Bridges - 2nd Quarter 2022

second quarter 2022

Powering tomorrow, today.

WELCOME

Hello everyone! I hope you’re all having a great summer, because we are here at the Rome Floyd Chamber. Busy, but busy is good! I regularly have people ask me about all our events happening, and I always say that we’re happy that we’re having so many ribbon cuttings because that means that business is thriving here in Rome Floyd County. I also always invite that person to visit with us at our events. Any Chamber member can attend our events, and we not only strongly encourage it but would love to see you.

Ribbon cuttings are a fun and easy way to meet people and congratulate a new member on their opening or congratulate an existing business on their new accomplishment. We also have another favorite which is Business After Hours which takes place at a business location and are from 4:30-6:30pm. There’s yummy food and drink as well as a fun atmosphere to get to know people or network to make connections for your business.

These are drop-in events so enjoy them at your leisure. Similar to these are our Business Before Hours. These also take place at a business location and are from 8am-9:30am.

Another great opportunity to eat some breakfast and network with new and old friends.

And don’t forget all of our useful educational seminars happening on a regular basis.

Please note that as we go into 2023 that our after-hours events will soon have a host charge associated with them because they are in such high demand! We only have November and December Business After Hours available right now for 2022. So if you’d like to host something, let us know asap.

And please keep us informed of events that you’re having at your place of business! We’d love to stop by and visit with you as well as promote it for you.

Lastly, I would like to strongly encourage you to look for an email we recently sent to all our members asking you to update your directory information with us. This is the best way for us to clean up your records, and most importantly, it helps people find you when they are looking in our printed directory or looking up our businesses on our website. Don’t forget to use our directory as you are looking for items and services in our community too!

As always, we are here for you.

Pam Powers-Smith Pam Powers-Smith President, Rome Floyd Chamber

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contents

Bridges magazine is created, written, and published by Advertising Dynamics, Inc. in collaboration with the Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce. Bridges magazine reserves the right to edit all materials for clarity or space availability, and to determine the suitability of all materials submitted for publication. No reproduction of printed materials is permitted without the consent of the Publisher. ©Copyright 2022 by ADI Georgia. All rights reserved.

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Small Business of the Year The Season Events

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Large Business of the Year The Lewis Chemical Company

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Nonprofit of the Year Rome Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth

10 The Exceptional 7 16 Annual Meeting Recap 18 Leadership Rome 20 High School Leadership Rome 22 Georgia-Pacific

24 Pirelli Tire

An Unrelenting Commitment to Quality

26 International Paper Committed to Sustainability

28 Green Carbon, Inc. Overcoming Challenges

30 Newby Farm & Vineyard Perfecting the Perfect Crop

32 Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful

Contact Advertising Dynamics, Inc. for information and advertising.

706.290.0202 or goodideas@adigeorgia.com

38 Floyd County Farm Bureau Rooted in Rome

40 Montessori School of Rome Gardening Day

42 Toles, Temple & Wright Celebrating 50 Years

44 State Senate Summary Chuck Hufstetler

46 Rome Floyd Chamber Staff

Keeping Rome Floyd Beautiful

36 Business Water Solutions Looking to Make a Difference

Five Principles of Progress 1 Riverside Parkway Rome, GA 30161 706.291.7663 2

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United Community Bank

Tap Into Your Home Equity In the last two years, home prices have jumped nearly 33%. That means if you own a home, you’ve likely built a lot of equity.

What’s home equity?

Equity is the amount your home is worth, minus what you owe on it.

How can I take advantage of my home’s equity?1 Option 1: Cash-Out Refinance2 When you choose a cash-out refinance, you replace your current home loan with a new mortgage for more than you owe on your home. At closing, you receive the difference in cash.

Award-winning customer satisfaction.

A local team to serve you.

Option 2: Home Equity Line of Credit A home equity line of credit (or HELOC) lets you use the value of your home to get the money you need for larger – or unexpected – expenses. A HELOC works kind of like a credit card.

You have a revolving source of funds you can draw from and then repay during a specified period of time. The benefit of a HELOC over a credit card is that the interest rate tends to be lower.

Option 3: Home Equity Loan A home equity loan also allows you to borrow against your home’s equity, but pays out the full amount upfront. It’s a fixed rate loan that lets you pay back your balance over time.

Which option is right for you?

That all depends on your unique financial situation. Your best bet is to set up a complimentary loan review with a member of the United Community Bank team in Rome. Together you’ll review your financial goals and figure out the best way to take advantage of your home's equity.

New Home Builds Booming to Meet Demand With fierce competition for new homes, many homebuyers are turning to new construction – and builders are stepping up to meet the demand.

Recently released Census data shows March 2022 saw a 22% increase in the number of new home starts year over year.

If you’re thinking about building a new home, construction-topermanent financing may be the right fit for you. This type of loan lets you finance purchasing your land and building your home, and then modifies into your mortgage once construction is complete.

United Community Bank is proud to offer a CP product that features a single-closing, fixed and adjustable rate mortgage options 3, and a dedicated construction administration team whose focus is to walk you through financing your build every step of the way.

Ready to learn more about your construction financing options?

Connect with the United Community Bank team in Rome today.

Member FDIC. © 2022 United Community Bank | NMLS# 421841 | ucbi.com | United Community Bank Mortgage Services is the mortgage lending division of United Community Bank. We are an approved seller/servicer for the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). This is not a commitment to lend. Normal credit criteria apply. Restrictions apply.1 Benefits listed may not apply to every borrower.2 Informational only; consult tax, legal and/or accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction. 3Adjustable rate mortgages (ARM) loans are variable rate loans; interest rates and payments may increase after consummation. After the initial fixed-rate period, your interest rate can increase or decrease every six months according to the market index. Any change may significantly impact your monthly payment.

The United Community Bank senior management team of NWGA would like to congratulate Mortgage Loan Originator Tabitha Helms. Tabitha worked with 205 customers to close more than $50 million in loans in 2021.

United recognizes her as a Top Producer and President's Club member. Tabitha is an NW Georgia native and has been with United for more than 20 years.

Stop by our Rome branch to find out how Tabitha and our team can help you find financing solutions that fit your life.

David Johnson CEO NWGA

J. Scott Tucker President NWGA NMLS# 773883

Tabitha Helms VP/Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS# 527461

Ken Guice Executive Vice President - Rome NMLS# 787374

307 East 2nd Avenue | Rome, GA 30161 706-234-5800

The Season Events

The Season Events team plans everything from corporate events to weddings to small dinner parties - and each event receives the same attention to detail.

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The Season Events was established in 2007 as a homebased business by the owner and president, Holly Lynch.

She wanted the company to become a resource for creating meaningful events that would bring people together. Fifteen years later, that is what she has exactly accomplished.

The company's success was recognized as the 2022 Small Business of the Year by the Rome Floyd Chamber at the Annual Meeting.

says, "I believe we are unique to our industry because our team takes care of each other and takes care of the event like it's our own personal family's event. That is reflected to the customer, and they are able to feel like a guest at their own event knowing everything is taken care of properly."

To measure their success, they rely on customer satisfaction, happiness, feedback after completion of the event, and willingness to refer the company in the future.

The company is the community's only full-service catering and event planning operation. Their team plans everything from corporate events to weddings to small dinner parties, and each event receives the same attention to detail. Lynch

The pandemic severely impacted the hospitality industry and required innovative strategies to continue operation.

In addition, changes were made to comply with each new executive order to ensure the safety of employees and guests.

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Photo Credit: Kelly Moore Photography

One of the things the company did was begin a new program – Meals to Go, which enabled them to maintain business. The program was well received and continues to be a service offered weekly. It appeals to working families who may not always attend or plan events.

The company continues to grow. Recently, they have expanded into the Calhoun and Cartersville markets. This has allowed them to share their service and food with a larger customer base.

When Lynch founded the company, she knew the impact that chamber membership can have on a small business and joined the chamber in 2007 and continues to be active. Both Lynch and company vice-president Nicole Williams have completed the Leadership Rome program. Lynch has also

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served as an ambassador, on membership campaigns, and Operation Thank You. The company and its employees are active throughout the community. Nearly weekly, the company donates to the Community Kitchen while many team members volunteer there. They also support Rome Little Theatre, the Exchange Club Family Resource Center, Advocates for Children, Rome Noon Optimist Club, and the local art community.

The company has long grown from its home-based start to its current location, at 300 Glenn Milner Boulevard.

