Happy New Year

from the Dalton-Whitfield Co. Joint Development Authority

& Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce

Congratulations to our locals who made the list!

Most Influential:

Brian Anderson, Greater Dalton Chamber

Vance Bell, Shaw Industries

Charlie Bethel, State Senator, District 54 & J+J Floor Covering

Notable Georgians:

Don Cope, Dalton Utilities

Jeff Lorberbaum, Mohawk Industries

Georgia Trend's 2015 list of 100 Most Influential Georgians includes, as always, some new names and some old ones, as leadership changes and recent achievements combine with resignations, retirements, course corrections and shifts in power to shake the list up.

Some of the 100 wield their influence in the limelight; others work behind the scenes. But all of them impact the daily lives of Georgians everywhere. Click HERE to see the full article...

Economic Outlook Breakfast in Dalton

Date: Tuesday, February 10th, 2015

Time: 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Location: Dalton Golf & Country Club

*Buffet Lines open at 7:30 a.m.

Tickets are available HERE for $15.00 each.

Dean Ayers with the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia will bring his Economic Forecast to Dalton. Ben Ayers is Dean of the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business and holds the Earl Davis Chair in Taxation. He came to UGA in 1996 and served as director of the college's Tull School of Accounting for nine years prior to becoming dean. Under his leadership, the Tull School's undergraduate and graduate programs consistently ranked in the top ten among public universities.

Welcome Dalton State College Interim President, Dr.

Margaret Venable...

University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby has named Dr. Margaret Venable as interim president of Dalton State College.

Venable currently serves as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Gordon State College, in Barnesville. She will assume presidential responsibilities at Dalton State on Jan. 1, 2015, after current president John Schwenn retires on Dec. 31, 2014.

Venable's experience with the University System of Georgia also includes the University of North Georgia's Oconee Campus, where she served as vice president and chief executive officer. Before that Dr. Venable held a range of roles at Georgia Perimeter College, including: assistant vice president of Early Colleges and Academic Initiatives, interim dean of Sciences and Physical Education, interim dean of Academic Services and department chair of Science and Physical Education.

Venable received a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from Agnes Scott College, a Master of Science degree in inorganic chemistry from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Doctorate of Science Education degree from Georgia State University.

Announcing the first Face of Manufacturing in Georgia

In November, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) at Georgia Tech announced a program to honor the hard-working, dedicated people throughout the state who work within or are affected by manufacturing companies. Today, we are proud to reveal the first Face of Manufacturing.

She was taught to believe from a young age that if you work hard, you can do anything. From a welder on third shift to managing the human resources department for a company of 1,600, she has built a career in manufacturing.

Rhonda Beasley of Roper Corporation in Northwest Georgia is the first Face of Manufacturing in Georgia. Click here for her story and a link to her video.