2005business

GREATER ROME REALTORS HONOR DIPRIMA, BUSBIN: The Greater Rome Board of Realtors honored several of its members Wednesday during the annual awards luncheon:
>Humanitarian of the Year: Paul Diprima of Trinity Real Estate. Diprima is dedicated to the environment and has been a key organizer of the Trout Unlimited Annual Chili Cook Off since it's inception. He's credited with being "a valuable partner in protecting our riverways" and is an avid outdoorsman.

>Hall of Fame Award: Jack Busbin of Toles, Temple & Wright. Busbin has been active in the real estate industry for 40 years and is a past president of the board as well as past treasurer and served 10 years on the Rome/Floyd County Planning Commission (two as chair).

>Tom Wise, outgoing president, presented two President's Awards: One was to Brenda Wise, his wife and partner at Toles, Temple & Wright, and the other was to a non-Realtor member, Joanne Edmonds who is the agency executive of the board.

>Jan Baker, president of the Georgia Association of Realtors was on hand to swear in the new Greater Rome president, Trinie Davis of Jason Free Realty.

>The 2006 Board of Directors includes: Graham Dixon (president-elect); Mark Brewster (secretary/treasurer); Tom Wise (immediate past president); Mary Patton (local director); Julie Windler (local director); Ruth Terry (local director); Jimmy Byars (state director); Jim Harrington, (state director); and Ivanette Free.

ANOTHER SPIN WITH THE TOUR DE GEORGIA: Rome will be home to a fourth consecutive visit of the Tour de Georgia on April 19. Cyclists will cruise into Rome after starting in Fayetteville. Missing in '06: the time trial around Mount Alto, which moves to Walker County-Chattanooga. Also: Route, other updates > TOUR

TOURISM A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR PLAYER HERE, AND GROWING: From the Tour de Georgia to the minor league sports franchises to our everyday attractions, tourism is emerging as a huge economic engine in Rome/Floyd County.

A state report shows tourism expenditures totaled $92.72 million in 2004, up 3 percent, and generated $20.5 million in payroll, also a 3 percent bump. Some 1,160 people are directly or indirectly employed in tourism jobs. About $3.61 million in state taxes and $2.79 million in local taxes were generated by tourism (a point you hear often when a SPLOST proposal is floated). Overall, Floyd ranked 26th statewide in tourism expenditures last year.

The Floyd County economic impact study was completed by the Travel International Association and is a component of the Travel Economic Impact Model for the State of Georgia. The study concludes tourism is Georgia's no. 2 industry. Also: For every $1 spent marketing Georgia and Floyd County, $7.69 is returned to the community. This study also concludes state and local tourism saves Georgia households $367 a year in property taxes (state, $227; local, $140).

Lisa Smith, executive director of the Greater Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau, credits the increase in tourism expenditures to special events that have highlighted Floyd County. "The history, arts, culture, facilities and recreation make Floyd County the perfect location for a vast traveling audience," Smith said.

And more is on the way. Georgia Public Broadcasting is produced several shows that will highlight Rome/Floyd County's emerging tourism base. And we should hear next week whether we'll get a fourth slice of the Tour de Georgia (look for that announcement on Tuesday; the race would be in April).

HOT TOPIC COMING TO ROME: Hot Topic could be the next new tenant at Mount Berry Square. The retailer is advertising for a Rome store manager. It bills itself as "one of the fastest-growing mall-based specialty retailers, with over 592 Hot Topic stores, 76 Torrid stores and 115 new stores planned to open in 2005." It offers "music-licensed and influenced apparel, accessories and gift items." We're pursuing more. The nearest shop is in Dalton. The mall has added two other stores aimed at younger shoppers: Journeys Shoes and Aeropostale.

(From Shorter's PR Department) Dr. J. Robert White, executive director of the Georgia Baptist Convention, will be the featured speaker at Shorter College’s 10 a.m. commencement exercises on Saturday, Dec. 10. Speaking at Shorter’s 2 p.m. commencement program will be Duane L. Reid, president of Rome Ford Lincoln Mercury. Both ceremonies will be held in the college’s Winthrop-King Centre.

As executive director, Dr. White leads the 1.3 million-member Georgia Baptist Convention, the state affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has served on the SBC Empowering Kingdom Growth Task Force, the SBC Task Force on Cooperation, the Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and Schools, the Kentucky Baptist Convention and the Board of Trustees at Georgetown College in Kentucky.

A regular speaker and conference leader, he has led evangelistic missions to Hong Kong, Germany, Africa, South America and South Korea. Dr. White gives weekly meditations for “Sounds of Faith” on 94.9 Lite FM in Atlanta and has been a weekly host on the GoodNews television program.

A graduate of Samford University, Dr. White received both his Master of Divinity and his Doctor of Ministry degrees from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He has published several articles in Church Administration, Church Training and The Baptist Program and is the author of Healthy Kingdom Churches: Ten Qualities of Healthy Churches, which was published by Baxter Press in 2002.

