| Friday January 9,
2009 |
Comments and
Suggestions / Note |
Volume
IX, Issue 1 |
 |
|
Stories
in this issue:
Features:
Calendars
Member Perks
Advertisers
|
|
| 2008 Greater
Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce Annual Stakeholder's Meeting Set for
January 14
The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce's Annual
Meeting is set for Legacy Hall in the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts
Jan. 14 from 10-11 a.m. Reservations are required.
It is easy to register for the 2008 Annual Meeting by
going the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce web site at www.columbusgachamber.com
You can go directly from this link:
http://tinyurl.com/ChamberAnnualMeeting2008
or follow the steps below:
1. Click on the Events logo on the front page
2. Then click on events sorted by date.
3. Scroll down to 2008 Chamber of Commerce Annual Stakeholder's Meeting
click on the link
4. While you are not purchasing a ticket but rather making a reservation you will still have to click on the purchase button to make your
reservation for the Annual Stakeholder's Meeting.
You can do the same thing for making reservations and
paying for Eye Opener Breakfasts, Power Lunches and many other Chamber
products and services. |
|
|
------------ ADVERTISEMENT--------
------------
ADVERTISEMENT---------
|
|
|
YP
Announces 2009 Calendar of Projects and Events!
Young Professionals are gearing up for an
exciting year of engagement around the Greater Columbus Georgia
Region. On December 1st, the YP committee leaders and board of
directors met to select the 2009 YP initiatives, which will
include quarterly open membership meetings, networking events,
and community service projects, bi-monthly lunch & learns, a
"Cocktails & Company" leadership discussion
series, a private dinner event at the Springer Opera House, the
"See How They Run" candidate school, and the YP gala
and awards ceremony. A full calendar of events will be available
at the YP website (www.ypcolumbusga.com)
in January.
With this exciting 2009 schedule in the works,
now is the perfect time for young professionals around the
region to get involved in one of six active YP committees -
Networking, Community & Cultural Engagement, Political
Awareness, Leadership Development, Marketing, and FUNdraising.
These committees are always looking for new members. Currently,
there is a specific need for individuals with graphic design,
event planning, public relations, or grant writing experience,
but all backgrounds and interests are welcome. So, engage your
passion and talent in YP today!
For more information, please contact Program
Manager, Mary Johnson, at 706-257-1194 or mjohnson@columbusgachamber.com.
|
|
|
|
We
would like to express our deepest appreciation to all of our
members for their support of the Chamber and, especially, to
our Enhanced Investors, some of whom are included below:
Continuous
Sponsors
AT&T;
BlueCross
BlueShield of Georgia; Columbus
Bank and Trust; Columbus
Regional Healthcare Systems, Inc.; Deltacom;
Georgia
Power Company; PMB Broadcasting, LLC; St.
Francis Hospital; Synovus
Financial Corp.; TSYS;
W.C. Bradley Company
Platinum Sponsors:
George
C. Woodruff Company;
Specialized Services;
The Jordan Company;
Pezold Management,
Inc.
As a not-for-profit organization, the
Chamber provides the ideal venue for public-private
partnerships to maintain a pro-business region. While we
appreciate all of our members, many business leaders recognize
the value of investing more than their membership fees in the
Chamber’s mission to benefit the region. The Chamber’s
Enhanced Investor levels include Continuous, Platinum, Gold,
Silver, and Bronze Sponsors.
Our enhanced investors receive Chamber benefits in accordance
with the different levels of investments. We would like to
have the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the benefits
of being an enhanced investor or increasing the sponsor level
of your investment. Please contact Mark Blackwell at
706-596-7001 or mblackwell@columbusgachamber.com.
|
|
|
New
website
Welcome to Columbus and the Chattahoochee
Valley
The Fort Benning Regional Growth
Management Plan (RGMP), under the direction of the
Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, has
created this online "welcome package" to
give you a first-hand look at the counties, cities
and communities of the Chattahoochee Valley. From
economic development and education to health care
and recreation, we're your one-stop resource for
everything in the 10-county Chattahoochee Valley
region. Feel free to visit often, because we want
you to feel right at home-right from the start!
