3972 address Macon

november/december 05 www.imediagroup.biz/addressmacon

Compliments of Imedia, Inc.Your business development partner for design, printing, and publishing.

WCOX15, Locals Only is a new community channel created exclusively for Cox Middle Georgia customers. Since spring 2005, Cox has begun offering high-quality local programming ranging from home & garden shows to local concerts and events, including Chuck Leavell’s first live solo performance, Chuck Leavell, Live at the Douglass.Other WCOX15 programs include Around Town with Macon Magazine, Live at Five, An Evening with Mark Ballard, Indie Showcase, Cox Connects, Good Morning Macon with Governor Sonny Perdue and others. WCOX15, Locals Only programming is based upon Cox customer feedback, so visit us online for details about upcoming shows and events!

LOOK WHO’S ON WCOX15, LOCALS ONLY!

www.wcox15.com

Live at Five Around Town with Macon Magazine Indie Showcase Cox Connects

Photo courtesy of Kimberly Smith

Chuck Leavellmusician

2 www.imediagroup.biz/addressmacon

3www.imediagroup.biz/addressmacon

On The Cover:from left to right

Dr. Melton Palmer,Starr Hutchings Purdue

and Sharon Hutchings, and Thomas Wicker

4 my perspective

6 bulletpoints

13 components of success

66 press

20 Dr. Alex Correa

68 Molly Pearson

26 Coming Home to the Family Business

The Hutchings family has owned and operated one of Macon’s oldest funeral homes for over 100 years. Allyson Moody

39 New Executives Put Themselves on Macon’s Map

Macon welcomes a plethora of new executives.Jamie Caraway

54 A Quiet Visionary at the Helm

Dr. Melton Palmer has led the effort to

transform Central Georgia Technical College

into a premier resource for the Central Georgia

work force.

Katherine Walden

60 When Serendipity Meets Opportunity

Ron and Dot Williams explain how family and

business met to develop Imedia, Inc.

Allyson Moody

Economic Impact: Macon Retailers See

Continued Growth and Success

- Special Insert More than 21,000 people are employed by Macon’s retail industry.Mark Hoerrner

features

departments

contents

november/december 05 • volume 1 • number 6

profiles

39

54

60


growth of their business and separation of work and personal personas is next to impossible.

In a city the size of Atlanta, it is easy to get lost in the shuf-fle. Who and what you are at the office may play no role inyour personal life. Conversely, in a community our size it isdifficult to separate the two. When you see Harry or GeorgeBowen at lunch you immediately draw the line of connectionback to Bowen Brother’s clothier. When you see Melvin andSteve Kruger at a fundraiser or Chamber event you cannot sep-arate them from their L.E. Schwartz heritage, and when yousee someone from the Williams and Canady family hopefullyyou immediately think of Imedia and address Macon. Thesame lines can be drawn for notable non-profits like Goodwilland Jim Stiff, the Ronald McDonald House and BonnieHopkins, and Daddy Rick and the Methodist Children’s Home.

The balance of home and work life is not in itsseparation but in the marriage of the two. As weall know, a marriage is a partnership that takeswork. It’s not easy or everyone would be success-ful at it. Sounds pretty similar to owning, runningor working in a business! This marriage of workand family – friends and business – personal andprofessional life is, from my perspective, theuncontrollable factor that makes our readershipunique. Address embraces the personal and pro-fessional life in our profiles and showcases themarriage of family and business.

I am living proof of this lifestyle. Whether at aJunior League fundraiser, a second grade ballgame or at the grocery store with my family, I amgrateful to be given ideas and comments from ourreaders, advertisers and friends. I am reminded ofthis pattern only an hour ago as I saw the Sellarsfamily finishing Sunday lunch. Radar, with threebeautiful daughters in tow, stops to say, “I reallyenjoy your magazine.” Now how likely would thishave happened in a town the size of Atlanta?

As we move into 2006, I encourage you tokeep passing along your ideas and commentary.Let me remind you how important you are to ourbusiness and our life because the two are insepa-rable. And please, if you have a question aboutadvertising or printing, even if I’m at AceHardware in my work shirt and jeans or enjoyingsome Big Shots barbeque, don’t hesitate to ask. Iam never too busy for our family business.

To our mutual success and a safe holiday season,

I am continually amazed with the positive commentarythat our Imedia staff and I receive concerning address Macon.My greatest curiosity is what has touched the core of our com-munity to give such a response. As I inquire, I receive a widerange of responses concerning the positive focus, the businessformat and the people-centric concentration.

As a publisher, I could not be more pleased that the origi-nal intent of our publication has been so readily recognized.However, it is often the dynamics outside our control that trulypropel an idea like address into mainstream readership andpopularity. In a recent conversation with Stebin Horne, Macon city councilman, I recognized one such dynamic in hiswords. Stebin commented to the fact that in their family busi-ness, not unlike mine, board meetings are often held over din-ner at home. Friendships and relationships are the key to the

address my perspective

David S. CanadyPublisher, address Macon

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address Macon is published bi-monthly by Imedia, Inc.Copyright address Macon 2005. Reproduction in whole orpart without permission is prohibited. Advertising rates avail-able on request. The publishers are not responsible for thecomments of authors or for unsolicited manuscripts.Distribution is to business executives and developing youngprofessionals in Bibb and surrounding counties. All manu-scripts, photos, drawings, or letters will be treated as uncon-ditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes,and as such are subject to address Macon’s unrestrictedright to edit or comment editorially.

Macon’s Business Magazine

4360 San Carlos DriveMacon, Georgia 31206478-314-2285 phone

478-314-2294 fax

website:www.imediagroup.biz/addressMacon

email:[email protected]

Imedia, Inc.Publisher

Ronald T. WilliamsChairman

David S. CanadyPresident

Dawn BurkhalterChief Financial Officer

Vicki MillsSean Waters

Advertising Sales

Jamie CarawayCoordinating Editor

Beth TamboliArt Director

Susie AllenGraphic Designer

Grandy Peaceitech Support

Designed & Printed by Imedia, Inc.

Photography Ken Krakow Photography

www.kenkrakow.com

Contributing EditorKristen Soles

Contributing WritersAllyson Moody

Jamie CarawayDavid Canady

Mark L. HoerrnerJames Palmer

Katherine Walden

address JuntoSee page 19 for member listing

A product of Imedia, Inc.

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Houston Ortho CenterOpens Macon Office

Houston Orthopaedic Sur-gery & Sports Medicine hasopened a Macon office atRutland Family Healthcare,Suburban Center, 4226 HartleyBridge Road. Houston Ortho-paedic Surgery & SportsMedicine is located at 3051Watson Boulevard in WarnerRobins with satellite offices in Ft.Valley and Perry as well as thenew office in Macon.

The practice specializes inbone, joint and spinal injuriesand disorders. Physicians at theMacon office are Daniel B.Wagner, D.O.; William B. Wiley,M.D.; Jeffrey C. Easom, D.O.; andDerrick D. Phillips. M.D.Appointments can be made bycalling 478-953-4563.


MCCG Honors Pioneering Physician atUnveiling Ceremony

The Medical Center of Central Georgia was delighted to honor pio-neering physician, Dr. G.A. Johnston, Sr., at an unveiling ceremony,Tuesday, October 18, 2005. At that time, the Medical Center unveiled amemorial in Dr. Johnston’s honor. The memorial will be located temporar-ily in the lobby of the main entrance until it is moved to its permanentlocation. This memorial will recognize not only his distinguished career butalso his pioneering efforts in the medical field. Dr. George AubreyJohnston died on March 6, 2002, at a Macon hospital after a prolongedillness. The Medical Center of Central Georgia and race-relations inCentral Georgia would not be where it is today without the tireless effortsof G.A. Johnston, Sr. Being the first African-American physician to be grant-ed privileges at the Macon Hospital, Dr. Johnston opened the door toother African-American physicians and future physicians practicing inCentral Georgia.

Save the Date!The Ronald McDonald House will

hold their annual McDazzled WithLove 2006 on Saturday, February18, at the Goodwill ConferenceCenter. This year's presenting spon-sors are Kevin and Candace Brown.

Proceeds from this event willBenefit The Ronald McDonaldHouse of Central Georgia

For more information, please call478-746-4090.

Woodfield Academy Holds Ribbon Cutting CeremonyFor New Facility on Rivoli Drive

Woodfield Academy, Middle Georgia's only independent school with amission to serve students with learning differences, held a ribbon cuttingand dedication ceremony for their new school on October 20th.Woodfield is now located at 4375 Rivoli Drive in Macon, which was former-ly the Rivoli Crossing Baptist Church. The purchase of the property waspossible largely because of a $350,000 grant from the Peyton AndersonFoundation. Warren Associates, Inc. performed renovation construction,converting the church to a school.

Photo: Scott Rawson, Woodfield Board member; Connie Sealy,Woodfield Board member; Wylene Boggs, Woodfield Board member;Joseph Allen, Woodfield student; Holly Reeves, Woodfield teacher; Rev.Garry Willis, pastor Calvery Baptist Church; Becky Sessions, WoodfieldHeadmaste; Al Andrews, Andrews, Hammock and Powell; Warren Selby,Warren Associates; Brooks Powell, architect; Juanita Jordan, PeytonAnderson Foundation; Nancy Dozier, Woodfield Board chairman.


Fifth Annual Technology FairBibb County Public Schools are pleased to announce the Fifth Annual

Technology Fair. This event will showcase the exceptional talents of Bibb Countystudents and provide them the opportunity to compete at the state level in thefield of technology. The Technology Fair is open to all students in grades 3-12. TheFair will be held at Hutchings Career Center on Saturday, January 28 from 7:30 amuntil 2:00 pm.

This competition provides students with a platform to showcase to peers,teachers, and the community the results of our technology investment in BibbCounty. It differs from a few other competitions in that it addresses higher ordertechnology skills. Examples of entries might be programming robots, building acomputer, authoring a software application, or developing a website.

Technology Fair registration must be submitted online at www.bibb.k12.ga.us.Deadline for registration is December 15th. Once the registration form is filled out,be sure to print a copy before submitting.

For more information, please go the Bibb County School's website and clickthe More Information link under Technology Fair 2006.

If you have any questions please email them to [email protected].

bulletpoints•business ventures • events • awards •sales reports • moving • new products

Imedia, Inc. ispleased to offerbulletpoints as a free service toour readers forcorporate andcommunity promotions.

Tattnall Square Academyunveils new additions

to campus

Tattnall Square Academy cele-brated the unveiling of new addi-tions to its campus with a ribboncutting ceremony on November 1,2005. Board Chairman Bob Daielyand campaign co-chairs John andTerri Crook cut the ceremonial rib-bon while Headmaster BarneyHester led the crowd in a count-down. Campus improvementsinclude a 512 seat performing artscenter, renovated elementaryschool, and dual level athletic com-plex. Construction began in May of2005 and was completed in lateSeptember.

The first annual CGTCBid Bowl will take placeon Saturday evening,February 4. The eventwill feature tailgating,silent and live auctions,trolley tours of the cam-pus, music, and conces-sions by Big ShotsChampionship CookingTeam and Aramark. Formore information call478-757-3504.

CGTC Bid Bowl February 4th, 2006


CASA Receives Jewelers' GrantCentral Georgia Court Appointed Special Advocate was recently

awarded a $7,000 grant from Jewelers for Children, the leading charity ofthe U.S. jewelry industry. The grant will be used to expand advocacy forabused and neglected children in Bibb, Crawford and Peach counties.

Carlyle and Co. and Fordham Jewelers, both located in Macon, par-ticipate in the Jewelers for Children program through Jewelers of America.“It is great to have the overwhelming support of the community includinglocal business owners and operators, like Charles Fordham and FredWoods. We hope that we can continue our relationship with these busi-nesses for years to come so that we can continue to serve the children inour community,” said Executive Director Stephanie Owens-George.

Central Georgia CASA, Inc. is a private non-profit agency thatrecruits, screens and trains volunteers to advocate for abused and neg-lected children involved in juvenile court deprivation proceedings.

Piedmont Community BankGroundbreaking

Piedmont Community Bank has brokenground on their first branch office at thecorner of Interstate 75 and Bass Road inMacon, Ga. Piedmont believes that thenorth Macon market will provide excellentopportunities for solid, quality growth. Theoffice is expected to open in early 2006.Cole Davis has been hired as Executive VicePresident and Macon City President. Withover 26 years of banking experience, Davismost recently served as the Retail BankingManager for the Mid South Georgia regionof BB&T. Piedmont Community Bank, head-quartered in Gray, Georgia has recently cel-ebrated their third year in business. Totalassets have grown to $76 million as of June30, 2005. Deposits have increased toapproximately $61 million and loans haveincreased to approximately $66 million. Netincome for the six months ended June 30,2005 was $661,000 as compared to $13,000for the first six months of 2004.

Pictured, starting from left: JimGoolsby, Jim Hawkins, Drew Hulsey, ColeDavis, Christine Daniels, Zelma Redding,Terrell Fulford, Mickey Parker, Sid Dumas,Frank Davis

Blade Uniforms announces partnershipwith Checkers

Blade Uniforms, a division of Blade Sportswear, Inc. announces athree-year partnership with Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc., thenation’s largest chain of double drive-thru restaurants. Blade will supplybrand enhancing uniforms for all Checkers®/Rally’s® establishmentsacross the country as of March 31st, 2006.

