Awards/Celebrations

The scoop on hiring a real estate agent

If you’ve enjoyed a successful 40-year career as a realtor, you’ve learned what to ask when selling your home or business. Ann Marie McManus shares the Top 7 questions you need to know when making this important decision. Pt. 2 in Ann Marie’s discussion is coming tomorrow. Stay tuned.

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B2B Stories

Leading the way in workforce development and education

Editor’s note: As Dr. Rick Franza reported, Georgia is once again getting high marks as one of America’s Top States for Business. This story follows up on how Augusta is plugging into the Education and Workforce rankings. Two of Georgia’s highest rankings put the Augusta metro at the forefront of the Education and Workforce categories with rankings of #8 and #4 respectively. “Workforce, obviously from the Chamber’s perspective, it’s comforting to see that we ranked fourth overall in the workforce,” Russell Lahodny, President and CEO of the Columbia County Chamber

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Consumer Stories

Embracing AI in Real Estate: A Lesson in Productivity and Personal Connection

The infusion of artificial intelligence within the workspace evokes a mix of excitement and apprehension. AI has already revolutionized healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, but how can AI help people in an oriented workplace without removing the personal touch that clients want? In the dynamic real estate industry, which thrives on personal relationships, the introduction of AI presents unique challenges and opportunities. Let’s delve into how AI has been integrated into our real estate brokerage, not only to drive productivity, but also to enrich the personal touch we offer our agents,

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B2B Stories

#4 in 2024: Georgia’s ‘Top State for Business’ Streak Continues

Last week, CNBC released its 2024 list of “America’s Top States for Business,” which ranks all fifty states. CNBC has been publishing this annual list since 2007 and for the 17th consecutive year (there was no published list in 2020), Georgia has ranked in the Top Ten, including a ranking of fourth both this year and last. While CNBC regularly makes changes to both the metrics and their relative weights used to determine the rankings, it is a credit to our state that it consistently remains highly ranked. There is

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B2B Stories

Improving how to move freight through Georgia

The local organization tasked with looking at current transportation issues, while planning for the future, is seeking public input for an update on moving freight. The Augusta Regional Transportation Study (ARTS) Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is in the process of updating the Regional Freight Plan. It will be the first update since 2008. The ARTS MPO works within the Augusta Planning and Development Department to address transportation across Richmond and Columbia counties in Georgia and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina. It is more than 800 square miles with

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B2B Stories

Road Construction Flips Festival Venue

Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival will be returning to Broad Street and the Augusta Common on September 20 – 22 this year. The decision to move back was made after the road construction schedule for Telfair Street was announced last week. The Telfair Street construction would have impacted the festival site. Road construction on Broad Street, which had initially prompted the relocation, will now start in 2025. The festival will feature over 150 juried Fine Arts and Crafts artists this year, with artists coming from all over the

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Consumer Stories

New leader taking over for 70th season of Augusta institution

On Monday, a marketing professional takes over the Augusta Symphony and hopes to conduct herself in a way to lead her team into the 8th decade of music in Augusta. “I was asked to apply for the position, and I can’t wait to get started. I feel like all my past experiences in marketing, business development, and being actively involved in the community will be extremely helpful,” Becky Dearden explained. She previously served for eight years as the Marketing Director of SME CPAs, an accounting firm with offices in Augusta and

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B2B Stories

CSRA “backyard company” expands; on the move this summer

With 100-degree temperatures this summer, Chattels In Design is expanding and adding a new pool, patio department, and website. They will be moving on August 1st to a larger location that will now offer a showroom of composite deck brands, pergolas, fiberglass pools, patio furniture, and Sunroom samples. Chattels In Design USA Ltd Co, LLC has been serving Aiken for 2-1/2 years at their current location at Suite 216, 237 Park Ave Sw, Aiken, SC 29801 in “The Mill” building downtown Aiken. They will be open for business on August 5th at the new

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