B2B Stories

Awards

SRNS receives prestigious award for small business development

Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Small Business Programs was honored with the 2025 Dwight D. Eisenhower Award for Excellence in Services by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) this week. Small Business Liaison Officer Lisa Tanner accepted the award on behalf of SRNS during the National Small Business Week ceremony in Washington, D.C. The SBA recognizes excellence across small businesses and key resource partners to empower American job creators and drive economic growth in government contracting. “This Dwight D. Eisenhower Award represents the highest honor for a contractor as a small business advocate,”

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B2B Stories

Legacy company in Aiken County expanding

One of the largest manufacturing companies in Aiken County is kicking off a major expansion. Kimberly-Clark is pumping more than $200 million into their facility on Old Jackson Highway in Beech Island. While headquartered in Texas, the Beech Island location is already the company’s largest facility. “I’m pleased to hear the news of this major expansion at Kimberly-Clark’s Beech Island facility. Kimberly-Clark has been a cornerstone in Aiken County’s economy for decades, and this investment represents a continued vote of confidence in our community and what it offers the manufacturing

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Leadership and Parenting

Two weeks ago, as I looked at the calendar, I realized that if my parents were still alive, it would have been their 76th wedding anniversary. On such a day, I reflect upon my parents and the influence they had upon me. However, it is only recently that I have come to realize that although I have spent a large majority of my military and academic careers in leadership positions, it was my parents who shaped the leadership ability and skills I have at a very early age. While I

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$100k donation to benefit education and workforce development

Kia Georgia has announced a $100,000 donation to the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Foundation, reinforcing its commitment to advancing workforce development and technical education in Georgia. The contribution will benefit Augusta Technical College students, among others, across the state. The contribution was presented by Kia Georgia President and CEO, Stuart Countess, during TCSG’s annual Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) and Rick Perkins Awards banquet, which honors the state’s top technical college students and instructors. “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Technical College System of

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Simon Says: South Carolina beats Georgia economically

There was mixed economic news at the national level last week. The Bureau of Economic Analysis announced that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased at an annual rate of 0.3% in the first quarter. The decline in economic activity was driven by imports, which increased by 41% from the fourth quarter of 2024. Imports are subtracted from GDP because they represent expenditures by US residents on goods and services from overseas. Much of these imports ended up in firms’ inventory as they tried to get ahead of expected tariffs. We

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CSRA estimates: $3 billion economic development/4,000 jobs

Last week, the President of the Augusta Economic Development Authority (AEDA) walked business leaders through the impact of regional development. Cal Wray brought the report to the Chamber’s first Member Economic Luncheon of 2025. He pulled together numbers from Richmond, Columbia, and Burke counties in Georgia and Aiken County in South Carolina. “Aiken, $1.36 billion in new investment, 1,452 new jobs,” he began. “Burke was $50 million investment, 244 new jobs. Columbia County, $158 million with 1,600 new jobs. Richmond County, $1.335 billion and 778 jobs. That is what manufacturing,

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Splish Splash: Your dog’s taking a bath!

Hollywood Feed is expanding this summer in West Augusta. Now, your pets will be able to come into the store and feel part of the expansion. Managers tell ABD that pet parents will have two self-service bathing stations to keep their “best friends” clean. Contractors are cutting through the side wall of the main store to connect two more storefronts that Hollywood Feed will be leasing. The existing 3,150 square feet store will expand to more than 5,000 square feet to allow for the new pet area and for an

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2 Questions for the Dean: MBA

There’s a little-known intangible reason why you or your colleagues should consider joining the MBA program at Augusta University’s Hull College of Business. Here are two questions with the Dean, Mark Thompson. ABD: What’s unique about your MBA program in terms of attracting professionals in the CSRA? HULLL: One of the things that we really highlight is recruiting. We want to recruit a cohort of students into the MBA program. You come into a class and you have all of these other working professionals from a number of different industries

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B2B Stories

Air taxis one step closer to reality in CSRA

An Augusta company is watching as a Japanese aeronautics company hits two recent milestones. On April 9, SkyDrive, Inc. successfully conducted a demo flight of the SkyDrive SD-05 model of its air taxi at the Expo 2025 in Osaka. Bravo Air, which provides charter jet service at Augusta Regional Airport, has been following the advances. “I think it’s very exciting, because this is going to open up new realms of aviation and our ability to transport passengers in an innovative way in the future,” Pamela Davison, CEO of Bravo Air,

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