If you have ever stopped to think about the construction industry, you would realize it is quite a unique field. The construction industry affects everyone’s life and it offers products whose value can increase over time. It is also an industry where brick & mortar meets cutting edge technology and offers a wide range of challenging employment opportunities.
Since he has been in office, Senator Richard Shelby has put Alabama and its workers ahead of all other things.
Oftentimes, the subject of long-term care and the needs of aging relatives is the elephantin the room. No one wants to talk about it, but addressing it now and making plans early can result in more options and less stress for everyone in the family. It’s a decision that impact the “baby boomers” in our community who are integral to the history of our area.
As we reflect on 2015 and prepare for the transition to 2016, there is much talk about “Top News Stories,” “Top Political Stories,” “Most Read Stories,” “Top Newsmakers” and the like. Unfortunately, in the interest of selling papers and racking up page views, these lists rarely appeal to our best nature or discuss how great it is to live in the best nation on the planet.
When you interview for a new position, especially in a new community, it’s an exchange of thoughts and ideas that both sides hope will lead to a good fit.
Now more than ever, corporations have numerous options when deciding where to invest their capital dollars. Our local companies not only compete with other U.S. operations, but other corporate facilities throughout the world.
Collaboration is a powerful word and an even more powerful concept.
A city center is often where a great deal of a community's business is coordinated and where government resides. Having a vibrant center has become an important indicator of the strength of a community. More and more, communities are investing in new infrastructure and making a dedicated effort to make their centers more inviting and successful. In recent years, Decatur's leaders have made the revitalization of ours a high priority goal.
The importance of effective communication in the workplace cannot be stressed enough. It is an indispensable entrepreneurial skill that can be learned and nurtured for improved productivity and successful achievement of goals.
North Alabama – specifically our beloved Tennessee River – is known as one of the richest bodies of water for sports fishing in the country. That's not just my opinion. Drive by Ingalls Harbor boat launch and the Pavilion during a tournament weekend and count the number of boat trailers. Better yet, count the number of different state license plates on those trailers. This area's reputation for sport fishing is represented in the diversity of the states that come here, both for recreation and competition.
As I complete my one-year tenure as board chair, I tried to decide what was the most memorable part of this exciting ride. While proud of all the programs and initiatives started and expanded this year, the thing that stands out for me was meeting so many great people from our community. These folks, while wonderful in their own rights, were part of a bigger picture – a picture of a community coming together to make this a better place.
If you live in Morgan County, you know what a great community this is to live, work and play. Awarding winning and high test score achieving school systems, low cost of living, several Fortune 500 companies who are engaged in the community and natural beauty that rival any other part of our country.
But sometimes, we have to remember to tell people about it.
Every child has worth. Every child should be given the tools and the chance to be successful. And that's why Pre-K education matters.
It is the season when we read and see lists about the year past. In newspapers and on television we see "Top 10 Stories of 2014," "Most Read Stories of 2014," "Most Intriguing People of 2014," "Top Photos of 2014," etc. It seems like, more often than not, these stories are not of a positive nature.
If we were to make our list in Morgan County it would be stories about events and people who are changing our community in a very positive way. With that tone in mind, here is your Chamber's "Top Five Stories of 2014 That Make Us Proud to be from Morgan County."
Ask any realtor, and they will tell you the three most important factors in their business are location, location and location.
The same can be said when you're looking to market you own business or organization. Getting in front of the right audience at the right time can mean success or failure for your brand. So doesn't it make sense to use your marketing dollars in the most efficient ways possible?
This is why the Chamber's Total Resource Campaign (TRC) should matter to you.
One.
That's the number of people it takes to make a difference in our community.
And what is the single easiest thing one person can do to make a difference in our community?
As we approach the election season and the end of 2014, it is time for us to look ahead and make plans for what already appears to be a dynamic 2015 for our country.
500 volunteers. 500 volunteers hammering nails, painting walls, washing windows, cutting grass, gathering paper products. Each year, the second Tuesday of September arrives with Morgan County's finest stepping up to make a difference in our community.
Being part of the Leadership Committee at the Chamber is like many things in life – the title and the reality don't always match.
Have you ever asked a high school girl, "what are you doing this summer?" Did you expect her to answer "a little welding, little electrical work and perhaps a chance to meet my future employer?"
As many know, this Chamber is about to embark on a capital campaign – the first in nearly five years. And as part of our pre-campaign feasibility study, our consultants gathered much insightful feedback regarding the Chamber's perceived performance to date and the plans for the future. Our consultants forced the interviewees to rank our program of work in relative importance to them. The results were telling.
Well, I guess it is never too late to learn new things.
This is my first ever blog post, which goes to the subject of this piece.
