Chamber Ambassadors Are Chamber Champions

The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce is rooting for local businesses around Valdosta with a team of professional volunteers known as Chamber Ambassadors. 

The diverse team of Ambassadors come from local businesses to give new businesses in the area a warm welcome and well-wishes.

Chamber Ambassadors have made it their mission to serve as goodwill ambassadors for the Chamber and the community with the highest degree of professionalism, knowledge and integrity as well as promote the development of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber.

Lauren Pope, Communications and Marketing Director and Coordinator of Chamber Ambassadors describes the team as representatives of the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce.

“They are the first faces new businesses will see,” Pope said.

Chamber Ambassadors are not hard to spot. Sporting crisp, Kelly Green blazers, which symbolize prosperity, the benevolent group can be found at ribbon cuttings, ground breakings and leading businesses of the week.

To become an Ambassador, one must be an owner or employee of a business with a Chamber membership.

Ambassadors are rewarded for their support of business through a quarterly points system.  Points are earned by attending meetings, celebratory events and referring new members to the Chamber.

When an Ambassador reaches a certain number of points, they are awarded their official Chamber Ambassador name badge. This quarter, Dr. Lacie Guy, Vice Chair of Member Services of the Chamber Board presented these awards at her business, Valdosta Chiropractic and Rehab.

Currently, the committee is made up of about 50 Ambassadors.

Deanna Smith of the Investment Centre at CBC Bank cites becoming an Ambassador as a way to get involved with the Chamber and the community.

“ I decided to become an Ambassador because I made a career change and knew I needed to get plugged into the Chamber of Commerce,” Smith said “When I found out that my current employer not only supported it but encouraged it, I was very excited.  I felt the quickest and best way to get involved with the Chamber would be to become an Ambassador.”

Smith insist that her involvement with Ambassadors has allowed her to witness the major impact the Chamber has, and continues to make on local business.

Kristi Hill, Digital Sales Manager of Valdosta Daily Times and 2018 Chairman describes participation with Ambassadors as a way of “getting your foot in the door to introduce yourself”.

Hill’s personal goal of joining the committee was to prove that there is not one look for business professionals and that millennials are just as capable of networking and maintaining a professional persona as their older counterparts.

“We’re a close knit group who all want to help small businesses in the community,” Hill said. “It’s fun for everyone.”

Kyle Webb, Marketing and Business Development Director of Ella’s Top Corral and a first year ambassador also cites the warm and inviting environment of the Chamber and the comradery of the ambassadors as a benefit of joining the committee.

“Being able to connect with, and support like-minded individuals is something that I not only get pleasure from but motivates me in my own day to day as well.” Webb said.

Sally Sutton, Chief Executive Officer of Anchored Media Marketing and Chamber Ambassadors’ 2019 Chairman believes while service has personal and connective benefits, being an Ambassador is all about supporting the Chamber and local businesses.

“It’s not about what the Ambassadors Program can do for me, it's more about how can we, as Ambassadors, support our Chamber and local businesses.” Sutton said.

Scott and Lisa Register, owners of Comfort Keepers of South Georgia, agree that being a part of the Ambassadors Program is about serving the Chamber and giving back to the community.

“The Chamber heled us get started.  It’s really made a tremendous impact on our business” Scott Register said. “It’s our way of giving back to our organization that helped us.”

“We enjoy being ambassadors,” Lisa Register said. “We consider it a privilege.”

Lisa Register is a long time ambassador with 11 years of service on the committee. Scott Register has been an ambassador for five years and currently holds the title of Ambassador of the Quarter.

The Ambassadors Program is sponsored by Biotest Plasma Center.

“The Chamber of Commerce has always and still is an ally to our business,” said Don Gamache, Director of Plasma Marketing Operations. The Chamber is grateful that Biotest makes it possible for the Ambassadors to be the Chamber Champions they are!

If interested in joining this elite committee, contact Lauren Pope, Communications and Marketing Director at lpope@valdostachamber.com or 229-247-8100 ext. 231.