Blade Sportswear has specialized in uniform design, manufactur-ing and distribution since 1991. The company currently provides uni-forms for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Dairy Queen, Bob EvansFarms, Arby’s, Zaxby’s, Piggly Wiggly, Jack’s Family Restaurants and TheWorld of Coca-Cola to name a few and welcomes Checkers Drive-InRestaurants, Inc. into their family.

Adam Noyes, Vice President of Operations for Checkers Drive-InRestaurants, Inc. stated: “We are very pleased with the innovativedesigns that Blade has provided. We tested these uniforms with ouremployees, who gave us valuable feedback on the design. We areexcited about the comfort and look of the finished product. Moreover,Checkers/Rally’s brand personality is hip and fun, and this trend-settingimage is reflected inBlade’s uniforms.”Checkers Drive-InRestaurants, Inc. is theninth largest ham-burger franchise inthe country with 793stores system-wide.

Blade UniformPresident and CEO,Terry Long, com-ments “Our forward thinking and design capabilities are unlike any inthe industry. Our design, performance, customer service and turn-around are unsurpassed. We are truly able to meet the needs of acompany that relies not only on the quality of our product, but also thespeed in which we can perform.”


SSK Agents Selected to Sterling SocietyColdwell Banker SSK, Realtors had representatives included in ColdwellBanker Real Estate Corporation’s International Sterling Society for 2004with 11 sales associates earning the prestigious designation.J.D. Adams, Carly Krajewski, Amanda McCranie, Bob Pless, Kathy Sellers,Lisa Washington and Donna Young out of the Warner Robins office andBetty Barnes, Gennessia Daniel, Rose Gee and Jean Glover of theMacon/Gray offices earned membership in the company’s InternationalSterling Society, a level achieved by only the top 21 percent of the morethan 120,000 sales associates worldwide in the Coldwell Banker System.In order to earn this designation, each agent had to close a minimum of22 units. The awards were presented at the Coldwell Banker 2005International Business Conference held at the Gaylord Palms inOrlando, FL.

Georgia TransplantFoundation Opens

Macon Office

The Georgia Transplant

Foundation announced the addi-

tion of a satellite office in Macon

opening in March 2006. The foun-

dation received a $12,500 grant

from The Peyton Anderson

Foundation, in conjunction with

GTF event and corporate relation-

ships, which will support the initial

operations costs of the office.

“Our team at the Georgia

Transplant Foundation is extremely

excited about the support we

have received from The Peyton

Anderson Foundation,” said David

Bakelman, Executive Director.

“Our organization thrives off the

generosity of the community.

Thanks to Peyton Anderson

Foundation and other corporate

contributors, we can take our sup-

port of the Macon area to anoth-

er level.” Founded in 1992, the

GTF is a nonprofit organization

providing financial and educa-

tional support for organ transplant

candidates, recipients, living

donors, and their families through-

out the state of Georgia. GTF has

allocated more than $25,000 in

patient services to Macon trans-

plant residents since January

2005. Currently, there are 30

organ transplant candidates in

Macon awaiting a transplant and

124 organ transplant recipients.

GTF has chosen Macon for a

satellite office location in an effort

to raise awareness in the area

and build upon existing statewide

outreach efforts.

Security Bank to acquire Neighbors Bancshares, Inc.

of AlpharettaSecurity Bank Corporation announced on

November 22 it has signed a definitive agreementto acquire Neighbors Bancshares Inc., a commu-nity bank holding company headquartered in thehigh growth north Atlanta market of Alpharetta.

Shareholders of Neighbors Bancshares willreceive cash and stock of about $30.6 million.Security Bank said it expects that the acquisitionwill be completed in the second quarter of 2006.

At that time, Security Bank is expected to havetotal assets of $1.8 billion with banking, loan pro-duction and retail mortgage offices throughoutthe Central, Coastal and North Georgia markets.

Rett Walker, Security's President and ChiefExecutive Officer, said, "This transaction is consis-tent with our plans to grow the franchise througha combination of gains in our existing marketsand acquisitions of quality community banks ingrowth markets."


CHRISTOPHER N.

ATTORNEY AT LAW

BUSINESS LAW

WRONGFUL DEATH

PERSONAL INJURY

SERVING MIDDLE GEORGIA SINCE 1991478-477-8145 www.cnslaw.com130 North Crest Blvd, Suite B, Macon, GA

SMITHL.L.C.

Healy Point Country Club Welcomes New Orleans ChefHealy Point Country Club announces the arrival of Chef

Raymond Toup, from the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in NewOrleans. Chef Toup was born in the Cajun Country of southwestLouisiana and worked at the famous Sazaroc Restaurant and thenon to the Fairmont Hotel before becoming Executive Chef at theOmni Royal Orleans Hotel. He has previously worked in Hong Kong,New York and London and served celebrities including FrankSinatra, Dean Martin, Jimmy Carter, Wayne Newton, Tina Turnerand Charlton Heston. Chef Toup will be working closely with HealyPoint’s Executive Chef Buck for 8 weeks. Chef Buck has a myriadof knowledge in Italian, French, Spanish, Indian, American andSouthern cuisine. While being ubiquitous in culinary cooking, hehas tremendous knowledge oin the field of wine. His experience,along with Chef Toup’s vast knowledge of gourmet and Cajun cui-sine, will definitely make Healy Point Country Club a dining destina-tion not to be missed. To make reservations, call 746-2411.

Submit Your Business NewsOnline at www.imediagroup.biz/addressmacon


media, Inc., address Macon andOnly Georgia Food Gifts hostedtheir first annual “Gathering of

Friends and Clients” at the home of Ronand Dot Williams as an appreciationand tasting event.

The evening featured a breakfastsupper showcasing Only Georgia FoodGifts products prepared by the BigShots cooking team. The menu includ-ed country ham and bacon, pancakes,eggs, biscuits with a variety of jams, jel-lies and syrups along with sweet snackslike chocolate covered peanut brittle.

Clients, prospects, and friends alikesampled edibles, received an earlyopportunity to preview a new issue ofaddress Macon and toured theWilliams’ 125 year old Victorian home.

networking

Gayle Ward, Tom Woodbery and Dot Williams

Phil Sullivan, Charles Hubbard and Warren Selby

Rocky Mills and Sara Forehand

Tee Smith and grandson, Alexander

Michael and Lynn Cass Greg Topping and Ron Williams Karen Mills

We’re all business. For advertising information call Imedia at 478.314.2285.

Not your cookie cutter magazine.

No recipes.

No tea parties.

No gingerbread men.

14 next generation

17 reading

18 business

21 philantrophy

22 education

25 off the clock

componentsof successaddress Macon is a champion for business and delivers components ofsuccess for business, economic development, quality of life and lifestyles.Discover the products, services and resources available in our communityand benefit from our collective success.

Photography by Ken KrakowVisit online at kenkrakow.com


address

Farming For FashionMost wouldn’t expect avid farmers to also have a keen eye

for fashion and trends, but sisters Erin Kovacs and DeidraSmith, owners of Sorella Apparel and Accessories, are proofyou can’t judge a book by its cover - or a crop by its farmers.The store, located in the Vineville Crossing shopping centeron Forsyth Road, began far from the farm – the two were on awalk on Georgia’s coast. “We were actually walking down thebeach in St. Simons talking about what we were going to dofor the rest of our lives,” Smith explains.

Sorella specializes in high-end fashion, and several of theircustomers say the store has the best blue jean collection in thearea. Kovacs believes the reason the store is so popular lies inthe fact that she devotes personal attention to her customers.“My customers are my number one priority. I want to make mycustomer happy,” Kovacs explains. The two decided to openthe store in Macon because they knew they could cater to theirfuture customers. Smith and Kovacs saw a need for the type ofclothing they liked and would purchase themselves. “Macon isa wonderful city and there are lots of fashionable people in it,”says Smith.

The sisters grew up on their parents’ farm in DoolyCounty and now equally manage, along with their parents,Riverwest Farms, which specializes in cotton and cattle. “Ourwhole family on our father’s side are farmers,” says Smith, agraduate of Wesleyan College and a construction design man-ager for The Sea Island Company. “Generations of our family

have been farmers in Dooly County, so we grew up doingnothing but farming and fell in love with fashion.” Both sistershelp determine which crops to plant and how to market them.

Farming and fashion seem like they are worlds apart, andtheir father, Wayne West, often jokes that his daughters oper-ate the fun and glamorous side of the cotton business while hedoes the dirty work. Both sisters agree: almost all of the fabricsin Sorella are cotton, and if not, they are made of natural fiberssuch as silk, cashmere or wool – a request made by West.Though the two fields are different, Smith and Kovacs applythe lessons they learned on the farm to their business. “Ilearned about running a business and all of the hard work thatyou have to put into it from my parents,” Kovacs, a Macon res-ident, says. “At the end of the day, it all boils down to me. Thatgoes back to the farm – it’s a different type of work ethic, it’snot nine to five.”

Though they work together, Kovacs and Smith have vary-ing responsibilities within the business. Kovacs manages thestore and interacts with customers while Smith serves as thestore’s buyer and helps design the boutique’s displays. Thetwo have worked together their entire lives, which makes for apleasant partnership. “We’ve been extremely close our entirelives, which inspired us to embark on this journey together.”

Sorella is definitely a family affair. Smith and Kovacs' moth-er, Kay West, advises the duo. Kay, who attended college in Italy,even inspired the name Sorella, which means “sister” in Italian.

Kovacs’ eight-months old son,West, is often at the store. “Erinis literally running a businessand taking care of her family,”Smith says pointing towards agiggling West and his mother.“He has a cradle in Sorella andhe is there quite a bit.

Their passion to run a suc-cessful store is based on onefact: their love for fashion andtheir work ethic – learned fromtheir days on the farm.“Farming is in our blood, andfashion, I believe, is somethingwe fell in love with,” saysSmith. Kovacs adds, “I’m verylucky. I’m 28 years old and Ican say I’m doing exactly what Iwant to do.”

Jamie Caraway

next generation

Deidra Smith and Erin Kovacs


Our Growth is Phenomenal

Macon4077 Forsyth Road 757-8181502 Mulberry Street 745-7720494 Monroe St. Drive-thru

Warner Robins464 S. Houston Lake Road 953-6828

NSB Mortgage Services4077 Forsyth Road, Macon 405-6287

www.newsouthernbank . com

NEW SOUTHERN BANKHouston Lake Road

Warner Robins

January 2006Open NOW in

Temporary quar

ters

NEW SOUTHERN BANKBass Road

Macon

November / December 2006ComingSoon!

ATLANTIC SOUTHERN BANKRincon

Early 2006ComingSoon!

ATLANTIC SOUTHERN BANKSavannah

Late 2006ComingSoon!

16

Imedia, Inc. and addressMacon have formed theaddress Junto. The purpose isto bring together a collectivegroup of business and educa-tional professionals for mutualimprovement and to serve as a business network-ing and community actionforum. The address Junto willalso provide a sounding board for editorial input in theaddress Macon.

address Junto MembersSteve SladeMolly McCurdy PearsonDr. Alex CorreaWaverly GolsonTricia Bevill PaulinDr. Seth BushRhonda KoplinVicki MillsCyndey BusbeeSue ChipmanMike KillenReginold TaborAllen LondonBrandon MercerAimee Jackson HallDr. Juan LeeEli MorganLaura McMasterElizabeth HardinDan DavisSteve FarrKathryn DennisPam White-ColbertChristi HorneSean Waters

JUNTO


address

When Angels FlyWe often wonder what the people we graduated high

school with are doing now. Local author Joe McDaniel haswritten a book about it. 31206 tells about the people he knewin high school and the amazing things they have done sincethen. In one chapter, McDaniel talks about his lifelong friend,Jim Lambert, and his amazing work with Angel Flight.

"Joe likes to say we were prenatal friends," says Lambert."I can't remember a time when I didn't know Joe." The parentsof the two men knew each other and went to the same church.McDaniel moved away briefly, but soon returned, and the twowent to grammar and high school together. Now Lambert isthe owner of Allen & Lambert Insurance, which he started inMay of 1980. Allen & Lambert offers property insurance pri-marily to commercial entities, but also helps individuals.Lambert's true passion however, is flying. Flying since he was16, Lambert had actually stopped for many years, but took itup again just a few years before the death of his first wife.

During her treatment for complications from a kidneytransplant, Lambert drove back and forth between Macon andEmory Hospital, where his wife was being treated. While atEmory, Lambert met a young couple from Virginia whose childwas being treated at a nearby children's hospital. Lambert wassurprised at how farthe couple drove tothe hospital, but thetwo explained that nodriving was involved –Angel Flight, whicharranges transporta-tion for any medicalneed, provided a pilotand plane for them.

Lambert becamevery interested inlearning more aboutAngel Flight and howhe could help. "I feltthat God had blessedme with so much,"Lambert said. "I'dbeen able to fly a hel-icopter in the military,own my own businessand buy my own

plane, and I wanted to give back," he explains. Lambertbought a Beech Barron twin-engine plane in 1989, and thisplane afforded him the opportunity to help others. "I boughtit not knowing my wife would die," says Lambert. "But Godknew I would need something to get me through it." Lambertis quite proud of his aircraft. "It's the finest airplane evermade," he says.