As president, Mr. Reid has seen his Reid Automotive Group consistently ranked in the top 100 black-owned new automobile dealerships in America, as rated by Black Enterprise Magazine. In addition to his work at Rome Ford Lincoln Mercury, Mr. Reid has been president of Parkway Ford in Adairsville, D. Reid Inc., Reliance Reinsurance and Peachtree Ford-Mercury.

Mr. Reid was ranked in Business Vision magazine’s 25 African-American Influences in South Carolina in 1999 and given the Cherokee County NAACP Hall of Fame Award in 1997. Gov. Jim Hunt gave him the South Carolina Special Volunteer Award in 1997, and he was named the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year in 1995 by the State Job Training Council of South Carolina.

Mr. Reid earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Western Carolina University in 1982 and graduated from Ford Motor Company’s Dealer Training Program in 1992.

An estimated 209 students receiving the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Management will take part in the 10 a.m. ceremony.

The 2 p.m. ceremony will include approximately 192 students receiving the Associate of Science in Business, the Associate of Science in Ministry Studies, the Master of Business Administration and the Master of Arts degrees.

FOUR INTERESTED IN STADIUM PROJECT: Two companies with Atlanta offices submitted packages by Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline to do the design work on a new Barron Stadium; check their online portfolios here: Heery International (Heery) and Rosser International (Rosser). Look specifically at their sports complex work. Two other companies, Carter (Carter) and ADAMS Management Services Corp. (ADAMS), submitted proposals to assist with managing the stadium project. The city of Rome and Northwest Georgia LLC will review proposals between now and Monday, with decisions likely set for then. Pending resolution with county concerns on an intergovernmental agreement, work could begin soon with the current stadium's destruction set for February.

TURNER MCCALL PROJECTS CAUSE SPIKE IN RESTAURANT RUMORS: Speculation on new development on Turner McCall Boulevard is approaching Category Five intensity. It might be easier to list the restaurants NOT sniffing around Greater Rome as opposed to those believed to be perhaps months away.

The key sites in question are the front, two-acre slice of the Country Hearth Inn & Suites site purchased by Brooke Temple and Wayne Robinson for $1.3 million and the old Riverside lot just across the Oostanaula River.

The official word is "multiple parties" are interested (more on that below). The unofficial word is a virtual smorgasbord of chain restaurants. The Riverside spot, now controlled by Ledbetter Properties, could be home to as many as four restaurants before all is settled.

None of those names have been confirmed although we do have e-mails or calls into several corporate and regional offices. (Check the story below for what Starbucks had to say)

As for the "restaurant row" concept: Don't immediately discredit the idea. We already have one successful example from the Ledbetter group: Midtown Crossing, the shopping center off Shorter Avenue, is home to Provino's, Chick-fil-A Dwarf House, Longhorn, Gondolier, Las Palmas, the Asian restaurant, the former Schlotzsky's site now on the market and, just down the hill and now a year old, Moe's.

But how much, if any, of the speculation about the new sites is true? Announcements are said to be pending.

As for the Country Hearth changes: Bill Temple of Toles, Temple & Wright confirms our post from Tuesday morning. His firm has bought about two thirds of the hotel site; the remaining 45 or so rooms will be kept by J.B. Patel and remodeled as part of a smaller Country Hearth.

Demolition on the remainder will start within two weeks, Temple says, adding that the location "is a highly desirable commercial tract with excellent road frontage with possibly the highest traffic count in Floyd County." It also is just across Avenue A from the headquarters of Toles, Temple & Wright as well as Robinson's offices.

"At this point, there are no definite plans that can be announced. However, there are multiple parties interested in the site," Temple says.

In addition to restaurant use, speculation centers on office/professional. At least two banks are scouting locations around Rome but representatives with both say they're not looking at the hotel site.

We've just seen the new 330 Physicians Center open on the Floyd Medical Center campus just north of the hotel and Riverside sites (and don't forget Floyd's recent multimillion-dollar upgrade of the hospital itself). Also, the Medicine Shoppe location is being vacated as that business moves to the old Dean's Fifth Avenue spot.

The Chevron station at Broad Street and Turner McCall just was sold and is on the market again. Across Turner McCall, there's a zoning sign indicating work-to-come at the Moore & Massey jewelry store site.

The reborn Riverbend Center--also operated by Ledbetter Properties--is about to mark its second anniversary with a filled-to-capacity retail base. What remains to be seen is what will happen to the old Kroger and other vacant stores across Turner McCall and down Hicks.

Finally, add to the list the three lots Dixon & Tate just purchased fronting Turner McCall for a new office.

A bonus concerning just about all of these sites: the developers are reclaiming previously used sites as opposed to sprawl. Two excellent examples of how this has worked recently includes Riverbend Center and River Crossing, home to the Hawthorn Suites, Waterfront Grill & Bar, and new retail shops.

(10/18) SMALLER COUNTRY HEARTH PLANNED; STARBUCKS 'LOOKING': The Oostanaula riverfront is suddenly hot.

