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Consumer Stories
Consumer Stories

Windsor Jewelers, Doctors Hospital, and Gerald Jones Auto Group

Scouts honor a small business legend in the CSRA. Donnie Thompson will be the guest of honor next week at a special award ceremony put on by the Georgia-Carolina Council Scouting America chapter in Columbia County. Thompson will receive the distinguished citizens award at a luncheon next Tuesday, February 5th.  He’ll be introduced by a good friend and business colleague, Andy Jones from the Gerald Jones Auto Group. Each year, the two businessmen help pay for a free, patriotic fireworks show called “Thunder over Evans.”  The keynote speaker will be

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Neil Gordon January 27, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

FBI man becomes CSRA businessman to continue investigations

Chuck McKee spent 20 years working for the FBI. Now he leads the FBIS (Forensic Brothers Investigation Services) unit in the Augusta/Aiken area and TrustVault.  TrustVault is a “Good Housekeeping-like seal of approval” for people’s character and perhaps the companies they work for. McKee’s FBI career brought him to the Augusta region in 2005, and he worked in the following fraud divisions: Healthcare Mortgage—McKee investigated those who misrepresented their mortgage applications related to employment, bank account information, property repairs, and more. Counterintelligence—McKee looked into employees at Fort Gordon, NSA, Plant

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Neil Gordon January 26, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Connecting CSRA medical needs with business good deeds

The founder of the nation’s largest human resource company for small and medium businesses has made a $50 million investment in the Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia (WCHOG).  The investment by Tom Golisano, founder of Paychex, brings WCHOG into a national consortium of children’s hospitals.   “Children’s hospitals are essential to the health and future of our communities, and each one serves families with unique needs and challenges,” said Golisano in the news release announcing the investment. “The team at Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia has a deep commitment to advancing

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Dana Lynn McIntyre January 23, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Growing # of jobs at the airport

The next generation of airport employees in the CSRA may just come from area high schools. A new internship is introducing high school students to a diverse number of career opportunities at Augusta Regional Airport. Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) and the Richmond County Board of Education (RCBOE) have announced AIR EDU. Lauren Smith, Assistant Director of Marketing and Public Relations, said the goal is to address a growing workforce shortage in operations, maintenance, air traffic controllers, and airport management. The forecast is that the industry will need more than two

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Dana Lynn McIntyre January 21, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

Community groups receive nearly 3/4 million dollars

A local organization celebrated its 30th anniversary by distributing $735,000 in grants to 59 area nonprofit, educational, arts, and historical groups. The Community Foundation of the CSRA (CFCSRA) grants will support groups in Richmond, Columbia, Burke, and McDuffie counties in Georgia and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina. “The Community Foundation really exists so that we can give back,” Shell Berry, President and CEO, explained for ABD. “It is a community endowment that’s been contributed to, most significantly by the Masters Tournament for 29 of those 30 years. And

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Dana Lynn McIntyre January 20, 2026 No Comments
Awards/Celebrations

One-on-one with CEO of legacy company

Publisher’s Note: Sig Cox is beginning its 100th year in Augusta as a trusted leader in HVAC service and sales. In a wide-ranging interview, I speak with CEO Jeff Miller on their legacy of doing things the right way, company growth, and what’s planned in 2026. ABD: Jeff, when you bought Sig Cox, how much did you know about the company’s history? JM: We knew it was one of the top companies in Augusta, but really didn’t know the history. When we went through the due diligence period, we learned

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Neil Gordon January 20, 2026 No Comments
Consumer Stories

How to Be a Smarter Consumer of Healthcare in the CSRA

As a local health insurance consultant with more than 12 years in the industry, 80 employer clients, and 1000+ lives on the individual and Medicare market, I have seen a dramatic shift in the healthcare space over the last few years.  Our local healthcare market and industry are changing.  We, as consumers and consultants, need to make some adjustments in order to keep up. When people buy a TV, they research features, compare prices, and look for reviews. When they buy a car, they negotiate, shop around, and rarely pay

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Tom Mastny, President, The Pennant Group January 16, 2026 No Comments
Awards/Celebrations

Kicking off the next 50 years protecting consumers

The South Carolina office tasked with protecting businesses and individuals from fraud and scams is reflecting on its golden anniversary. The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) was created on Jan. 1, 1975. The South Carolina Consumer Protection Code established it. Its mandate is to create a healthy marketplace through education, complaint mediation services, regulatory filings, and guidance for identity theft victims. As part of the agency’s outreach programs, it has kicked off a new series of “Wednesday Webinars.” “Education is a core component of our mission,” explained Carri

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Dana Lynn McIntyre January 15, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

McMaster releases his final budget to put more $$ in taxpayer pockets

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster laid out his fiscal year 2026-2027 budget. He was joined by Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette. The plan included many of the themes that have been a hallmark for McMaster, such as reducing the state income tax and improving teacher pay. Just five years ago, South Carolina had the highest personal income tax rate in the southeast at 7%. McMaster pushed to have it lowered incrementally to its current 6%. He proposes dropping it to 5.9% and continuing to reduce it with the goal of eliminating

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Dana Lynn McIntyre January 14, 2026 No Comments
B2B Stories

Major manufacturer in CSRA pledges to help future biz leaders

Aurubis Richmond is the newest company to open a storefront at Junior Achievement’s Discovery Center in Evans. Aurubis is one of the largest copper recyclers worldwide. The company processes complex metal concentrates, scrap metals, and metal-bearing recycling materials into metals from the Augusta Corporate Park in South Augusta. This marks a significant step in the company’s commitment to education and community engagement. “This initiative reflects Aurubis Richmond’s belief that business and community must work together to prepare the next generation for success,” said David Schultheis, President of Aurubis Richmond. Aurubis

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Neil Gordon January 14, 2026 No Comments
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