For more information about the services available, visit theseasonevents.com.

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LARGE BUSINESS of the Year The Lewis Chemical Company

Growing from Small Business of the Year in 2014 to now Large Business of the Year is an outstanding achievement shared by the employee-owners, their tremendous customers and their suppliers.

The selection of Large Business of the Year was announced at the annual meeting of the Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce luncheon held at Taylor Estate in May. The Lewis Chemical Company took this year’s honor, and the award was accepted by the company’s previous owner and several current employee-owners.

Founded by Gregg and Diane Lewis in 2006, the company’s mission statement reflects a belief in hard work and accountability in a culture of safety, establishing strategic, longterm customer and supplier relationships—while pursuing excellence as a model corporate citizen. The company is now

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an employee-owned surfactant manufacturer, producing a broad range of Surfactants and Specialty Chemicals.

In 2020, as Covid-19 spread, the company experienced a slow-down in its oil and gas segment but an uptick in its disinfectant and cleaning business. In 2021, when the world economy began cautiously reopening, biocides remained relatively strong, and oil and gas demand started to rebound. Coupled with new product development in automotive care and infrastructure support, these factors contributed to another growth year and the company's ninth time making the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America.

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"Over the last several years, the company made significant investments to increase production capabilities by adding additional reactors to the plant. As a result, we were prepared for this volume from a capacity standpoint, but we see it ramping up even more," noted president and CEO Ballard Betz.

Regarding the recognition, Betz said, “The approximately 70 employee-owners are very proud to work in Rome/Floyd, the birthplace of our business and where we will continue to invest and expand. We love this community and are so thankful to our peers at the Chamber of Commerce for naming us Large Business of the Year.”

The company was purchased from the founders in January 2020. The team then committed to a growth plan to triple revenue within five years. They also pledged to become an even stronger corporate citizen to their neighbors and colleagues. Some organizations they partner with include Habitat for Humanity Coosa Valley, the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Georgia, the Exchange Club, Family Resource Center, and Cancer Navigators of Rome. Betz continued, “Thanks be to God and a great legacy upon which to build, we’re on track to achieve our financial milestone early, and by virtue of this award, we hope we are demonstrating that “profit” is a good thing. I know the Lewises are proud of how the new ownership has embraced their philosophy of success through service.”

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Growing from Small Business of the Year in 2014 to now Large Business of the Year is an outstanding achievement shared by the employee-owners, their tremendous customers, and their suppliers. “The local business community that has cheered us all the way. We especially appreciate the support of Pam Powers-Smith and the team at the chamber, Missy Kendrick and the team at the Rome Floyd Development Authority, and both the Rome City and the Floyd County Commissions. Their support has been tremendous, and they are co-winners with us of this award.” Betz said.

For more information, visit lewischem.com

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nonprofit of the Year Rome Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth

The Rome Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth has served families in the Rome area since 1989. The agency enables children, youth, and their families to reach their fullest potential through advocacy, collaboration with other agencies, and a sense of awareness of individual importance.

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Last year, the YMCA, Anna K. Davie Elementary School, South Rome Early Learning Center, Exchange Club Family Resource Center, Open Door Home, Floyd County CourtAppointed Special Advocates, the FERST Readers of Floyd County, Floyd Against Drugs, Greater Rome Toys for Tots, A Teen's Choice, Rome City Schools College and Career Academy and the Boys and Girls Clubs of NW Georgia were awarded grants.

Collins acts as a not-so-secret shopper to observe services provided by the agencies that receive R-FCCCY mini-grants.

"They know who I am, so I'm going to show my support more than anything," Collins said. In addition, many of the agencies that receive assistance from the commission attend monthly collaborative meetings held on the first Thursday of each month at the Goodwill Career Center.

The agency has been recognized this year as the Rome Floyd Chamber's Nonprofit of the Year. Executive Director LaDonna Collins believes the honor recognizes the commission's emphasis on collaboration across the community on behalf of children and families. "We're not a direct care service," Collins said. "We actually work with the different community providers that work with children."

Based in the Restoration Rome facility at 1400 Crane Street, the commission is a statewide Georgia Family Connection organization member. Locally, the commission works closely with Restoration Rome, The Exchange Club Family Resource Center, Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Georgia, South Rome Early Learning Center, Communities in Schools, the Open Door Home, Sexual Assault Center, A Teen's Choice, and the Northwest Georgia Center for Independent Living.

Programming such as Books, Barbers & Beauticians, Get Pumped for Kids with Harbin Clinic, and the Teen Maze will get extra attention this year and beyond.

The commission celebrates self-worth, dignity, and the rights of all children and puts a tremendous value on the importance of the family unit. Programming focuses on improving school success for children, emphasizing literacy, and strengthening family bonds to decrease child abuse and neglect.

She's also excited about the growth of a Parent Ambassador program in the South and East Rome communities. A number of parents have decided to start their own businesses, so the commission has started an accelerated entrepreneurship workshop series with the local office of the UGA Small Business Development Center in Rome. "What it's looking like for these parents is to do better for themselves to do better for their children," Collins said.

The need for social services and structured intervention on behalf of youth can be easily witnessed because more than 14,900 children in Floyd County were enrolled either in Medicaid or PeachCare health programs in 2020.

Collins has pretty much run the Commission by herself on a day-to-day basis but got good news early in May when her board approved hiring a part-time programming assistant, Kim Headrick.

For more information regarding the Rome Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth, visit floyd.gafcp.org or call 706-844-4952.

When dispersing funds, the commission works to ensure the partner agencies operate in a manner that matches the fundamental strategies of the commission. The organization offers a series of mini-grants each year. Lately, one of the keys to receiving assistance from the commission is an effort on the part of recipient agencies to collaborate with others to stretch the value of the dollar. As a result, close to $20,000 a year is given out in mini-grants. bridgesmagazinerome.com

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The Rome Floyd Chamber and Advertising Dynamics, Inc., are honored to recognize the third annual winners of the Exceptional 7 awards.

The awards are targeted to honor young professionals who excel in their fields and contribute to the community through volunteerism and advocacy.

Representing a diverse range of professions, these individuals are the future leaders of our community. We look forward to their successes and the impact they have both professionally and personally.

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Exceptional Young Professional of the year

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rachael dunaway

jake hager

Teacher, College & Career Academy, Rome City Schools

Executive Director, South Rome Alliance

Rachael Dunaway grew up on her family farm, emphasizing beef cattle production, sheep production, and row cropping. A 2011 graduate of Rome High School, Dunaway continued her education at Berry College, where she was a member of the Berry College Equestrian Team. After two years at Berry, Rachael transferred to the University of Georgia, where she earned a B.S.A. in Animal Science, emphasizing Beef Cattle Production. Continuing her education at the University of Georgia, she earned an M.S. in Animal Science with an emphasis in Meat Science.

After graduation, Dunaway worked in the research and development at a processed meat company, where she focused on innovative new food products for restaurants and the fast-food industry. Then, with the encouragement of a colleague, she transitioned into a career in education. She currently serves as the Veterinary Pathway teacher and the Future Farmers of America advisor at Rome High. In 2021, Dunaway was recognized with the Golden Apple Teacher Award.

Jake Hager is a graduate of Berry College. After receiving his degree, he worked for the Georgia Department of Community Affairs in the Community Development Finance and Housing Finance divisions.

He then worked for a commercial real estate company overseeing Class A shopping centers' leasing and property management in Georgia and Florida.

As her career continues, she plans to continue teaching and growing the F.F.A. program at Rome High while expanding her vision of the agriculture program at the school. Dunaway would like to implement facilities for small livestock, aquaponics, and a greenhouse. She would also like to create an urban agriculture program to enable students to connect with the community. Another goal she has is to work in partnership with the Exchange Club to create livestock events for students in the community, such as poultry shows, rabbit shows, and possibly a mini-pig showcase.

In addition to her professional duties, Dunaway gives back to the community by serving as a volunteer for several organizations, including the Coosa Valley Fair, P.A.W.S., Floyd County 4-H, and Rome's Ducks Unlimited Greenwing program. Dunaway is also a member of the Floyd County Cattleman's Association, Floyd County Farm Bureau, and the Rome Chapter of Ducks Unlimited.

At Berry, Jake had fallen in love with Rome, and as his career moved forward, he was excited for the opportunity to return to the area. He currently serves as the Executive Director of South Rome Alliance, where he utilizes his real estate and state government experience and his passion for serving people. As the director, he oversees the revitalization of the South neighborhood, which works in partnership with government agencies, and for-profit and non-profit entities to impact the community through housing, education, and wellness.

