Cobb Chamber of Commerce Archives

‘Mentor’ to county honored by Cobb Chamber

May 14, 2013 Leave a Comment

Jim Rhoden, second from right, accepts the Cobb County Lifetime Achievement Award from, from left, Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens, Cobb Chamber Chairman Greg Morgan and Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) during the Cobb Chamber of Commerce First Monday Breakfast.
MDJ Staff/Laura Moon

The Cobb Chamber honored Futren Corporation owner Jim Rhoden of East Cobb with the Cobb Lifetime Achievement Award (on May 6).

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) called Rhoden probably the most unselfish community leader around, noting how Rhoden founded the Cobb Community Foundation.

“He’s given of his own resources, of his own money in so many different ways, but he’s also inspired others to do the same thing,” Isakson said. “You’ve heard of guilt trips? He can put a guilt trip on you in a New York minute if you need to make an investment in the community, so he’s a great guy.”

Chamber CEO David Connell described Rhoden as one of a handful of Cobb County’s godfathers who played a major role in the success the county is today.

“He has a heart of gold,” said Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens. “When you see him, you think of this big individual who speaks little, but there’s no one he doesn’t want to help. There’s no one he doesn’t want to support, and behind the scenes he is constantly seeking to move others up. In life, people spend more energy, shall we say, in front of the microphone than behind the microphone. Jim’s the exact opposite.”

Tad Leithead, chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission and Cumberland Community Improvement District, said he couldn’t think of anyone more deserving.

“He’s just run great businesses for 30 years, but at the same time, all the things that were said were true: he’s been a great community citizen, he served on any number of chamber committees and other committees, he’s been a mentor to people, he proactively serves to mentor people,” Leithead said. “His heart is in the right place. He really deserves the award as a community citizen.”

County Chairman Tim Lee called Rhoden a mentor.

“No matter what project you’re working on, no matter what is in your life, you go to Jim, and he’s a counselor, and he’s a friend, and he’s a great mentor for everything that makes Cobb County great, no matter what the issues are, you go to him, and his compass is pointed due north,” Lee said. “He has the best interest of Cobb County at heart. He has the best interest of the citizens of Cobb.”

Commitment to community

Rhoden, 73, has three children and seven grandchildren, with an eighth grandchild expected in late June.

“I’m frankly a little bit overwhelmed because the truth is Cobb County has given me and my family through its support of our businesses and our community activities far more than we could ever give to the county,” Rhoden said. “Truly, it’s been an incredibly great place to live and to raise a family, and it’s done far more for us than we’ve done for it, so I’m just overwhelmed, very pleased, very surprised, very appreciative of the recognition and the award.”

Rhoden attributes his commitment to community service to his late parents, Nelle and Lloyd Rhoden.

“My dad was the county agricultural agent for Leon County, which is Tallahassee, Fla., for 35 years, and he would go above and beyond all the time giving back and creating things to make a better community and took me with him often, particularly during the summer. I’d go to work with him quite regularly and just watched him,” Rhoden said. “My mother was very much supportive of him and those activities, so that just kind of came naturally.”

Futren Corporation manages The Georgian Club, Indian Hills Country Club, Woodland Hills Golf Club and the National Alliance of Private Clubs.

Rhoden has served on the Cobb Chamber’s Board of Directors nearly every year since 1986, serving as chairman of Small Business, Education and Community Development committees. From 1993 to 1995, he served as the chairman of the Chamber’s Drugs Don’t Work program and established the goal of making Cobb a drug-free work place. He has also served in various capacities the East Cobb Rotary Club, the Metro Business Forum, the Civic League of Atlanta, Cobb Symphony Orchestra, Cobb Travel and Tourism and other organizations.

During his career, he has been presented with the East Cobb Citizen of the Year, Small Business Person of the Year, Mack Henderson Public Service Award and the Robert Lipson Award for Visionary Leadership.