Lambert got in touch with Angel Flight and went to work,carrying patients to hospitals for treatment and sometimeseven transporting organs for transplant. Angel Flight is veryimportant to Lambert. "It gives me purpose," he says. "I real-ly enjoy the aspect of helping others, which God commandedus to do." Whenever something goes wrong in his life,Lambert thinks about the troubles he has seen in other peo-ple's lives, as well as his own. Lambert himself deals with abenign form of Leukemia, and his wife is an oncology nursewho sees cancer patients every day. But Lambert's faith in Godand love of flying never let him down. "I never have a bad day,"he says. "I'm still a blessed person." Through his work withAngel Flight, Lambert seeks to pass on his blessings to others.

James Palmer

reading


address

Pumping IronSales is a difficult and challenging profession, but Tate

White has found the tools for success on a weight bench.White is an outside sales representative for Capital Materials,the Southeast's most complete drywall and acoustical supplycompany. "I maintain over 130 accounts," White says. "As ofthis month, I am tracking over 800 houses in this area." Tate'sjob is to increase Sheetrock sales and board footage in CentralGeorgia. But when he isn't working hard on the job, White isbusy pumping iron.

White began lifting weights the summer before his senioryear in high school. "I weighed a whopping 127 pounds whenI started,” he explains. But after training heavily for the pastseven years, White reached 212 pounds. His secret? "I alwaystrained with guys older and bigger than me," White says. "Ialways had a lot of encouragement along the way from otherexperienced lifters." White also reads constantly about supple-ments, vitamins and diet.

White eventually wanted to turn all of his hard work intosomething truly memorable, so he decided to enter the worldof competitive weightlifting. He recently competed in the2005 NPC Southern States Championship in Ft. Lauderdale,Florida - the second largest amateur show in the U.S. There, heplaced fourth on his first try. White put a lot of effort into thiscompetition. "It takes an extreme amount of discipline to goon a strict contest diet and eat the same things for 16 weeks,"

White comments. He went from 212 pounds to 164 poundsfor this contest, but for him the hard work is worth it. "I likeseeing changing results for the positive," he says. "I believethat the work I put in now will pave the road of a healthierlifestyle later in life."

Not only has weightlifting helped Tate stay healthy, but ithas also been a great help to him in the business world. "Iturn the discipline I have developed from weight training anddieting into the way I focus on sales," says White.Weightlifting has taught him how to set his business goals. "Iset new goals every month for my strength, weight gain andbody fat percentage," he explains. "With work I set goals toincrease my sales and customer relationships." There is alsoa lot of creativity involved in both sales and weightlifting. "Iam always having to come up with new ways to track the mar-ket and expand my client base," he says. "In weight training,you have to find new ways to shock your system to makefavorable gains."

Strength training has given White a solid, healthy founda-tion for the rest of his life. "I have been taught to plan my daywith a purpose in mind and to set a main objective that I wantto achieve," he explains. "Weightlifting has really provided mewith a strong base that I can always go back to and reflect onwhen needed for any situation."

James Palmer

business


In the Grip of Grace by Max Lucado

This book was very helpful to me in understanding the concept of grace. I always

felt it was all up to me, but Max Lucado points out that it is actually all up to God.

“God doesn’t condone our sin, nor does He compromise His standard. He doesn’t ignore

our rebellion, nor does He relax His demands. Rather than dismiss our sin, He assumes

our sin and, incredibly, sentences Himself.

God is still holy. Sin is still sin.

And we are redeemed.”

A member of the junto.JUNTO

required reading

Alex J. Correa, M.D.

Age: 36

Spouse: Shay

Children: Evan and Andrew

Business Contact:

The ENT Center of Central Georgia

540 Hemlock St.

Macon, GA 31211

(478) 743-8953

www.theentcenter.com

[email protected]

Business Description:

We provide the complete spectrum of ENT

services under one roof. This includes

pediatric and adult care, allergy testing

and treatment, management of sinus

disease, treatment of sleep apnea, hearing

evaluation with hearing aid fitting, cochlear

implantation, speech and language services,

CT scan imaging, and facial cosmetic surgery.

Business Role:

I am a partner in the practice involved in all

aspects of ENT care as well as one of two

cochlear implantation surgeons. I receive

tremendous gratification from cochlear

implantation, whereby a child or adult who

was previously deaf regains the ability to hear.

Philanthropic Association:

I am passionate about raising funds for fami-

lies with limited resources to obtain badly

needed speech rehabilitation services after

cochlear implantation.

Mantra:

Humility is something that you will come to

understand. The choice is only to understand it

now or later.


address

Giving It All She's GotElizabeth Cleveland has found the perfect job - a position

that allows her to serve children while raising her own.Cleveland works for the Medcen Foundation and is the coor-dinator of the 14th annual Celebrity Classic to benefit TheChildren’s Hospital. The Medcen Foundation is designed toraise money for all aspects of the Medical Center of CentralGeorgia, and proceeds from the tournament, held eachspring, will go towards several programs for The Children’sHospital. The Hospital serves 45,000 children from 29 primarycounties in Central Georgia.

Cleveland has a bachelor’s degree in economics fromSewanee (The University of the South) and a Master ofBusiness Administration degree from The University of Dallasas well. She has held several corporate positions, but after thebirth of her children, Joey, 11 and Tommy, 8, Cleveland decid-ed to take time off to raise her sons. While being a full-timemother, Cleveland continued to volunteer in Macon – herhome for the past ten years. She served as the immediate pastpresident of Macon’s Junior League and is a member of TheChildren’s Hospital Board. “Being as involved as I was with theLeague, I learned about all the different groups in Macon,”Cleveland explains. “I became familiar with different charitiesand groups, and so I started on the board at The Children’sHospital last year.”

Through her position on the board and as the coordinatorof the tournament, Cleveland has learned more about the hos-pital and has come across others in the community who aredetermined to help the hospital. “I’ve meta lot of neat people through the MedCenFoundation, like some of our sponsors,and a lot of them are very passionateabout The Children’s Hospital. I hear a lotof stories about people who have usedThe Children’s Hospital and really wantto help out,” she explains.

Cleveland’s passion to volunteer isgenerational. The Dallas, Texas nativesays her mother encouraged her to vol-unteer. “I saw my mom do the samething when I was young and it was veryimportant to her. She passed that on tome and, hopefully, I am passing it on tomy children,” Cleveland explains.Despite her busy schedule, Cleveland’sjob in no way interferes with the tasks of

motherhood. “I’m working while they are at school, so it’s no inconvenience to them,” she explains. “I am still a carpool mama. I go from school to sporting event, and back to school!”

Money raised from the tournament, to be held April 22-24at Idle Hour Country Club, will go towards the enhancementand expansion of the Children’s Oncology and HematologyCenter and the expansion of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.The $5 million campaign will last over four years.

The Classic entails a Casino Party (Saturday), a Par ThreeTournament (Sunday), a meet and greet cocktail party(Sunday), and an 18 hole golf tournament on Monday.Cleveland is particularly excited about the Par ThreeTournament sponsored by Butler Lexus. The grand prize is atrip to play in the Lexus Tournament in Pebble Beach,California later in the year. Past year’s Classics boasted celebri-ties such as boxing star Evander Holyfield, Macon resident ten-nis pro Jaime Kaplan and Warner Robins native Bobbie Eakesof “All My Children.”

Through her involvement with The Hospital Cleveland hasdeveloped a great interest in serving children. “My passion ischildren,” she says. “It’s a fun part time job for a worthycause.” Cleveland’s main responsibility is gathering sponsors,but she oversees all aspects of the tournament. “Anyone inter-ested in helping or becoming a sponsor can call me at (478)633-7686,” she says.

Jamie Caraway

philanthropy


address

Whatever it takesDr. Linda Bivins, principal of Burdell-Hunt Elementary

School, knows there is more to education than reading, writ-ing and arithmetic. Her goal is to reach out and serve childrenon all levels, and her office, filled with hand-made cards andother tokens of appreciation from students, is a testament tothe impact she has made. Bivins, a Macon native, attendedgrade school in Bibb County and was one of the first African-American students in the county to attend a desegregatedschool. In 1974 she began teaching second grade at BellevueElementary. She remained a teacher there for sixteen years andmoved onto counseling. Later, Bivins was promoted to assis-tant principal for several Macon schools: Bruce, Skyview andPorter elementary schools.

Bivins’ life is centered on children. Her mission is to be apositive role model for her students and to encourage othersto do the same. “I feel that if we can reach children youngenough we can really make an impact on them,” Bivinsexplains. “We can produce better citizenship than what wehave now, but we have to have caring adults that will reallyreach out and want to be able to serve children.”

Because she helped desegregate schools in Macon, Bivinsused the challenges she faced as a driving force behind herpassion to help children. “It helped me to be sensitive to whatthese children might go through,” she comments. “I am veryconscience of making sure I reach out to those kids and letthem know that they are loved, that I notice them and that Iknow who they are.”

Now, in her second year as principal at Burdell-Hunt,Bivins is taking on a new venture in order to eradicate illitera-cy and encourage parents to become involved with their chil-dren’s academics. A selection of Burdell-Hunt students willwork with The Macon Telegraph, The Georgia Children’sMuseum and Mercer University on a literacy project. Studentsinvolved with the program are asked to complete assignmentswith the newspaper and attend special programs at the muse-um. Additionally, students from Mercer will tutor the partici-pants. Parents are also encouraged to read the newspaper withtheir children in hopes of engaging the guardians in theirchild’s education. “I’m there to partner with them. It’s moreor less just being there to assist and support, to make sure theresources are available and to make sure our end of the bar-gain is kept,” Bivins explains. “We need to do everything wecan do make sure the project is a success.”

Not only is Bivins making an impact on current students,but her past students are appreciative of her as well. Keith

Howard, a math professor at Mercer University and past stu-dent of the principal, says Bivin’s was one of his favorite teach-ers as a child. “I can distinctly remember how much time andeffort she put into getting to know each student,” Howardcomments. “She made school such a joy for me. She just hada love for the job she was doing, and I know she’s doing thesame thing now as principal.”

Though her job as principal requires her to be a strongleader, Bivins sees herself as one of many in the fight to upliftchildren. “I consider myself a team player on a larger scale. Ofcourse I am the principal, but I look at all of these teachers andall of the adults in this building as leaders,” she explains.“We’re all a group of leaders that are really committed to mak-ing sure that we give the best to the children. I’m willing to dowhatever it takes for the kids to see a different way of life.”

Jamie Caraway

education

Entrepreneurship Technical CertificateDesigned to give ambitious entrepreneurs the knowledge necessary

to launch a new business.

Day and Online classes availableWinter Quarter begins January 5, 2006

Macon Campus(478) 757-3400

www.centralgatech.edu

en-tre-pre-neur (noun)A person who organizes, operates and assumes

the risk for a business venture.

CENTRAL GEORGIACENTRAL GEORGIAT E C H N I C A L C O L L E G E


address

Cooking for a CauseMany people spend

their weekends relaxing athome, but one group likesto keep busy perfecting amean bowl of chili. Fatherand son Rocky and ChrisMills, along with DannyBullington, are members ofthe Big Shots cookingteam, a ten-person groupthat cooks chili, barbeque,and the occasional pot ofBrunswick stew for con-tests all over the country.They also hold dinners toraise money for many local charities.

During the weekend,Danny Bullington, the old-est member of the groupand local business profes-sional, dons his Big Shots team shirt and competes in con-tests all over the country, including the annual WorldChampionship Chili Cook-Off in Terlingua, Texas. He and histeammates also hold fish fries and raffle off private dinnerparties for local charities. For an organization that helpedmentally challenged adults, the team held a fish fry that fed2,000 people. In addition, Bullington and Rocky Mills arecertified barbeque judges, and sometimes get to judge as well as compete. "I find that it's a great way to meet new peo-ple, help charities, and have a good time enjoying my hobby,"says Bullington.

Rocky Mills, a 30-year veteran to the automotive industryand sales executive at Riverside Ford, comments that Big Shotsprovides him with a way to not only practice his hobby, butalso share his love of cooking with others. "It gives me anopportunity not only to do something for the community, butit gives me the chance to improve my cooking skills and spendtime with my son and my friends," says Rocky. For Chris Mills,a technician with Butler Lexus, it's all about quality familytime. "It's a way to spend time with my dad," said the youngerMills. "We've always been real close."

Big Shots is composed of two five-man teams, includingindividuals from the local sheriff's department, a lawyer, and a

off the clock

police chief, all of whom have won an award for their dishes,which include everything from chili (made from fresh spicesshipped from Texas the night before the competition) to ribs tohot wings. "If it moves, we'll cook it," says Rocky Mills. "And ifyou'll eat it, we'll cook it." The team also has their own trailer,which they take to their many competitions.

Local business sponsors support the team’s charitable andcompetitive efforts. “We couldn’t do it without our sponsors”comments Chris. “While we do invest monies of our own inthe team, the cost of equipment, the trailer, spices, travel andcompetition entries require outside assistance.” In return forcash sponsorships, team sponsors receive recognition on thetraveling Big Shots trailer, the website, and of course the teamis always available to help its corporate sponsors with cook-outs and charitable efforts. Currently, Big Shots’ sponsors areMacon Iron, Silly Willy’s Liquor Store, Every Day Gourmet, TheSign Store, Hart’s Mortuary, and Blade Uniforms.

