With approximately 1,300 members, the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce uses a pro-business agenda to advocate for, build, connect, and promote its members and the community as a vibrant and inviting place to live and work.
According to Leslie Harris, director of marketing and membership for the Chamber, approximately 74 percent of Chamber members are identified as a small business (50 employees or less).
Harris explained that the Chamber has recently created several programs to bring awareness of the accomplishments of small businesses, as well as offer networking opportunities and support.
Colony Bank of Valdosta is a leader in the community supporting such Chamber of Commerce projects as the PrimeTime Expo, which is held annually in October. The Valdosta Colony Bank team includes, from left to right, Louie Flythe Jr., vice president; Melody Samples, mortgage lender; Eddie Smith, city bank president; Becky Briggs, consumer lender; and Mark Northcutt, credit analyst.
PrimeTime Business Expo
The Chamber’s PrimeTime Business Expo is the largest expo in the region that provides a platform for businesses to showcase their services and create networking opportunities.
“The annual PrimeTime Business Expo is a valuable venue for members to introduce their products and services to the local business community,” Harris said. “Last year we had 83 vendors and more than 500 in attendance.”
As the presenting sponsor for the past two years, Colony Bank has been a leader within the community in supporting Chamber programs that help build positive relationships between businesses—both large and small—throughout the community.
“Part of the reason Colony Bank is here is to help all businesses thrive and prosper,” said Eddie Smith, Colony Bank city president. “Giving back makes our entire community stronger. At Colony Bank, we understand the importance of an active community and that it starts with the Chamber. They are the voice for all businesses. As a Chamber member, we work with them to meet the needs of our community and help the economy grow. When that happens, we all win.”
With more than 31 years of banking experience in South Georgia, Smith recognizes the importance of businesses working together to promote the region.
“Sponsoring the business expo was an opportunity for Colony Bank to give back,” Smith said. “The ultimate goal of the business expo is to let the consumers know what small businesses are out there. We understand that small businesses are driving this economy.”
An independent, community-driven, and locally operated company, Colony Bank has been serving the financial needs of families and businesses in Central and South Georgia for more than 100 years.
Smith explained that many of Colony Bank’s customers are small businesses, and as a community bank they have a responsibility to help its customers through sponsoring Chamber events.
“We deal a lot with small businesses, those that are family owned,” Smith said. “We are here to help them grow, through loans and other services, and to also help promote their business.”
Smith said the business expo allowed Colony Bank to promote their customers, as well as other businesses in the community.
“The expo is an opportunity for networking, and we hope that every business that participated picked up some business,” Smith said. “Colony Bank is here to help businesses, whether you need a loan or through a variety of financial services. The more businesses thrive, the better it is for all of us. The goal is to build more businesses and make the ones here expand.”
Colony Bank recently increased their Chamber participation to the Chairman Circle level, and Smith encourages businesses to become active members of the Chamber and benefit from events like the business expo.
“I have always supported the Chamber and its work. I believe you get out of the Chamber what you put in it,” Smith said. “There are a lot of direct and indirect benefits to being a member and participating. What we are trying to do is keep all businesses strong in this community.”
Jessie’s Restaurant and Catering received the Small Business of the Month. Pictured, left to right, are Darlene Johnson, Renasant Bank vice president; Terry Bennett, Renasant Bank market president; Mikki Hudson, owner of Jessie’s Restaurant and Catering; and Will Kemp, Renasant Bank vice president. The monthly award is presented to a Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce small business that has less than 20 employees.
Business of the Month
After sponsoring the Chamber’s annual awards dinner last year, Terry Bennett, Valdosta market president, with Renasant Bank wanted to find a way to continue recognizing small businesses in Lowndes County.
“We enjoyed sponsoring last year’s Chamber annual dinner but had a conflict with the date this year,” Bennett said. “I wanted to do something where we could recognize small businesses throughout the year.”
Through collaboration with Renasant Bank, the Chamber launched the Small Business of the Month program.