Rhoden enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1958 and was commissioned after completion of Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning. He was honorably discharged after three years of service, with the rank of lieutenant, and served five years in the active reserves. He attended Florida State University, majoring in business administration.

This was the second year the Chamber has given the Cobb County Lifetime Achievement Award. In its inaugural year, the award was presented to Otis Brumby Jr., for his efforts defending the First Amendment rights of Cobb’s citizens and ensuring government transparency through his role as publisher of the Marietta Daily Journal.

(Reprinted from the Marietta Daily Journal. Written by Jon Gillooly, May 7, 2013. Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal – ‘Mentor’ to county honored by Cobb Chamber)

Filed Under: Do-Gooders Blog, [Featured], [PostToSocial] Tagged With: Cobb Chamber of Commerce, Jim Rhoden

Cobb Chamber 2013 Legislative Wrap-up.

May 14, 2013 Leave a Comment

The Georgia General Assembly concluded the 2013 session on Thursday, March 28 at midnight. It was a busy 40th day with the House and Senate reaching agreement on the $19.9 billion dollar budget, which represents a 3 percent increase over the last fiscal year’s budget. One very positive line item in the budget is $50 million dollars in additional funds for port deepening, bringing the total state funds allocated for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project to $231.1 million. On the final day of the session the House and Senate also agreed on ethics reform legislation, which further defines who can be considered a lobbyist, made changes to the fee structure for lobbyists and established new limits on lobbyist spending on state legislators.

Important groundwork was laid on HB 153, HB 176 and HB 186, which did not receive a vote in this session, but will remain active legislation the Chamber will advocate for in 2014.

The Chamber lobbied for several bills of note that did pass this legislative session, including:

SB 122 - This bill addresses a key concern for international employers by providing a temporary driving permit to a non-citizen employee who has filed a request to remain legally in this country, but whose driving permit has or will expire prior to the extension being granted.

HB 188 - This bill helps qualified military veterans and their spouses (who have been certified or trained in specific skilled trades) obtain expedited Georgia license or certification for certain professions.

HB 318 - Entitled The Georgia Tourism Development Act, this important piece of economic development legislation will provide greater access to capital for Georgia businesses. Included the re-authorization of the Angel Investor Tax Credit and created the Invest Georgia Fund.

HB 372 - -This bill changes the GPA requirement from 3.0 to the original 2.0 for students in technical colleges receiving the HOPE Grant, positively impacting workforce development and our technical colleges.

(Reprinted from the Cobb Chamber’s newsletter, “CURRENT,” May/June 2013.)

LIKE THIS BLOG? Then you’ll love our newsletter! Click HERE to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and be a neighbor in the know!

Filed Under: Business Blog, [Featured], [PostToSocial] Tagged With: Cobb Chamber of Commerce

Secretary McCarthy to Speak at Atlanta Regional Military Affairs Council Luncheon

April 30, 2013 Leave a Comment

The Cobb Chamber is hosting the 61^st Annual Atlanta Regional Military Affairs Council (ARMAC) Luncheon on May 20, 2013 with former Assistant Secretary of Defense Dennis M. McCarthy as the keynote speaker. Presented by ARMAC in partnership with the Georgia Military Affairs Coordinating Committee, the luncheon is a celebration of Cobb’s military community, recognizing the service and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. A highlight of the event is the presentation of the 2013 USO Patriot of the Year Award.

Lieutenant General McCarthy has served his country in many ways. After completing over 40 years of reserve and active military service, he served as Executive Director of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States and was later nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense. As Assistant Secretary, he was responsible for policy development and execution for more than one million members of the National Guard and Reserves of all services as well as establishing and maintaining positive relationships with the nation’s large and small employers whose support is essential to members of the Guard and Reserve. In 2010, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Capital University Law School and was named the Distinguished Alumnus for 2011. He is now Counsel to McCarthy Law Offices and a Principal at Military Experts, LLC. Recently, he was appointed by President Obama to serve as a member of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force, which studies the current structure of the Air Force and determine how the structure should be modified in order to fulfill mission requirements.