For these Big Shots, it's not only about winning, but alsospending time with friends and loved ones and helping thecommunity. Now that's a recipe worth remembering. Formore information, photos and recipes, visit their Website athttp://members.cox.net/bigshots.

James Palmer

Chris Mills and Rocky Mills

In back from left to right: Sharon Hutchings, Bettye Hutchings Sitting: Starr Hutchings Purdue


“I always knew I wanted to come back to work in the funeral home,”says fourth-generation family business operator,Starr Hutchings Purdue, of Hutchings FuneralHome in Macon. And, return she did. The busi-ness began in the late 1880’s, when Starr’s great-grandfather, Charles H. Hutchings, Sr. laid thefoundation for the company. The handsome fam-ily portraits on the walls of the main office tell thestory. The paintings go back five generations toStarr’s great-great-grandmother, AmeliaHutchings, who was born into slavery in Clinton,Georgia. Her son, Charles, began undertakingand managing African-American funerals in thelate 1880’s.

At the time, electricity was a relatively newphenomenon, segregation was the rule and

Coming Home to theFamily Business

Cotton Avenue was reserved for black commerce.There, on Cotton Avenue, Hutchings began tooffer funeral services expressly for the black com-munity while working for the Wood UndertakingCompany. After gaining valuable experience,Hutchings formed one of the first minority ownedundertaking companies in Macon. With the helpof several partners, Hutchings established andmanaged the Hubbard Undertaking Company in1895. Later, in 1910, Hutchings left that partner-ship and moved across Cotton Avenue into a por-tion of what is now known as the Walton Building.Two of his three sons, Charles, Jr. and Willie,joined him, and C.H. Hutchings and Sons wasborn.


Not long after the business wasestablished, Charles, Jr. left Macon toseek his future elsewhere. His brother,Frank, replaced him in the family busi-ness in 1920 after earning his collegedegree from Pennsylvania’s LincolnUniversity, the first American universitydedicated to the advanced education ofAfrican-American men. “If you wanted tobe a college educated black person dur-ing my grandfather’s era, one of the fewinstitutions available was Lincoln,” Starrexplains. In earning this degree Frankestablished the tradition for what wouldbecome a Hutchings family hallmark:the importance of higher education.

Frank’s son, William S. (Bill), fol-lowed his father’s example and earnedhis degree from Lincoln before joiningthe business in 1948. He succeeded hisfather in 1970 and led the business untilhis death in 2000 when his wife, Bettye,took over the helm with her two daugh-ters, Starr and Sharon. Bill and BettyeHutchings had six children and all wereraised in the business working variousjobs such as answering the phones dur-ing summer breaks. All of their childrenare particularly successful, though onlyStarr and Sharon Hutchings chose toreturn to the company. Their threebrothers pursued medicine and nowoperate Family Healthcare of Maconlocated on First Street. Their sisterworks as an attorney in Washington, DC.Starr and Sharon say their parent’saccepted nothing less than academicexcellence, and this family value droveStarr and Sharon to achieve and gainexperience in the business world beforeworking with their parents.

Starr spent 18 years in various jobsin accounting and finance before leavingFlorida and moving with her family toMacon. Coming back was simply a mat-ter of timing. “I had to have my [imme-

diate] family’s approval to move back,”she says. With her family’s support,Starr, her husband David and their twochildren, Tamara, 19, and Cameron, 15,relocated to Macon in 1997. Despite herskills and professional experience, Starrtook it upon herself to learn all aspects ofthe family business. She attended theGupton-Jones College of FuneralServices in Atlanta where she became alicensed embalmer and funeral director.She then apprenticed for 18 monthsbefore becoming a funeral director andtreasurer at Hutchings.

Her sister, Sharon, had nearly adecade of experience by the time Starrreturned to Macon. After earning herdegree at the University of Georgia andspending five years working for DeltaAirlines, Sharon returned to Macon in1989. She also attended Gupton-JonesCollege and currently serves as funeraldirector and corporate secretary. Sharonspends most of her spare time with herchildren, Kioki, 12, and Jadzia, 10.

Starr and Sharon presently oversee

the day-to-day operations of the busi-ness. Their 75 year-old mother, Bettye,serves as company president. The busi-ness is open seven days a week and thesisters routinely work Monday throughSaturday in order to be available to thoseneeding their assistance. “We want youto be pleased with the services youreceive when you entrust your loved oneto us,” explains Starr. “People expect tobe able to come in here and have usresolve whatever problems or situationsarise when making arrangements.”Punctuality, reasonable pricing andattention to detail are foundations of thecompany. The sisters attribute their busi-ness success and its longevity to main-taining high standards of service and totheir dedicated, experienced staff of five.“We can operate as well as we do becausethe staff has been together for a longtime,” Starr explains.

Hutchings Funeral Home has been asuccessful business, receiving awardsand recognition by various organizationssuch as the Better Business Bureau,

We want you to be pleased with the services you receive when you entrust your loved one to us.Starr Hutchings Purdue


which acknowledged the business in2001 with the Torch Award forMarketplace Ethics. But, the road to suc-cess has had its challenges. In 1984,when Bill was President, an electrical firethreatened the future of the funeralhome by severely damaging over half thebuilding. While no lives were lost and nodeceased were harmed, it was a devastat-ing blow. The Hutchings focused onrestoring the facility and continued oper-ations through assistance from fellowfuneral homes. They cite this assistanceas critical to their survival.

The unusual nature of the business islost on Starr and Sharon who, havinggrown up in amongst the company, sim-ply view death as a natural event and apart of living. Starr enjoys “being able tohelp people at a time when they reallyneed direction and comfort,” and saysthat while growing up, “the only timeyou realized it was different was whenother people reacted to what your par-ents did for a living.” Both Starr andSharon manage and arrange all the

details of funerals and are familiar withdifferent religious practices regardingservices. Out of a sense of decorum theywill not share the number of funeralsthey conduct in a year, but it is clear thatthe business is successful.

The Hutchings family values includedevoting time and energy to their com-munity. A school that bears BillHutchings name, Hutchings HighSchool, is a testament to his involvementin Macon. The school is a career academyon Riverside Drive, and the bridge at theInterstate 75 South and SR 74 inter-change in Macon is named in his honoras well. Starr has followed in his foot-steps and says without the support of herfamily it would not be possible for her togive so much time to her community.She is entrenched in numerous philan-thropic groups.

Starr is a board member of theCenter for Racial Understanding, theCommunity Foundation of CentralGeorgia, the MedCen Community HealthFoundation, the Macon Area Chamber of

Sharon's children, Kioki and Jadzia Hutchings, prepare to carry on the family business as they do their homework after school at Hutchings.

Commerce, the Better Business Bureau,Central Georgia Health Systems, theDevelopment Authority of Bibb Countyand the National Association of BlackAccountants. Her roles vary on theseboards, but she is deeply involved ineach and is committed to positivelyimpacting her community. In addition toserving on numerous boards, she is thestate treasurer for the Georgia FuneralService Practitioners Association andchairs the Audit Committee for theNational Funeral Directors andMorticians Association. Were that notenough, she has served on the BusinessSchool Advisory Board for StetsonUniversity for the past nine years. She isa member of the Georgia Society of CPA’sand the American Institute of CPA’s,where she recently served for three yearson the Work/Life and Women’s InitiativesExecutive Committee. Starr is an exam-ple of leadership and integrity andbelieves the decisions of the city andcounty government “impact everybody,and they impact our business.” Starrlives as though she affects everybody

with whom she comes into contact and iscommitted to addressing the problemsof her community.

The Hutchings Funeral Home oper-ates in a sturdy brick building at 536 NewStreet, where it has been since 1927.There, the family has provided servicesand support for Central Georgia’sbereaved for over 100 years. TheHutchings family proved bright and for-ward looking during a time in historywhen limitations and barriers on African-Americans were commonplace. Fromremarkable beginnings during a timewhen black business leaders were strug-gling to exist, the Hutchings’ belief ineducation, hard work and attention todetail has served them well. Their desireto make sure every family is satisfied withthe service they receive has created a suc-cessful business with a solid future.Certainly, it is something worth returninghome for.

Allyson Moody and James FennelPhotography by Ken Krakow

Starr and Sharon rely on their dedicated staff toassist them in day to day operations.

James Braswell, Wayne Lemons and Louise Goolsby

Macon retailers see continued growth and success

Economic ImpactRetail

ore than 21,000 people inMacon have something in com-

mon. It’s not fashion, political beliefs orlove of a popular sport. Rather, thesepeople are bound together through aneconomic designator, part of an overallgroup that keeps the heart of Macon beat-ing on a daily basis.

These people are employees of astatewide industry that saw more than$80 billion in sales last year, was respon-sible for generating over $5 billion inlocal and state sales taxes and paid morethan $10 billion in salaries to Georgia’sworkforce. These statistics, collected bythe Georgia Retail Association, showretail is the state’s second largest indus-try. Retail establishments employ one infive Georgia workers, and retail accountsfor one-fourth of Georgia businesses.

“Retail, on a national scale, is doingquite well,” says Tammy Crutchfield,associate professor of marketing atMercer University’s Stetson School ofBusiness. “The same rings true here inMacon. We see a lot of common trends inthe mid-state cities that we see on thenational front. We see the onslaught ofthe superstores, the ‘category-killers’ anda host of small specialty retailers.”

Superstores, such as Wal-Mart andTarget, and niched superstores, or “cate-gory-killers,” like Office Depot, havemade it impossible for small businessesto compete in the retail arena on price.As these businesses move into the mid-state area they eliminate smaller compe-tition by a natural free-market culling ofthe less competitive.

Crutchfield points out large retailershave a significant effect on the communi-ties they inhabit in that they create hun-dreds of jobs, generate thousands in salestax revenues and serve a large customerbase. At a cost, however, are the lives ofthe smaller businesses that once fulfilledcustomer needs for a certain product.

The smaller retailers in Macon thathave learned to adapt, however, reportconsiderable double-digit growth.Crutchfield explains price is not the onlyfactor for consumers. Time, for example,is more valuable than money in manycases. Other factors, such as service, easeof purchase and the knowledge of salesstaff dictate where and when a consumermay make a purchase. In addition, the

Internet has altered the demographics ofthe typical shopper – age ranges and geo-graphic locations are less important dueto the globalization of online commerce,which has seen a 25 percent increase insales in 2004 and is targeted to have asimilar growth record in 2005.

“The retailers who survive are theones that differentiate themselves fromsimilar stores in the market and carrygoods that are not likely to be common-ly found in the Macon area,”Crutchfield says. Macon retailers haveknown this for years.

Local businessesAngela and Brian Edwards opened

the doors to Aunt Zelda’s ten years ago

with just the two of them running thebusiness. They had a 5,000 sq. ft. shopthat initially offered consignment furni-ture and home goods to get a cash flowgoing and then switched to traditionalretail operations after a year.

The store has now sprawled out into18,000 sq. ft and has 18 employees

“We’ve been blessed,” says Angela.“Macon has been very good to us. We tryto keep our finger on the pulse of whatpeople want, and then shake things upwith items that people don’t expect. Wealways try to be that place that has some-thing different than anywhere else.There are some really off the wall, uniquepieces that you will see on our floor.”

But unique merchandise is not the

M

Angela Edwards, Aunt Zelda’s Furniture

only thing that has kept Aunt Zelda’s afloatwhen even large-scale chains like RhodesFurniture are going out of business.

“We really try to plan ahead and beproactive about where we think the retailcycle is going to take us,” Angelaexplains. “We try to buy as muchAmerican-made furniture as possible, butthis has become a global business andoften we can get quality goods cheaperfrom overseas sources. We also look to

making sure we are looking at externalcost issues that might affect the business.For example, there have been manyincreased expenses in the furnitureindustry – shipping and transportation,manufacturing costs – that we have tokeep abreast of and be ready to changeour strategy for our customers.”

While Edwards admits the furniturebusiness can be a revenue roller coaster,she says the store has maintained atleast a 10 percent increase in businesseach year.

Brad Spiegel, president of Macon’sQuality Computer Systems Inc., reportseven higher annual revenue growth. His17-year-old computer sales and servicebusiness has grown from just two origi-nal employees to a staff of 14. The com-pany services computer systems for thehome, home office and for traditionalbusiness clients.

Having started out as a technicianwith the business, later serving as manag-er and now in his new role as owner,Spiegel has seen the business change

from simple sales to more of a sales edu-cation business.

“In the last few years,” he says, “ourfocus has really been on educating thecustomer. With computers, bigger num-bers don’t always mean that a customeris getting the right system. It’s kind oflike buying a diamond ring – there’s a lotof information a customer needs toknow before making the purchase.”

Still, the business has not slowed,despite uneven performance from yearto year. The company manages to sellnearly 1,500 systems annually, andSpiegel is considering opening a secondlocation to increase sales and serviceopportunities.

Business is booming for StephenBashinski, Bashinski Fine Gems andJewelry on Riverside Drive, who says hedoesn't see much competition fromnationally known jewelry stores due tothe value and quality of his pieces.Bashinski started his business 24 yearsago and found Macon to be the perfectplace for his high quality jewelry store.