As clearing continues on the old Riverside auto site off Turner McCall, demolition will begin soon on part of the Country Hearth (formerly the Ramada).

J.B. Patel says he's sold nearly two acres of the hotel/restaurant site but plans to keep--and refurbish--the back end of the hotel. About 45 of the 157 rooms will be spared while a lobby and laundry area will be included, he says.

But the rest of Country Hearth appears destined for rubble with new construction on the way. Just what will go there isn't confirmed as yet.

The rumors put an office building there or perhaps a restaurant with a Starbucks.

Adding fuel to the speculation is word that several restaurants will rise at the former Riverside site sold by the Welborn family to Ledbetter Properties earlier this year. And that is restaurants with an S. More than one would be built there, perhaps as many as three. Plans for the Riverside site could be announced shortly.

As for Starbucks: "We cannot confirm a location in Rome at this time but we are looking for the perfect spot to serve our customers in the area. We look forward to announcing our plans in the coming months," says Alan Richardson, Southeast Regional Marketing Manager, Starbucks Coffee Co.

Reports of some site-shopping by Starbucks representatives have been plentiful since earlier this year. Also in flux is the Jittery Joe's location on Turner McCall. Some construction issues are holding it up. The Mocha Delites project is officially canned at 330 Physicians Center despite project bids that surfaced several months ago. A sandwich shop/restaurant is now slated for that slot.

FIRST-TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS DROP IN FLOYD:The number of laid-off workers seeking first time unemployment insurance dropped in Floyd County between August and September, and was significantly lower than this time last year.

Some 355 people sought assistance, down from 415 in August and 602 in September 2004.

The reverse was true in Bartow County where claims totaled 525 compared to 391 a month earlier. Versus September 2004, claims were slightly lower.

Gordon County saw a slight drop month over month (383 to 378) although the report was down considerably from the 536 claims in September 2005.

The filing rate was about flat in Chattooga County (56 in September and 54 in August). The same was true in Polk County (209 in September vs. 197 in August).

Statewide, the Department of Labor reported nearly 39,800 first-time filers, up 12 percent from August but that was attributed, in part, to Katrina evacuees. Some 3,700 interstate claims were filed here last month.

UPDATED/COOSA VALLEY TECH PLANS LOCAL TV OFFERINGS: Coosa Valley Technical College will be producing local content on Comcast Channel 4 beginning this fall. The programming will be cablecast from 4 to 5 p.m. and from 10:30-11:30 p.m.

The college is partnering with the city of Rome and the Rome-Floyd County Library to use the public education government channel. The program will feature interviews with local business and industry leaders, government and community leaders, and CVTC faculty and staff. Other segments will showcase the college's programs and services as well as provide general information about the college.

Coordinating the video is veteran newsman Don Hatcher, who has joined the college's marketing and public relations department. Hatcher has more than 35 years of broadcasting experience, including WXIA out of Atlanta and most recently as morning news anchor for Southern Broadcasting.

500 NEW JOBS COMING TO GORDON COUNTY: Calhoun-Gordon County is looking at 500 potential new jobs thanks to key developments the past two days.

The Faus Group Inc., a premium laminate flooring manufacturer, has acquired a site in Gordon County to expand its manufacturing and distribution operations in the United States. The project, based on 78 acres adjacent to Interstate 75 in Calhoun, will bring more than 350 new jobs to the North Georgia community over two years, according tot he Georgia Department of Economic Development.

A 400,000-square-foot building already on the property will house 280,000 square feet of manufacturing and 100,000 square feet of shipping and receiving. Administrative offices currently in Dalton will move to Calhoun. Offices should up and running by December with full production set for next summer

This news comes a day after LG Chemical opened its new plant there, bringing at least 75 jobs so far and more to come. As many as 100 additional jobs are possible.

BERRY'S EXECUTIVE ROUNDTABLE MEETS OCT. 13: Berry College alumna and Trustee Karen Holley Horrell is the featured speaker for Berry's 2005 Executive Round Table fall dinner set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Ford Dining Hall.

Horrell, president of corporate services and corporate senior vice president for the Great American Insurance Co. in Cincinnati, is the first woman in the 133-year history of her company to hold the position of senior vice president.

A 1974 Berry graduate who later earned her law degree from the Emory University School of Law, she is a member of the Berry College Board of Trustees and also serves on the planning and steering committees for Berry's $100 million Century Campaign.

The event will feature a presentation by Horrell, followed by a brief discussion period. Time for networking is also built into the schedule. For more, contact Andrew Landis at alandis@berry.edu or call John Parton at 706-238-5895. The deadline is Oct. 5. >BERRY

DAVIS, BAKER, MUMBER JOIN HERITAGE FIRST BOARDS

Area oncologist Dr. Matthew P. Mumber and veteran banker Michael H. Baker have been elected to the Board of Directors of Heritage First Bank.