In the future, Hagar hopes to continue contributing to Rome by addressing challenges faced by non-profits by adapting solutions from the private sector. His goal is to build partnerships to serve the Rome community that will be efficient and impactful.

He serves as a board member on the Rome Historic Preservation Commission, the Northwest Georgia Boy Scouts of America, the Heart of the Community, and the Youth Program Chair for the Rome Rotary Club.

Hager is an Eagle Scout and a recipient of the Sullivan Award at Berry College, recognizing those with remarkable character and dedication to service.

Jake enjoys eating, camping, backpacking, water sports, spending time with friends, and completing minor home repairs in his free time.

A Rome native, she enjoys the beauty of Rome and community events like the Coosa Valley Fair and spending time with friends downtown.

Her hobbies include bowfishing, duck hunting, working out, farm responsibilities, and working with the 4-H Lamb show team.

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sarah huffman

Director of Development, William S. Davies Shelters

A native Roman, Sarah Huffman is a graduate of Rome High School and Berry College. She earned a master's degree in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology from Southern New Hampshire University and is pursuing a Master of Public Administration from Jacksonville State University. Huffman currently serves as the Risk Manager for the City of Rome. She oversees the programs regarding employee benefits, workers compensation, vehicle, property, and general liability insurances, employee safety, and employee management.

The path back to Rome for 2005 Rome High graduate Robert "Bobby" Jones has been diverse. He attended Georgia College, majoring in Liberal Studies with a minor in Nonprofit Management. After college graduation, he and Chelsea, whom he would later marry, traveled throughout the southeastern United States, working on organic farms. In 2011, they settled in middle Georgia, where they built a successful organic farm named Babe + Sage. As their son, Tripp, was reaching school age; the couple returned to Rome in 2018. At that time, Jones continued his pursuit of a master's degree in Nonprofit Administration from Louisiana State University – Shreveport, where he graduated in 2020.

In 2021, he was named Director of Development at the Davies Shelters, overseeing fundraising, communications, and special projects.

He was the first non-programming staff hired in the organization's 18year history. Jones has been integral in sharing the shelters' successes and impact on our community. One of his recent professional achievements was when Davies Shelters was awarded three major federal grants, which he wrote in the fall of 2020. These highly competitive grants are a combined $400,000 federal investment over three years.

His goals in the future include positioning Davies Shelters as a driver of innovation in the non-profit sector in Rome. Jones would also like to increase the collaborative efforts among local non-profits to help ensure Rome is a better place for all of our neighbors. He would also like to increase charitable investment from the government and foundations outside Floyd County.

Jones is very active in the community. He serves on the board for South Rome Alliance, in a consulting capacity for the Community Foundation for Greater Rome, and the Equal Justice Initiative committee of ONE Community United. In addition, he helped organize local non-profits and community partners to form the Rome Food Oasis to fight against food insecurity. Jones is a member of Georgia Organics, serves as a Den leader for Cub Scout Toop 113, and recently graduated from Leadership Rome XXXIX. Jones is also an active member of First Baptist Church of Rome.

In his time away from work, Jones enjoys recreation opportunities in Rome and Floyd County, including bike-friendly routes, hiking trails, and the cool waters of the Pocket and Cave Spring.

Since taking the helm in her current position, she has received numerous certifications and honors. Certifications include the Society of Human Resources Management Certified Professional and the Associate of Risk Management – Public Entity. Through her leadership, the department was awarded the Large Agency Achievement Award by the Georgia Local Government Personnel Association for the in-house production of updated training videos. Huffman also created and implemented the BRIDGE Academy for city employees to improve their working knowledge regarding other departments and positions. In addition, Huffman serves on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Public Risk Management Association.

She plans to continue her education in risk management and public administration. In addition, she aims to continue building and growing the risk management program with the City of Rome to make it a model program throughout the state, southeast region, and even nationally.

Huffman is active in the Chamber of Commerce as an alumnus of Leadership Rome XXXI and currently serves as its coordinator. She also participates in the Young Professionals group. In the community, she serves as a board member for The Davies Shelters, Habitat for Humanity Coosa Valley, and the Redmond Occupational Health Advisory Board.

Huffman is also a member and current foster parent with the Floyd County Foster Parent Association.

She enjoys landscaping and gardening, music, sports, and traveling in her free time. She also likes to spend time downtown supporting businesses and events hosted by the Downtown Development Authority and recreation on the walking/bike trails and kayaking down the Etowah River.

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robert jones

Risk Manager, City of Rome

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sarah martin Attorney, Brinson Askew Berry

Sarah Martin grew up in Rome and is a graduate of Rome High School and Berry College. At Berry, she graduated with the highest honors with a double major in International Studies with a Business Concentration and Spanish. She continued her education at the University of Alabama School of Law with a full-tuition academic scholarship and received her law degree with honors. Martin practices law at Brinson Askew Berry, where she was named partner in January 2022.

In the future, Martin wants to develop in her role as the newest partner at Brinson Askew Berry. In addition, she would like to emphasize the firm's dedication to serving individuals and businesses throughout Northwest Georgia with high-quality legal representation.

Martin has received numerous awards and recognitions. She was recognized by Rome Life Magazine's 20 Under 40 in 2019. Accolades also include the Hugo L. Black Scholar Award (outstanding scholarship and intellectual achievement in law school), Bench and Bar Legal Honor Society, James E. Smith Award (Best Comment on the Journal of the Legal Profession), Order of the Samaritan (exemplary commitment to leadership and outstanding service to the legal profession), and the Dean's List Community Service Award.

An active community member, Martin serves on the Executive Board of the Junior Service League of Rome and the Heart of the Community Board. She also teaches Business Law as an adjunct instructor for Berry College and recently completed Leadership Rome XXXIX.

Welcome to the bank of here.

She enjoys spending time with her husband and two beautiful children in her free time.

1-888-SYNOVUS | synovus.com

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Synovus Bank, Member FDIC.

ron morris, jr.

haley smith

Vice-President of Sales, Sledge Tech

Director of Diversity and Inclusion

Born and raised in Silver Creek, Georgia, Ron Morris has always exhibited an entrepreneurial mindset with the tenacity that leads to success. He graduated from Pepperell High School and attended the Floyd County College and Career Academy. After continuing his education at Georgia Northwestern Technical College and Georgia Highlands, Morris studied in Germany for one year through an externship with the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program.

Haley Smith has exhibited remarkable leadership and communication skills from an early age. At 15, she started leading worship at North Point Community Church in Atlanta. As a singer and songwriter, she was signed with a major label in Nashville and shared the stage with notable singers like David Crowder, Laren Daigle, and Jeremy Camp. Smith also began to share her passion for living authentically in community at student camps and conferences throughout the country. She started designing strategies for sustainable community organization and reconciliation during that time. Her career then led her to join the group Orange as the Rural Strategy Director and to co-found the non-profit For Our Neighbors. Both organizations work to create better futures for the next generation. When she relocated to Rome from Atlanta, she established a creative partnership with Austen Earp. It serves as an innovative space to empower the next generation and cultivate their musical gifts.

When he returned to the south, he was ready for business. He is the co-owner of Sledge Tech, a company that focuses on air filtration solutions. The company provides clean indoor air for the working associates of manufacturing industries. Morris also is a co-owner of Cedar and Smoke Cigar in Cedartown with his father.

In the future, he plans to continue the growth of Sledge Tech in revenue and the sales force presence, which will allow the company to multiply the customer base and solutions.

An active community member, he serves as the Community Service Chair for Rome Floyd County Ducks Unlimited and as a volunteer and team leader for the Alzheimer's Association. Morris is also a Master Mason of the Lindale Lodge and a member of the advisory board of Rome STEM. When away from his businesses, he enjoys traveling and the walking and bike paths around Rome. Another favorite pastime is taking outof-town friends to the Rome Braves games and downtown events like the First Friday concerts.

A graduate of Shorter University, Smith currently works at Berry College as their Director of Diversity and Inclusion. She develops and implements supportive programs for underrepresented student populations and is responsible for select scholarship programs and services targeted toward identity, ally, and leadership development.

She is active in the Rome Floyd Chamber, where she serves on the Education and Workforce Committee and is an alumnus of Leadership Rome. Her position allows her to speak to different groups about Berry, scholarships, and DEI and equip local non-profit organizations with student volunteers. Smith also devotes time to her passion project Kindred Fire, which volunteers throughout the Rome community at events and fundraisers. Smith also is a board member of PFLAG Rome.