“We used to be strictly a destination location – meaning you wentshopping with the idea you were coming directly to us. Now, we

get a lot more stop-in traffic from a multitude of walk-in visitors.” Ben Griffin

Brad Spiegel, Quality Computer Systems

Ben Griffin, The Barnes House

www.imediagroup.biz/addressmacon

His interest in jewelry began after afriend and mentor traveled with him inEurope, teaching him the tricks of thetrade, including importing and manufac-turing jewelry. "He took me overseas andtold me what to do and not do in thebusiness," Bashinski says. He is nowapart of the overseas market and sayshaving the knowledge is priceless. "Themarket overseas changes constantly," hesays. "The knowledge gained by actuallybeing in the market is invaluable. Pricesand supply change constantly, so beingin the market overseas gives the buyerinformation long before it's discovered inthe U.S market." The jewelry store sellsmostly large diamonds and unusual cus-tom designs, and its largest customerbase consists of women between theages of 30 and 55. Specializing in dia-monds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires andpearls, Bashinski says Macon's location inthe heart of Georgia and proximity to I-16 and I-75 provides easy access for theirdiversified clientele who travel fromAtlanta and all parts of the Southeast.

The Barnes House is another vendorthat has taken Crutchfield’s mantra of“differentiate or die” to heart. Presidentand General Manager Ben Griffin tookover the business from his father in1995, having worked for the shop offand on since childhood. The shop spe-cializes in designer fur products but hasalso diversified into home décor andpersonal gift products from a very eclec-tic set of suppliers.

“These are things you don’t usuallysee in Macon,” he notes. “We want togive our customers something that pam-pers them and that they wouldn’t find atthe local mall.”

Adaptability, however, is the name ofthe game. Fur has always been a businesssteeped in tradition, Griffin says. Aimedat women, the presentation of a fur coathas been a right of passage in well-to-dosociety circles, with young women get-ting a fur like the one their motherreceived from her mother and so on. Inrecent years, however, Griffin says the furbusiness has blossomed with newdesigners stepping out of tradition andoffering bold new designs.

This has helped grow the businessfrom three employees to eight, withthree people coming on during the buy-

ing season as temporary employees.Griffin would have needed additionalemployees, but thanks to a smart movein modernizing the company’s computersystems and information tracking, hesays he’s probably avoided the need forabout four extra employees “Everythingwas hand-written for a long time,” Griffinrecalls. “That made it very hard to doaccounting and inventory control.”

While some merchants feel thedowntown area has not really been astrong retail center, Griffin says recentrenovations have actually increased busi-ness. “We’re seeing a lot more foot trafficthan we used to,” he says. “We used to be

strictly a destination location – meaningyou went shopping with the idea youwere coming directly to us. Now, we geta lot more stop-in traffic from a multi-tude of walk-in visitors.”

The business is expanding, eventhough it has pulled back from havingfive additional leased departments totwo. With a specialty shop like Barnes,larger stores with fur departmentsoften contract out the management ofthose departments to smaller retailers.Barnes is no exception and used tohave a large department store as aclient with five locations, but the parentcompany faced financial woes and

Stephen Bashinski

Griffin pulled Barnes out setting upleasing deals with other stores inAlbany, Georgia and Dothan, Alabama.

‘We’re looking now for additionalleasing opportunities,” he says, “but wewant to go with more independent ven-dors. It’s a diversification issue. If one ofthe vendors goes out of business, thatdoesn’t really affect all the other depart-ments we have lease agreements with.This wouldn’t be the case if we had a sin-gle client with many locations.”

Diversity among vendors has beenthe secret to retail success at the MaconMall as well. The consumer appetites ofMacon’s citizenry have fed the retail beastso well that the Mall was forced toexpand in 1997, adding two key anchorstores and a host of other businesses. The


The mall’s impact includes the employment of more than 1,000 personnel.

mall now serves over 200 vendors includ-ing its inline stores, carts and kiosks.

What makes the mall setting uniqueis that it doesn’t take huge revenues for aretailer to see whether or not his conceptwill survive. Bill Baker, the Macon Mall’sgeneral manager, says businesses cansign lease agreements for carts for as lit-tle as one month in duration to provideseasonal or test sales. The mall acts as akind of business incubator. For example,SpyGadgets, formerly a cart-based ven-dor recently moved to a permanentinline setting. “This process lets theowner find out if the business can makeit in the mall,” Baker says. The mall itselfhas a bit of a transient population, withvendors coming and going as seasonalmerchandise is offered, sold and retired.

“The great thing about the mall is thatthere are some fixtures that are alwaysgoing to be here – our anchor stores, forexample – and other things that will con-stantly change,” Baker says. “We like thatspirit of change because it means that acustomer that visits us one month willlikely see new businesses the next month,keeping the experience fresh.”

While Baker said it was companypolicy not to release sales figures formall vendors, he did say that from whathe’s seen of sales figures, mall business-es are doing well. Many of the compa-nies have a lease agreement that ties rentto sales production, and Baker projects astrong financial outlook for the leasingcompany as well. The most successful ofthese businesses have been clothingstores that service the teen customer:Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle,Hollister’s and Aeropostale.

The mall’s impact includes theemployment of more than 1,000 person-nel ranging from in-store representa-tives to administrative, janitorial andsecurity positions.

The OutlookCrutchfield says that Macon is lack-

ing in only one area: planned mixed-useretail centers. She indicates a nationaltrend to create “main street”-styleplanned developments, which featurerestaurants, retail shops and multi-usecenters. These areas are usually locatedin suburban areas and create a closerplace to shop. The variety of vendorsgenerally eliminates the consumer’sneed to travel all over town to differentstores since all their needs can be met inone central zone.

Macon, experiencing continuedgrowth like many of Central Georgia’scities, is a continued destination for largeretail establishments. Bass Pro Shops issoon to open a large retail center inMacon. The store is expected to createmore than 100 new jobs and generatethousands per week in sales tax rev-enues. All of this points to a single,inescapable fact about the impact of theMacon retail industry: business is good.

Mark HoerrnerPhotography by Ken Krakow

Bill Baker, General Manager of the Macon Mall

Symptoms began at age 10

Diagnosedwith lupus,age 19

Unable to participate inactivities with her

kids, age 30

Firstheart attack,

age 35

Disablingjoint pain at 40

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and tissue damage to virtually any organsystem in the body. While lupus affects mostly women of childbearing age, women and men ofall ages and children can develop lupus. Its health effects can range frommild to life-threatening.

There’s More to Lupus Than You Know

Call the Lupus Foundation of America at 888-38LUPUS or log on to our website at www.lupus.org to learn more.


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acon is moving up, and the slew of new executives to the area is indicative of the community's progress. Thesebusiness leaders are setting up shop in Macon for one reason: they see the potential the community has and want

to be a part of it. Macon's impressive history and promising future inspire many executives to make careers and homesin the heart of Georgia. address Macon magazine introduces seven of Macon's newest executives, each of whom seepromise in Macon's future. Downtown welcomes Beverly Blake, the new program officer for the Knight Foundation, aswell as Thomas Wicker, the region vice president of Georgia Power. GEICO's new Regional Vice President, John Izzo, hasworked up and now down the East coast, while John Dunn, the recent proprietor of Premier Lincoln Mercury, hails fromAtlanta. Allen Golson brings 13 years of health care experience and is now the CEO of Coliseum Medical Centers. Twoof our executives, Dodie Cantrell, general manger of 13WMAZ, and Kevin Watson, city president of Central Bank, arenew to their positions, but not to Central Georgia, as they have lived in the area almost all their lives. These seven exec-utives are on the fast track to success, and in doing so, are proving Macon isn't just another dot on the map.

New ExecutivesPut Themselves

on Macon’s Map

Thomas Wicker

Allen Golson

Beverly Blake

Russell Dunn

John Izzo

Dodie Cantrell

Kevin Watson

M


HHelping to power all of Georgia is no small task, and Thomas Wicker, region vicepresident for Georgia Power, might sum his job up in one word: flexibility. Wickerhas lived in every region of Georgia, moving a total of eight times, and has finallymade it to the center of the Peach State. Now, Wicker finds himself on the ninth floorof the Fickling Building overlooking downtown Macon with pride, but he doesn’t letthe great view distract him. The wall facing his desk is a tribute to Georgia Power’smotto: “to be a citizen where we serve,” a mantra he lives by each day.

Wicker grew up on a farm in Surrency, Georgia, and after receiving his Bachelorin Business Administration degree from Georgia Southern and his MBA fromValdosta State he began working for Georgia Power in 1981. Wicker is responsible forGeorgia Power operations in 20 counties in Central Georgia, which includes sales,customer service, external affairs, distribution and transmission. What most in hisposition might call employees, he calls associates; he has over 200 associates and istrying to become acquainted with all of them. “I’ve taken an approach from the timeI got here to really get involved internally and to get to know the associates here,” heexplains. “Trying to get out and see all of the folks that work for Georgia Power hasbeen my first priority.”

After having lived and worked in the metro Atlanta area for the past 16 years,Wicker began working in Macon in March and moved his family here in late August.Their most recent move was from McDonough, and Wicker says his family is adjust-ing well to the transition. He and his wife Kay have three children. Their son, Jared,20, is a sophomore at Georgia Tech, and daughters Caroline, 16, and Victoria, 15,attend school at First Presbyterian Day School. “They’re really enjoying it,” Wickersays. Though Wicker has traveled through Macon several times, noting he and hisfamily stopped and visited the restaurants and gas stations near Tom Hill on familyvacations, he has just recently began to appreciate all that Macon has to offer.“Coming to Macon and working here, I’ve really enjoyed just learning about the city,

the history and the momentum that is building here in thedowntown area with NewTown Macon and the redevelop-ment initiatives,” he comments. “A lot of good things aregoing on in Macon. We are pleasantly surprised with whatMacon has to offer and are excited about its future.”

Wicker follows a long line of Georgia Power executiveshoping to make a difference in Georgia communities andsays he plans to continue the tradition of involvement inthe areas the company serves. “We want to do our part tobe a ‘citizen where we serve.’ This phrase was coined byour first company president and we live by that motto,”Wicker says. “Five years from now I hope that GeorgiaPower will still be recognized as a great corporate citizen in this community and known as a first class employer in this region.”

Wicker sees big things for Macon and looks forward toworking with others in the community to make this aneven better place to “live, work, play, learn, and worship.”He is currently a member of the Military Affairs Committeeof the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, serves onNewTown Macon’s executive board, and is a member of the Museum of Aviation Foundation. He is also a participant in the Honorary Commanders program at the Robins Air Logistics Center. “I am still formulatingmy ideas about where Macon can be,” he says. “This is my first opportunity to live and work in Middle GeorgiaI’ve been in every other part of the state so maybe that’s part of the reason I am here: to learn about this areaof Georgia.”

"Coming to Macon

and working here,

I've really enjoyed just

learning about the

city, the history and

the momentum that

is building here in the

downtown area..."

Thomas Wicker

Thomas Wicker

Allen Golson


PPerfect timing: that’s Allen Golson’s, CEO of Coliseum Health Centers, thoughtabout his move to Macon. The hospital is undergoing a major redesign and has justopened two new cardiac catheter labs; cardiac care is a major priority of the centers.Only seven months into his tenure at the hospital Golson has big plans, and he hopesto make patient care the hospitals’ top priority. “We’re going to upgrade and reno-vate every part of this hospital in the next couple of years. Every time we finish a proj-ect we’ll start a new one, especially in our patient care areas,” he explains. “We wantto make it more convenient for them, and we are trying to put ourselves in the posi-tion of a patient.” In addition to the patient benefits, Golson says Coliseum is pro-viding economic growth to Macon as well. “We’re one of the largest employers in theMacon area.” He notes Macon has many healthcare opportunities, which brings busi-ness to the area. “If I am an industry and I’m looking where to move, I would wanta good, open health care environment, and Macon has that,” he explains.

Golson has made some great decisions in his life. The first, he says, was marry-ing his wife, Carol, and the second was finding a job he truly loves. Golson, whomoved to Macon in April 2005,moved from Albany, Georgia wherehe held the same position atPalmyra Medical Centers. Golsongained an interest in hospitaladministration during his four-yeartenure in the United States Navyand soon realized he wanted tochange his career path. After com-pleting his service to the Navy,Golson studied Health CareAdministration at the University ofAlabama before he made his markin the field. He held several admin-istrative positions in AlabamaHospitals before moving to Albany.

Now he oversees operationsof three health centers: ColiseumHospital, Northside Hospital andColiseum Psychiatric Center.Golson boasts of his administrativeteam, Mark Nichols and Bud Costello, who serve as CEO’s of the Northside MedicalCenter (Costello) and The Psychiatric Center (Nichols), as well as Merita Burney(Coliseum’s CNO) and Roger Simmons (the Medical Centers’ CFO). “I am very for-tunate,” Golson says of his leadership team, which includes the plethora of doctors,nurses and hospital staff that run the medical centers. “These individuals are the keyto the success of Coliseum Health System. I get to come to work everyday and bearound extremely intelligent people. You have to want to do this and they do.”

