Chamber publishes 2015 Annual Report

Did you see our 2015 Annual Report in last Wednesday's edition of The Newnan Times-Herald? If you missed it, you can click here to read the report online!

This 36-page publication includes:

• Letters from the 2015 and 2016 Chairs as well as our President and CEO

• Photos from the year's Signature Events

• A recap of our visit to Montreal, where we were named 2015 National Chamber of the Year

• 2015 Prosperity Award Winners and individual Award Winners

• Accomplishments and milestones for the year

• Photos from 2015 Ribbon cuttings

• A list of 2015 Chamber Members

And much more! Stop by the Chamber if you'd like to pick up a print copy of the report.

Christa Pitts to headline our first 2016 Women of Prosperity Lunch

Our first Women of Prosperity Lunch for the year will feature Christa Pitts, co-CEO of Creatively Classic Activities and Books, founder of Elf on the Shelf. The lunch will be Thursday, March 10, 2016, from 11:15am-1pm at The Newnan Centre, 1515 Lower Fayetteville Rd. in Newnan. (Please note that this is a new location for the lunch.) Admission is $35 for Chamber Members and $50 General Admission.

Christa Pitts is the co-CEO of Creatively Classic Activities and Books, the publishing company behind the best-selling Christmas classic The Elf on the Shelf^®: A Christmas Tradition. Prior to creating a successful career in the publishing world, Pitts was a host on QVC, where her warmth and enthusiasm made her a household name. She put her skills to the test at CCA and B, building the marketing and sales departments from the ground up. Today Pitts guides the strategic business vision of the company and oversees the operational side of the company, which includes sourcing, production and sales strategy.

Click here to read Christa's full bio.

Click here to RSVP for the Women of Prosperity Lunch. This event is expected to sell out, so early reservations are recommended.

Leadership Coweta now accepting applications

Applications are now being accepted for Leadership Coweta, a program sponsored by the Newnan-Coweta Chamber that provides existing and emerging leaders with unique opportunities to enhance their civic knowledge of Coweta County, to sharpen their leadership skills and to network with leaders from across the community. Through a unique 11-month program, Leadership Coweta prepares future community leaders by allowing them to engage in both the formal and informal exchange of ideas and experiences; enhance their personal leadership skills awareness and development; gain knowledge from an in-depth view of community issues; have access to opportunities for community involvement; understand more about the interdependencies between sectors of the local economy as well as the interrelationships of local issues; and receive knowledge on numerous subjects that prepare them for a more active leadership role in the community.

The application process is governed by the Leadership Coweta Executive Team, which reviews all applications and determines finalists. Criteria considered during the process include demonstrated leadership abilities, community interest and involvement, desire to assume expanded leadership responsibility, and class representation of diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Nine sessions will be held between September 2016 and May 2017, generally on the second Tuesday of the month. A kickoff cookout will be hosted by the alumni in August 2016, and a graduation luncheon in June 2017 will close out the program. Attendance at all activities is mandatory.

Tuition for Leadership Coweta is $795 for Chamber members and $975 for non-Chamber members. (Non-Chamber member tuition includes a $200 credit toward Chamber membership.) Tuition covers all expenses for the nine monthly sessions, an overnight Leadership Retreat, meals, limited transportation, graduation, honorariums for speakers, and miscellaneous administrative costs. The costs of any optional enrichment opportunities, if any, are not included. Tuition must be paid in full or payment arrangements made by August 1, 2016. A very limited number of partial scholarships for demonstrated financial need may be available upon request and submission of additional financial information.

Leadership Coweta applications may be downloaded at www.newnancowetachamber.org. Completed applications may be submitted by fax (770.253.2271, Attn: Leadership Coweta Executive Team), by email (scanned copies may be sent to valerie@newnancowetachamber.org, with the subject line: Leadership Coweta Application Submission), and mailed to or dropped off in person at the Chamber office, 23 Bullsboro Dr. in Newnan.

For more information about Leadership Coweta, contact Valerie Ward by calling 770.253.2270 or emailing valerie@newnancowetachamber.org.

Click here to download informational brochure.

Click here to download application.

