The Georgia Chamber celebrated the official opening of their first regional office in 102 years in Tifton, Georgia. With an incredibly successful turnout, attendees from all parts of Georgia gathered as the evening kicked-off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by an open house and reception.

Lithonia Lighting, Beaulieu Flooring, Ashley’s Business Solutions, and Aaron’s, Inc. each individually contributed to the new Tifton office by providing thousands of dollars’ worth of new lighting, flooring, printers and copiers, refrigerators, and more. The Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce also played a major role in helping the Georgia Chamber make a smooth transition down to Tifton.

Chris Clark, the President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber and a native of Fitzgerald, introduced the Tifton office’s new manager, Molly Giddens, and discussed the Chamber’s goal of working towards a stronger rural Georgia in every sense of the word.

“We’ve set out on a mission to make a renewed commitment to all of rural Georgia,” said Clark. “This new resource will stand as a center for rural economic prosperity and we’re dedicated to working with our friends and partners here in the South.”

“Innovative solutions – and the talent to lead them – are necessary for strengthening and growing our state, and especially important for rural Georgia,” said 2017 Georgia Chamber Chairman Bill Linginfelter.

The Chamber plans to use this new office as a hub for rural prosperity, with the ultimate goal of working with South Georgia partners to successfully improve rural efforts.

Along with the opening of their new office, the Chamber has launched a number of initiatives targeting South Georgia such as:

Establishing a new committee to focus strictly on rural issues while working with their rural members

Launching 14 new events anchored around Georgia to bring attention to every corner of the state

Starting a new long term program called Authentic Georgia as a way to promote all that our great state makes, builds and manages

Chris Clark and the Georgia Chamber team are working tirelessly to shine a light on South Georgia, and to present realistic solutions in improving education, health care, job growth and more throughout the region. The Tifton office grand opening is only the beginning of the Chamber’s long-term plan and commitment to rural Georgia.