Also, Dr. Kenneth F. Davis, president and CEO of Harbin Clinic, has been elected to the board of the bank's holding company, Heritage First Bancshares Inc.

The elections were announced by William B. Hurley, chairman and legal counsel for the bank as well as chair, CEO and legal counsel for the holding company.

Davis, a Rome native, attended Darlington School and the University of Georgia where he earned his bachelor of arts degree. He earned his medical doctorate degree from Emory University in Atlanta. Davis completed an internship and residency in surgery at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, where he also served as chief resident.

Davis began his surgical practice with the Harbin Clinic in 1986. During his medical practice, he served on the American College of Surgeons' Board; Board of Managers at Harbin Clinic; and Board of Directors at Floyd Medical Center.

He also served as chairman of the Medical Evaluation Committee at Floyd Medical Center and Chief of Surgery at Redmond Regional Medical Center.

Davis left his practice at Harbin Clinic in 2000 to pursue other business endeavors. He became president and CEO of Harbin Clinic in 2002.

He has served as the executive director of the Rome-Floyd Cancer Coalition. His other business partnerships include Hardy Realty, Lavender Mountain Hardware, The Oxygen Store and Jordan Davis Partners, a medical consulting company. He serves on the Board of Directors for W.L. Adams Co., Hydrodynamics Inc. and The Georgia Land Trust.

Davis is married to Laura Harbin Davis. They have two children, Helen and Drew, and they reside in Rome.

Baker has been in banking since 1982 and currently serves as executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Heritage First Bank, having joined the bank in June.

He previously spent 10 years with Regions Bank, Rome. Baker was affiliated with Home Federal Savings Bank in Rome as well as First Union National Bank of Georgia, Rome, and Calhoun First National Bank, Calhoun.

He received his bachelor's of science degree in Accounting and Management from Jacksonville State University in 1980, and two years later completed his master's of business administration degree from Jacksonville State University. In 1989, Baker completed studies at the Graduate School of Banking of the South, conducted at Louisiana State University.

Baker is an active participant in local civic and economic development endeavors. He serves on the Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society and The Sexual Assault Center of Northwest Georgia, as well as the William S. Davies Homeless Shelter.

He is a past president and member of the Kiwanis Club of Rome and a member of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce. Baker also is a member of the Leadership Rome Alumni Association and Rome First United Methodist Church, where he served as finance chairman from 2002-2004.

Baker and his wife, Melanie, have three children and one grandchild.

Mumber is a native of Camp Hill, Penn. He received his undergraduate degree Cum Laude from the University of Virginia and is a 1991 graduate of UVA Medical School. He completed his Internship at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga Unit and his Residency in the Radiation Oncology Division of Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston Salem, N.C.

He is board certified by the American Board of Radiology-Radiation Oncology and the American Board of Holistic Medicine, having received his National Board of Medical Examiners license in 1992.

Currently, he serves as a radiation oncologist at the Harbin Clinic Radiation Oncology Center at Rome and as principal investigator for that group. From 2002 until 2004, he also served as a reviewer for the Integrative Medicine Reviews, Oakstone Publications at Johns Hopkins University.

He also serves as a clinical assistant professor at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and a group facilitator at the University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine. He has been published on numerous occasions over the past decade.

Mumber is a current member of the American Medical Association, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, American Society of Clinical Oncology and president of the Seventh District Medical Society.

He is a Radiation Safety Officer with the Floyd Medical Center Society and a member-at-large of the Georgia Radiological Society. He sits on the Board of Directors of the Medical Association of Georgia and the Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education as well as the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology.

He has served as secretary of the Seventh District Medical Society and president of the Floyd, Polk and Chattooga Medical Society.

Active in civic endeavors, Mumber is a board member of the Rome Little Theatre, founder and CEO of Many Streams Healing Systems Inc., and facilitator of the Integrative Oncology Support Group.

He serves as chairman of the Rome Floyd County Cancer Initiative and the Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition. He also is co-chairman of the Harbin Clinic Cancer Center Executive Steering Committee.

He and his wife, Laura, have three sons: J.T., Sam and Marcus.

Said Hurley of the elections: "I am pleased to welcome these three exceptional individuals to our bank board and holding company board. These additions expand the abilities of the boards to lead this institution into the years ahead, as each brings talents and understanding of our communities into the board room."

BROWN NAMED DEAN OF SHORTER'S EDUCATION, SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT: Dr. Bill Brown is the new dean of the School of Education and Social Sciences at Shorter College. Previously, Brown was chair for Shorter's department of education.

Barbara Knox "Dr. Brown (left) did a superb job of creating harmony and focus within the department of education," said Shorter College provost, Dr. H. William Rice. "He was also an effective leader during the January 2005 visit of the Professional Standards Commission, the agency that accredits education programs. I am confident that he will be an excellent dean."

Brown is a 1979 University of Tennessee graduate, earning his Doctor of Education in curriculum and instruction. Prior to joining Shorter in 2004, Brown worked at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Ky., where he served as institutional EPSB programs coordinator and associate professor of education.

