January 8 Workforce Development Council | 8:30 am | Chamber 9Business Development Council | 8:30 am | Chamber Business of the Month | 10:00 am | Little Vine Vineyards 13 New Board Member Orientation | 12:00 noon | Chamber 15Chamber Travel: The Best of Eastern Canada | 5:30 pm | Chamber 22BSS: Grow Your Business with Google| 8:00 am - 12 noon | The Burson Center 23Marketing & Communications Council | 8:30 am | Chamber 28 Government Affairs Council | 8:00 am | Chamber 30Chamber 101| 8:30 am | Chamber
February 5 The Ambassadors | 8:30 am | Chamber 10 Board Meeting 11BSS: Glenn Shephard Seminar | TBA Leadership Academy Kickoff | 9:00 am | Chamber 12 Workforce Development Council | 8:30 am | Chamber 13 Business Development Council | 8:30 am | Chamber Business of the Month | 10:00 am | TBA 20 Annual Dinner | TBA 26 Sunrise Seminar: Digital Well-Being | 9:00 am | Chamber 27 Membership Breakfast | 7:30 am | C C Schools Performing Arts Center
Special Note: The Chamber lobby renovation continues. The Carroll Tomorrow building, which is located directly behind the Chamber office, will be open for walk-in traffic. The renovation is expected to continue until the second week of January. We appreciate the time and effort Lee Layton has put in on this project on behalf of the Chamber. Thank you, Lee!
MILESTONE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT HOSTED NETWORKING EVENT More than excited to have Milestone's Christmas Open House and Gumbo Event back on the Chamber calendar. Michael and Andrea Stone and the staff of Milestone Investment Management put on a great event every year. Great food, good fellowship and something that provided some Christmas cheer on a dreary rainy day in December.
Milestone Investment offers experienced, highly personalized financial advice that helps clients define goals with confidence, gain clarity on financial matters, and put a long-term plan in place that seeks to help clients build wealth one milestone at a time.
The Chamber Board did vote at their retreat this past October to put networking events back into the schedule of events for 2020. Keep a watch on the Chamber calendar for future events.
WBA COFFEE BREAK HELD AT TANNER HEALTH PAVILION WBA held its December Coffee Break at the new Tanner Health Pavilion, in the Blue Bike Bistro. Attendees were given a bright overview of the facilities from Tanner staff including Kelly Meigs, our 2020 Marketing and Communications Co-Chair.
The Women's Business Alliance goal each year is to promote the balanced interests and lifestyles of the community's professional women. This committee sponsors quarterly networking coffee breaks with the mission to connect women of all career levels, strengthen their professional networks, and engage them in the Carroll County business community. Denise Martin with Georgia Vision Institue is the WBA chair.
THANK YOU 2019 FORWARD CARROLL SPONSORS! The Chamber expressed its thanks to the individuals and business participants in the 2019 Forward Carroll Investor program at the annual steak breakfast held at Longhorn Steakhouse. Thank you Lenny Longo and Longhorn for allowing us to do this each year. Chairman Bill Stone (Systems & Methods, Inc) did a fantastic job in 2019 and speaking at this event was no exception.
FC is a year-round sponsorship campaign with levels ranging from $500 to $3000 that supports Chamber activities and events above and beyond membership investment dues. We are still seeking FC investors for 2020. If interested, please let us know!
COMMUNICATIONS SURVEY RESULTS COMPLETE The Marketing and Communications Council will be reviewing the results of the recent communications survey to see if anything needs to be adjusted with how the Chamber communicates with its members. Thank you to all who participated!
Some results from the survey were:
76% of Chamber members that participated said they preferred receiving communications by email.
Chamber members did not visit our website often, but when they did 43% said it was to review or register for Chamber events.
85% felt they received adequate notice of upcoming events and meetings
86% of those surveyed said they read the newsletter
Only 33% personally engage with the Chamber via social media
Members surveyed were most interested in receiving event and meeting information (62%) from the Chamber followed by the chamber and local business news (23.8%)
2020 PROGRAM OF WORK AND COMMITTEE/COUNCIL CHAIRS
A new program of work for the upcoming year is the end result of discussions at the staff and board retreat each October. As part of the new changes for 2020 is a name change. Many of our committees will now be called Councils as well as the addition of a new council for 2020 -- the Industry Leaders Council. This new council will be led by JR Charles. A chair has not been announced at this time. The new program of work can be found on our website here.