ARMAC provides a continuing effort to foster partnerships, education and a strong working relationship between the business and military communities in the metro Atlanta area. Every major military installation and military command in the metropolitan Atlanta area has a representative on the council’s executive committee and the men and women who serve on ARMAC are justly proud of the council’s service. The Cobb Chamber has been working with ARMAC since 1999, and is honored to help them celebrate their 61^th anniversary.

The 2013 ARMAC luncheon is sponsored by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, USO, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, UPS and VetJobs. Individual tickets are $50 and tables of 10 are $500. Table purchases include nine seats for the individual, plus one for a military representative.

If you would like more information on the event, visit www.cobbchamber.org/armac or contact Katherine Weinkle, Military Programs coordinator, at kweinkle@cobbchamber.org or 770-859-2348.

Filed Under: Business Blog, [Featured], [PostToSocial] Tagged With: Cobb Chamber of Commerce

Cobb Chamber recognizes local businesses for community service

December 11, 2012 Leave a Comment

After receiving a record number of nominations, the Cobb Chamber recognized 20 local companies for their commitment to supporting the non-profit community at its First Monday Breakfast, sponsored by the Cobb Community Foundation, today at the Cobb Galleria Centre.

The annual Cobb Chamber/Georgia Trend Magazine Business Community Service Awards recognize deserving Cobb businesses for their service to the community. Congratulations to the 2012 honorees:

Austell Gas System; nominated by Christian Aid Mission Partnership
Batson Cook Company; nominated by American Cancer Society
Cbeyond; nominated by The Center for Family Resources and kidz2leaders
Cobb County Sheriff’s Office; nominated by Cobb County Youth Museum
Cobb EMC; nominated by YWCA of Northwest Georgia
Gas South; nominated by Boys & Girls of Metro Atlanta, Cobb County and St. Vincent de Paul Society
Glory Haus; nominated by Gracepoint School, Inc.
The Home Depot; nominated by The PEARL Foundation
IBM; nominated by Keep Smyrna Beautiful
Keller Williams Realty West Cobb; nominated by SafePath Children’s Advocacy Center
LGE Community Credit Union; nominated by The Georgia Ballet
Lockheed Martin—AERO Club; nominated by The Salvation Army
Nalley Automotive Group; nominated by Nobis Works
Prestigious Cleaning Team; nominated by Bullock Hope House
Publix District #81; nominated by The Center for Children & Young Adults
Regions Bank; nominated by Communities in Schools of Marietta/Cobb County
Taqueria Tsunami; nominated by Reconnecting Families
Universal Tennis Academy; nominated by Dream Makers Youth Foundation
Velociteach; nominated by MUST Ministries, Parakaleo-Mission of North America and Toys for Tots
WellStar Health System; nominated by Friends of East Cobb Park

Three overall winners were presented the 2012 Sam Olens Business Community Service Award, named for the Cobb native and Georgia Attorney General. In the big business category, IBM was honored for its contribution to Keep Smyrna Beautiful. In the past year, 760 IBM employees have donated more than 3,000 hours of community service. In the small business category there was a tie, with Glory Haus and Velociteach each receiving the top awards. Glory Haus, a faith-based home décor wholesaler, orchestrated an open house sale to fund Gracepoint School, a school devoted to dyslexic students. At Velociteach, a project management training firm, every employee is an active volunteer and the company developed a customized Microsoft Office training curriculum for MUST Ministries—a vital tool for MUST’s clients.

For more information on the Cobb Chamber/Georgia Trend Business Community Service Awards, visit www.cobbchamber.org/bcsa or contact Becky Sosebee at 770-859-2354 or bsosebee@cobbchamber.org.

Filed Under: Business Blog, [Featured], [PostToSocial] Tagged With: Cobb Chamber of Commerce