BRIAN DILL TO LEAD FORSYTH CHAMBER'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Brian C. Dill has been named vice president of economic development for the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce.

For almost three years, Dill was director of economic development with the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce. He held similar positions with Newnan Utilities; Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia; and the Ashburn-Turner County Chamber of Commerce.

Most recently, Dill has been the national marketing manager for Branson Tractor Co. in Rome.

Dill is joining the Cumming-Forsyth chamber at a time of change. James McCoy took over as president in July. Previously, the president was the lead marketer for the community. An economic development department was created to focus on recruiting businesses and working with existing employers.

The Chason Group of Cartersville recruited McCoy and later Dill.

Dill was born in Irwinville, Ga., and is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He was a member of the UGA Redcoat Marching Band. He is married to the former Carmen Bouknecht of Athens. They have a 3-year-old son, Mason

PIRELLI EXPANDS GEORGIA OPERATIONS, TIES: A five-year research and development partnership between Pirelli and the Georgia Institute of Technology is in the works to develop new optical components and systems, as well as broadband access technology for future high-speed telecommunications networks.

Pirelli and scientists from the Georgia Electronic Design Center at Georgia Tech will study a new generation of integrated optical systems based on nanotechnologies and solutions for advanced home networking.

Atlanta becomes the North American operational branch of Pirelli Labs, the company's advanced research center based in Milan, Italy. Pirelli Labs specializes in broadband access and second generation photonics.

Pirelli also is consolidating its North American corporate staff activities in the new Atlanta center, including the headquarters of Pirelli Broadband Solutions, a new company that engineers and markets the innovations conceived in Pirelli Labs.

"Pirelli has a great history here in Georgia, with tire facilities in Rome," said Gov. Sonny Perdue, referring to Pirelli Tire North America's headquarters here. "I am very proud that this great company has chosen Georgia as its new North American headquarters and also selected Georgia as the home of its new company-- Pirelli Broadband Solutions."

Pirelli's location in Atlanta will include laboratory space in the Technology Square Research Building at Georgia Tech, as well as additional headquarters space next door in the Centergy One building. Pirelli's initial team will consist of executive, engineering, scientific, marketing and sales professionals.

The partnership is Pirelli's latest expansion in Georgia. In December, Pirelli Tire announced plans to open a 247,000-square-foot distribution center in Henry County. Pirelli's Rome headquarters opened in 2002.

ROME'S JOBLESS RATE DROPS TO 5.2 PERCENT: The unemployment rate in Rome dropped from 5.6 to 5.2 percent last month. The community added 200 jobs, or from 42,500 to 42,700. The unemployment rate was the same as August 2004 (5.2 percent). The Georgia picture: Also 5.2 percent in August, down from 5.6 percent. That compares to 4.9 percent a year earlier. Source: State Department of Labor.

FIRST-TIME JOBLESS CLAIMS DROP IN ROME, STATE: Greater Rome saw an 18 percent drop in first-time claims for unemployment insurance in August compared to July. Some 435 people sought assistance last month, down from 538 in July.

Mike Burnes has been named Berry College's new dean of student work and experiential learning. Burnes, who grew up in Rome, formerly served as associate dean of the Community and Technical College of the University of Alaska Anchorage .

He has an undergraduate degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master's degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Dayton, Ohio. He accepted his position at the University of Alaska Anchorage after a 20-year career in the Air Force.

Burnes replaces John Heneisen, who retired in June after 22 years as dean of student work.

Dawn Garrett is Shorter College's new staff accountant. She'll perform monthly closing duties, prepare monthly reports and journal entries, and reconcile accounts.

She previously served as staff accountant at Universal Tax Systems for six years. A Darlington graduate, Garrett earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in public accounting from Georgia Southern University in 1993.

Coosa Valley Technical College's Business Expansion Center is teaming with Appalachian Community Enterprises to offer micro-loan services to new and existing small businesses with five or less employees.

Founded in 1999 by Grace Fricks, ACE is a non-profit, certified community development financial institution that offers assistance in the areas of business loans, training and technical support to new and existing businesses with less than five employees. ACE businesses are in more than 30 Georgia counties.

The Business Expansion Center will assist ACE by functioning as the beginning stage of the micro loan program. The center provides entrepreneurs and small businesses with a unique environment to help enhance their opportunity for success by providing low-cost office and manufacturing space, professional support services and access to CVTC resources.

"The micro-loan program will be a great addition to the many resources that the Business Expansion Center offers to entrepreneurs and small business owners," said Pete McDonald, CVTC's vice president of economic development.

HERTIAGE COMPLETES DEKALB PURCHASE

Heritage First Bancshares Inc. has completed the purchase of DeKalb Bancshares Inc., parent company of DeKalb Bank in Northeast Alabama.

Heritage First Bancshares now manages assets in excess of $90 million. The move places the Rome-based company in adjoining markets with a combined deposit base of $1.8 billion.

