B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Considering Cyber Insurance? Here are Some Things to Think About

Over the years, business owners have become accustomed to purchasing various types of insurance from disaster coverage to general liabilities to help protect their business operations. However, the continued shift to digital operations has brought with it new vulnerabilities that businesses need to address. In 2024 the average cost of a data breach reached a record high of about $4.9 million. While implementing strong cybersecurity measures is the first and most important step to protecting a business’s online operations, cyber insurance could be the next step. Cyber Insurance: What does

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: Paychecks beating inflation in several CSRA counties

Average weekly wages increased in four counties of the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the third quarter of 2024 and fell in the other three. Average weekly wages increased by $26 in McDuffie County, $19 in Richmond County, $4 in Aiken County, and $10 in Edgefield County. In percentage terms, only the Aiken County wage increase did not better inflation over the three-month period. Average weekly wages in Burke County fell $123 to $1275, the lowest level since 2006. (See why below) Columbia County wages fell $10 to $922, and

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B2B Stories

CEO to Ride into Retirement from Club Car

Mark Wagner has announced he will retire from Club Car effective August 1, 2025. The lessons he has learned along the way are surely beneficial to any corporate leader. For perspective, the company started in 1958 in Texas and moved to Augusta four years later. Wagner grew up in the northeast, graduated from Penn State, and was hired out of college to work with Ingersoll Rand. The company would acquire Trane Technologies. “I put all those 21 years of learning from business leaders at both of those companies to good

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B2B Stories

2 Questions for the Dean: Scholarship Program

Working your way up the corporate ladder takes time, schooling, and money. If you or your teenager is interested in a business future, scholarships could be the answer. Here’s today’s sit down with Dean Mark Thompson. ABD: Share with us about the Dean’s Scholar Program. HULL: So, one of the things that we want to do in terms of recruiting some of the best and brightest students all throughout the state of Georgia and neighboring states as well as we created a Dean Scholar Program. And a lot of scholarships

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B2B Stories

Chipotle’s Aggressive 2025 Growth Plan in the CSRA

A local Chipotle manager tells ABD he’s been told three new Chipotle Restaurants will open in 2025. According to Jordan Trotter Commercial Real Estate, one of them will open on 2999 Washington Road in front of the shopping center featuring the new Fresh Take Grocery store and adjacent to the Waffle House by the overpass near I-20. JT handles the commercial leasing for the entire center. The free-standing 3309 square foot location was most recently leased by Echo Park, a pre-owned vehicle dealership, which closed in June of 2023. Despite

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B2B Stories

United Way’s goal surpassed despite company decline

The United Way of the CSRA (UWCSRA) held its annual luncheon on March 11 to mark the end of its capital campaign. Brittany Burnett, President and CEO of UWCSRA, told ABD the luncheon is an opportunity to recognize companies and individuals that went above and beyond to support the annual campaign. This year’s Spirit of Community Award was presented to Aurubis Richmond for its commitment to strengthening the CSRA through community involvement. Donnell Jenkins, a volunteer at MACH Academy, received the 2024 Alvin W. Vogtle Volunteer of the Year Award

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B2B Stories

Developments popping up across North Augusta

Attendees at the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce’s March Good Morning, North Augusta breakfast got an overview of how and where North Augusta is growing. City Administrator, Jim Clifford used a series of slides to give a virtual tour of the city, highlighting residential and commercial development underway along with projects still on the drawing board. North Augusta is booming with new housing construction, particularly apartments and multifamily housing. Developments, both new and expansions of existing developments, dot the area around Highway 25/Edgefield Road at exit 5 off Interstate 20.

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B2B Stories

More CSRA Leadership Opportunities

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and North Augusta Chamber are now accepting applications for upcoming leadership classes. Business and area leaders are encouraged to apply for the Columbia County Chamber program before the April 18th deadline. Leadership Columbia County (LCC) is designed to expose participants to the opportunities and challenges facing our community while promoting and fostering the development of leaders who are committed to shaping the future of our Region. The Class of 2026 will be led by program Chair Rhonda Banks (LCC ’10), Interim Associate Vice President at

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B2B Stories

Prestigious Program Propels Future Business Leaders

Do you have a rising high school junior or senior interested in business? The Hull College of Business at Augusta University, ranked by the Princeton Review and U.S. News and World Report as one of the top business schools in the country, has a great scholarship opportunity. HCoB Dean Mark Thompson explains why the Dean’s Scholar Program is an exciting option.

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B2B Stories

Construction Almost Finished on $35 Million CSRA Development

A two-part development in the heart of North Augusta, combining new construction with historic preservation, is getting close to completion. Beacon Bluff, a mixed-use project announced in late 2023, is a 36,000-square-foot project across the street from the North Augusta Municipal Building. It is renovating a historic building that once housed a skating rink and later a carpet shop, on Georgia Ave. It also has a new building which will include retail, restaurants and professional space. “We are working on the courtyard that is between the two buildings, the rink

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