White Weddings helps each bride and her family create a lifetime of memories. “We love helping brides so that this part of their wedding planning is as stress-free as possible, “said Brooke White owner. White Weddings is a proud member of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber. White stated, “The Chamber is a valuable tool in our community to connect other business owners, as well as learn about the great businesses in our community through Leading Business of the Week. The Leading Business of the Week program is designed to recognize members who have partnered with the Chamber for at least five years. Marcotek Digital Office Solutions proudly sponsors the 2019 Leading Business of the Week program. For more information, visit www.ValdostaChamber.com/Leading-Business-of-the-Week.  This past Friday, April 5, YOUR Five-Star Chamber, in association with the Homebuilders Association of South Georgia, Valdosta & Valdosta North Rotary clubs, and the Valdosta Board of Realtors®, hosted former Senator Saxby Chambliss at the Rainwater Conference Center for the Legislative Luncheon. “Sen. Chambliss brings a wealth of experience from his legislative career,” said Chamber Government Affairs Council chairman John Page. “He served in the U.S. House and Senate, representing the great state of Georgia. Because of that mindset, combined with his record of service, he can give your average citizen a deep insight to understand politics and government in a balanced way. A true statesman, Sen. Chambliss is deeply respected by both political parties. He holds his ground when it comes to his deep principles and does not blink.” Sen. Chambliss spoke to a wide range of issues including term limits, taxes on small businesses, cyber security and the impact it has on business owners. Sen. Chambliss jokingly mentioned that the number one password is “password”. He also talked about the rise of ransom-ware, where a hacker can control of your computer and demand payment to unlock it. He also reflected upon his friendship and bi-partisan cooperation with late Sen. Ted Kennedy and how those values seem increasingly absent in today’s political climate. Sen. Chambliss also spoke about his work on immigration reform, specifically work visas for migrant farm workers and the impact that has on the country’s agriculture backbone. In the past, the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce in association with the Homebuilders Association of South Georgia, Valdosta & Valdosta North Rotary clubs, and the Valdosta Board of Realtors®, have hosted Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, Sen. David Perdue, Gov. Nathan Deal, and the local delegation to the state capitol for legislative luncheons. “The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber strives to bring influential voices in politics to the business community on an annual basis,” said Myrna Ballard, President of Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. “We are honored to have a well-respected leader like Sen. Chambliss attend our Legislative Luncheon.”  |
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