"This acquisition fits into our strategic plan very well," said Heritage First Chairman and CEO William B. Hurley. "We will now have two institutions under our holding company which will allow us to offer an unlimited array of loan products and to expand into other markets in other states which offer a strategic fit to our organization.

"We are pleased to be coming together with an institution that has the integrity and character of the Broyles and Beck families in DeKalb Bank," said Hurley, referring to W.M. Beck Jr., chairman of DeKalb Bancshares.

John Branam, Heritage First Bank's president and CEO, said: "We are excited about the growth we have experienced in Rome and Floyd County since our inception in December of 2002. We are the first bank headquartered in Floyd County in recent history which has purchased another institution and expanded outside the Floyd County market and outside the state of Georgia.

"We appreciate the hard work of our staff and continued support of our board members and shareholders as the Heritage First Bank family moves forward."

Photo shows William B. Hurley, Heritage First Bancshares Inc. chairman & CEO (far left) and John W. Branam, Heritage First Bank President & CEO (far right), with the DeKalb Bank staff.

SHORTER ANNOUNCES 12 NEW FACULTY MEMBERS

(From Shorter's PR office): Twelve new faculty members have joined Shorter College:

Dr. Dwight Cassity will serve as an associate professor of political science. He holds doctoral and master's degrees in political science and history from Manchester College. Cassity taught at Georgia Highlands College (formerly Floyd College) for 29 years as a professor of political science.

Tom Earp, a previous communication adjunct instructor at Shorter, now joins the communication arts faculty full time. Earp has taught at Berry College, Florida College, Hillsborough Community College, Miami-Dade Community College and the University of South Florida. He earned both a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts in communication from the University of South Florida.

Rick Gomez, assistant professor of music, comes to Shorter from Lewisville, N.C., where he taught and served as the director of fine arts at Forsyth County Day School. He earned a Master of Music in vocal performance from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor of Arts in music-voice from Wake Forest University.

Ahmad Hayat, Shorter's golf coach and a business instructor at the college since 2003, now joins Shorter as a full-time assistant professor of business. Hayat received a Master of Business Administration from Johnson and Wales University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in financial management from Shorter College.

Lisa Keith will serve as an assistant professor of biology. Keith earned a Master of Science from Wright State University and a Bachelor of Science from Berry College. Keith has taught at Berry College since 2001. Previously, she served as research assistant and grant coordinator at Wright State University.

Chris Kelly joins Shorter as an assistant professor of art. He holds a Master of Fine Arts from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Prior to joining Shorter's faculty, Kelly served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of North Florida and Florida Community College and taught at Episcopal High School, Allen D. Nease High School, the University of Montevallo and the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Dr. Brian Nedvin has been named as an assistant professor of music. Nedvin earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts in vocal performance from the University of North Texas. He was recognized as the voice department's Outstanding Graduate Student in 2002 and the Outstanding Teaching Fellow in 2003.

Dr. David Oliver is serving as an associate professor of music. Oliver received a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Music from Baylor University, all in piano performance. Oliver taught at the University of Minnesota, Tarleton State University, Northland College, Central Michigan University and the Conservatory of Music at the University of St. Thomas. He won first place in both the Josef Hofmann Piano Competition and the Baylor University Concerto Competition.

Dr. James Scarry joins Shorter as an assistant professor of history. Scarry holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in history from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and holds both a Master of Arts in history and a Bachelor of Science in education from Kent State University. Scarry taught at Cleveland State University and Ashland University; he served as a 2001 Fulbright Professor at the University of Turku, Finland.

Dr. William Henry "Dusty" Spates will serve as an assistant professor of English. Spates holds a doctoral degree in English renaissance literature from the University of St. Andrews. He also holds a Master of Arts in English from the University of Central Florida and a Bachelor of Arts in English and studio art from Shorter College.

Dr. Robert L. Turner joins Shorter as an assistant professor of Spanish. Turner holds a doctoral degree from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Arts from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University, all in Spanish literature. Turner previously served as a faculty member at Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia.

Robert E. Wallace has been named as an assistant professor of religion. Wallace holds a doctoral degree in biblical studies from Baylor University. Wallace taught as an adjunct faculty member at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Wallace has served as pastor at Leroy Church, First Baptist Church of Golinda and Hillltop Baptist Church.

COOSA JOBLESS RATE DROPS A BIT: The unemployment rate in the Coosa Valley area dropped from 5.2 percent in June to 5.1 percent last month. The jobless rate in July 2004: 4.6 percent. In Rome, the job rate was 5.7 percent, the same as in June. In July 2004, it was 4.8 percent. The state's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.6 percent from June to July. A year ago, it was 5.0. Although the statewide rate was unchanged month to month, Georgia lost 12,300 jobs in July, mostly among seasonal workers at the local public schools, reports the state Department of Labor.

Rome's labor market lost 400 jobs between June and July, state reports show. There were 42,900 jobs in June and 42,500.