Chamber staff attend GACCE Day at Georgia Capitol

On Tuesday, Chamber staff members were among those invited to the Georgia Capitol in honor of GACCE Day with the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. GACCE has a long and distinguished history of serving chamber professionals in the state of Georgia. The organization exists to advocate the role of the local chamber of commerce in economic and community development and to provide GACCE members with exceptional services in the areas of professional development, information and networking opportunities. Attending from the Newnan-Coweta Chamber were President and CEO Candace Boothby, Executive Assistant Valerie Ward, Member Relations & Events/Meeting Specialist Bri Sanders, Director of Strategic Growth & Programs Lynn Love, and Director of Events & Communications Ashley Biles. Here, they and other GACCE members meet with Governor Nathan Deal.

Chamber staffers also had the opportunity to meet with Secretary of State Brian Kemp.

And all the GACCE members enjoyed celebrating the organization's 100th anniversary.

Want to be 'in the know' with The Newnan CEO?

Have you signed up for The Newnan CEO Briefing? This briefing is a daily email newsletter that contains the day's top business news headlines and a summary of each day's features.

Numerous business owners and government officials subscribe to this daily service. The top stories that will impact Newnan and Coweta County businesses are featured along with links to more information. 

 

Chamber members can subscribe to The Newnan CEO Briefing for free by clicking here!

Businesses to team up for Biggest Loser Community Challenge!

Have you heard the exciting news about our new community-wide wellness initiative? Piedmont Healthcare, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital and Cancer Treatment Centers of America are sponsoring an exciting national wellness initiative that is launching across the country in February, and our community is invited to join in! NBC and The Biggest Loser are launching The Biggest Loser Community Challenge on February 29. Teams of four are invited to join this eight-week online health and wellness community challenge. The challenge is for people of all fitness levels and is designed to get the community moving, eating better and having fun!

Businesses are encouraged to register teams of employees to represent their company in the challenge. For only $100 for a team of four, this exciting wellness offering is an affordable and fun way to kick-start the new year for employees.

Here's how it works:

• Past contestants of The Biggest Loser will guide teams through eight weekly challenges. 
• Challengers will also receive weekly motivation and nutrition tips from trainer Dolvett Quince.
• Participants will earn points for each minute of activity they engage in, as well as additional points for completing weekly tasks and logging additional challenge activities designed to improve nutrition and overall wellness.
• Each participant will have access to their own private wellness account and mobile app, where they will journal challenge activities, access weekly health guidance and keep their eye on friends and competitors on live leaderboards.
• Prize drawings will be made each week, with over 10,000 prizes to be won across the country!

We encourage you to sign up!  You can enter as many teams as you want. There is no limit per company.  These can be company teams or teams of individuals.

The cost to sign up is $100 per team of four people.  This gives you access to a private wellness account as well as all the online tools and prizes!  Click here to register your team.

Congratulations to the Annual Meeting award winners!

At our February 4 Annual Meeting at The Newnan Centre, the 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Maggie McSweeney of Cardinal Waste Solutions. This award recognizes an individual who has made extraordinary contributions of time and leadership that resulted in tangible benefits to the Chamber and its members. Maggie was described as "one of our volunteers who continually goes above and beyond, a person who is always there willing to lend a helping hand in any way possible." Congratulations, Maggie!

The 2015 Chairman's Award was given to Mark Whitlock of Central Educational Center. When the Chamber learned it was a finalist for the National Chamber of the Year Award, Mark was asked to join President and CEO Candace Boothby for the formal interview that was held as part of the competition in Montreal, Canada. To thank him for his role in helping the Chamber win the National COTY Award, Mark received a replica of the award Chamber members accepted in Toronto. Congratulations, Mark!

Cathy Wright of the University of West Georgia received the Visionary Award and a lifetime membership in the Chamber to thank her for her leadership at the Newnan campus of the University of West Georgia and for her many contributions to the Chamber. Congratulations, Cathy!

(Photos courtesy of Linda Edmonds of Precious Memories Portraits. To view and download photos from the event, click here and click on Annual Meeting 2016.)

Coweta County is known as Prosperity's Front Door, and five local businesses were honored with the Prosperity Award, which recognizes companies and organizations that have significantly impacted economic prosperity and development in our community in the past 12 months. Honorees included Yokogawa Corportion of America, Spancrete, Elite Foam, Inc., Kason Industries, Inc., and the University of West Georgia Newnan Campus. These Award Winners have made key investments in Coweta County and created new jobs that send a clear message that Coweta is indeed a prosperous community and a great place to do business. We congratulate all of our 2015 Prosperity Award winners!