Though Golson and his wife reside in Forsyth, he knows Macon and the CentralGeorgia area are a perfect fit for the pair. “I love it here,” he says. “For me it was dif-ferent from some others who have moved here because I came from Albany – it’s notthat far away.” Golson, who knew many of the people working at Coliseum, said hisfriends made the transition easier. “Moving here was pretty easy. It was just like com-ing to work with friends.” Golson met his wife of 24 years while at the University ofAlabama. “The best decision I ever made in life was finding the one person that cantolerate me for this long,” he says, grinning. Central Georgia has accepted the pairwith open arms. “The people here are very nice and they’ve really gone out of theirway to make us feel welcome.” Golson values community involvement and looks for-ward to being an asset to Central Georgia. He is a member of the Downtown RotaryClub and has begun work with the American Cancer Society. “I want to be a part ofthis community,” he says.

"If I am industry and

I'm looking where to

move, I would want a

good, open health

care environment and

Macon has that."

Allen Golson


BBeverly Blake, the recently appointed program officer for the John S. and JamesL. Knight Foundation, has a passion for community development. Her office, locatedin the NewTown Macon building, is at the epicenter of all things Central Georgia.There, she can feel the heart beat of a city she has grown to love since arriving inJanuary of 2005. Blake chose to move south from Atlanta not only because she hasseveral friends in the area, but also because she has seen the area flourish. “I just really like and want to be a part of this community,” she says. Alberto Ibargüen, president of the Knight Foundation, wanted Blake to have an inside look at the community and says her presence here is imperative. “There is no substitute for having someone who lives and breaths the community, who hears things, who knowswho’s doing what and why they’re doing it,” Ibargüen explains. “We rely very muchon our advisors in our communities, but the key player is our program officer and that’s Beverly.”

Blake has 20 years of grant making experience and joined the Knight Foundationteam in 2004. The goal of the foundation is two fold: to nourish and give back to thecommunities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers and to support journal-ism education and the freedom of the press. Blake is responsible for the CommunityPartner’s Program in three of the 26 Knight communities: Macon, Milledgeville andColumbus. The Knight Foundation has historically contributed a total of $38 millionto Georgia, and projects in the Central Georgia area include monies given to the GirlScouts of Middle Georgia, the Medcen Foundation, Goodwill Industries, the HarrietTubman Museum and NewTown Macon. Blake is responsible for overseeing existingand new grant commitments to Macon and implementing new funding projects. Shealso meets regularly with community leaders and Knight Foundation’s communityadvisory committees in each city.

Since Blake’s arrival she has had the opportunity to acquaint herself with thegoals and aspirations of the community she serves and has also formed her ownobjectives and ambitions. “I’ve had the great fortune to use the time I have had to beable to get to know community leaders, to learn about the direction of Macon andthe promise and potential of thecity,” Blake explains. “My goal is tobe an effective representative for theKnight Foundation here in MiddleGeorgia. I want to be an advocatefor Macon at the Foundation, but Ireally want Knight Foundation to bea part of the fabric of the communi-ty.” Blake has an open door policyand accepts ideas from those in thecommunity. “I want to build coali-tions, to allow people to bring theirbest ideas to the table, to allow peo-ple to be open to listen to oneanother in a safe space, and I wantthem to know when they come totalk to me about an initiative or abuilding project that they can tellme everything, they can trust me,”she explains.

In addition to her service through the Knight Foundation, Blake also commitsherself in other area organizations. She is a member of The Junior League of Macon,serves on the board of directors of the Medical College of Georgia Foundation as wellas the board of governors of the Mercer University School of Medicine. “Macon is amagnificent community with so many natural, architectural and intellectualresources,” Blake explains. “It’s a privilege to be involved and, through KnightFoundation, to invest in programs for the betterment of this community.”

"I want to be an

advocate for Macon

at the Foundation,

but I really want

Knight Foundation to

be a part of the fabric

of this community."

Beverly Blake

Beverly Blake sits with Beverly Olson,a Knight Foundation Trustee anddaughter of James L. Knight.


Beverly Blake


Russell Dunn

M


Making your business a household name can be hard, but Russell Dunn is striv-ing everyday to make Premier Lincoln Mercury just that. Dunn is the president ofPremier, which was previously owned by Barney A. Smith until 2004. He purchasedthe business from Smith and moved to Macon from Atlanta, where he co-ownedanother Lincoln-Mercury dealership. Though some might think following in Smith’sfootsteps a challenge, Dunn says he welcomes the opportunity to make his mark inMacon. “I thought it was a tremendous opportunity to buy a business that has beenestablished for so long and had a great reputation not only in the Macon communi-ty but also in the Lincoln Mercury family itself.”

Dunn is not only paving his way through Macon, but he is also paving a path forhis two children, Victoria and Christopher, who are both studying business in col-lege. Victoria, the youngest, is attending school at Berry College in Rome, Georgiaand Christopher is studying business at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Both haveexpressed interest in automobile sales – a curiosity that pleases Dunn. “It feels good,it really does,” he explains. “It’s one of the reasons you establish a business in hopesthat you can build upon something that you can pass down to your kids.” Dunnstresses he looks forward to his children working at his dealership, however, hewants them to gain experience under someone else’s leadership before making themove to Premier. His son will work in Atlanta after graduation and his daughter isinterning with his former business partner. “I think it would be very beneficial to dothat,” Dunn says. “By doing it this way, I believe they will decide if this is really whatthey want, then learn the business and earn promotions based on their performancealone, not because Dad is the dealer.”

Dunn did not travel far from his most recent position in Atlanta, but he was born in New Orleans and graduated from Southern University in Baton Rouge. After Hurricane Katrina, he housed several relatives who left their homes due to the storm, and the dealership donated thousands of dollars to hurricane relief. Thestate holds a special place in his heart – he met his wife, Peggy, in Louisiana and theyhave been married for 25 years. “She is my best friend and confidant. She is truly awonderful person.”

Right now, Dunn is focusing on branding the Premier name and hopes to expandthe business to provide economic opportunities for his employees. “We talk aboutgrowth and we want to sell and service more cars, but in doing all that we provide abetter lifestyle for our employees.” He hopes to open other Premier dealerships, and

aside from the economic prospectsthe company provides for its 35employees, Dunn says he uses most-ly Macon-based services to improvethe economic growth of the commu-nity. He recently switched from anout-of-state advertising agency to aMacon-based company.

Dunn is currently looking forways to get involved in the CentralGeorgia area. He is a member of theBoard of the Chamber of Commerceand the Better Business Bureau.Additionally, the dealership has spon-sored several charitable events. “Ilook to do more,” he says. “It’s a bal-ancing act between running the dayto day operations of the business andworking in the community.”

"We talk about growth

and we want to sell

and service more cars,

but in doing all that we

provide a better lifestyle

for our employees."

Russell Dunn


MMaking the transition from the Northeast to the Deep South might be hard forsome, but John Izzo, regional vice president for GEICO Insurance Company, seemsto have a knack for adapting to new situations. Originally from Queens, New York,Izzo most recently moved from Fredericksburg, Virginia where he held the sameposition. “I got acclimated to southern living when I moved to Fredericksburg, socoming to Macon was not as much of a shock as if I had come straight from NewYork,” Izzo explains. He has been employed by the rapidly growing insurance com-pany for 31 years and literally climbed the ladder - he started as a claims adjuster inLong Island.

Izzo has set his sights high for GEICO. He hopes to increase the company’s mar-ket share in the South; the insurance company is the largest insurer in New York, andIzzo wants to bring that popularity to this region. “We’re one of the fastest growingauto insurance companies in the country. I would like to see us with the same typeof market share that we have in the Northeast in the Southeast,” he says. Izzo alsosays GEICO fills an economic need for the local area. “The best thing we can do forthe community is provide jobs and a decent living for the citizens of the communi-ties where we do business,” he says. Additionally, Izzo believes auto insurance isessential to an economy that thrives on transportation. “Auto insurance helps peopledeal with everyday and catastrophic losses they might incur while commuting andusing their cars for travel,” he explains. In addition to the economic impact the com-pany has, GEICO also donates hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to the var-ious charities within the GEICO communities. “We encourage our associates to giveboth their time and money to charitable causes,” Izzo comments.

Izzo has three children and one grandchild who live out of state, but he and hiswife visit their children frequently. In addition to their travels, his wife, Kathy, is cur-rently involved with ministries at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and Izzo is waitinguntil he is adjusted to his new position before making commitments in communityorganizations. “When I come to a new area I try to acclimate myself to the position,because there is so much to learn. I try to give myself a year to figure out what’s goingon, and that also gives me a chance to see what type of things I would want to getinvolved with in the community.”

Now, after 31 years of service to GEICO, Izzo is responsible for the company’sSoutheast region, which includes Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,Tennessee, South Carolina and Arkansas. He oversees underwriting and claims aswell as centralized services. There are a total of seven regions in the United Statesand 12 offices, and though Izzo leads a total of 4,000 employees in two GEICO com-

pounds, he says he chooses to lead byexample. “No one works for me,” heexplains. “We work together.”

"The best thing we can

do for the community is

provide jobs and a

decent living for the citi-

zens of the community

where we do business."

John Izzo

John Izzo


Dodie Cantrell

U


Unlike most of our executives, Dodie Cantrell didn’t move far for her promotion.A Warner Robin’s native, Cantrell enjoys her career so much she has a hard time con-sidering it “work.” Even in her youth, the newly appointed vice president and gener-al manager of 13WMAZ considered journalism a fun activity and didn’t dream itwould actually form into her life’s calling. She enjoyed her involvement with her highschool newspaper and thought writing and current events were simply an extracur-ricular activity. With the encouragement of her parents, however, Cantrell changedher mind and made a profession out of reporting the news. “My parents very muchwanted me to be in journalism because I have always had a talent for writing and agreat interest in news, political science and current issues. I guess at my age I canfinally acknowledge – my parents were right!” she says jokingly.

Cantrell is a graduate of MercerUniversity and earned her master’sdegree from Georgia College andState University. She is currentlyresponsible for all facets of Macon’stop television station, but her careerplacement didn’t happen over night;she started out at 13WMAZ as a newsproducer and later served as newsdirector of the station. She considersDon McGouirk, WMAZ’s former gen-eral manager, a great mentor andfriend and attributes many of hersuccesses to his leadership and guid-ance. “He is absolutely an incredibleresource whose heart and head hasbeen dedicated to this communityfor many years,” she explains.Cantrell hopes to build on her pre-decessor’s success by insuring that13WMAZ remains Central Georgia’sprimary source for information. “We want to make certain that we are the heart ofCentral Georgia when it comes to providing news, information and entertainment,”she says, noting WMAZ is the only station in Central Georgia to provide viewers withlive Doppler radar. The radar can inform Middle Georgia residents of inclementweather and has the potential to save lives, she notes. “New technologies mean thatwe have new opportunities to serve. Since we now operate Central Georgia’s favoritewebsite, people don’t have to wait until they get home to get their favorite televisionstation for the latest news and weather. We have the people, we have the infrastruc-ture, we have the resources and we have the commitment to use new technologiesto serve people anytime, anywhere,” she explains.

Cantrell calls Central Georgia home, but the self-proclaimed Army brat movedfrom post to post as a child, including spending time in France and in Ft. Bragg dur-ing the Vietnam era. She says that experience allowed her to appreciate the time shespent with her loved ones. “When you move a lot you don’t have all those childhoodfriends that other people have, but you learn that you always have your family andthat’s the most important thing. Those are the people who I want to spend my timewith,” she says.

Cantrell sees great things happening in Macon and Central Georgia. “It’s nice tolive in an area that has an amazing upside and such wonderful gems of opportunity,”she says. Cantrell currently serves on the Mercer University Executive Forum Board,the board of the Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences and is excited to become moreinvolved with the NewTown Macon Board. “I’m looking forward to figuring out howI may serve, but more importantly, what role 13WMAZ will play,” she says.

"It's nice to live in an

area that has an

amazing upside and

such wonderful gems

of opportunity."

Dodie Cantrell

Dodie Cantrell reviews a story with13WMAZ anchor Frank Malloy.


LLike Dodie Cantrell, Kevin Watson, city president of Central Bank, is no strangerto the mid-state. The First Presbyterian Day School graduate and Georgia Tech alumwas born and raised in Macon. After graduating from Tech with a degree in manage-ment, Watson returned home. He joined the Wachovia team soon after and enteredthe management trainee program. He worked as a commercial lender for four years,and in 1997 left to join Interstate/Johnson Lane as a financial advisor. Wachovia pur-chased the regional brokerage firm in 1998, and its name changed to WachoviaSecurities. Watson left Wachovia a year ago.

Now, Watson oversees Central Bank’s local activities, including commercial lend-ing, investments and personnel, and has done so since January of 2005. He has 12employees locally and the bank has around 50 associates total. He explains that hisbank is family owned and operated and controlled by a small number of people,which means the bank’s goals vary from other financial institutions. “Our goals are alittle longer term,” he says. “We want to provide all of the financial services thatsomeone needs from investments to traditional banking. I want to take what wasonce a small, family owned bank and help it to become more of a bank that servesnot only the home town but also all of Middle Georgia.” The bank was founded in1910 in Ellaville, Georgia, and now boasts three branches in three counties.

Watson says major changes have taken place in the financial business. He remem-bers a time when “one stop shop” was not a common phrase among bankers. Now,most banks have consolidated their services and are incorporating all facets of financ-ing in their business. He also notes Macon’s growth, commenting the area haschanged from a primarily industry to service economy. “We have finally gotten ouract together in attracting new businesses and doing a good job of promoting Macon’sbrand as far as education of the labor force. I think that is going to continue to attractmore and more businesses,” he explains.