What that will mean to the region's jobless rate won't be released for another week. The state's overall unemployment rate for July remained unchanged from the previous month: 5.6 percent.

Still, Georgia lost 12,300 jobs in July, mostly among seasonal workers at the local public schools.

While a Rome site isn't in the immediate future, Cracker Barrel indeed plans an Adairsville site. Look for it to rise near I-75, south of the Calhoun shop.

"Yes, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. has purchased land in Adairsville. We have every intention of building on this location but a construction date has not yet been finalized," says corporate spokesman Jim Taylor via e-mail today.

Overall development in Adairsville, especially at Ga. 140 near I-75, is red hot these days.

As for Rome? In a Monday note, Taylor wrote: "We're continuing to develop the Georgia market but there are no definite plans right now for Rome."

H&R BLOCK JOINS ROME CENTER: At least one lease has been signed for the new center in front of Wal-Mart on U.S. 411: H&R Block. Another lease should be done this week with two more pending, according to Windsor Realty Group. The six-store center should open in late September.

JOBLESS RATE JUMPS IN FLOYD, REGION: The percentage of people without jobs jumped in the five-county area in June when compared to May and the same month a year ago.

The number of people without jobs in Floyd, Bartow and Chattooga counties topped the statewide average.

Bartow's unemployment rate was 6.2 percent, up from 5.9 percent in May and 5.5 percent in June 2004.

Floyd's jobless rate was 5.7 percent, up from 5.2 percent in May and from 4. 9 percent a year earlier.

Chattooga also posted a 5.7 percent unemployment rate, up from 5.0 in May and 5.2 in June 2004.

Gordon County also saw a spike, to 5.4 percent from 4.7 percent both in May and in June 2004.

Polk County's idle labor force stood at 5.6 percent, up from 5.0 and 5.2 percent.

Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond blame a surge in high school and college students into the market for causing the statewide increase.

Georgia’s unemployment rate in June rose to 5.6 percent, up from 5.0 May. The state’s jobless rate stood at 5.1 percent in June of 2004.

'GEORGIA BACKROADS' MOVES TO ROME

One of the state's leading history, travel and lifestyle publications is moving to Rome effective Friday.

Georgia Backroads has been purchased by local attorney Daniel M. Roper, who's moving its office from Roswell to Martha Berry Highway. Moving day is Friday.

Roper will go "of counsel" at Smith, Shaw & Maddox in order to devote more time to the magazine, which is published on a March, June, September and December. Roper and a secretary will move into the office.

Much of the magazine is produced by writers on a contract basis; Roper (left) himself has been a contributor for 11 years.

He's been negotiating to buy the magazine from the retiring Olin Jackson since November; the deal finally came through in June.

Georgia Backroads has a circulation of about 18,000 copies per issue, half subscription and half sold at newsstands. The Web site is www.georgiabackroads.com and Roper is planning some enhancements to the site in coming months.

Georgia Backroads is a statewide publication that evolved from the North Georgia Journal, founded 21 years ago. The title was changed in 2001 to give the publication a larger exposure and overall distribution.

It is the latest magazine to make news in our market; two regional publications have been launched in the last 18 months.

Coosa Valley Living, an advertiser-friendly bimonthly from Connect Marketing in Woodstock, is into its second year. In April, The Northwest Georgian was mailed to more than 60,000 households in a five-county area. A second edition reportedly will be published this summer or fall.

NEW POST OFFICE COMES INTO FOCUS

We should know more later today about the new 34,000-square-foot main post office planned for Rome.

Key developments regarding project bids are due today. The new post office is planned for a site just below the main office of Greater Rome Bank on Martha Berry Highway. Included would be 231 parking spaces.

The project's general contractor is listed as R.K. Redding Construction out of Bremen.

The government is purchasing nine or 10 acres from Martin's Real Estate; the deal is nearing closure. A new traffic light is likely with the project as well.

Mail sorting duties moved from the federal building at Sixth Avenue and First Street to the Battey Building on the Bypass at Ga. 53 in 2004. The retail and customer operations remain at the downtown site while other federal offices are expanding there.

Postal officials previously said they'd like to reunite both sorting duties and retail operations at a new location.

This area already is seeing some change. Greater Rome Bank is adding on to its office and the U.S. 27 widening project below John Davenport should be finalized soon.

Megan Wilson has been promoted from teller to Loan Operations at Heritage First Bank.

Wilson, who joined the bank in August 2004, is a 1998 graduate of Pepperell High School and attended Floyd College.

She attends Lakeview Baptist Church and supports the Alzheimer's Association, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and Coosa River Basin Initiative.

ROME/FLOYD JOB SEEKERS JUMP

An additional 300 people sought work in Rome/Floyd County last month even as fewer people sought first-time unemployment benefits.

The Georgia Department of Labor said 42,900 people sought employment in Rome/Floyd, up from 42,600 in May.

Some 383 people filed for first-time unemployment insurance benefits, down from 609 in May and less than half the 994 who filed in June 2004.