In the future, she wants to continue envisioning and implementing programs to increase diversity, equality, and inclusion through sustainable and restorative programs at Berry College. Also, she hopes Berry will be a leader in bringing such programs into the public realm in collaboration with businesses as a service to future generations.

In her free time, Smith enjoys playing music, art classes, paddle boarding, walking downtown, and spending time with friends, students, and family.

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ambassador

OF THE QUARTER

Julie McCluskey | Rome Shakespeare Festival Named Ambassador of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2022 by the Rome Floyd Chamber L-R: Thomas Kislat, Julie McCluskey, Rome Shakespeare Festival; Rocky Shaw, 2022 Chair of the Ambassadors (Rome Floyd Chamber) & JBM Office Solutions

The Chamber is very appreciative of the devoted representatives serving as ambassadors. Ambassadors serve as liaisons between the community and the Chamber. They share and support the mission of the Chamber through: • Welcoming new members and supporting them while they acclimate to the group • Showcasing programs and the benefits of Chamber membership • Publicizing upcoming Chamber events • Assisting with membership retention • Offering support by attending member’s community celebrations such as ribbon cuttings and groundbreaking ceremonies • Volunteering their time to assist at Chamber activities bridgesmagazinerome.com

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annual meeting The Chamber would like to thank the guests and sponsors that helped make the 2022 Annual Meeting a great success.

Special Thanks to: Cassandra Wheeler, Chair 2021 Kenna Stock, Chair 2022 Atrium Health Floyd, Annual Meeting Sponsor Courtyard by Marriott Rome Riverwalk, Award Sponsor Scott Thompson & Marc Johnson, Musical Entertainment The Season Events Taylor Estate Ready or Not Bussey’s Flowers, Gifts & Décor Flowers of Rome Roots and Willow Floral Design Studio Alpha-Lit Rome 16

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annual meeting

Photo Credit: Smithworks bridgesmagazinerome.com

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leadership rome

Leadership is one of the most important characteristics needed to move an organization or community forward. Created and offered by the RFC, Leadership Rome is a ten-month course designed to promote and enhance community leadership.

Participants are introduced to the essential workings of the social, economic, business, and political environment of Rome and Floyd County.

Upon completion, graduates understand what it means to be a leader and are aware of issues facing our community with knowledge to impact their organizations and our community.

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Graduates of Leadership Rome XXXIX Erin Abbott, The Lewis Chemical Company Kelly Barnes, Georgia Northwestern Technical College Russell Blair, Rome City Police Department Morgan Bottger, Floyd County District Attorney’s Office Joe Costolnick, Harbor House – Northwest Georgia Child Advocacy Center, Inc. Bob Couey, Floyd County Sheriff’s Department Courtney Crumley, Rome City Schools Lori Davidson, Hardy Realty Wright Edge, Floyd County College and Career Academy Keara Evans, Gallagher Brittany Griffin, City of Rome Jake Hager, South Rome Alliance Bobby Jones, The Davies Shelter Missy Kendrick, Rome Floyd County Development Authority James Lee, Pirelli Tire LLC Todd Lindsey, Atrium Health Floyd Sarah Martin, Brinson Askew Berry Leah Mayo, Floyd County District Attorney’s Office Joshua McClure, Harbin Clinic Kelley Parker, City of Rome Chase Patterson, Hard Time Products Heath Rogers, Toles, Temple and Wright Martin Soto, Patriot Mills Candice Spivey, One Community United Laura Walley, Rome City Schools Kate Walton, Studio Kate Susan West, Realty One Group Insight Anna Winstead, Rome Braves Logan Yerbey, The Spires at Berry College bridgesmagazinerome.com

HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ROME Each year select rising sophomores and juniors are invited to participate in the High School Leadership Rome (HSLR) program, where they learn more about community development and leadership roles, and collaboration with Rome and Floyd County. They also can explore potential career paths that help shape the future of their community.

During monthly sessions, participants of HSLR interact with business and community leaders through scheduled tours, visits, and interactive presentations in the various fields, including:

• Communications & Media

• Economic Development & Economic Impacts

• Education

• Healthcare & Wellness

• Innovation

• Public Safety & Local Government

• Quality of Life

• Servant Leadership & Volunteerism

• Transportation & Industry

2022 CLASS OF HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ROME

At the Annual Meeting, it was announced that the next class will be called Emerge.

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Armuchee High School: Noah Campbell Coosa High School: Avie Carlton Caitlin Nguyen Phillip Osborne Darlington School: Clare Cao Georgeanna Dempsey Samuel Fricks Gatlin Hancock Allison King Elizabeth Richie Christa Twyman Georgia School for the Deaf: Kentrell Moorman Raul Real Model High School: Emma Couch Keely DiPrima Izzy Galysh Spencer Lawing Olivia Miller Grace Sargent

Pepperell High School: Gabi Smith Morgan Willingham Rome High School: Jadibeth Marangeli Aguilar Elise Beck Maggie Brinson Conchetta Dodge Shakira Funez Jeaneth Garcia Dei Gibbons Viet Le Amaya Linley Miriam Loya Ada O'Neal Darius Smith Henry Thornton Christina Tomlin Stella Turner Carson Walker Unity Christian School: Lizzy Pardue Ben Rooke

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The future of healthcare

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Atrium Health Floyd — where the brightest minds in healthcare have come together to bring award-winning care to you — will elevate and strengthen the health and wellness of our community like never before.

geor gia-pacific

FIVE PRINCIPLES OF

PROGRESS

Great communities are what help to make Georgia-Pacific successful. Rome, Georgia, has been pivotal in Georgia-Pacific’s lumber business since 2013. Over 150 employees from the surrounding communities of Rome help the company meet the needs of regional customers.

In 2019 Georgia-Pacific solidified the importance of the Rome lumber facility with a capital improvement investment of $30 million. It included purchasing and installing new equipment, including a new planer, grader, trimmer, and a sorter that serves 39 additional bays. The investment ensures lumber is placed after it is sorted, and there is less backlog, resulting in the production of close to forty percent more lumber. “This capital improvement investment means 22

Georgia-Pacific believes in this site and is committed to this community,” said plant manager Brent Mitchell. “The benefit of these improvements will be felt by our employees, customers, and the community.”

The company is not only committed to being economic stewards to the community of Rome but also environmental stewards of the 75- to 100-mile radius the facility serves. For bridgesmagazinerome.com

example, 100% of the wood used at Rome Lumber Mill is locally grown and supports local tree farmers. In addition, much of the fiber is from private and family forest owners who have a legacy of responsible stewardship. “GeorgiaPacific is committed to responsibly using the resources entrusted to us and working with suppliers that share our stewardship values. Local forest owners and suppliers go to great lengths to responsibly grow, harvest, and replant the trees that are part of the Georgia landscape and economy,” said director of stewardship strategy, David Brabham. “We are proud to be part of that forest stewardship story and part of the Rome, Georgia community.”

and guide the company’s behavior as they work to help improve lives in Rome.

Georgia-Pacific is committed to a 1:1 philosophy. At least one tree is regrown for each tree it uses. As a result, the number of trees has increased in the United States and forest areas, making forest growth exceed harvest every year since the 1950s. While many regions of the world have risks around forest loss, the United States is one of the few countries increasing forest area based on the 2020 United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report. The progress is partly because of the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

The manufacturing of the company’s products is resourceintensive, requiring significant fiber, water, energy, chemicals, and labor. As a result, it constantly innovates to control these impacts and drive greater efficiency.

Georgia’s forest industry would not exist without the state’s highly productive and sustainable forests. Sixty-six percent of the state’s landscape is covered by forest. It’s one of the top economic drivers and is critical for the economies of rural communities.

Georgia-Pacific strives to be a preferred partner and drive continuous improvement to create outcomes that benefit society.

The focus is to make progress daily, improving performance by living a principle of stewardship, embracing creative destruction, improving efficiencies, eliminating waste, finding new ways of meeting needs, and driving conservation activities that leave more resources available to satisfy other needs in society.

Georgia-Pacific has five principles of progress that measure bridgesmagazinerome.com

Georgia-Pacific focuses on conservation because it relies on healthy abundant forests and clean, plentiful water. That is why the company must collaborate with suppliers and NonGovernmental Organizations (NGOs) through conservation to protect water, enhance wildlife, restore vulnerable habitats, and ensure working forests for the future.