2020 Council/Committee Chairs Agribusiness Council - Sam Duke (Agrimerica Farm & Construction, LLC) Business Development Council - Amy Brown (State Farm Insurance) and Gary Hewitt (Southland Insurance Agency) Government Affairs Council- Brian Dill (Tanner) Industry Leaders Council - TBA The Ambassadors - Deadra Gamble (CenterState Bank) and Debra Land (O2 Plus) Marketing & Communications Council - Ben Chambers (WGTC) and Kelly Meigs (Tanner) Women's Business Alliance - Denise Martin (Georgia Vision Institute) Workforce Development Council - Cindy Clanton (Carroll County Schools) and Jill Duncan (State Farm Insurance) Annual Meeting Committee - Jay Gill (Carroll EMC) 2020 Golf Tournament Committee- Wayne Payne (OmniCall)
Thank you all for your time and efforts in making this Chamber be the best for our members and this community!
NEW IRS STANDARD MILEAGE RATE FOR 2020
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued the 2020 standard mileage rates. Beginning on January 1, 2020, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be:
57.5 cents per mile for business miles driven (down from 58 cents in 2019)
17 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes (down from 20 cents in 2019)
14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations (currently fixed by Congress)
NEW DOL Overtime Rule Effective January 1, 2020
Key features of the final rule are:
Raises the salary threshold necessary for a white-collar employee to qualify as exempt to $684 per week or $35,568 annually, which is set at the 20th percentile of weekly earnings for full-time salaried workers in the lowest income census region (currently the South);
Does not change the duties tests, which also must be met for a white-collar employee to qualify as exempt;
Provides that up to 10 percent of the standard salary level may come from non-discretionary bonuses and incentive payments (including commissions) that are paid at least annually;
Raises the salary threshold necessary to qualify for the highly compensated employee exemption from $100,000 to $107,432 annually, which is the equivalent of the 80th percentile of full-time salaried workers nationwide. To qualify as a highly compensated employee, an employee must also receive at least $684 per week on a salary or fee basis exclusive of bonuses and incentive payments; and
Sets forth no automatic updates to the salary thresholds. The final rule provides that the thresholds will be updated more regularly (but not on any set fixed interval) in the future after notice and an opportunity to comment on any proposed changes before they are implemented.
BUSINESS OF THE MONTH
CONGRATULATIONS EVAN'S BARBEQUE COMPANY The Carroll County Chamber of Commerce recently recognized Evan's Barbeque Company as the business of the month for December 2019.
Evan's Barbeque Company in Villa Rica opened its doors five years ago. Locally owned and operated by Michael and Alicia White, the duo have a combined 40+ years experience in the culinary industry. A graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, Michael honed his culinary skills for nine years at the world-renowned 21 Club in New York City, followed by four years at The Capital City Club in Atlanta. Alicia worked under acclaimed restaurateur Danny Meyer and several celebrity chefs, including Bobby Flay and Rocco DiSpirito in New York City. Their 13 years spent in New York City provided them immeasurable experience within the culinary field. The duo remained in NYC for a little over a year and a half following the birth of their son, eventually deciding to return to their Southern roots more spacious surroundings and closer proximity to family members. Evan's voted "Best Barbeque in Villa Rica," has a wide variety of menu items and takes pride in offering upscale barbeque with a twist. www.evansbarbequecompany.com | 770.459.5543
Vision Source is a family of over 3,200 locally owned practices and more than 4,500 doctors collaborating to provide quality professional eye care and to support the long-term success of independent optometry. Dr. Michael Rothschild and his staff are dedicated to providing highly personalized services delivered through a unique heritage of shared expertise. In addition to eye examines and a great selection of eyewear, Vision Source provides disease detection and management of chronic conditions such as glaucoma, diabetes, hypertension, and macular degeneration. For additional information, please visit their website at www.visionsourcevr.com or by phone at 678-460-0498.