PENNINGTON JOINS TRADE MISSION TO CANADA

Mike Pennington, director of economic development for the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce, will be accompanying Gov. Sonny Perdue and 45 others on a trade mission to Canada next week.

The trip is set for July 26-28 and its mission is to create opportunities for increasing trade, investment and tourism as well as to seek support for Georgia's candidacy to become the headquarters of the Free Trade Area of the Americas.

The group will stop in both Toronto and Montreal. State economic leaders, local chamber officials and representatives from Delta Air Lines, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Georgia Power, InterContinental Hotels and others will make the trip.

rome gets two 'traderoots' stops

Rome will have two "TradeRoots" stops in coming weeks.

The progam by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is designed to help smaller communities connect with "marketplaces around the world."

Seven Georgia cities are included in the TradeRoots program, including Rome.

The two events set for here include:

-An Aug. 10 session on current U.S. trade agreements. The meeting will be held at Georgia Highlands College.

-An Aug. 24 session, also at Georgia Highlands, focusing on profitable exporting.

All workshops begin at 8:30 or 9 a.m. and last for three hours. Depending on the workshop, registration is either $30 or $45. For more information or to register, contact Valisia Lippitt at 404-962-4126 or vlippitt@georgia.org.

CHAMBER MAKES 'MAJOR LEAGUE' PITCH

A half-page ad in the Saturday edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Business section is a major league expense.

The Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce made that pitch and did it with an interesting theme: "From the Minors to the Majors...."

The example the chamber used: How 2003 Rome Braves superstars Kyle Davies, Jeff Francouer, Brian McCann and Blaine Boyer are now playing for the major league club, the Atlanta Braves.

"Take your business from the minors to the majors in Rome, Ga.," the ad's tagline says.

The ad features the chamber and Rome Braves' logos as well as those of State Mutual Insurance Co., TaxWise, Southeastern Mills, OTR and Peach State Labs.

The ad also lists the "major league players who have joined the Rome team since 2000 in Floyd County:" Pirelli, Suzuki, F&P Georgia, General Shale Brick, Neaton Rome and Bransom Tractors.

The idea is a clever one. The baseball players indeed are bringing a new focus to the Rome Braves and the city itself. The chamber has taken that added exposure and used it to pump other "major leaguers" in Rome/Floyd County."

Getting page 3 of the Saturday AJC also is a coup. It features the weekly stocks update for one and that edition of the paper itself probably was delivered to and sold to more than 500,000 customers.

The chamber has used state/regional magazine advertising in the past. This newsprint push should provide some interesting results.

The timing also is good. It keeps Rome/Floyd out there among industrial development officials even as some recent projects pick sites closer to the I-20 area.

WRGA ADDS 'SOUTHERN SPORTS ROUNDTABLE'

A new Sunday evening sports show as well as twice-daily sports commentary are coming to WRGA (1470 AM/95.3 FM) next month.

Armuchee resident Norman Arey, (left) who recently retired from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and who led the Sportswriters Roundtable on Atlanta radio for 11 years, will anchor both features.

Southern Sports Roundtable will be broadcast from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundays starting Aug. 7.The program will feature Arey as well as guests, talking mostly about college sports. It will precede the Georgia Bulldogs call-in show on Sunday nights when football season gets under way.

Arey's daily sports commentary will air at 8:15 a.m. as well as in the afternoon, perhaps between 4 and 6 p.m., beginning Aug. 1.

Arey covered sports and later Northwest Georgia for the AJC. He's lived in Armuchee since September 2001 and was the lead reporter on the newspaper's coverage of the Tri-State Crematory case.

He was among the AJC sportswriters who participated in the Sportswriters Roundtable, first broadcast on WSB and later on WGST and 680 The Fan.

HOYT JOINS HERITAGE FIRST BANK BOARD

Local attorney Wade C. Hoyt III has been elected to Heritage First Bank's Board of Directors, according to William B. Hurley, board chairman.

Hoyt is a member and managing partner of The Hoyt Firm established in 1992. He received his bachelor's of arts degree from the University of Georgia and subsequently his Juris Doctorate from UGA.

He was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia in 1971 and is an active member of both the Georgia and Tennessee bar associations.

Hoyt served as Floyd County attorney from 1991 until 2003 and is a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association as well as the American Trial Lawyers Association. He also is an active member of the Nine O'Clock Cotillion Club and chief financial officer of CJC Inc., doing business as Fuddruckers Inc. in Rome.

A past member and former membership chairman of the Rome Rotary Club, Hoyt is married to the former Gayle Duncan. They have three children and seven grandchildren, and are members of the First Presbyterian Church of Rome where he has served on the board of deacons and as past president of the Men of the Church.

"Heritage First Bank is honored to welcome Wade C. Hoyt III to our Board of Directors," Hurley said. "He has long been a part of the professional community in Rome and we are extremely proud to add an individual of his caliber to our board. His leadership and guidance will help shape our bank's future."

Greater Rome's Business Update

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