Chamber Highlights

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Business After Hours is a casual networking event, hosted each month by a member business. For information on the rest of this year’s event series, and to learn how you can be a sponsor, give us a call at (229) 434-8700.

DECEMBER 20 FLINT AG & TURF

Chamber cheer was in the air as the Albany Area Chamber closed out an active and exciting 2021 with the last Business After Hours of the year on December 20, hosted at Flint Ag & Turf in partnership with Fleming & Riles Insurance. Attendants enjoyed socializing and shopping the seasonal inventory at Flint Ag & Turf, which included a wide selection of John Deere children’s toys, as Flint is the area’s leading John Deere retailer. Christmas came early for several party-goers who won raffle items donated by members Honey Baked Ham and Flint Ag & Turf. Rick Lambert from First Media Services got a boost to his holiday shopping budget as the winner of the Chamber’s monthly $100 cash drawing.

Above: Attendants of the December 20 Business After Hours enjoyed socializing and sharing holiday plans.

Left: Rick Lambert with First Media Services, center, was the lucky winner of the Chamber’s monthly $100 cash drawing.

THE DECEMBER 13 MORNING MIX & MINGLE was all aglow with presenting sponsor Doublegate Country Club’s beautiful Christmas decorations and signature hospitality as we welcomed both existing and prospective Albany Area Chamber members for a morning of casual networking and information sharing on how to make the most of Chamber membership. The program was led by Chloe Hinton, director of development at the Albany Museum of Art and member of the Chamber’s Business Development & Investor Engagement Committee. Attendants had the opportunity to hear from incoming Albany Area Chamber Chairman Chandu Kuntawala, program manager at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Right: Albany Area Chamber Membership Director Mary Bickerstaff and Chamber Ambassador Cheryl Vinson welcome guests at the event. Chamber Chair Chandu Kuntawala (right) visits with Eric Crump, unit commander of the Albany Young Marines.

PRESENTED BY

THE ALBANY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECOGNIZED THE FINALISTS AND ANNOUNCED THE CATEGORY WINNERS OF THE 2022 ALBANY

UNDER 40 AWARDS at a reception held on Wednesday, December 14, 2022. Albany Under 40 is a program that celebrates the Albany Area’s emerging leaders and professionals in a variety of business sectors, each representing a component of the area’s diversified talent pool and economy.

“The Albany Area is home to young leaders who are making their mark through excellence in their professions, through their innovation and through their commitment to building a stronger region,” said Bárbara Rivera Holmes, president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber, the region’s leading business advocacy organization. “We’re honored to recognize these diverse, outstanding professionals and proud they’ve chosen to live, work and invest in the Albany Area.”

Albany Under 40 2022 was presented by Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center and Express Disposal: Part of the CE Family, and further supported by Albany Area Primary Health Care, Albany State University and Eagle Cleaners.

The 2022 Albany Under 40 Young Professional of the Year, selected from among the category winners, will be announced at the Albany Area Chamber 113th Annual Meeting on April 27, 2023. 2022 ALBANY UNDER 40 CATEGORY WINNERS

From left: Morgan Burnette: Arts, Entertainment, Culinary Arts, Events, Tourism & Hospitality; Perry Ford: Civics, Defense, Government & Public Affairs; Ashley Wells-Sharpe: Innovation & Start-Ups; Clifford Johnson: Sports, Wellness & Fitness. See page 51 for the full list of category winners.

CATEGORY WINNERS

ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, CULINARY ARTS, EVENTS, TOURISM & HOSPITALITY: Morgan Burnette – Director, Chehaw Park & Zoo

CIVICS, DEFENSE, GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC AFFAIRS: Perry V. Ford – Associate, City of Albany Engineering

FINANCIAL & INSURANCE SERVICES: Mark Johnson – Business Development Relationship Officer, Georgia's Own Credit Union

INNOVATION & START-UPS: Ashley Wells-Sharpe – CEO, Picture Perfect by Ashley

JOURNALISM, MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS: Mallorie Smith – RN/Talent Acquisition Partner/Nurse Recruitment Liaison, Phoebe Putney Health System

MANUFACTURING, SERVICE INDUSTRIES, ENERGY & ARCHITECTURE: Nicole Jones – Site Support Lead, Mars Wrigley Confectionery

MEDICINE & HEALTH CARE: Victoria Davidson – Epidemiologist, Georgia Department of Public Health

NONPROFIT SERVICES: Andrea Kromminga – Youth and Young Adults Coordinator, Aspire Behavioral Health

SPORTS, WELLNESS & FITNESS: Clifford B. Johnson – Customer Solutions Specialist, WebstaurantStore

TECHNOLOGY: Latasha Edwards – Project Manager, Microsoft + Nuance

YOUTH & EDUCATION: Martez Gerard Favis – Assistant Principal, Albany Middle School

MEMBERS MEMBERS

DECEMBER RENEWALS Advent Business Albany Community Together Albany Police Department Albany Word Processing Andrew College Brimberry Kaplan & Brimberry Buffalo Rock Pepsi ChemNut Core Distributors Debt Busters NEW & RENEWING Dougherty County Department of Family & Children Services Dougherty Glass Company Family Wellness Outreach Center of GeorgiaMEMBERSGeorgia Federal State Inspection Hanger HTC Construction John Culbreath Lifelink Foundation LMC Ag Lone Star Merry Acres Inn NEOS Technologies Nilo Plantation Ortho Sport P.J.'s Fabrics Sellers Tile Sherwood Christian Academy Shiver Lumber Company Strategic Roofing The Door and Window Company Villager Cleaners Winsupply of Albany CTSI Outsourcing P.O. Box 71 | Westpoint 229-446-9641 | ctsioutsourcing.com Stinger Media 127 Brookfair Lane | Leesburg 682-309-4180 Med + Immediate Care 2822 Nottingham Way, Suite 4 Albany | 229-304-5261 medplusimmediatecare.com J Lane Theater 313 Pine Ave. | Albany 229-436-1228 Family Wellness Outreach Center of GA 345 W. Broad Ave., Suite 306 Albany | 229-854-3631 |fwocga.org One Digital Health & Benefits P.O. Box 1334 | Americus 229-347-6289 | onedigital.com

NOT A MEMBER?

Explore the benefits of what joining the Chamber can offer to your business.

Visit us online at albanyga.com/benefits/ or call 229-434-8700.

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