August 2020 Features

• Chris Clark: The 2020 Census. Just Do It.

  August 31, 2020

  When Nike launched its “Just Do It” campaign in 1988, no one had any idea what would become of such a simple phrase.

• Albany Area Chamber-led Campaign Supports Safety, Expands Business Resources

  August 28, 2020

  The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce today launched #StrongerTogetherABY, an action-led campaign that encourages resident and business participation in recommended guidelines known to stop the spread of the coronavirus, and expands access to business resources and training that support return-to-work guidelines and the sustainable reopening of the economy.

• Health Connect South Announces Lineup for Sept. 24th Virtual Gathering

  August 28, 2020

  Health Connect South, the largest multidisciplinary health gathering in the Southeast, has announced that it will hold its 7th annual gathering on Sept. 24th. A virtual event, Health Connect South is committed to the mission of serving the health community as a platform to promote health collaborations throughout the Southeast.

• Loans, Deposits, Employment up at Georgia’s Banks

  August 28, 2020

  Through the first six months of 2020, Georgia’s banks continued to serve as a source of financial strength and stability for families and businesses.

• New Georgia Corporate Generosity Tracker unveiled by goBeyondProfit

  August 27, 2020

  Georgia businesses now have a robust source to learn how peer companies support their communities and positively impact the lives of their employees and customers.

• Secretary of State Raffensperger Working with GEMA/HS to Keep Elections Workers Safe from COVID-19

  August 27, 2020

  Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is working with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency to keep Georgia’s poll workers and elections officials safe from COVID-19.

• Miracle League to Race Ping Pong Balls at Wild Adventures

  August 26, 2020

  The Miracle League of Valdosta is pitting thousands of ping pong balls against each other on Saturday to support sports programs for children and adults with disabilities.

• GCA Is Accepting FY21 Vibrant Communities Grant Applications Through August 28th

  August 26, 2020

  Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) is accepting applications for the FY21 Vibrant Communities Grant through Friday, August 28, 2020. The Vibrant Communities Grant funds arts projects in Georgia counties in which no organization received a GCA FY21 Partner, Project, or Arts Education Program Grant.

• Savannah Top Port for U.S. Exports

  August 25, 2020

  The Port of Savannah exported more loaded containers than any other port in the country from January through May, achieving a 12.2 percent market share. Garden City Terminal handled a total of 593,195 twenty-foot equivalent container units of loaded exports during the first five months of the calendar year.

• CSU’s Leadership Institute Forum 2020 Begins Today

  August 24, 2020

  The Forum, hosted by the Leadership Institute at Columbus State University, will be hosted online from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day the week of Aug. 24-28. Thanks to the support of our generous sponsors, The Forum 2020 will be offered at no cost to registrants.

• Georgia’s Unemployment Rate Outperforms National Percentage

  August 21, 2020

  Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler announced Georgia’s unemployment rate remains at 7.6 percent in July, which is two and six-tenths lower than the national rate of 10.2 percent. Georgia’s rate has decreased five percent since April.

• Census Bureau Adapts Operations to Ensure Everyone Is Counted

  August 21, 2020

  As the U.S. Census Bureau continues to monitor the impacts COVID-19 has on 2020 Census operations, changes to operations are being deployed to ensure the safety of staff and the public while maximizing the number of households that respond on their own to the 2020 Census.

• Albany Area Chamber Chair: A Future-Focused Chamber

  August 20, 2020

  When, during its 110th annual meeting in January 2020, I assumed the role of chairman of the Board of Directors of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, I did so with clarity about the responsibility of the role and an appreciation for the expectations of the membership, the needs of the community, the capabilities of our staff and the Chamber’s forward focus.

• Superintendent Woods: Transparency, Safety Measures are Essential to Ensure a Successful School Year

  August 19, 2020

  Schools throughout Georgia are opening for instruction – some in-person with a virtual/remote option for students, and some in a full remote or hybrid A/B model.

• South GeorgiaLEADS Announces Leadership Class of 2020-2021

  August 18, 2020

  Thirty-two participants from across South Georgia have committed to investing in the future vitality of the region by participating in the 2020-2021 class of South GeorgiaLEADS. Representing 14 counties of the 21-county region, the desire to engage in the issues facing South Georgia is a consistent passion of this year’s class.

• GMA President: Reaching the ‘Zone of High Aspirations’ with Resiliency

  August 18, 2020

  The logo for GMA’s virtual Annual Convention held last month featured the words, “Cities United: Rising with Resilience.” Although the theme was developed in response to the COVID-19 it can certainly apply to the broad array of challenges cities face every day.

• Georgia Safety Promise Reaches More Than 1,000 Commitments

  August 18, 2020

  As billboards and a variety of grassroots promotions continue across the state, the Georgia Safety Promise public-private partnership, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), has announced that more than 1,000 Georgia businesses, local authorities and officials throughout the state have committed to the Georgia Safety Promise.

• Colony Bank Promotes Cindy Griffin & Tommy Clark

  August 17, 2020

  Colony Bank today announced that Cindy Griffin, formerly Regional President over the Southwest Georgia region, including Albany, Leesburg, Moultrie and Sylvester, has been promoted to the newly created position of Senior Vice President, Director of Commercial Banking. Tommy Clark, formerly Albany Market President, has been promoted to fill Griffin’s position of Regional President.

• DPH Provides Report on COVID-19 Trends in Georgia

  August 17, 2020

  The Georgia Department of Public Health released new information regarding the fight against COVID-19 in Georgia.

• Council for Quality Growth Announces Date and Time for Prestigious Four Pillar Award

  August 14, 2020

  The Council for Quality Growth will honor Doug Hertz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Distributors, with its 31st annual Four Pillar Award virtually on October 1, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. His embodiment of the Council’s ‘Four Pillars’ of leadership – Quality, Responsibility, Vision and Integrity – and exemplification of the Council’s mission of promoting balanced and responsible growth sets an example for everyone.

• State Election Board Gives Unanimous Green Light to Online Absentee Ballot Portal

  August 13, 2020

  Georgia’s State Election Board unanimously voted to approve a rule authorizing the Secretary of State’s upcoming online absentee ballot request form portal.

• CEOs: Post-Covid Changes are Permanent and There are More to Come

  August 12, 2020

  The need for business leaders and policy makers to fundamentally rethink the way they plan, invest and operate in the future is underlined in a new survey of 699 global CEOs released by PwC.

• GDOT Awards Nearly $1.35B in FY 2020, Includes $33.2M in Construction Contracts in June

  August 11, 2020

  In Fiscal Year 2020, the Georgia Department of Transportation awarded a total of 330 projects, valued at approximately $1.349 billion. This includes 299 projects valued at approximately $1.18 billion, of which three were Design Build projects totaling $142.6 million. The remaining 31 projects, worth approximately $169 million, were locally let.

• Chris Clark: How Small Businesses Recover and Become More Resilient

  August 11, 2020

  Growing up in Fitzgerald, I witnessed the evolution of entrepreneurial spirit as small businesses would open, some close, and new small businesses would take their place. There is an economic cycle of 20-years that supply and demand generally drive.

• Atlanta Business Leader Thomas M. Holder Elected Georgia Historical Society Board Chairman

  August 10, 2020

  In an unprecedented, first-of-its-kind virtual gathering in the 181-year history of the Georgia Historical Society (GHS), the GHS Board of Curators met on July 30th via Zoom and elected Thomas M. Holder (Atlanta), Chairman and CEO of Holder Construction Company, as the new Board Chairman. Holder succeeds Walter M. “Sonny” Deriso, Jr. (Atlanta/Albany) who served as GHS Chairman from 2018–2020.