The Chattahoochee Valley offers
an exceptional quality of life with big-city
excitement and small-town charm. This website
provides easy access to information and a
first-class tour of the following areas:
West Central Georgia:
- Columbus/Muscogee County
- Cusseta/Chattahoochee County
- Harris County
- Marion County
- Stewart County
- Talbot County
- Taylor County
East Alabama:
- Barbour County
- Lee County
- Russell County
Everything You're Looking For!
- Employment
- Education
- Housing
- Healthcare
- Public Safety
- Recreation
- Transportation
To see more information about
the items mentioned in this article lease visit:
www.fortbenningandthevalley.com
|
|
------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
------------
ADVERTISEMENT---------
|
|
| Building
a Quality Community with Green Belt Training |
 |
| Kodak opened their doors
to the community by offering their Lean/Six Sigma Green
Belt certification to people outside of the company.
Participants spent two weeks in classroom training under
the direction of Robert Meisel of RMM Quality
Consulting. Kodak plans to again offer Lean/Six Sigma
Green Belt Certification in the spring of '09 to
interested community participants. For more information,
please contact Janeen Tucker at 706-257-1187. |
 |
| First class of Lean/Six
Sigma Green Belt takes place at Kodak. Building a
quality community through Green Belt Certification. |
|
|
|
New
Cost Saving, Environmentally Friendly
Sewage Treatment Process Receives International Award
The International Water Association presented
the 2008 Global Project Innovation Superior Achievement Award to
Columbus Water Works (CWW) and Brown and Caldwell for the
Columbus Biosolids Flow-Through Thermophilic Treatment (CBFT3)
and Cogeneration System Project. This project also won the
International Water Associations 2008 grand prize in the Applied
Research category, as well as the grand prize for research in
the American Academy of Environmental Engineers' Excellence in
Environmental Engineering awards competition in 2007. The
process,
developed at Columbus Water Works, will reduce power cost while
providing a higher level of treatment. The Columbus sewage
treatment plant treats an average of 31 million gallons of
sewage each day from residents of Columbus and Fort Benning.
Electrical power costs to operate the treatment plant have
amounted to $1.4 million per year. In the treatment process,
solids are separated from sewage and treated to produce
biosolids which can be returned to the environment.
The award winning project will use methane gas
from the treated sewage to fuel generators that will produce
about 40 percent of the plant's electrical power demand. The
process will also increase the level of treatment from class B
to class A biosolids. This will increase the number of potential
uses for the biosolids. All of this means a lower cost of
treatment to help avoid high increases in sewage treatment fees
in the future.
|
|
| Other
links... |
|
Chamber home page . . . click
here |
Economic
Development home page
. . . click
here |
| Partnership
for Workforce Development home page . . . click
here |
| Partners
In Education home page . . . click
here |
|
|
| New
Commander of Fort Benning Visits Dec. 3 |
 |
|
(L-R) Mike Gaymon, President and CEO of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of
Commerce, Gary Jones, Sr. Vice President of Military Affairs, Maj. Gen. Mike
Barbero, Commanding General Fort Benning, Linda Barbero and Russ
Carreker, Chair
of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce met in the lobby of the
Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. |
 |
|
(L-R) Russ Carreker, Chair of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Maj. Gen.
Mike Barbero, Commanding General, Fort Benning, Linda Barbero and Mike Gaymon,
President and CEO of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, discuss
the briefing being presented by Gary Jones, Sr. Vice President of Military
Affairs. |
|
|
|
 Rob
Doll and Angelia Wagenti, co-chairs of "Biddin"
on the Banks," show how easy it is to sign up for
the Jan. 30 event at the RiverMill and Event
Center. If you would like more information on the
event click here: http://www.columbusgachamber.com/
auction/
|
|
|
|
-------- ADVERTISEMENT------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
-------- ADVERTISEMENT------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
|
|
|
Why is the growth at Fort Benning so
important to you
Over $2.9 billion will be invested in new construction on Fort
Benning in preparation for 10,000 direct jobs coming as a result of the 2005
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Decision to relocate the U.S. Armor Center
and School from Fort Knox, Kentucky. Combining the Infantry and Armor Centers to
create the Maneuver Center of Excellence requires wholesale restructuring and a
dramatic transformation that is unlike anything Fort Benning has seen since it
was first established in 1917-1918. The population surge and huge waves of
economic opportunity will begin to hit the Chattahoochee Valley like a Tsunami
in mid-2010, coinciding with the timeline for completion of facilities on post.
