One area Chamber of Commerce has separate upcoming events to bring the business community together.
Up first is a Meet and Greet with Tyler Harper, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Agriculture. It will be April 23rd at the Hub for Community Innovation on Chaffee Avenue.
Ronic West, president and co-founder of GABCC, told ABD the chamber’s agribusiness committee suggested the program.
“I think people forget that agriculture is the number one industry in the state of Georgia,” she said. “One thing that we’re doing here at the chamber is we’re working just to make sure we have the initiatives that are supporting our agribusiness community. Right now, agribusiness is not getting the attention that is needed, because it’s going to become security for the community.”
West added that, beyond agribusiness, the topic is timely with groups starting community gardens and individuals planting in their backyards.
It also ties into a grant the GABCC Foundation received from Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.). The $500,000 will support the chamber foundation’s Rural Small Business Impact. It will provide technical assistance and training to small businesses and entrepreneurs in rural East Georgia. It is available through bipartisan legislation signed into law in February.
“Small businesses are the backbone of Georgia’s economy and our communities,” said Sen. Ossoff, in the news release announcing the grant. “These projects will support their growth for years to come.”
West said it is the latest example of the support rural Georgia and agribusiness have received from Ossoff and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.)
“When you look around the state of Georgia, and you look at the initiatives that they felt were beneficial, a lot of them had agriculture in it,” she explained. “So, with this initiative that we’re doing, it is giving a greater light to that community that, to me, is the biggest industry. It’s going to be one of the biggest communities that people are going to see that they’re going to need to rely on in the future.”
Next up for GABCC will be its annual gala. This year’s theme is “The Time is Now,” and will feature awards recognizing excellence in business.
“It’s just letting folks know that this is the greatest change in history, artificial intelligence. Whether we agree with it or not, it is going to be in our lives,” she said. “The theme is just all about excellence, moving into the future, and getting the community excited about that.”
This year’s gala will mark GABCC’s ninth anniversary. West said it is a time for reflection on past successes and to look at what the future holds.
“With all the changes that are happening with business owners, you’ll hear about our initiatives at the organization to help not only black and minority businesses, but all businesses,” said West. “We are always giving out the most information to help business owners navigate the change that is ahead.”
The Meet and Greet will be from 4-6 p.m. It is free and open to the public, but registration is requested.
The gala will be on May 29th in the River Room at 605 Broad Street. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Attire is semi-formal or formal. The early bird special for purchasing tickets ends April 25th.
More information and registration for both events are at https://mygabc.org/gabcc-events/#!calendar
