The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce highlighted the successes of the 2024-2025 year and presented its Annual Business Awards at the 117th Annual Meeting & Gala on May 15 at the Chattahoochee Country Club in Gainesville. The program and awards were presented by Chamber Chairman Glennis Barnes, Georgia Power, Chairman-Elect Tim McDonald, Lanier Technical College, and Tim Evans, Chamber President and CEO.
2024-25 Annual Business Awards:
Small Businesses of the Year
Consuelo | Centro Eatery | Pristine Clean
Abigail Guzman & Jose Perez
Family Businesses of the Year
Adams Industrial Properties | Corporate Storage
Jimmy Adams
Community Service Award
Gainesville Police Department | Mental Health Clinician Program
Distinguished Citizen Award
RK Whitehead, Willis Investment Counsel
WG Mealor | Chairman’s Choice Award
Willaim Bagwell, Homestead Investments
Greater Hall Chamber Chairman Glennis Barnes, Georgia Power, handed the gavel over to Tim McDonald, Lanier Technical College, who officially takes over as Chairman of the Board on July 1, 2025. McDonald is native of Hall County and was appointed President of Lanier Technical College in April 2021. He served as the college’s Executive Vice President since 2015 and was previously the Vice President of Economic Development, and Dawson Campus’s Dean. McDonald holds a Diploma in Machine Tool Technology from Lanier Technical College, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Southern Polytechnic State University and a Master of Business Administration from Brenau University. He served as Vice Chair of the Chamber’s Economic Development Division as well as Chair-Elect this year.
Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce 2025-2026 Officers:
Chairman
Tim McDonald, Lanier Technical College
Chair-Elect
Melissa Tymchuk, Northeast Georgia Health System
Vice Chair, Economic Development
William Bagwell, Homestead Investments
Treasurer
Nick Bruner, Rushton
President & CEO
Tim Evans
Community Development Vice Chair
Tammy Caudell, Carroll Daniel Construction
Education Vice Chairs
Hannah Warner, Georgia Power
Lila Westmoreland, Habitat for Humanity of Hall County
Government Affairs Vice Chair
David Lee, Jackson EMC
Marketing Vice Chair
Missy Burgess, Lanier Islands Resort
South Hall Council Vice Chair
Alex Wayne, Wayne Capital
VISION 2030 Vice Chairs
Tate O’Rouke, Jackson EMC
Juli Hayes, City of Gainesville
Anna Hester, Executive Director
HALLmark 2025-2030 Co-Chairs
Casey Ryals, Hall County Farm Bureau Insurance
Melissa Tymchuk, Northeast Georgia Health System
Philip Wilheit Jr., Wilheit Packaging
Membership Vice Chairs
Beth Downs, Northeast Georgia Health System
John Simpson, Lakeview Academy
Senior Advisor
Doug Carter, Don Carter Realty
Immediate Past Chair
Glennis Barnes, Georgia Power