Georgia-Pacific challenges how it uses non-renewable resources while innovating to seek viable alternatives.

Georgia-Pacific creates and contributes highly valued products to society while minimizing environmental impact.

Life-cycle thinking and creative destruction drive the processes because the focus is on choosing the best materials, minimizing the result of our products’ effect, and building in end-of-life options, including recycling and composting.

Taking social responsibility has allowed Georgia-Pacific to connect and contribute to philanthropic, activism, and charitable goals by supporting responsible and ethical practices. It celebrates the uniqueness of each individual and believes diversity enables the company to work with the community of Rome to identify opportunities, solve problems, and create greater value for others.

Georgia-Pacific believes in Rome and is committed to the lumber mill and the communities it supports. The dedication is seen through Georgia-Pacific’s economic investments and its efforts through environmental stewardship.

For more information on Georgia Pacific, visit gp.com.

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PIRELLI TIRE

QUALITY

AN UNRELENTING COMMITMENT TO

An unrelenting commitment to quality in developing high-performance tires has permeated the atmosphere of the Pirelli Tire North American plant in Rome for more than 20 years.

Today, the same commitment to the development of tires that can be as useful to society after they are taken off the car or motorcycle is driving the Pirelli circular economy for tires.

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An unrelenting commitment to quality in developing highperformance tires has permeated the atmosphere of the Pirelli Tire North American plant in Rome for more than 20 years.

Today, the same commitment to the development of tires that can be as useful to society after they are taken off the car or motorcycle is driving the Pirelli circular economy for tires.

Recyclability is probably too simple a term to use. Pirelli's research and development staff, some 20 strong at its Rome plant alone, is working daily to discover the best ingredients to put into a Pirelli tire on the front end to continue to get maximum usage from the same tire after it is scrapped.

The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association's latest data indicates that 76% of scrap tires are going into circular (recycled) markets in the U.S. Tires are among the most recycled items in the circular economy, right behind leadacid batteries. While the recovery rate of 76% is high, the growth in the number of scrap tires is currently outpacing the recycling rate.

When scrap tires are recycled, they are used for various purposes. The materials that actually go back into new tires are relatively small. "You can put recycled material as fill into farm tires or off-the-road tires, earth moving equipment, that kind of thing, more easily than high performance or Formula One racing tires," said Maureen Kline, vice president for public relations and sustainability at Pirelli Tire North America. "Our materials labs are working toward using recovered carbon black."

The research and development team at Pirelli is working on designing tires that improve the recyclability of the scrap tire.

However, one of the obstacles to re-using scrap tires is the chemical makeup of the tire itself. "The industry and Pirelli are funding all kinds of research into safer chemicals with that in mind," Kline said. Pirelli is also looking at ways to increase the use of recycled carbon black in their new tires.

Pirelli is also looking at programs to create new markets for scrap tires. Kline is hopeful that companies may be willing to pay for scrap tires to use as a raw material at some point.

Looking to the future and considering the growth of the electric automobile market in the U.S., the number of scrap tires is likely to go up. This is because the automobiles are typically heavier, largely due to the batteries, and the tires are expected to be lighter, so the wear rate is potentially quicker than normal.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, of which Pirelli is a major proponent, estimates that upwards of a billion tires reach the end of their useful life every year. Managing environmentally sound and productive ways to re-use those tires is the highest priority for member corporations.

For more information on Pirelli, visit pirelli.com.

Scrap tires are used to develop fuels used to power cement kilns, pulp and paper mills, and fuel for utility boilers to generate electricity. In addition, ground-up rubber is used to produce rubber-modified asphalt, landscaping and playground mulch, athletic surfaces, molded products, and some automotive parts. Kline is particularly enthused about the use of recycled tires in modified asphalt. Materials from scrap tires replace other virgin polymers in the mix that goes into new asphalt. Rubber-modified asphalt increases pavement service life and reduces road maintenance costs.

It also leads to a 32% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and less energy consumption over the pavement's lifetime.

According to data from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, it also offers increased skid resistance and noise reduction and provides a better ride quality.

Tire Derived Aggregates from scrap tires are also used to build stormwater infiltration galleries and road embankments.

TDAs, through larger void spaces, can capture potentially harmful roadway runoff, including microplastics and heavy metals, before they reach groundwater.

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L PA P E R

Committed To

SUSTAINABILITY As one of the world’s leading producers of fiber-based packaging and pulp, International Paper is dedicated to improving people’s lives by transforming renewable resources into products we use daily. The company is committed to sustainability and serving people and communities.

The Rome location is a containerboard mill that produces the paper used in much of the packaging we come into contact with daily. According to mill general manager Kevin Walls, “Corrugated packaging plays an integral role in countless supply chains around the world. It brings fresh fruit and other foods to faraway places, protects priceless objects, and safeguards goods that enhance the lives of consumers around the globe. We make a clean, recyclable product that is essential to our supply chain, and Rome is a part of that story.” The 26

paper manufactured at the Mays Bridge Road mill is a mid-line grade brown paper. Each day approximately 2500 tons are sent out to box plants throughout the country. Remarkably, one out of three boxes in the U.S. is made by International Paper.

The success and longevity of IP are directly related to the sustainability of forests. They work with land owners to ensure the practices utilized result in healthy ecosystems and high-yield crops. The industry is also moving to a certified bridgesmagazinerome.com

fiber process encouraging responsible forest management practices. As a result, the number of trees in the United States has increased by approximately 20%.

The average crop cycle for the Southern Pine used at the Rome mill is 10-12 years. Privately owned working forests supplies the fiber used at the Rome mill. Most of these forests are located within a 10 to 100-mile radius.

Stewardship is one of the company’s core values, including caring for the environment. “At International Paper, we work to make the most of every tree and the byproducts of the manufacturing process to create value and eliminate waste.

We use biomass residuals from the manufacturing process to supply nearly 75% of the energy used in our mills. This helps us shrink our carbon footprint by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Walls. The remaining energy needs are supplied by natural gas.

bridgesmagazinerome.com

The communities where IP has its businesses are very important to the company. The jobs they provide are usually above average pay levels, improving its employees’ quality of life and impacting the surrounding area. The mill in Rome has been a key part of the community for over 70 years. Wall says, “I’ve worked in a lot of towns, and it is rare to see such a level of community and teamwork as we all work to better Rome and Floyd County. We’re honored to be a part of that story through our economic impact and through the creation of our product.”

Founded in 1898, International Paper has approximately 38K employees nationwide in 34 states. The Rome plant provides approximately 550 jobs.

For more information regarding International Paper, visit internationalpaper.com.

27

Overcoming CHALLENGES green carbon inc.

Rome-based Green Carbon Inc, has battled hard to overcome a 12-month shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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About the time operations were getting close to normal again, Fred Taylor, the company's visionary founder, died after a battle with a blood disorder. But, true to the competitive drive of its founder, the company, which is a subsidiary of OTR Wheel Engineering, is once again making strides to overcome unforeseen challenges.

Initially founded in 2008, the company started active production in 2011. Taylor thought there had to be a way to break down recycled tires and charged Phil Wilson with making it happen. The automotive and heavy machinery industries have struggled for decades with what to do with scrap tires, particularly those mammoth tires used in agricultural and mining sectors. bridgesmagazinerome.com

Wilson and a crew of engineers developed a method for breaking down tires into oils, carbon black, and steel.

Engineers developed pyrolysis, a process that uses a thermal vacuum technique to break down tires. The thermal vacuum technique, which allows operation at lower temperatures and preserves the structure of the carbon black, is a key to the process. It allows Green Carbon to reduce a 63-inch tire to more than 500 gallons of oil, 3,500 pounds of carbon black, and close to 1,500 pounds of steel.

Over the past 11 years, Wilson estimates that Green Carbon has recycled a couple of million tires. The company is paid a tipping fee to take in tires. The company gets $1.50 for car tires, but the larger tires are charged by the pound.

Reactors developed by the company can dismantle upwards of 13,000 pounds of tires simultaneously, which takes roughly 16 hours to complete. That means the giant reactor in North Rome handles a load every other day. That translates to a monthly capacity of close to 36,000 gallons of oil-blend stock, 36 tons of steel, and more than 100 tons of carbon black. On top of that, the thermal vacuum process creates and captures more gas than it takes to stoke the huge incineration chambers.

Oils generated from the pyrolysis are sold to refineries that blend the oil with crude oil to make their own blended fuels.

