B2B Stories

B2B Stories

31-year-old automotive company to expand

After five years of developing Energreen America, Bob Matthews is stepping down to focus on expanding his namesake company, Matthews Enterprises. The expansion includes the launch of a new Paint and Body Operation, specifically for medium to heavy-duty trucks. The company is comprised of Matthews Motors, Matthews Truck Bodies, and Matthews Fleet Solutions, each of which has earned a reputation of integrity combined with excellent service. As part of its growth strategy, the company is pursuing aggressive initiatives in areas of acquisition and market expansion. In late 2022, Augusta Business

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B2B Stories

Local entrepreneur cleans up in the drywall business

Drywall is a dirty job, but Jason Staton ensures his clients’ homes remain as clean as he found them. Staton, owner of Statonez Drywall in Augusta, launched his business in Sept. 2022, but the Illinois native already has 29 years of experience in the industry. For 23 of those years, he has owned a similar business in Chicago. Staton handles renovation and remodeling jobs. The business name is a combination of his last name and his wife’s maiden name, Martinez. She manages most of the administrative work for him. One

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B2B Stories

Mondays with Rick: Small Business Development Center is a valuable local resource

  Dr. Rick Franza, Dean of the Hull College of Business, discusses a different, timely business topic each Monday in this column. This week he talks about the benefits of having a Small Business Development Center office in Augusta. The interview has been edited for clarity and impact. ABD: The CSRA has an active Small Business Development Center, under the auspices of the University of Georgia. What is its history and purpose? Rick: They’ve been around since 1977. Dr. William Flewellan, the dean of the UGA school of business at

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B2B Stories

Evans restaurateurs to launch second location with drive-thru in Augusta

Wilkes Goolsby and his family are expanding their local restaurant by opening a second location, but for him, the most exciting part of the expansion is having a drive-thru. Goolsby, along with his mom and sister, own Goolsby’s located at 4460 Washington Road, Suite 9 across the street from the Evans Walmart. Founded in 2005, the eatery serves a variety of Southern favorites, including fried chicken, sliced ham, and barbecue ribs. The new location will be at 3122 Wrightsboro Road, across the street from Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta.

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B2B Stories

Insights from JA Discovery Center Tour

Yesterday, while touring Savannah’s JA Discovery Center, I met Travion, a married pastry chef with one child. Even though he’s only 12 and in seventh grade, Travion already earns $44,000 a year, which might not sound like much to some, but I can assure you, it’s the dream salary of many a journalist. Of course, it wasn’t real. Instead, it was a scenario assigned to him in JA Finance Park, a program offered by the center for seventh and eighth-grade students. While this may sound like a field trip, the

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Awards

Dickinson Architects celebrates 40 Years of helping build the CSRA

The skyline in Augusta has been described as spectacular. Dickinson Architects had a hand in developing the view. The firm is celebrating its 40th anniversary tomorrow. What began as a one-person operation housed in the founder’s garage has grown to a full-service architectural and interior design firm credited with some of the most iconic buildings in the Central Savannah River Area. “We’re continuing my father’s vision,” said Dickinson Architects President and CEO, Nick Dickinson. “We’re creating better spaces and better lives for our clients and the community.” Nick Dickinson, Sr.

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Financial/Investing

JA returns to Augusta with new business model

Some Savannah middle school students aren’t even teenagers yet, but they’re already married with children, jobs, and bills. While that may sound impossible, it’s all part of the JA Discovery Center, which is housed on Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus. Yesterday, nearly 30 local educators, school representatives, business leaders, and nonprofit directors traveled from Evans to Savannah to tour the city’s JA Discovery Center, which offers programs for sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students. As part of the tour, they were able to observe students participating in JA Finance Park, which

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B2B Stories

Local business credit expert shares knowledge

An Augusta area financial expert says just 7% of your companies’ vendors and lenders report to the credit bureaus. “No one reports automatically, and you must register your business at the three business credit bureaus to even get a score; it doesn’t just magically appear,” said Regional Managing Partner, Alan Mosher of the J. Galt Finance Suite. He is taking reservations for a free webinar scheduled for next Thursday, February 2. In the seminar, businesses will learn a 7-step process for building credit, starting with the very basics of how

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B2B Stories

CSRA credit union pays out big dividend

SRP Federal Credit Union members started the new year off with some extra cash. In December, the SRP FCU Board of Directors approved a Loyalty Dividend, totaling more than $1.5 million, to be paid out across their membership. The additional dividend was designed to reward SRP members and to recognize the financial strength of the Credit Union. SRP FCU is a member-owned nonprofit financial institution with a volunteer Board of Directors. SRP members can receive higher interest rates on savings, lower rates on loans, and lower fees. “Creating value for

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