GREATER HALL CHAMBER PASSING OF GAVEL & ANNUAL AWARDS
Gainesville, GA – June 26, 2008: The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce recognized annual award recipients at the June 26 Board of Directors meeting. Awards included Silver Shovel Awards, the Small Business of the Year, Family Business of the Year, Distinguished Citizen of the Year, Community Service Award and the Chairman’s W.G. Mealor Award.
Founded in 1908, the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 100 Year Anniversary and remains a voice for business in Gainesville-Hall County. The Chamber offers a full range of business services and is led by a group of dedicated business professionals and community leaders.
A year of success and accomplishments will be celebrated with the transition of officers and the passing of the Chairman’s gavel from 2007-2008 Chairman Denise Deal to incoming chairman R.K. Whitehead.
2007-2008 Silver Shovel Award Recipients
Kurt Hansen, First Century Bank, for outstanding efforts in the 2007 Membership Campaign.
Keith McLeod, Northeast Georgia Urological Associates; Steve McNeilly, Northeast Georgia Medical Center; Jullie King, The Longstreet Clinic and Mark Klein, Northeast Georgia Medical Center, for their efforts on programs of the Healthcare Committee and coordinating the first Get Fit Stay Fit 5K Corporate Challenge.
Will Peeples, BB&T, for chairing the 29th Hacker’s Holiday Golf Tournament.
Bill Kokaly, Halski Systems, for service as a Chamber Ambassador.
Melissa Tymchuk, Northeast Georgia Medical Center, for work with Leadership Hall County.
Mary Meadows, United Community Bank, and Phillipa Moss, Gainesville-Hall County Community Center, for implementing Hispanic business programs for the International Small Business Council.
Christy Terrell, Georgia Power, for her work with Partners in Education.
Pat Dew, Guilford Immediate Care, for work with the Drugs Don’t Work program.
Jim Shuler, Hall County Commission, for his years of service in economic development.
David Lee, Jackson EMC, for his leadership in initiating programs of the South Hall Council.
Small Business of the Year
Morton Vardeman & Carlson, is the oldest and largest advertising and public relations firm in North Georgia with a diversified client base. Located in Downtown Gainesville, the firm gives back to our community in many ways and through philanthropic organizations.
Family Business of the Year
Jaemor Farms, Jimmy Echols and family operate the farm market, located on Highway 365 in Lula, and 100 acres of orchards with the freshest fruits (15 varieties of apples) and vegetables along with unique pine/oak furniture, jams, jellies, relishes, homemade ice cream, gift baskets and a corn maze in the fall!
Distinguished Citizen of the Year
Gordon Sawyer, community leader, historian, writer, and Chamber volunteer serving on the Healthcare Committee, instructor of Chamber marketing class for small businesses and board member of VISION 2030.
Community Service Award
Featherbone Communiversity, founded by Gus Whalen in 2005, the center provides cross-generational learning through an alliance of educational institutions and currently houses Brenau University’s nursing school, Lanier Tech’s Manufacturing Development Center (business incubator space), UGA Small Business Development Center, the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute and Interactive Neighborhood for Kids (INK) children’s museum.
W.G. Mealor Chairman’s Award
Mimi Collins, The Longstreet Clinic, co-founder of the Chamber’s Healthcare Committee that now has some 60 volunteers and coordinates the HealthSmart Expo and Get Fit Stay Fit 5K Corporate Challenge.
Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Officers 2008-2009:
Chairman R.K. Whitehead, Whitehead Die Casting
Chair-Elect . Emily Bagwell, Whelchel Dunlap Jarrard & Walker
Treasurer Mark Bell, The Bell Company
Vice Chair Economic Development … Benny Bagwell, Jackson EMC
Vice Chair Education Tami Lee, Brenau University
Vice Chair Government Affairs Cooper Embry, United Community Bank
Vice Chair Marketing / Communications.. Dr. Lynn Carter, Carter Chiropractic
Vice Chair Membership Cindy Wilson, Gainesville Bank & Trust
Vice Chair South Hall Council Mike Allen, Georgia Trust Bank
Vice Chair Community Affairs……………. Dixie Truelove, Truelove Dairy
Co-Chairs Hallmark Vision . Paul Chambers, AT&T; David Lee, Jackson EMC and Darrell Snyder, Georgia Power Company
Chair VISION 2030 . Rob Fowler, Turner Wood & Smith Insurance
Co-Chairs Centennial . Frank Norton, Jr., The Norton Agency and LeTrell Simpson, CON-SEN-SUS
Senior Advisor .. John Vardeman, Morton Vardeman & Carlson
Immediate Past Chair . Denise Deal, Vision 2030
President / CEO .. Kit Dunlap
www.greaterhallchamber.com