Chamber News

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce is giving you the opportunity to meet business leaders and learn more about their achievements. The Chamber will celebrate its 18th Annual Banquet on Thursday, Feb. 2 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Columbia County Exhibition Center in Grovetown. The event will include a business showcase, an awards presentation, and a guest speaker, Mike Goodwin, the Bowtie Comedian. “Elevate is the theme for the Chamber’s Annual Banquet,” said President and CEO, Russell Lahodny. “This is a great opportunity to get to know

It’s been a tough couple of years for many businesses. Period. Maybe it’s time for a laugh or three. Mike Goodwin, the Bowtie Comedian can probably deliver. What’s more, he knows your leadership pain. The Camden, SC native will make you laugh, and he is also in business. Goodwin holds a master’s degree in Education from the University of South Carolina, is a veteran of the U.S. Army, and is a former primary and secondary education professional. He infuses his varied life experiences into his act, making him relatable to

Kimberly Barker believes in taking risks and thinking outside the box. Barker, Director of Marketing for Hull Barrett Attorneys in Augusta, attended this month’s Women in Business Program hosted by the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce yesterday. For this event, the Chamber partnered with the U.S.-Japan Council for Regional Women in Leadership to present a panel discussion called “Womenomics Across Cultures.” “We get so caught up in our own routine, we lose sight of the fact that there’s a big world out there,” she said. Nozomi Morgan, CEO of Michiki

Retired U.S. Army Major Gen., Jennifer Napper had the privilege of learning about many other cultures in her 35 years of service. Napper, who now serves as one of the vice presidents for Peraton, a national IT and cybersecurity firm, will serve as one of five panelists for the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce’s January Women in Business Program, which will be held Tuesday, Jan. 17, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. The event’s title is “Womenomics Across Cultures,” and the other panelists will be Universal

Robbie King has a passion for mentoring the next generation of local business leaders. King, the founder of Lead Augusta, helps to guide young professionals participating in Young Men on the Move, a 10-month program offered by the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. The program, which is designed for men between the ages of 23 and 30, teaches valuable personal and professional skills, such as networking. “It demonstrates the importance of mentoring, networking, building relationships, and giving back to the community,” he said. “Often, these relationships are created and last

Jon Jackson has found a way to turn his pain into a purpose of helping others. Jackson, a retired U.S. Army Ranger, sustained a traumatic brain injury in combat and now struggles with PTSD. In 2014, he founded STAG VETS Inc., a non-profit organization that uses farming to help rehabilitate and reintegrate veterans dealing with those same issues. The program offers veterans a variety of services, including treatment and agricultural job training. Jackson established Comfort Farms in Milledgeville, which was named after his friend, Capt. Kyle Comfort, who was killed

Next year, Nick Dickinson’s company will celebrate its 40th anniversary. Yesterday, the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce celebrated Dickinson’s professional accomplishments by honoring him as its 2022 Augusta’s Entrepreneur. Dickinson, CEO of Dickinson Architects, won one of three Best in Business awards at the Chamber’s Member Economic Luncheon. His father, Nick Dickinson Sr., founded the company in 1983. Over the last four decades, Dickinson Architects has designed several well-known buildings throughout the CSRA, including Augusta Sportswear, Savannah Rapids Pavilion, Frog & The Hen and Farmhaus’s Martinez location, as well as

It’s not every day you get to network with business professionals from all over Augusta’s River Region. But the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce wants to give you that opportunity. On Thursday, Nov. 3, the Chamber will host a Mega Mixer event from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Palmetto Terrace Ballroom at the North Augusta Municipal Building located at 100 Georgia Ave. Members from nine local Chambers, including the Augusta Metro, Columbia County, Aiken, and Midland Valley Area, as well as the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce,

Many parents struggle to work while ensuring their children receive proper care. Some parents are forced to quit their jobs because they don’t have access to reliable, affordable childcare, according to Russell Lahodny. That was one of the issues Lahodny, President and CEO of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, discussed with elected officials in Washington, D.C. during the 2022 DC Fly-In on Sept. 13-15. Lahodny was one of 24 representatives from the Columbia County, Augusta Metro, North Augusta, and Aiken chambers making the annual trip. Participants met with several