Recycled steel is sold primarily to scrap dealers.

Wilson said the engineering crew continued to improve the processes over the past decade and is now developing a carbon black burner to generate electricity and has a Caterpillar natural gas generator set up to run on the gas produced by the GCI processes to generate electricity.

The reclaimed gas's BTU rating is between natural gas and propane. "It burns hotter than natural gas but not as hot as propane," Wilson said. "It's the most environmentally friendly system in the world."

bridgesmagazinerome.com

Green Carbon is also developing a burner that will heat a steam generator, and that steam will operate a turbine to generate electricity. The BTU rating for the reclaimed carbon black is higher than coal.

Over the last decade, Green Carbon has patented its process in 16 nations from the US and Canada to Australia throughout Europe and South Africa. The patents were established far and wide to make sure that no one could steal the company's technology.

In addition to the Rome plant, production facilities are also located in Tennessee and Alberta, Canada.

Wilson believes the sky remains the limit for the technology.

"Everyone who comes here and sees the process is very impressed," Wilson said.

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newby farm & vineyard

PERFECTING THE

PERFECT CROP

The 4 ½ acres of farmland on Billy Pyle Road has been in the Newby family since 1950. When the next generation of owners, Shannon and Billy Newby, took over the land, they searched for the ideal crop to plant. In 2015, they planted the first grape vines and have been renovating and perfecting the crop since.

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The first vines planted were Blanc du Bois, a white grape developed partly by the University of Florida. “After planting, there was not really anything to harvest for the first two years.

But by the fourth year, production was in full swing,” said Billy. The farm later added their other primary variety, Lenoir grapes. Both of these varieties are hardy and disease resistant, which has led to a successful harvest.

Newby Farm and Vineyard currently has over 2800 vines harvested by hand. Billy said, “When it is time to harvest, it is all hands on deck. We are fortunate that family and friends are bridgesmagazinerome.com

willing to help.” Once the grapes are picked, the vinting process is done on-site. The current lineup includes 11 varieties, four white wines, three reds, and three rosés.

As the company continues to grow, the Newbys hope to open the vineyard to tastings, tours, weddings, and other special events.

The young vineyard has already won several awards. Their Harmony Rosé took second place at the New York International Wine Competition. And the Blanc DuBois was honored with the bronze medal. The competition had over 1400 different wines submitted. However, the greatest honor at the New York competition was the Georgia Winery of the Year.

In April 2021, they opened a wine tasting room at 411 Broad Street. It has become a great place to meet friends and enjoy live music.

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For more information, visit newbyvineyard.com.

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KEEP ROME FLOYD BEAUTIFUL

Keeping Rome Floyd

BEAUTIFUL

The effort to keep Rome and Floyd County beautiful comes with what might be considered an unfortunately high level of job security. Current Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful Director Hannah Bagley expresses nearly daily frustration as she tries to figure out why people continue to discard everything from tires to fast food wrappers on the roadsides across the community. Yet, Bagley, like those before her, Mary Louise Payne, Mickie Dobbs, Mary Hardin Thornton, and Emma Wells, shares an unbridled passion for making the Greater Rome community a clean and beautiful place to live.

KRFB started in 1976 as the Clean Community Commission.

It didn’t take long for the organization to fall under the Keep (Continued on page 34)

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• Cleaning & Check-Ups • Same Day Crowns & Bridges • Dental Implants • Teeth Whitening • Sedation Dentistry • Dental Emergencies

cell

(Continued from page 32)

America Beautiful umbrella, but it did take more than 20 years to change the name to Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful, which occurred in 1998. The organization was founded following a trip to Texas by then City Commissioner Martin H. “Buddy” Mitchell and Betty Peartree, chair of the Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee. Mitchell designed the logo, which is still in use. The Chinese Yin and Yang concept inspired that to portray a balance between man and nature.

Bagley said that having an opportunity to make Rome and Floyd County a better place to live is probably the greatest aspect of her job. People ask her how she could enjoy digging through garbage. But it is not about garbage. Instead, Bagley says that bringing volunteers together to make Rome and Floyd County cleaner and the opportunity to educate people of all ages on the importance of reducing litter are the most important functions of her job. Education, community involvement, and pollution control are the three legs of the KRFB stool. All of Bagley’s programming revolves around one of those aspects.

She admits to getting discouraged when sections of the community that are the clean-up target are re-littered within a matter of days or weeks. However, the discouragement is quickly overcome when she is on a field trip with school children, their teachers, and parents in Ridge Ferry Park near her office in the Rome-Floyd ECO Center. “I have the chance to show them out in the wetlands and right here against the dock (behind the ECO Center) and say look (at all the debris against the dock) all of that floatable debris is what you drop when you’re out here having lunch at the park,” Bagley said. “Then you see the light bulb go off.”

The Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful program is led by a volunteer board of nearly 20 people, currently led by Joan Ledbetter. The volunteers who participate in weekly clean-up campaigns make up one of the largest volunteer forces in the community.

In addition, the volunteers participate in community litter pick-ups, the Adopta-Mile program, special recycling and education events, and activities such as the Bring One for the Chipper, which collects live Christmas trees.

The message is getting out, and it is not unusual for volunteers to keep coming back. For example, she said a group of Shorter University students was initially (Continued on page 45)

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bridgesmagazinerome.com

“You can’t ever go wrong with pearls. Perhaps pearls are a girl’s best friend after all.”

- Ki Hackney

Serving Our Community Since 1948

328 Broad St. Rome, Ga. 30161 • 706-291-7236 • GreenesJewelers.com

BUSINESS WATER SOLUTIONS

Looking to Make

A DIFFERENCE As folks gather around the water cooler to exchange the latest daily gossip, the water cooler itself is becoming a frequent topic of conversation. Specifically when it is a Rome-based Business Water Solutions water cooler.

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The business model was developed as a means of getting away from plastic. "The goal was for stand-up water filtration systems that do away with the plastic jug,” said Ryan Somerville. So instead of an employee having to hoist up a 40 or 50-pound water jug, finding a place to store jugs, or having to call for service when you've run out of jugs, the Business Water Solutions coolers connect directly to an in-house water supply and use multi-levels of filtration to generate clean, pure drinking water.

When a business purchases one of the systems, a Business Water Solutions install crew will come in and take care of any plumbing and electrical needs that may be necessary at no additional charge. A minimum of five filters are used to make sure the water is the best tasting and cleanest water possible. The third filtration is about to become a household name in Rome because it uses a reverse osmosis system since the city's main water filtration plant will be converted to this type of system. bridgesmagazinerome.com

Somerville said reverse osmosis senses everything that may be bad in the water. It's anything that the first two filters might not have detected. The system then uses a fourth and fifth filter, adding vitamins and minerals to the water for a specific taste. It's nothing like cherry or watermelon, but Somerville said some water aficionados insist that the Business Water Solutions water is the best water they've ever tasted.

"We try to be creative with the customer and do our absolute best to put the cooler wherever they like it," Somerville said. Some installations can take as little as 15 minutes, while others may take a couple of hours.

Some of Business Water Solutions' largest clients are the local schools, Rome, Floyd County, and Darlington. As schools re-opened after the initial wave of COVID-19, water fountains became passe, and a model which included a foot pedal created a touchless water cooler. "We were able to install our water coolers where their fountains already were because there was water and power, and that's all we needed," said Somerville.

The company started about five years ago as a very small company looking to make a difference for its customers. It is now one of, if not the largest, water cooler distributors across the Southeast, with sales reps in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee. The company has about ten reps, and Somerville sees tremendous potential for growth across an even larger footprint.

Sometimes people grow too quickly, but we don't want to do that. We want to make sure all of our customers are taken care of," Somerville said.

"When you call our number, we guarantee within 24 hours that we will be out there or we will give a free month of service. That's our incentive to get our maintenance reps out there."

In addition to being environmentally friendly and cost-effective, the cooler system helps keep employees well hydrated. Therefore, they better focus on their jobs throughout the day.

Business Water Solutions is located at 1500 Veterans Memorial Highway in Rome. Somerville can be reached at 800-542-0268. Additional information is also available on the company website businesswatersolutions.com. bridgesmagazinerome.com

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floyd county farm bureau

ROOTED IN ROME

The Georgia Farm Bureau office serving Floyd County got its roots 85 years ago when farmers from seven counties in Northwest Georgia met to find a way to support the agriculture community across the upper Coosa Valley.

