The Director Nominating Committee of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce presents seven new nominees for new Board of Directors: Susan Bass, Atlanta Falcons; Butch Miller, Milton Martin Honda; Dinah Wayne, Community Volunteer; Lance Compton, Red Clay Interactive; Dennis Stockton, The Times, business consultant Jeff Reedy and Darrell Snyder, Georgia Power Company.
The Nominating Committee, in accordance with the Bylaws (Article 5, Section 5), nominated these individuals to serve as members of the Board of Directors of the Greater Hall Chamber for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2005 and ending June 30, 2008. Members of the Nominating Committee include Chamber Chairman Rob Fowler , Chairman-Elect John Vardeman and Past Chairmen Benny Bagwell, Dick Valentine, Doug Carter and Brent Hoffman.
Susan Bass
Columbus, Ohio-native Susan Bass is in her third year as vice president of communications and community relations for the Atlanta Falcons. Bass oversees the Falcons’ media relations efforts, on and off the field, and is responsible for developing and executing the club’s plans to increase the team’s presence in the community.
Bass also works closely with the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, which focuses primarily on physical fitness, athletic field development and sports programming for Georgia’s young people. The largest team-funded foundation in the NFL, the Youth Foundation distributed $1.8 million in grants and scholarships throughout the state of Georgia in 2003.
Prior to arriving in Atlanta, Bass served as the director of community affairs and philanthropy for Limited Brands, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, Express, and a number of other retail brands. In 2001, she was named to Columbus Business First Magazine’s list of “Top 40 Under 40.” She has also won two “Beacon Awards” from The Cable Television Public Affairs Association.
A graduate of The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts degree in journalism and public relations, Bass currently volunteers for Cool Girls, Inc., and serves on the boards of the Boys & Girls Club/NFL Youth Education Town Center and the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation. In her free time, she mentors female African American college students pursuing degrees in public relations.
Lance Compton
As president of Red Clay Interactive, Lance Compton oversees all operations, consults with customers about Internet marketing, writes targeted copy, and represents the company in the business community. Lance began his career as a public relations and government affairs specialist in Washington, D.C. for the late Senator Paul Coverdell. His career then took him to the other side of our nation’s Capitol where he served as a legislative advisor and Press Secretary to U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal.
After returning to Georgia, he served as communications director for the Georgia Forestry Association. Lance was a founder and the first employee of Red Clay Interactive.
Lance graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a degree in public relations. He is very involved in the community and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce as Vice-Chair of Marketing and as a Director on the Board of the United Way of Hall County. Lance is a 2000 graduate of Leadership Hall County and was a founder and the inaugural chairman of the Lake Lanier Technology Alliance. Lance and his wife Stephanie are the parents of Reagan and Griffin.
Butch Miller
A graduate of North Georgia College & State University, Butch Miller and partner Jim Foote began Milton Martin Honda in 1995 and employ 60 people and at the thriving dealership on Brown’s Bridge Road in Gainesville. In 2002, the company received the Honda President’s Award. Butch participates in the community with as much tenacity as selling cars.
Milton Martin Honda is a Partner in Education with Chestnut Mountain Elementary, Martin Road and South Hall Middle Schools. He is a past board member of Challenged Child and Friends, the Community Council on Aging, Rehabilitation Industries of Northeast Georgia and the Georgia Auto Dealers Association and is a graduate of Leadership Hall County. Butch currently serves as Area Vice Chairman on the Executive Committee of the Georgia Auto Dealers Association. Butch and wife, Teresa, have two sons, Carey and Charlie.
Jeffrey L. Reedy
Since 1996, Jeffrey L. Reedy has been in private practice as a business consultant. With an accounting degree from the University of Georgia and a M.B.A. in Finance from Georgia State University, Jeff began his career as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Big G Discount Centers. He worked in the same position with Northeast Georgia Health System, Inc.
Jeff has extensive management and decision-making experience with a variety of business matters including: strategic business planning, acquisitions and divestitures, asset management, development of capital sources, loan negotiation, issuance of securities, commercial leases, nonprofit organizations, executive compensation, and retirement planning. Industry experience includes healthcare, retail, petroleum marketing and real estate.
Jeff’s community activities include serving as an Elder at First Presbyterian Church, a former board member at Eagle Ranch, board and committee member at Northeast Georgia Health System and Vice President and Treasurer of the Gainesville-Hall County Chamber of Commerce and is a Leadership Hall County graduate.
Darrell Snyder
Darrell Snyder is Gainesville Area Distribution Manager for Georgia Power Company with management responsibilities for the Hall, Dawson, Lumpkin and White County Areas. Prior to moving to Gainesville, Darrell was Georgia Power’s Area Distribution Manager in Hartwell where he was actively involved in several community boards including Vice Chairman of the Hart County Chamber of Commerce.
Darrell is a graduate of the Georgia Institute for Technology with a degree in Electrical Engineering and received his MBA from Brenau University. Darrell and his wife, Darlene, reside in North Hall and have twin, 9 year-old boys, Dustin and Dalton. Darrell serves on the Board of Trustees for Elachee Nature Center, Board of Directors for Main Street Gainesville and the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Advisors for Brenau University. Darrell is also actively involved in the Hall County Parks and Leisure Department and the YMCA as a coach for youth basketball, soccer, and baseball teams.
Dennis Stockton
Dennis Stockton is the publisher of The Times in Gainesville and is the group publisher for Swartz-Morris Media Inc., with overall responsibility for operations of the Forsyth County News, Barrow County News and Dawson Community News. Stockton, a native of Jackson County who grew up in Athens, is a graduate of the University of North Alabama with more than 22 years of experience in the newspaper business.
He served as advertising director of newspapers owned by the New York Times Company in Sebring, Florida, and Florence Alabama, prior to becoming publisher of the Forsyth County News in 1994. Stockton has been on the board of directors for Lanier Technical College since 2001 and is currently the board’s chairman. He has served on the board of directors for the Georgia Press Association, the United Way of Forsyth County, and the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce. Stockton is a member of the Gainesville Rotary Club. He and his wife, Amelia, are the parents of Jessica and Joshua.
Dinah Wayne
A graduate of Gainesville College and Brenau University and the Department of Community Affairs Economic Development Academy, Dinah Wayne is founder of Friends of the Depot and Historic Flowery Branch – a non-profit organization that promotes and preserves the Flowery Branch Depot and Historic Flowery Branch. Dinah is a past member of the United Way of Hall County Board, Northeast Georgia History Center Board, President’s Council Gainesville College and the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee for the Mountains Regional Development Center.
Most recently, she served as Historic Preservation Coordinator for the City of Flowery Branch and Chairman of the Historic Preservation Committee and was responsible for the City of Flowery Branch being honored as a “Better HomeTown Community.” Dinah is a Greater Hall Chamber Silver Shovel Award recipient and Gainesville College Alumnae of the Year Award recipient. She and her husband, Alan, have two grown sons and three grandchildren.