Added to this growth is the $350 million+ has been approved for a
replacement hospital.
Including spouses and children, BRAC growth is expected to
bring 30,000 new residents to our region over the next three years. The demand
for housing, schools and teachers will be enormous and will challenge all of us.
BRAC growth will generate secondary, indirect growth that creates more jobs and
new economic opportunities. The staff of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of
Commerce and the Valley Partnership is working feverishly along with Fort
Benning and many stakeholders throughout the region to ensure we are ready to
successfully meet the challenges of such unprecedented growth. We are
strategically involved in preparing for this growth through two federally funded
grant programs: 1) The Fort Benning Regional Growth Management Plan (RGMP),
funded by a $3.3 million grant awarded by the Office of Economic Adjustment, an
agency of the Department of Defense, charged with helping BRAC-affected
communities adjust to the impacts of mission changes at military installations,
and; 2) The Chattahoochee Valley Workforce Development BRAC Demonstration Grant
of $3 million from the Department of Labor and the Georgia Governor's Office of
Workforce Development.
The Regional Growth Management Plan is a major planning effort
that encompasses a 10-county study area, including Columbus-Muscogee,
Cusseta-Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Talbot, Taylor and Stewart counties in
Georgia, and Barbour, Lee and Russell counties in Alabama. The project will
identify what growth will occur, where it will occur, the impacts on the local
communities, and will provide action plans to prepare for the growth. The result
will be individual growth management plans for each county in the study area, as
well as for the region as a whole. For more information, visit: www.FortBenningandtheValley.com.
Economic Impact Estimate
1988-2008 Projects |
| Permanent Employment |
|
| Direct Jobs |
35,024 |
| Indirect Jobs |
32,597 |
| Total |
67,621 |
| |
|
| Capital Investment |
$4,757,151,600 |
| Population Increase |
90,740 |
| Family Units |
35,724 |
| School Enrollment |
20,689 |
| New Retail Establishments |
700 |
| Additional Retail Sales |
$916,392,854 |
| Retail Sales Tax Revenue |
$54,983,571 |
| Property Taxes |
$79,025,802 |
| |
|
| Personal Income per-year |
|
| Direct Jobs |
$1,060,876,960 |
| Indirect Jobs |
$987,358,187 |
|
|
| Bank Deposits Created |
$1,719,903,053 |
|
|
-------- ADVERTISEMENT------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
-------- ADVERTISEMENT------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
|
|
| Outgoing
Board Members Thanked for their
Service |
 |
| Russ Carreker,
Chair of the
Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of
Commerce, thanks John McLemore,
Masterbuilt Manufacturing, Inc., for
serving on the Board of Directors. |
 |
| Russ Carreker,
Chair of the
Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of
Commerce, congratulates outgoing board
member Kent Illges, at the December board
meeting. |
|
|
|
-------- ADVERTISEMENT------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
--------
ADVERTISEMENT------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
|
|
|
Mild
Job Market Expected for Columbus, GA-AL MSA
Columbus area employers expect to hire
at a fair pace during the first quarter of 2009, according
to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.
"From January to March, 20% of the
companies interviewed plan to hire more employees, while
11% expect to reduce their payrolls," according to
Manpower spokesperson Shelia Durham. "Another 67%
expect to maintain their current staff levels and 3% are
not certain of their hiring plans."
