b'Lisa Smart |BERRIEN COUNTY Caroline Horne|COLQUITT COUNTY Lisa Smart spends her days wearing multiple hats. As the executiveWorking as a staff of one, Caroline Horne, executive director of the United Way of Colquitt director of the Berrien County Chamber of Commerce and the BerrienCounty, is tirelessly working to support more than 20 partnering nonprofit agencies. Economic Development Authority, she works to keep businesses of all sizes growing while at the same time working to recruit new industriesHorne began working with the United Way in 2018, and within months was faced with the and jobs. devastating impact of Hurricane Michael. She worked tirelessly alongside hundreds of volunteers and organizations to provide food, shelter, and other needs for Colquitt County residents.When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Smart added the voice of the community to her list of duties. As head of the Berrien CountyTwo years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Horne created new resources to address the Community Response Task Force, Smart gathered a copious amounturgent needs of the communitys most vulnerable. of information from multiple sources. She then quickly disseminatedCOVID-19 was a huge feat, but we tackled it with determination, Horne says. In 2018, I began the information to chamber members, county and city leaders, schooladding most of what our organization does to several online platforms to be efficient in our representatives, law enforcement, emergency response, and hospital andservice efforts and virtual response. This played a major role in how we were able to continue public health representatives.working during Hurricane Michael and the COVID-19 pandemic.I focused the task force in decision making and policy for the county,Throughout the year, United Way agencies provide a broad spectrum of supportfood, clothing, Nichole Shanks|LOWNDES COUNTY but our main focus was on communication, says Smart, president of thefinancial, and educationalhowever, a crisis escalates those needs. Nashville-Berrien County Rotary Club. We began with weekly meetings and then briefings to the public through social media. When help is needed, our community always steps up and rolls their sleeves up and gets the job done no matter the circumstances or obstacles Through her passion and perseverance, Nichole Shanks hasthat may come our way, Horne says. It is a beautiful picture of servanthood where hustle and heart set us apart.helped develop a thriving youth and adult apprenticeshipThe strong communication effort was an essential part of Berrien program that has become a model adopted across manyCountys response to the health crisis. We became through this, theAt the forefront of the philanthropic effort is Colquitt Countys business community. The United Way partnered with National Beef, PCOM South industries. source of communication for the county, serving as communicationGeorgia [Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine], and several individual donors to leverage $90,000 in funding for local nonprofits central, Smart says. We created a website to help keep citizens andimpacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.As Ace Electrics workforce development manager, Shanksbusinesses informed and served as a liaison when people could not find develops and implements strategic goals focused onThroughout the pandemic, Horne also coordinated with the Boys and Girls Club to promote its feeding program, helped the Colquitt County the answers to questions.Food Bank secure grants, and located Wi-Fi connections to assist students with school assignments. As part of United Way Worldwide, Horne supporting programs and partnerships with high schools, technical colleges, and exiting military and veteranAs schools closed and businesses shuttered, the need for food assistancelaunched Character Playbook, a web-based learning tool to engage students in healthy online activities while schools were closed. organizations.continued to grow. Smart, a board member of the South GeorgiaA fundraising champion, in 2019, Horne led the Colquitt County United Way in collecting more than $700,000 to support its partnership agencies, Regional Commission, moved into fundraising mode and coordinated aan increase of 28 percent from prior years.She recently worked with Lowndes High School and$100,000 donation for the local food bank. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College to develop a commercial industrial electrical internship program. In theSmart also spent 2020 working to ensure Berrien County had an accurateTyler Thomas |DECATUR COUNTY first program, nine high school students were selected tocensus count. As head of the local Complete Count Committee, she participate in a summer internship with Ace Electric. Aftercreated a media campaign and led volunteers through the census count completing the internship requirements, the students wereeffort to ensure federal funding for the next ten years. In 2018, Tyler Thomas followed his dream and moved to Bainbridge, Georgia, to open a dual-enrolled at Lowndes High School and Wiregrass Techrestaurant. Three years later, he has two restaurantsThe American and Caf Sinclairwhile gaining valuable workforce experience with Aceand the Willis Park Hotel, all located in Downtown Bainbridge. Electric.Even working 80 plus hours a week, Tyler is dedicated to promoting and developingAce Electrics goal for our workforce developmentthe downtown area. His passion and enthusiasm have led to the creation of several initiative is to provide an opportunity for the youth toevents drawing attention to the downtown area, including the Bainbridge Bluegrass & explore jobs in the skilled trades, especially at Ace, ShanksFolk Festival, which started in 2018, drawing nearly 1,500 people. Along with Gallagher says. To enhance the current opportunities with training,Dempsey, owner of Southern Philosophy Brewing Company, Thomas helped organize apprenticeship, and continued education opportunities andthe Bainbridge Jazz & Blues Festival, drawing about 1,200 people this year.show the many career pathways available in this industry. Last year, Thomas and his wife, Heather, organized The Silver Lining: A Benefit for Cloud Kirbo, a child who is fighting against the debilitating Krabbe disease. Thomas In 2018, Shanks received the Technical College Foundation ofwas able to recruit HGTV celebrity couple Ben and Erin Napier from the popular show Georgia Benefactor of the Year and the 2020 ConstructionHometown to assist with the event, which raised more than $100,000.Education Foundation of Georgia K-12 Pipeline Employer of the Year. An active member of the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce, Thomas is eager to connect with people in the community and share his culinary expertise, including a regular demonstration at the Gilbert H. Gragg Library. 24 SG MAGAZINE | FALL 2020 BUSINESS + CULTURE 25'