The banker of 11 years enjoys hunting and fishing and says there are plentyopportunities to carry out his pastime in the Middle Georgia area. The avid traveleralso boasts of Macon’s proximity to Atlanta, where he can easily catch a plane to his

destination of choice. He has been married to his wife,Scarlett, for 11 years and has two sons: Will, 4 and Rives, 2.The couple is expecting their third child in May.

Watson agrees that banking involves more than just mak-ing money. “All banks have a responsibility to give back to thecommunity,” he says. Since the branch opened in July, thebank has donated over $30,000 to charitable causes, includingmonies given to the United Way, Big Brothers and Big Sisters,and the Boys and Girls Club. Additionally, Watson is the chair-man of the Boy Scouts Safari Wild Game Dinner, the organiza-tion’s largest fundraiser, and serves on the board of the BigBrothers and Big Sisters organization. Watson enjoys givingback to a community that has been his lifelong home and itseems he can’t get enough of Macon. “I don’t know any bet-ter,” he laughs. “It’s just home for me.”

"I want to take what was once a

small, family owned bank and help it

to become more of a bank that serves

not only the home town but also all

of Middle Georgia."

Kevin Watson

Kevin Watson

CGTC Leadership Team (from bottom to top):Dr. Melton Palmer, Jr., President; Lynda Reynolds, Vice President, Milledgeville Campus; Rebecca Lee, Vice President, Economic Development; Dr. Eddy Dixon, Vice President, Student Services;Craig Wentworth, Vice President, Instructional Services; Dr. Glen Cannon, Vice President Administrative Services

55

A Quiet

Visionaryat the Helm

Dr. Melton Palmer, President ofCentral Georgia Technical College, hasthe demeanor of the traditional familydoctor. He speaks softly even when dis-cussing his favorite topic, CGTC, and isthe picture of composure. The college,which now includes full campus facilitiesor satellite classrooms in six counties in

the Central Georgia area, consisted ofone building on Forsyth Street and anoth-er on Anthony Road in Macon whenPalmer was hired in 1965 by Dr. W.C.Whitley as a drafting instructor at DudleyHughes Vocational High School. Palmerhas come a long way from the draftingclassroom – the phenomenal expansion

of the college to its present day status asa two-year technical college can be credit-ed to his tenure. However, he will be thelast person to acknowledge his contribu-tions to the community. “No one worksin a vacuum - there are a lot of people onand off this campus who have helpedmake the college what it is today,” he says.



An Industrial Arts graduate of BerryCollege in Rome, Palmer first worked fora company that constructed bulk-storagewarehouses in South Georgia. “It wasgood experience for me in the privatesector, but I wanted to teach industrialarts,” Palmer says of his move to Maconin 1965. Congress, under the leadershipof President John F. Kennedy, had enact-ed the Manpower Development andTraining Act in 1962, which was adminis-tered in communities by local labordepartments. The act was initiated toprovide training for thousands of unem-ployed or underemployed workers whowere in need of skill training to find jobsin a changing technical world. Palmerbecame a supervisor in ManpowerDevelopment and coordinator of theadult education program. “The MDTAmade it possible for Raymond Kelley,overall director of Vocational andTechnical Education in BibbCounty, to lease buildings nearDudley Hughes Vocational Schoolto augment the current trainingprograms,” Palmer says. Adult lit-eracy is still one of Palmer’sfavorite topics and is offeredthroughout the college’s sevencounty service area. Now the cam-pus has additional programs con-cerning not only traditional litera-cy, but also the understanding ofmore advanced communication.“We now offer technology infusedclasses in GED preparation aswell as English proficiency fornon-English speaking students”Palmer says.

Macon Area VocationalTechnical School opened in 1966at two locations, the ForsythStreet and Anthony Road sites,which were under the leadershipof Ben C. Brewton and operatedunder the governance of the BibbCounty Board of Education.

Tapped as the SystemDirector for Vocation Educationin the late 1970s, Palmer returnedto college to pursue a Masters ofEducation in Trade and IndustrialEducation. He then earned his

Ed.S in Administration and Supervision,from the University of Georgia. By 1986he had earned his Ed.D. in EducationalLeadership, which is no small feat con-sidering he worked full-time and attend-ed classes on weekends at UGA. In 1989,the same year Palmer became CGTCpresident, the governance was trans-ferred to the Department of Technicaland Adult Education. At thistime the enrollment was lessthan 1,000; today the enroll-ment exceeds 6,000.

Gardner Long, Director ofInstructional Technology atCGTC, says, “In my 38 years inthe work force, I have mostenjoyed working under Dr.Palmer’s leadership becausethe opportunities and equip-ment provided to the facultyfar surpass the standards in

an academic environment.” Palmer chal-lenged his technology team to convertall classrooms to computerized systems,and so CGTC has implemented a “SmartClassroom” design. By 2006, all CGTCclassrooms will include all of the neces-sary technology in order to providethese dynamic learning environmentclassrooms.

“In my 38 years in the workforce, I have most enjoyed

working under Dr. Palmer’sleadership because the

opportunities and equip-ment provided to the facultyfar surpass the standards inan academic environment.”

-Gardner Long

Gardner Long, Assistant Director of Instructional Technology

Glen Cannon, Melinda Harris, andDr. Melton Palmer Jr. work to

upgrade the CGTC campus.

57

Given the enthusiasm with which hisown staff, CGTC’s Board of Directors andthe CGTC Foundation Board discussPalmer’s encouragement and challengeto be the best they can be, it is not sur-prising the school has received nationaland even international recognition. In1999, Microsoft featured the college asthe leading institution for MicrosoftNetwork Administrators on its websitefor two months. Terry Smith, a memberof the Board of Directors of CGTC and anexecutive with BellSouth, cites the inter-

national recognition given to the collegefor its Metrology Associate Degree pro-gram and online classes offered by thecollege. Smith praises CGTC’s “recogni-tion of technology’s role in education.”Today, over 2,000 students participate inonline classes through the college.“CGTC is doing what other technical col-leges are only talking about,” Smith adds.

Since 1967, Georgia’s Quick Startprogram, in partnership with area techni-cal colleges, has provided high qualitytraining to new and expanding business-

es. “One of the college’s first Quick Startclients was Transco on Seventh Street,which manufactured boxcars,” explainsPalmer. “They needed two shifts ofwelders to keep up with the demand andthey needed them right away.” This QuickStart program was a resounding success.“In the early 1980’s Boeing relied on theAircraft Technology Department to sup-ply them with 500 people in about a yeartrained as fabricators, machinists andelectricians,” Palmer adds. New orexpanding companies know they candepend on CGTC for customized trainingto fit their specific needs.

Another Quick Start program,Certified Customer Service Specialist,helped provide a skilled workforce inthe late 1990’s during GEICO’s expan-sion. Pat Topping, senior vice presidentof the Macon Economic DevelopmentCommission says “GEICO had even con-sidered relocating their operation beforePalmer and his Leadership Team metwith GEICO officials and developedwhat is now one of the largest andlongest running Quick Start training pro-grams in the state.” The program helpedGEICO reach their present number of3,800 employees.

Strategically located near Georgia’slargest employer – Warner Robins AirLogistics Center – CGTC, along withother area technical colleges, developeda cooperative program with Robins AirForce Base in the early 1970s to trainindividuals as aircraft fabricators, electri-cians and machinists. Students alternat-ed on-campus Aircraft Technology train-ing for six months with on-site work atthe Base for the same period. MelvinKruger, a close advisor to CGTC, givescredit to Palmer for his work with eco-nomic development in the community.He says Palmer has the ability to “con-vince business prospects they can restassured the college will train their workforce.” Kruger has worked with Palmerfor over 20 years and says Palmer’s lead-ership plays a vital role in keeping indus-try in Central Georgia. “Were it not forMel Palmer’s leadership, Central Georgiamight have risked losing the aerospaceindustry. He has the vision to put in

Paula Peña Radiologic Technology Program Coordinator

58

place programs that address the employ-ment needs of the community in waysthat give credit to others,” Krugerexplains. Becky Lee, Vice President ofEconomic Development at CGTC, seesprograms, faculty and students thriveunder Palmer’s leadership. “I amamazed at his ability to anticipate thebusiness climate so accurately that heactually has programs on the drawingboard when the need arises.”

Palmer relies on a Board ofDirectors comprised of local rep-resentatives from business andindustry. These representativeskeep him in touch with thegrowth patterns and start-ups inthe Central Georgia area. Boardmembers are personally acquaint-ed with the training offered at thecollege – they come from thediverse businesses that rely onCGTC to provide them withemployees. Palmer calls the boardmembers the “heartbeat” of thecommunity, making it possible forhim to stay abreast of the workforce needs in Central Georgia.This community outreach hasidentified that specialization andresearch have expanded the needfor additional training andemployees in order to fill requestsfrom local medical facilities.Specialized health programs go farbeyond Nursing; CGTC offers pro-grams in Dental Hygiene,Orthopedic Technology, Radio-logic Technology, CardiovascularTechnology, Medical Assisting,Surgical Technology and manyothers. “One of our chief focusesis on training in health and med-ical fields because the local com-munity is in constant need forindividuals trained in thesefields,” Palmer says. “Training indi-viduals in these areas of healthcare are among CGTC’s currentpriorities.” Palmer is proud of thediverse range of occupational pro-grams available to the citizens ofCentral Georgia. He is equallyproud of the exceptional quality

of the faculty and staff who work daily toprovide that training and the studentswho attend CGTC.

With the formation of the CGTCFoundation in 1991, comprised of mem-bers representing businesses in all sevenoutlying counties, the college securedconnections for funding and grants tofurther the mission of the school.“Tapping into private industry augments

state and local funding for equipmentpurchases and more urgent needs thatmay not be covered in the yearly budgetrequests,” explains Palmer. TheFoundation also helps fund scholarshipsfor students whose backgrounds maynot fit the parameters for traditionalloans or grants. Mardie Herndon, Jr.,president and CEO of SunTrust Bank,Middle Georgia and a CGTC Foundation

Dr. Melton Palmer Jr., Rebecca Lee and Melvin Kruger


Board member, calls Palmer a “transfor-mational leader who identifies strategicopportunities for the future with anunderstanding of not only the vital roleCGTC plays in providing employees, butthe human value of improving employ-able skill-sets within the current anddeveloping workforce.”

Milton Butler, CEO of Parts Centraland CGTC Foundation Board member,uses CGTC’s automotive program toobtain highly trained automotive techni-cians. Parts Central is part of the ButlerAutomotive Family, and Butler says herelies on the collegeand Palmer’s guidanceto fill employmentneeds. “Through Dr.Palmer’s leadershipour relationship withthe college has been aprogressive and pro-ductive one for ourindustry and our com-pany,” Butler says.“Our people appreci-ate everything that Dr.Palmer has done toprovide a vibrant andevolving automotive program.” Butlersays the partnership between the collegeand his company has been a fruitful one.“There have been many students who

have prepared for a productive career inour industry through their participationand training available at CGTC, and weare thankful to the college and to its ded-icated staff for their support,” he says.”

Dr. Palmer’s vision does not stopwith the expansion of the technical andadult education programs at the college.Bulldozers and front-end loaders aremoving dirt and transforming the oncehard-packed clay on the Macon campusto attractively landscaped vistas, includ-ing the newly landscaped area surround-ing the College Center, which slopes

down to a pond, com-plete with bridges, awater feature, ornamen-tal trees and walkways.Perched on a hill over-looking the originalbuildings is the newestjewel in CGTC’s crown,the College Center.During the planningstages of the CollegeCenter, Gene Dunwody,AIA, of the architecturalfirm Dunwody-Beeland,brought Palmer’s vision

of an aesthetically pleasing teaching andresource center to reality. Palmerrecounts the pleasure of working withvarious local architects to design struc-

tures that exude the dynamic energy ofthis educational complex.

This transformation is not limited tothe exterior of CGTC. Melinda Harris metPalmer in 1995 and has frequentlyworked with the college on designingand updating the campus’s interior sincetheir meeting. Harris says Palmer alwaysstrives to create an innovative learningatmosphere for his students. “He alwayschallenges us to develop an environmentwhich is aesthetically pleasing with ahigh standard that is conducive to learn-ing both today and for generations tocome,” Harris explains. Harris hasworked with several colleges and notesPalmer’s ability to raise the standards forCGTC. “He has been very instrumental inbringing the technical and adult educa-tion environment up to the level we seetoday.” she says.

Just listening to Palmer’s to-do list ofplans for the future would intimidatemost people. A portion of the plansincludes the expansion of the EarlyChildhood Development program andto double the size of the MilledgevilleCampus. Additionally, he is in constantcommunication with representativesfrom local businesses in order to ensurethat not only students thrive in their cho-sen profession, but that the communitycontinues to prosper with a well-trained

workforce. The list is end-less, but purposeful, andalready in the planningstages. Herndon ofSunTrust Bank sums uphis assessment of CGTCunder the leadership ofPalmer as “the once hid-den gem within our com-munity which, consider-ing what we have seen,has successfully movedbeyond the point of dis-covery…CGTC has a fan-tastic story to tell and itappears the community islistening.”