When the group was officially created in July 1937, some 50 farmers representing more than 25 counties came together for the inaugural "Assembly of Delegates." Since then, the organization has grown statewide and now has a central state office in Macon. Farm Bureau has also grown into a leading insurer of agri-businesses and is a proponent of public policy for both small farmers and larger corporate farming interests. "It was established originally to provide insurance for its members. It was originally all farmers," said Cleve Jackson, a Cave Spring beef cattle farmer who serves as the vice-president of the Floyd County unit. "Traditional insurance companies would not provide coverage on the things that farmers needed coverage on, like their farms and equipment."

The Floyd County Farm Bureau office, located at 725 East Second Avenue, is in one of Rome's oldest and most historic homes, the

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Dr. Robert Battey house. The home, built in 1851, was originally located on South Street, now known as East First Avenue. It was relocated to its current site to save it from demolition in 1974.

Over the years, Farm Bureau has morphed into what more folks recognize as an insurance company. However, Jackson said the local office is still very much involved in the advocacy side for farmers and the educational aspects. Irwin Bagwell, also from the Cave Spring area, said his family has been members of the Farm Bureau for as long as he can remember.

In fact, Bagwell and Jackson's fathers were board members together years ago. With his wife and father, Jackson has a beef cattle ranch west of Cave Spring that has grown from three bred heifers to a herd of more than 100.

Bagwell said Farm Bureau remains a strong voice for the agriculture community at the state and national levels. But, according to Bagwell, one of the biggest issues is the loss of farmland. "Once you lose an acre of farmland, it never reverts back to farmland," Bagwell said.

Jackson said that Floyd County Farm Bureau does a lot across the community to educate people about where their food comes from. "We have worked with the Rome Area History Center, and in a few months, you should see an exhibit featuring the history of Rome and Floyd County's agriculture in the front window of the Rome Area History Center," Jackson said. "It's a key priority for us as the Floyd County Farm Bureau." bridgesmagazinerome.com

His wife, Emilia, is an ag teacher and Future Farmers of America chapter advisor at Pepperell High School, so agri-business is very much in the family blood. Cleve was the 2021 winner of the 2021 Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet.

It's not unusual to see a Farm Bureau booth at the Coosa Valley Fair to help get the word out about the importance of farming.

The Floyd County Farm Bureau office has nearly 1,400 residents enrolled in its insurance programs. However, Jackson estimates that fewer than 200 would be considered farm families today. This is because Farm Bureau has had to change with the times over the past 80 years. "Today, I do not believe there is as much crop insurance, quite as much focus on that anymore as those programs have become more widely available through other avenues," Jackson said. Those other avenues include the large government-operated crop insurance packages. Today, Jackson said Farm Bureau doesn't pigeonhole itself into providing insurance-related services to farmers or farm-related businesses. "We want to give anybody the opportunity to be a part of our organization, but I think that opens the door to educate folks on the rural and agricultural lifestyles," Jackson said.

In addition, the company is a supporter of local farmers at many Farmer's Markets in the area.

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montessori school of rome

GARDENING DAY

When children come into contact with nature, they reveal their strength.

—Dr. Maria Montessori The philosophy of the Montessori education system is to encourage the development of the whole child by cultivating independent thought and foundational skills as well as awareness of their environment, empathy for others, social ease, and confidence. Each of these values is put into practice on the school’s annual Gardening Day. There has always been some form of gardening in place at the Montessori School of Rome, which was founded in 1980.

However, after many years the tradition of Gardening Day has become a favorite of the students, families, and staff. Each year, children send handwritten notes to someone special asking them to come spend the day together for Gardening and Special Person Day. While the subject is studied in the 40

classroom, the students are afforded the opportunity to get outdoors and learn through action. Working together, the group plants various flowers and plants, hangs bird feeders, and, most importantly, spends time together. Director of Schools, Melanie Haigwood, offers a unique perspective on the program as a parent and now as an administrator. She says, “It was wonderful to spend this special time with my children when they were students here. Now, I get to see the positive impact Gardening Day has on the next generation of children.

It is truly amazing and lives up to the vision of the Rome school’s founder, Mrs. Kumar, who felt the greatest gift you can give your children is the gift of time.”

For more information, visit msor.org. bridgesmagazinerome.com

As you travel around Rome, it is impossible to miss Toles, Temple & Wright’s impact on the community.

The company was founded when two seasoned real estate professionals partnered with a young rookie. That was over 50 years ago, and the company continues to thrive as it looks forward to the future.

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Celebrating

50 Years of Developing Relationships and Developing Communities Toles, Temple & Wright, Inc. was formed in 1972 when C. Max Toles hired and later sold half of the brokerage to Brooke J. Temple.

Together they decided to approach Sara Wright about becoming an associate broker. Wright’s reputation in the community had left quite the impression on the entrepreneurial and established Toles and the enthusiastic and energetic Temple. Wright accepted their offer, and Toles, Temple & Wright was born.

“Max was one of the best, sharpest salespeople I’ve ever known, and Sara was beyond belief,” said Temple, co-founder, president, and principal broker. “Throughout our company’s long history, the strategy has always been to keep our eyes and ears on the movements and trends affecting local real estate, and to methodically hire agents that deliver only the best experience for our clients.”

Since its founding in 1972, Toles, Temple & Wright has emerged as a strong mover and shaker in the local real estate market with a long, coveted continuity of ownership and leadership. Over the years, the company has expanded its services beyond residential and commercial real estate to encompass commercial leasing and, more recently, business brokerage.

While the modern company finds its roots in Covington & Toles, TTW’s lineage goes back more than 72 years to 1949 with Adrian Howell & Company, and later, Adrian Howell & Covington. As the organization naturally evolved, marrying a traditional brokerage with real estate development and new construction remained the same. Building on the success of the early projects of its predecessors – including Fieldwood, Horseleg Estates, Maplewood Square, North Hills, and Saddle Mountain – TTW committed early on to continuing its rightful place as a pioneer and champion for future developments.

At the onset of Rome’s rapid growth fueled by new industry and healthcare, company leaders saw the dire need for adequate housing. So Toles and Temple (later Temple with Wayne Robinson) began to lay out subdivisions in desirable locations across Rome and Floyd County, especially along the Horseleg Creek corridor.

In addition to supplying the area with essential housing, developments including Huntcliff, Hunters Glen, River Place, Woodfin Estates, and The Battle Farm have left a positive economic impact on the community. These subdivisions paved the way for later successful endeavors. Among the developments were many firsts in our area. They include the Oaks at Collinwood, the first gated cluster home development; Hamilton Ridge, one of the first luxury apartments; Berry Forest, one of the first true golf course communities; as well as later phases in Maplewood bridgesmagazinerome.com

East, transforming the neighborhood into the first swim and tennis community. TTW was also behind the redevelopment of the original Holiday Inn site into the River Center on Turner McCall Boulevard – now home to Bluefin and Buffalo Wild Wings.

“Our story and our legacy will always be one of seeing a need in the community – a void – and filling it with a quality product,” said Temple.

In 2002, the company reached another landmark when it officially became a second-generation family business. The senior Temple’s son, Bill Temple, now leads the organization as vice president and associate broker. Joining them are more than 40 agents representing different specialties and state licensures to meet the realty needs of Floyd County and the surrounding areas. Many of TTW’s sales associates have served the agency for multiple decades, all in response to a fulfilling, fast-paced work environment that positively encourages and promotes longevity.

The agency’s commitment to professionalism and honesty has allowed TTW to take hold, survive and thrive through the hills and valleys of local real estate over the past five decades. Through this dedication and perseverance, together with the integral support of its client base, the company recently celebrated a record-breaking decade of sales revenue, success, and industry leadership in Floyd County realty.

“Whether working on behalf of clients to get them the best property for their needs, round-tabling new construction, laying out plans for a subdivision, or giving our time and talent for an important cause or event; 50 years later, we remain committed to developing relationships and developing communities,” added Temple. “This is how we support and strengthen our area’s quality of life. We are sincerely grateful to our clients past and present for the opportunity to serve them and their real estate needs.”

To commemorate the 50th anniversary, Toles, Temple & Wright has extended the celebration to their website and on social media. A dedicated page captures and shares company milestones and local history through a new documentary film and digital timeline now accessible exclusively at TolesTemple.com/50-years.

TTW recently launched the #GoldenHeritageDevelopment series on its social media channels, which showcases its different subdivisions through vintage photos, fun facts, and archival documents. Followers are encouraged to share photos and any memories from growing up and raising a family in the highlighted neighborhoods.