CONGRATULATIONS HOME SWEET HOME INTERIOR FURNISHINGS & DESIGN
Locally owned by Karen Burgess and Amber Pollard, the Home Sweet Home showroom offers a huge selection of exclusive home furnishings and decor plus the area's only interior design consulting, custom upholstery, custom window coverings, and faux wall painting. For additional information, please visit their website at www.homesweethomefurniture.net or by phone at 770-832-7720.
The Center is a newly renovated, state-of-the-art hand clinic. The new space allows staff to provide the highest standard of care for hand and upper extremity services. Vicki has been a practicing Occupational Therapist for over 40 years. She is the Director of Occupational Therapy at Southern Therapy and has been a practicing Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) for 28 years.
Founded in 1978, Southern Therapy Services has become a leader in the rehabilitation field in the West Georgia and East Alabama area. With nearly 100 staff members, which include physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, contract speech therapists, athletic trainers, financial professionals, reimbursement specialists, and outstanding support personnel. The highly skilled and compassionate team of therapists assist patients to overcome any type of muscle, joint or nerve pain, restore range of motion and increase strength.
For additional information, please visit their website at www.southerntherapyservices.com or by phone at 678-390-6166.
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome New Member!
Please extend a warm Chamber welcome to the following new member
and remember them when you do business!
Salon Renew Contact: Eva Adams 2000 Mirror Lake Blvd., Villa Rica, GA 30180 Phone: (770) 783-9283 Website: www.salonrenew.mysalononline.com Category: Hair Salon
West Georgia Produce, LLC Contact: Brianna Schroeder 2199 Roosterville Road, Roopville, GA 30170 Phone: (470) 722-0388 Website: www.westgeorgiaproduce.com Category: Agriculture and Farms
RENEWING MEMBERS
Thank you Renewing Members!
Your membership is a symbol of confidence in the work of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. We sincerely thank renewing members for their ongoing support. Please remember these partners when you do business.
Ben Chambers
Winner of our
Power of Positive
Posting!
Congratulations Ben!
Thank you everyone who participated. We read many good POSITIVE things about the community and will expand on this idea to keep the good vibes going in 2020. Stay tuned!
LEADERSHIP & STAFF
Mission Statement: Building a Stronger Business Community by Engaging Progressive Leadership and Diverse Resources
2020 Executive Committee Chairperson: Kirby Butler, United Community Bank Chairperson-Elect: Jay Gill, Carroll EMC Vice-Chairman: Dr. Mark Albertus, Carrollton City Schools Treasurer: Jill Duncan, State Farm Insurance Past Chairperson: Bill Stone, Systems & Methods, Inc.
Daniel Jackson, President & CEO - daniel@carroll-ga.org
JR Charles, Vice President of Economic Development - jr@carroll-ga.org
Suzy Montalto, Director of Operations - suzy@carroll-ga.org
Suzy McCorkel, Director of Program and Events - suzymc@carroll-ga.org
Rhyne Owenby, Director of Member Engagement - rhyne@carroll-ga.org
Katlyn Bradshaw, Incubator Manager at Burson Center - katlyn@carroll-ga.org
Joan Finch, Information Specialist & DFW Coordinator - joan@carroll-ga.org
2020 FORWARD CARROLL INVESTORS
Bank OZK
Carroll County Water Authority
J. Smith Lanier & Company | Auto Owners Insurance Company
Southland Insurance Agency
State Farm Insurance - Amy Brown
Synovus Bank
Yachiyo Manufacturing of America
AgSouth Farm Credit ACA / AgSouth Mortgages
C.M. Tanner Grocery Company
Southern States Bank
State Farm Insurance - Jill Duncan
John Thornton Cadillac Buick GMC
Auto Supply Company
BB&T
Carrollton Emergency Physicians
Combined Worksite Solutions
Garrett, Thomas & Fazio PC
GLA Roofing
Lewis Fire Protection
Oak Mountain Academy
Rushton & Company, LLC
SunSouth, LLC
Tisinger Vance PC - Attorneys at Law
