Macon's annual chamber meeting recaps successes, presents awards to leaders

About 235 people attended this year's 155th annual meeting of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce held Thursday at Middle Georgia State University.

The meeting is an opportunity to recap economic development activities for 2015 -- particularly through the efforts of the Macon Economic Development Commission -- and to recognize some individuals and businesses for their service.

"This year four companies announced plans to invest a total of over $200 Million, create 315 new jobs and retain 53 jobs in our community,"said Leonard Bevill, immediate past chairman of the Macon Economic Development Commission and CEO of Macon Occupational Medicine. "First Quality Packaging Solutions, Courier Express, Chem Aqua and Boeing all decided that Macon-Bibb was the best place for them to conduct business."

While there were "many great moments in 2015, the highlight of the year was the Boeing announcement in September," said George Greer, a partner with Spivey, Pope, Green & Greer law firm and the incoming chairman of the chamber. Boeing is converting its military lines of work at its Bibb County plant to commercial production and creating about 200 jobs.

Also the Kumho Tire Co. has begun hiring for its $500 million plant and expects to begin production early next year, he said.

Savannah';s port expansion and upgrades to the Atlanta airport will benefit Macon as the "hub city of Middle Georgia,"; Greer said.

He said it is "a new day in Macon-Bibb County" because ever since the city and county consolidated, there appears to be more cooperation and more things are getting done than when the governments were separate.

"In my opinion, the chamber should have three goals that guide its efforts in 2016," Greer said. "These goals are promoting diversity and regionalism, more effective communication and outreach to our members and the community and partnering with other institutions to promote education and workforce development in Macon-Bibb County."

The biggest challenge the community has is the need to produce an educated work force that is ready to fill the 21st century jobs being created, he said. The chamber "must serve as an effective voice" among lower and higher institutions of education so schools know what employers need and employers know where to find trained workers.

SAM HART SR.: CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

The meeting also was an opportunity to recognize various leaders during the past year.

Sam Hart Sr., chairman of the Macon Water Authority and former Bibb County chairman received the Citizen of the Year Award,

"I have known and work up closed to (Hart) almost 35 years" said Kirby Godsey, who presented the award to Hart. Godsey was the 2004 recipient of the award. "During that entire stretch of history I have never seen him waiver from integrity. ... He is a respected leader and consensus builder and by every measure a class act."

Hart said he was "excited and pleased" to receive the award.

"I have been fortunate my entire life to do what I enjoy," he said. "I have always recognized that politics ... is a team sport."

The Robert F. Hatcher Award was presented to Bibb County Superior Court Judge Verda Colvin. She is the first black female superior court judge appointed in the Macon Judicial Circuit. She served in courts around the state, works with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts clubs and is a Sunday school teacher.

"Service is the payment we make to live on this earth and when I leave here I want to leave it all on the table," Colvin said.

Other awards and the recipients were:

• Chamber Chairman's Award, John Hall, who serves as vice chairman of the chamber's military affairs committee. He helped write the bylaws for the committee and attended numerous events for the chamber.
• Ambassador of the Year, Patty Burns, who worked to engage new members in chamber activities and encouraged existing members to remain involved.
• MEDC Champion Award, Carter & Sloope, engineers and Geotechnical Environmental Consultants were dual winners. The companies have been involved with MEDC's recruiting efforts for more than 10 years.

To contact writer Linda S. Morris call 744-4223 or follow her on Twitter@MidGaBiz.

This story was originally published December 3, 2015 at 7:12 PM with the headline "Macon's annual chamber meeting recaps successes, presents awards to leaders ."