March 2015 Features

  • Sheriff Kevin Sproul on Administrative Professionals’ Day

    March 30, 2015

    I have stated countless times that I am very blessed to work with so many faithful and dedicated men and women who serve our community as employees of the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office. Administrative Professionals’ Day is soon approaching. April 22nd is the official day set aside to recognize and honor Administrative Professionals.

  • Daniel Titus: Google's Mobile-Friendly Algorithm Changes

    March 27, 2015

    In February, Google announced that it was going to make some pretty serious changes to their Algorithm which would greatly affect some searches. These changes will take effect on April 21st. The force of these changes are to the benefit of sites that are mobile friendly. Daniel Titus takes a look at what the announcement itself and then answer some questions about it.

  • Casino Gambling Legalization Introduced; Projections Suggest $250M For HOPE

    March 26, 2015

    Georgia legislators have toyed around with the idea of allowing horse racing at a new small scale race track. Yesterday, a bi-partisan group of lawmakers has dropped bills that would pave the way for Georgia to aim higher and assert itself into the major leagues of casino gambling. Charlie Harper of Peach Pundit writes that supporters of HR 807 and HB 677 tout a potential payoff of 10,000 construction jobs, 10,000 permanent jobs, and – perhaps most importantly – $250 Million dollars added to HOPE’s dwindling coffers every year.

  • Being Active in the Community Drives Mike Gonzalez Jr. and Pro Outdoor LLC

    March 24, 2015

    In the five years since he left high school, Mike Gonzalez Jr. launched his own landscaping business – Pro Outdoor LLC, served as logistics chief for Albany-Dougherty Search & Rescue, raced cars on dirt tracks throughout the Southeast and entered the market for rental properties. Being active in the community is a big part of Gonzalez' business strategy.

  • Tips On Effective Ways to Market to Millennials

    March 23, 2015

    The millennial generation has grown to be one of the largest populations in the United States, even outnumbering the baby boomer generation. And now, not only are they the largest group in America, but they are also the most financially influential group, representing more than $1.3 trillion in consumer spending power, according to the Hartman Group. Communicorp's Amanda Bass gives us some tips on marketing to this growing generation.

  • Albany Tech Foundation Holds Annual “Roast” of Ken Hodges

    March 20, 2015

    The Albany Foundation will hold its annual “Roast” event on Friday, March 20, 2015, beginning at 7pm in the Kirkland Conference Center, with a Silent Auction beginning at 6pm in the atrium of the Kirkland Conference Center. This year’s honored guest is Kenneth B. Hodges, III, Attorney for Flynn+Peeler+Phillips and former District Attorney for the Dougherty Judicial Circuit.

  • Ed Farley: What Do Your Customers Think?

    March 20, 2015

    How many times do you hear companies brag that they are…world-class ….have top-rated products! How often do we hear the claims of an incredible sales force! The best customer service! Are these claims true? How do they know? How do you know?

  • Pellicano Construction Sees Development Uptick, Growth for Georgia

    March 17, 2015

    The construction industry in Georgia has made some great strides since the economic downturn, inching back closer to the robust times of late 90s and early 2000s. Pellicano COO Stephen Dew points out some great indicators for 2015 that looks to keep development in the state strong.

  • How to Turn Wasteful Meetings Into Business Success

    March 17, 2015

    Experiencing boring, wasteful meetings will encourage people to avoid similar events in the future. No one likes to have precious time wasted. Worse yet, are the types of meetings where one person does all of the speaking while showing little interest or concern for others in the room. Instead, the person doing all of the talking is spending the time trying to impress the others.

  • Doug Porter: Greenspace Master Plan Depends on Leadership

    March 16, 2015

    When County Attorney Spencer Lee contacted me back in February to see if Chehaw was interested in participating in a greenspace master plan that might result in the downtown trail connecting to the park, I was a little bit surprised and a whole lot excited.

  • Darton State's Annual Scholarship Gala Set for April 23rd

    March 13, 2015

    The Darton State College Foundation will host its Annual Scholarship Gala on Thursday, April 23 at 7 p.m. in the Cavalier Arena. The gala is the Foundation’s premier fundraising event of the year. Proceeds will provide scholarships to students, many of which are first generation students.

  • Jim Blanchard on Changing the Leadership Culture

    March 12, 2015

    When former Chairman & CEO of Synovus Jim Blanchard retired, his agenda didn’t fill with days dedicated to front-porch sitting. He desired to perpetuate and expand the influence of what he calls “servant leadership.” He proposed the concept of a leadership forum to his successor, who, understanding the value, eagerly agreed to sponsor the program. That was 10 years ago. The 10th annual Jim Blanchard Leadership Forum will roll out later this year in August.

  • Turner Furniture Company Celebrates 100 Year Anniversary

    March 10, 2015

    Turner Furniture started out as a hardware store in Pelham, Georgia in 1915. It began with M.W. Turner, Sr. and a business partner not related to the Turner family. However, in 1929 the partnership was dissolved and M.W. Turner and his son M.W. Turner, Jr. opened a new hardware store across the street as competitors. It was during World War II that Turner’s began selling used furniture.

  • Locate South Georgia Takes Economic Development to a New Regional Level

    March 09, 2015

    Leaders of Locate South Georgia, a newly formed regional economic development group representing 21 counties, were in Atlanta last week to promote the group to state economic development officials. Launched at the beginning of 2015, Locate South Georgia combines the efforts of two previous groups – an older version of Locate South Georgia and the Southwest Georgia Chamber Council.

  • How to Get Your Management Team to Buy Into Marketing Strategy

    March 06, 2015

    Have you ever had your management team agree on something unanimously? If I were a betting man, I’d say probably not. That’s why facing a challenge like implementing a new marketing strategy can be so tiring. Not only do you have to develop the strategy – which will definitely take up a fair amount of time and resources – you also have to get your management team to support the plan.

  • From The Floor Up – Georgia's Shaw Industries Invests In People

    March 05, 2015

    Vance Bell, CEO of Shaw Industries, headquartered in Dalton, maintains that there are few businesses for which people aren’t the company’s greatest asset. That is why Shaw’s mission —“Great People. Great Products. Great Service. Always.”—begins with people.

  • Albany State University President Announces Senior Leadership Appointments

    March 03, 2015

    Albany State University Interim President Arthur Dunning announced today changes to his executive leadership team. He has named Abiodun Ojemakinde provost and vice president for academic affairs; Chanta Haywood as vice president for institutional advancement; Clifford Porter as executive assistant to the president for government and community relations; and, Cynthia Hoke as senior advisor and special assistant to the president. Hoke will serve a one-year appointment.

  • Sheriff Kevin Sproul on Making A Difference

    March 02, 2015

    Every individual in our community makes a difference. We all have opportunities to act in a way that promotes the common good, or causes friction. I made this statement in last month’s article while acknowledging and thanking those who do make a difference in our community. I mention this because I am very fortunate to have many individuals at the Sheriff’s Office who work beyond their normal duties to make a difference in our community.