Katherine K. WaldenPhotography by

Ken Krakow

“Through Dr.Palmer’s leadership

our relationship withthe college has been

a progressive andproductive one for

our industry and ourcompany.”

-Milton Butler

Milton Butler discusses the automotive curriculumwith Charles Jackson, Automotive TechnologyProgram chairperson

ard work, vision, and dedicationare surely the keys to success. Ofcourse, a measure of serendipity

never hurt. Such have been the founda-tions and fortune in the creation ofMacon’s Imedia group. At the heart ofthis family-owned business is the husbandand wife executive team of Ron and DotWilliams. Ron’s early vision for a technol-ogy-lead company, combined with thesupport of his wife Dot, positioned thecompany to be on the fast track to suc-cess. “Knowing Ron’s great artistic andbusiness talents in addition to his workethics, I supported his vision and havealways worked beside him to help reachour company’s goals,” Dot explains.Imedia has been successful in executingits stated vision of providing high valueproducts and services that enhance thebusiness successes of their customers.

It started when Ron graduated fromthe University of Georgia with a Bachelorof Fine Arts degree in 1965. He accepteda position as a graphic artist for LivestockBreeder Journal in Macon. Ron’s appre-ciation for aesthetics did not hinder hissense for business, and during his tenureat Livestock Breeder Journal he gained aneducation on how to run a successfulpublication. He worked his way fromgraphic artist to general manager of thepublication and learned the details of thebusiness during his more than fourteenyears there. As fate would have it, theowner of the journal was a partner withSouthern Press, the printing companywho handled the livestock publication.In 1987, Williams’ had the opportunity topurchase Southern Press (then operatingas PenRow Printing). Ron will tell you thathe took this chance because he “wantedto be in charge of his own destiny.”

With Ron at the helm of his owndesign and printing company, now calledWilliams & Rowland, he garnered thesuccess that would establish the founda-tion for the family business. In 1988,Ron’s daughter, Dawn, graduated fromthe University of Georgia with a degreein finance and joined the company.David Canady, a family friend, joined thebusiness a year later upon graduationfrom UGA with a degree in business. In1994 Ron, Dawn and David created anew partnership and changed the com-pany name to Williams & Canady

Ron and Dot Williams

H

Printing. The name reflected the familycore because, as fate would have it, Ron’syoungest daughter, Julie, and his newpartner, David, were married in the win-ter of 1994.

The company operated under theWilliams & Canady name until 2001,when the partners re-launched theirbusiness as Imedia. The name changesymbolized the uniqueness of the servic-es and solutions they provided to theirburgeoning clientele. The “evolution ofprinting,” as Ron calls it, served as a cat-alyst for Imedia’s shift from a focus onprinting to a concentration on multiplemedia services. The company also sepa-rated their business into four segments:iprint, idesign, ipublish, and itech offer-ing printing, graphic design, publishingand technology services. “This full-serv-ice approach separated Imedia fromdozens of competitors who failed to offerthe whole business solution,” Ronexplains. As the name suggests, the com-pany has refocused its brand as an infor-mation and communication media com-pany specializing in print and informa-tion technologies. With their four divi-sions working together, they providecomplete business solutions to clients.

In developing these solutions,Imedia organically grew their printing,design and technology divisions. Theevolution of ipublish is a different story.In 1997, the owner of Macon’s real estatemagazine Homes and Land, decided toretire. Ron and David were very familiarwith their client’s magazine and had faiththat Imedia could manage the publica-tion. They purchased the magazine andbegan the task of making it their own.Home Search, as it is now known, has

become Macon’s leading real estate pub-lication and has expanded to includeHouston Home Search. Secure in theknowledge of developing and producingcomplete publications from concept toprinted piece, Imedia decided to create,from scratch, their first publication in2001. The resulting magazine, OnOffCampus, was dedicated to informingCentral Georgia’s college students abouteverything from local fashion to financialaid. Ron conceived the idea and designfor this very magazine 30 years prior to itslaunch, yet waited for the optimal time tointroduce it. “With eight colleges within30 miles of Macon, the market was readyfor this type of publication,” Ronexplains. The success and exposure ofthe magazine led to yet another opportu-nity when the Georgia Student FinanceCommission, the financial division ofHOPE, recognized the need for a Georgiahigh school publication and selectedImedia to lead the effort.Ron and David worked todevelop and introduceEdge, a magazine focusedon informing high schoolstudents about careeroptions and associatedearning potentials.

Today, ipublish man-ages numerous Imediaowned magazines. Thepublications range fromspecial-interest maga-zines like Scene, a Tour deGeorgia publication, to“H,” the Houston Countycommunity magazine de-veloped by Canady, whoshares his father-in-law’s

gift for vision. “We are now about to startour fourth year with H magazine. We rec-ognized early on the dynamic growth ofthe Houston County community and rec-ognized it as a great opportunity for busi-ness growth,” Ron states with pride. Inaddition to recognizing the market needfor a Houston County magazine, Canadyalso sensed the potential for a local busi-ness magazine in Macon and launchedAddress Macon in early 2005. Address isdedicated to connecting the local busi-ness community and offers Macon pro-fessionals a glimpse into the details ofneighboring success stories. Williamsgives his son-in-law all the credit for cre-ating, managing and producing this par-ticular publication. More are likely tofollow, but Ron politely declines to dis-cuss any details.

“Imedia is a family business,”Williams states with pride. As chairman ofImedia, Ron leaves the day-to-day opera-

Ron and Dot’s 125 year-old farmhouse has been a labor oflove since they purchased it in 1972. Since it’s restoration, thehome is considered a landmark to many who drive past itwhile traveling down Rivoli Drive.


tions to Canady. Dawn Burkhalter, Ron’sdaughter, is the CFO and vice-president.Dot, Dawn and Julie Canady own andoperate Only Georgia, a food gift busi-ness, which operates at the Imedia head-quarters as well. Only Georgia specializesin creating and shipping food gift boxesof Georgia-made delectables all over theworld. Most of the skilled craftsmenemployed by Imedia are from the CentralGeorgia area, but some telecommutefrom locations ranging from Atlanta toWarm Springs.

When Ron and Dot are not hard atwork at Imedia they can be found work-ing on one of many restorative projectsat Rosemont, their 125 year-old home.The unique history of how they acquiredthis house reflects their patience andvision. Early in their marriage, the cou-ple rented a small guesthouse onLorriane Farms, an estate then owned byMike J. Witman. A successful Maconattorney and cattle breeder during the1950’s, Witman’s accomplishmentsdemonstrated that hard work yieldedresults – a characteristic both Ron and

Dot noticed andadmired. In thelate 1960’s, whenWitman’s healthfailed, the Victorianfarmhouse on theirproperty fell into astate of serious disrepair. Dubbedhaunted by collegepartygoers whogathered there, theonce stately homewas judged a poorinvestment by most.Ron and Dot saw potential in the aban-doned property, and their vision for thedilapidated farmhouse led them to pur-chase the home in 1972. After complet-ing several necessary projects theymoved in with their two young daugh-ters. Since then, the projects have beennumerous, detailed, and constant buthave paid off. The comfortable home is arespite for the Williams and serves as agathering place for friends and family.“Everybody knows the house,” Ron says.

Indeed, travelers along Rivoli Drive arefamiliar with the yellow Victorian farm-house with the recently added whitepicket fence. Its happy facade greets allpassersby with a knowing presence. Thisonce again beautiful home is testamentto the Williams’ transformative touch.

This unique touch extends into thevarious community involvements towhich the Williams give their attentionand time. Ron has served as chairman ofthe Printing Industry Association of

65

Georgia and as board chairman of theMartha Bowman Methodist Church. Hehas also been the recipient of numerousawards: “The Small Business Owner ofthe Year Award” presented by The MaconChamber of Commerce, “The MaconCultural Award” given by theAchievement For the Arts, and “TheTorch Award” of the Central Georgia

Technical College Alumni Association.Ron is a member of The Rotary Club ofMacon and currently serves as a directorfor the Central Georgia TechnicalFoundation and the Middle GeorgiaCollege Foundation and is president ofThe City Club of Macon.

Dot is an equally philanthropic com-munity member. Her service engage-

ments include working with many Maconorganizations. For the past 18 years, Dothas been an active alumna in her sorori-ty, Alpha Omicron Pi, and has served asinternational public relations chairmanand president of The Foundation Boardof Directors. The sorority honored Dotfor her lifetime support and service at itsconvention last summer when she wasnamed the recipient of the Hunt Award.The award is an honor voted on by allmembers of the sorority and presentedto one alumna biennially. She has held

numerous positions at MarthaBowman United MethodistChurch including serving as presi-dent of the United MethodistWomen. She has also served onThe District Council of Ministries.Dot has served as CamelliaDistrict Director of The GardenClub of Georgia, Inc. and hasbeen president of both theFederated Garden Clubs ofMacon, Inc. and House andGarden Club. Dot is a member ofthe Executive Board of theGarden Club of Georgia, Inc. Inaddition to her long list ofinvolvements, she also serves asfamily matriarch for her twodaughters and four grandchil-dren, Carter and EmmaJaneCanady and William and ThomasBurkhalter.

When Ron and Dot Williamsmoved to Macon 40 years ago,they could only imagine wheretheir hard work, vision and dedi-cation would take them. In thattime, they have become businessexecutives, community leadersand perhaps, most importantly,grandparents to four. Their suc-cess has by no means been simplya circumstantial discovery butrather a result of preparednessmeeting the right opportunity.They have accomplished much intheir life together by taking whatRon calls “calculated risks,” and asis often the case, with risk comesreward: a loving family, a flourish-ing business and a bright future.

Allyson Moody and James FennelPhotography by Ken Krakow

The Williams home is an active meeting place for family and friends alike. Their grandchildren, EmmaJane and Carter Canady and William and Thomas Burkhalter, havespent many holidays at Rosemont with their family.

William and Thomas Burkhalter, EmmaJane and Carter Canady


press

Becky IknerSSK Promotes to V.P./Financial Operations

Melanie W. MarshallNew V.P. of SunTrust Bank

Wes GordonNew Assitant V.P. at SunTrust Bank

J. Eric Hefner Elected to SunTrust Board of Directors

Pamela Sullivan, R.N.2005 Georgia Hospital AssociationHospital Heroes Award Winner

Laura KostovetskyMacon Leaders announces New Addition

Vicki MillsDowntown Rotary Names Paul Harris Fellow

Cristy Toole HolmesMacon Leaders WelcomesNewest "Leader"

address

Connie HartnessRecognized as Fellow in the ACHE

Jamie CarawayImedia Hires Coordinating Editor

Sam MacfieColiseum Health System Welcomes NewDirector of Business and Broker Relations

Bill EnnisAwarded the Personal FinancialSpecialist (PFS) credential by the AICPA

M. Cole DavisNew Executive Vice President andCity President of the Macon Market

for detailed information on these and other individual press releases visit address Macon’s website



Marketplace

Tastes Only Georgia Can Offer

www.onlyga.com 4360 San Carlos Drive Macon, Ga. 31206478-314-2295 or 478-314-2294 faxToll Free: 877-788-3344 �

Corporate Food Gift Boxes

478.765.1515

Steelcase Your authorized Steelcase dealer


High Calling by Evelyn Husband

This is a story about Rick Husband’s lifewritten by his wife, Evelyn Husband.

Rick was the Commander of the space shuttle, Columbia, which

burned and disintegrated during itsreturn to Earth in February of 2003.

As Rick’s life unfolds, readers identifywith the struggle and joys of family life, the importance of

positive attitude, the power of persistence in the midst of failure, and the human

battle to remain honest. Regardless of the interest in NASA or space science,

readers will be inspired to look at their own life and

consider its meaning.

Molly Pearson

Age: 36

Spouse: Sam

Children: Cassidy (6) and Clay (2)

Business Contact:

First Presbyterian Day School

5671 Calvin Drive

Macon, GA 31210

(478) 477-6505

www.fpdmacon.org

[email protected]

Business Description:

First Presbyterian Day School is a Christ-cen-

tered, college preparatory day school for

grades PK-12. FPD is home to approximately

950 students and 100 faculty members and is

located in North Macon on 47 acres of land.

Business Role:

Middle School Principal - I oversee approxi-

mately 240 students and 25 teachers for

grades 6-8 and teach one section of eighth

grade science. I am active in multiple

aspects of the school’s operations, including

curriculum development, faculty develop-

ment, scheduling, budgeting, facility over-

sight, student life, counseling, and develop-

ment of school policy.

Competitive Advantage:

FPD maintains an aggressive curriculum,

state of the art facilities, and a distinguished

faculty. In 2003 FPD was chosen as a

Department of Education "Blue Ribbon

School of Excellence.” When looking at a

business, it is helpful to understand the core

values of that institution. At the heart of FPD

is the desire to strive for excellence, exhibit

integrity, serve and support our families,

teach from a Biblical world life view, and

ultimately glorify God in all that we do.

Mantra:

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due

time we will reap if we do not grow weary."

required reading

A member of the junto.JUNTO

Die Hard TrucksDie Hard Fans

Customized collegiate interiors and exteriors

www.ljltruckcenterinc.comLJL Truck Center, Inc. 2855 Broadway Macon, GA 31206 Phone: (478) 784-3100 Tim Leskosky, President

3972 address Macon

Documents

Transcript of 3972 address Macon