For the coming quarter, job prospects
appear best in durable goods manufacturing, wholesale and
retail trade, financial activities, professional and
business services, leisure and hospitality, government and
other services. Employers in construction, non-durable
goods manufacturing and transportation and utilities plan to reduce staffing levels, while hiring in
education and health services is expected to remain
unchanged.
|
|
 |
|
Chancellor's named Small Business Giant for
December
 |
| Chancellor's is located
at 1108 Broadway. |
Alexander Clarington Chancellor came to
Columbus from Chancellorville, Virginia, a wealthy man
fleeing Union troops. In 1865, at the end of the Civil War,
Downtown Columbus was burned down including the original
store. When the building was renovated, A.C. began working
there as a bookkeeper.
In 1873, A. C. Chancellor bought the
clothing company Acee and Thornton, after working there for
some time. More than 130 years later, Roger Stinson did the
same. After working at Chancellor's for over 20 years he
purchased the store from Kip Smith in 2007. The faces and a
few names may have changed over the decades but Chancellor's
commitment to offering quality clothing and customer service
has stayed the same. From the field to the workplace, or
even a night on the town, let Roger, Ken, Blake and Elliott
show you why we're still "Columbus' finest men's
store".
 |
| Roger Stinson, owner of
Chancellor's, thanks his staff for their efforts to
ensure great customer service. |
Chancellor's has always specialized in
personal service and fine gentlemen's clothing as well as
active sportswear, providing an experience for the customer
like no other. Selections range from luggage to suits,
to pants and men's underwear. Chancellor's also has a new
clothing line named "Stinson" that was introduced
recently.
Chancellor's employees donate to the
United Way.
Stop by and see the wide selection of fine
men's clothing and accessories and get a "shoe
shine" as well.
|
|
|
---------ADVERTISEMENT------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
---------ADVERTISEMENT------------ ADVERTISEMENT---------
|
|
|
|
ERA
Elite Ventures Realty Named
Hometown Hero for
December
 Elite
Ventures Realty was founded in Sept. 2006, by Travis Chambers, CEO. Elite
Ventures Realty held it's grand opening in Nov. 2006. On July 27, 2007, nine months after opening
day, Elite Ventures Realty gained national status and acquired a
franchise changing the name from Elite Ventures Realty to ERA Elite Ventures
Realty.
The company was founded on the principals of servant
leadership, character, loyalty & integrity. The "Vision" of ERA
Elite Ventures Realty is to build a multi-service real estate company by
cultivating relationships, providing superior customer service, and exemplifying
the principals of "servant leadership". Every agent is trained based
on the "Cutting Edge of Realty". The mission of ERA Elite Ventures
Realty is "to profoundly affect the economic growth and development in
Columbus, Georgia and the surrounding areas and to conduct business with
professionalism, while setting an ethical standard that exceeds
expectations".
ERA Elite Ventures Realty is excited about the changes and the
direction that our community is heading. As the company looks ahead and moves
forward, ERA Elite Ventures Realty plans to continue to maintain a strong
presence in not only the real estate industry, but the local community as well.
ERA Elite Ventures Realty is a "Partners In Education" partner with the Aaron
Cohn Regional Detention Center, as well as other community service organizations
such, as but not limited to, the Young Professionals, Columbus Rotary, and the
Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
"We appreciate the opportunity to be recognized as the
HomeTown Hero winner for the month of December and wish all of the small
businesses in Columbus much continued success as we move towards 2009" said
Chambers. "Thank you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*****
Please Note ****
To ensure the
reception of our newsletters please take note of the
following:
First, add us
to your address book or "approved senders list" to
ensure our messages do not get blocked - this way you will
receive each issue in a timely and consistent manner.
Second, be
aware that we do not send any attachments from this e-mail
address. Never open any email with attachments from news@columbusgachamber.com.
Even if the offending message *appears* to have come from news@columbusgachamber.com.
The Greater
Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce does not believe in
sending Spam to it's members. If you feel you should not receive this email for any
reason, feel free to unsubscribe
at any time.
Sharing this
newsletter is easy. If someone forwarded this
newsletter to you, subscribe
to this newsletter to receive future issues.
|
|
© Copyright 2009. Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. All Rights Reserved.
1200 6th Avenue | Columbus, GA 31902
P: 706.327.1566 | 1.800.360.8552 | F: 706.327.7512
|
|