For more information, visit TolesTemple.com.

43

State Senate

Summary

CHUCK HUFSTETLER Finance Chair

We recently completed what Governor Kemp said, and I also believe, one of the greatest legislative sessions in Georgia.

From my perspective as Finance Chair, I was able to sponsor only the second and by far the largest income tax rate cut in Georgia history. We also returned surplus money from last year to the taxpayer. Every family that paid at least $500 in income taxes received $500 back this year and $250 for individuals. I also sponsored the suspension of the gasoline tax for a few months. While gasoline prices are bad right now, Georgia has the lowest prices in the country.

We are, of course, experiencing the highest inflation since I was in college, and energy prices are at record levels as well.

Unfortunately, we can’t fix Washington. While our ability to deal with this at the state level is limited, as mentioned above, we are providing relief where we can as we go through this tough time of price increases.

Georgia has the hottest economy and is the envy of the nation right now. We currently have the lowest unemployment rate and the highest rainy day fund balance in Georgia history.

Our teachers now have the highest average teacher salary anywhere in the south, from Texas to Virginia.

At the state level, we continue to bring businesses into Georgia. In 2021, Georgia had a record year for new 44

District 52

businesses coming to the state, and that record could be broken this year. And by far, most of those new jobs are located outside the 10-county metro-Atlanta area. It’s a great time to be in Georgia.

We will continue to work on infrastructure in rural Georgia. Significant investments are being used to provide broadband to areas lacking it. Companies need broadband, transportation, health care, and education to bring their companies into a new location.

Our port of Savannah continues to set records with the importing and exporting of products. In addition, we have had new customers using Savannah because of backups at other ports. The team we have there is committed to keeping goods flowing. We also have our inland port in Chatsworth, where goods are moved by rail into the inland port and transported to trucks in other areas. This keeps trucks off our roads and helps clear out the congestion in the port. I always remind everyone that the Northwest Georgia area, though the farthest distance from the port, is the largest customer in Georgia of goods coming through Savannah. In Floyd County, Pirelli tires is the largest customer of the Savannah port. And Pirelli tires are the exclusive provider of tires to Rivian trucks. The new facility, when built, will have an economic impact on this area.

One other item locally is the Northwest regional hospital property. We were able to get Governor Kemp to transfer that property to our local development authority. With over 130 acres, rail, and more than adequate electric supply, I expect bridgesmagazinerome.com

big things from this property in the future. Unfortunately, the federal government and three governors ago agreed to close the facility several years before I was in the Senate. It is long past time to return this property to good use for our city and county. I appreciate Governor Kemp listening to us and finding a way to get it done.

The senate is currently out of session, but the work continues.

Fourteen study committees are working on specific areas that various Senators have requested, from HOAs to the funding of education. Some areas will get intensive study, from economic development to excellence in education to the electrification of automobiles. Quite often, this research leads to legislation.

Again, I appreciate the support of our community, and it is an honor to be in the thick of things as Georgia continues to lead the way. We will always have periods of tough times ahead, but Georgia is poised to handle the tough times when they come. We also have a major tax study next year, but I will leave that for a future article. As always, please contact me with issues or suggestions. Until then, thanks so much for the opportunity to serve this area.

(Continued from page 34)

appalled by the amount and type of trash they were picking up on the side of roads. “They were mortified that they were picking up dirty diapers and then they got into it,” Bagley said.

“They realized they were making a difference, and when they got done...they realized their own bad habits. So that particular group has returned twice for other clean-ups.”

Bagley is looking forward to the day when her job can become more proactive with beautification efforts instead of reactive to the constant battles with litter. She estimates that the clean-up efforts take up 70% of her time instead of actual beautification efforts that make up the other 30%. Some of those beautification efforts include planting wildflower gardens across the county and painting murals on retaining walls and sewer overflow pipes.

The KRFB program is required to file annual reports with the Keep Georgia and Keep America Beautiful offices and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Those reports detail the tons of garbage that are picked up annually and show exactly how many people have gotten involved in the effort to make the community a cleaner and more beautiful place.

For more information, visit keepromefloydbeautiful.org.

Be t he first re spo nd e r.

B E ES S E N TIAL. GNTC.edu

866-983-4 682

GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an EOI.

rome floyd chamber staff

Pam Powers-Smith

President

Pam Powers-Smith is the President of the Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce after serving as Director of Business and Industry when moving to Georgia in 2020. She has served several years in Alabama in a variety of roles including Chamber work, Downtown Development, Tourism and projects with Auburn University.

She has served on countless nonprofit boards and stays active in professional organizations.

She has Public Relations, Political Science and Business degrees from Auburn University and is committed to promoting the city of Rome and Floyd County as a great place to live, work and play.

She is a dessert enthusiast, house plant executioner and is also one of ‘those’ dog owners that will gladly tell you about her Great Pyrenees, Bull, if only you will ask.

A few areas of Pam’s work at the Chamber: • Community partnerships • Strategic planning • Day to day operations • Oversight of all programming • Legislative advocacy 46

Amber West

Director of Communications Amber West has been with the Rome Floyd Chamber for six years, serving as Communications Coordinator and Director of Communications. She graduated from Armuchee High School in 2011. She then continued her education, receiving an A.A. in Communication at Georgia Highlands College and B.S. in Communication at Kennesaw State University. During and after College, Amber worked for a boutique public relations firm in Atlanta as an Account Manager before beginning her career with the Rome Floyd Chamber. Amber is a graduate of Leadership Rome, Class 35, and serves on Keep Rome Floyd Beautiful - Great American Cleanup Committee. Amber and her husband, Lance, reside in the Armuchee community with their one-year-old son Hudson.

A few areas of Amber’s work at the Chamber: • Young Professionals • Social Media • Website Management • Marketing

eric collins

Director of Programs

Eric Collins is the Director of Programs with the Rome Floyd Chamber. Eric is from Rome and has a passion for adding value to others and views this passion as a daily influence to serve his community. Eric graduated from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va., in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Eric is an adept force in the workplace and uses his positive attitude and diligent energy to encourage others to be their greatest and succeed. Eric is inspired daily by his wife, LaDonna, and their son Parker. Eric likes to read, hang out with his wife, and play video games with his son.

A few areas of Eric’s work at the Chamber: • Leadership Rome • Nonprofits • Minority Businesses • Emerge (High School Leadership Rome)

bridgesmagazinerome.com

rome floyd chamber staff

ALEX WILLIAMS

karley parker

Alex Williams was born and raised in Atlanta. He attended Riverwood International Charter School in Sandy Springs. Williams is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Leadership from the Trent Lott Leadership Institute and two minors in History and Intelligence & Security Studies.

Karley Parker is the new Director of Membership. She is delighted to come to the Chamber where she will be recruiting new businesses as well managing engagement and retention efforts for the Chamber.

She graduated from Darlington in 2016. She then continued her education at Auburn University, receiving her bachelor's degree in Communications and a minor in Business. During college, she interned with an Alabama Chamber of Commerce. Following her graduation, Karley worked with a telecommunications company and in retail.

Director of Workforce

Williams has experience in economic development, legislative affairs, and political campaigns. Alex was previously based in Jackson, Mississippi where he worked for the Mississippi Development Authority (the state’s economic development agency) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic (while his wife completed Medical School).

He served as a legislative liaison for the agency and managed various CARES Act grant programs, including a $240 million program to support small businesses. His wife, Hannah, is a current resident at Atrium Health Floyd.

A few areas of Alex’s work at the Chamber: • Greater Rome Existing Industries Association • Education • Governmental Affairs • Workforce bridgesmagazinerome.com

Director of Membership

A few areas of Karley’s work at the Chamber: • Membership • Member Programming • Member Events • Connector Between Members

Mari Rico Evans Office Manager & Bookkeeper Mari Rico Evans is the Office Manager and Bookkeeper at the Rome Floyd Chamber. She joined the Chamber staff in August of 2021. Before joining the Chamber, she worked as a Team Leader at a major grocery chain in Kennesaw, GA for several years. During her time there, her responsibilities included recruitment and payroll.

Mari was born and raised in Rome, Ga. She graduated from Rome High School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Kennesaw State University.

When Mari is not at the Chamber, she enjoys taking photographs with her husband, Dillon Evans, going on a good hike, and watering her hundreds of plant babies.

A few areas of Mari’s work at the Chamber: • Billing • Vendor Relations • Member Relations • Resource Provider

47

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