“The Small Business of the Month, unlike the Leading Business of the Week, is judged by a panel of judges based on fixed criteria,” said Harris. “This includes the number of employees, staying power, and community involvement.”
Harris said businesses are eligible if they are a Chamber member in good standing, have less than 20 employees, are actively involved in the community, display staying power, and have been in business for more than two years.
“This program allows the Chamber to single out the best of the best,” said Harris. “The winners receive recognition through the Chamber’s website, social media posts, and traditional media publications.”
Renasant is proud to recognize local small businesses each month and sees it as a way to give back to the community.
“This program allows us to recognize the work of small businesses throughout the year,” Bennett said. “I believe it will help us engage with small businesses, which represents the backbone of this community and is part of Renasant’s vision to be advisers for those businesses.”
Bennett said that he looks forward to meeting each of the winners and strengthening relationships with small businesses throughout the community.
For more than 100 years, Renasant Bank has been serving communities throughout the Southeast, including Valdosta when it purchased Heritage Bank of the South in 2014. Renasant Bank provides the products and services of a large regional bank along with the personal care and attention of a community bank.
“Banking is all about building relationships,” Bennett said. “We are a commercially focused bank, but we find that people still want that personal interaction when starting a business.”
Bennett, who has been in the banking industry for more than 34 years, said he sees a lot of innovative growth in the Valdosta and Lowndes County area.
“Watching these businesses grow is rewarding; some have even expanded nationally,” Bennett said. “As a banker, you get to see the growth, and you understand that they started small and continued to expand. Many of these businesses brought innovation and made those ideas work here in Valdosta. I think we will continue to see this expansion in our area.”
The first Small Business of the Month winner was Jessie’s Restaurant and Catering, located in downtown Valdosta. Owner Mikki Hudson purchased Jessie’s in 2009 and continues to transform the restaurant and catering operation into her vision.
“Mikki has worked very hard to expand and succeed, even going as far as to move in above the restaurant so that she can be available to her customers seven days a week,” said Harris. “She is very involved in the community and sits on the Valdosta State University Alumni Board of Directors. The Chamber was very proud to have Jessie’s as the first recipient of the Small Business of the Month award.”
Photo caption: Real Living Realty Advisors was recently honored as Ashley’s Business Solutions Leading Business of the Week. Pictured, from left to right, are Jeremy Chick, account executive with Ashley’s Business Solutions, and Clay Browning, broker/principal, Tammy Borders, principal, and Ron Borders, broker/principal, with Real Living Realty Advisors.
Leading Business of the Week
As corporate sponsors of the Chamber’s Leading Business of the Week program, Ashley’s Business Solutions has been celebrating the success of small businesses in Valdosta and Lowndes County for the past year.
Jeremy Chick, an account executive with Ashley’s Business Solutions, attends the celebrations to congratulate the weekly business winners.
“This started as a way for Ashley’s Business Solutions to give back to the community and support the Chamber,” Chick said. “I try to attend every Monday when the banner is presented and let them know that Ashley’s is supporting their efforts.”
Harris said that businesses that have been Chamber members for at least five years are eligible to be randomly selected.
“This is just one of the ways the Chamber spotlights our longstanding members,” Harris said. “The Leading Business of the Week is a great way to showcase our members and their accomplishments.”
With regional centers in Valdosta, Tifton, Albany and Savannah, Ashley Business Solutions understands the importance of being active within each community. For more than 33 years, Ashley’s Business Solutions has been providing business machines and service to more than 7,000 customers with a goal to help small and large businesses create, manage, and distribute digital and paper-based documents.
“Sponsoring the Leading Business of the Week allows us to recognize businesses that are active members of the Chamber,” Chick said. “The Chamber is then able to make sure that all businesses have the opportunity to succeed. The more businesses grow, the better our town is, and it comes back full circle.”
Chick said he hopes the weekly recognition encourages businesses to join the Chamber and become active members.
“We have a world-class Chamber, and we support the Chamber because they support us,” Chick said. “They have many tools in place to help us succeed. When you walk through the doors, there is always someone greeting you with a smile, and they are ready to serve.”