4589 address Macon

www.imediagroup.biz/addressmacon

Compliments of Imedia GroupYour business development partner for design, printing, and publishing.

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On The Cover:from left to right

Robbie andAnna Roberts,

Bruce Allen & Tom Sands

5 my perspective

7 bulletpoints

15 components of success

64 press

29 Economic Impact: The United Way of Central GeorgiaFormerly a “gifting” organization supporting hundreds of charities, the organization now focuses on treating specific social and economicchallenges in the community.Mark Hoerrner

37 Benefit the Cause, Benefit the CommunityFrom humble beginnings to the catalyst for $40 million in gifts used for charitable purposes, the Community Foundation of Central Georgiais committed to enhancing the local non-profit arena and providing the highest level of service to its donors.By Katherine Walden

42 Destined to ServeAs the current Vice President of Professional Services for the Medical Center of Central Georgia, as well as the recently elected president of the 100 Black Men of Macon, Tom Sands has committed himself to serving the Central Georgia community, whether it is on the job or outside the office.By Kevin Manus

48 Start UpsWhen one door closed, another one opened for each of these five innovative former Brown & Williamson employees turned entrepreneurs.By Rick Maier

54 Growing International FriendshipsDrs. Bruce and Jennifer Allen’s fervor for world travel has not only brought them enlightenment, but it has also built international friendshipsand led foreign dignitaries to their history and culturally enriched home.By Judy Rocker

features

departments

contentsvolume 2 • number 5

37

48

29

4 www.imediagroup.biz/addressmacon

address Macon is published bi-monthly by Imedia Group.Copyright address Macon 2006. Reproduction in whole orpart without permission is prohibited. Advertising rates avail-able on request. The publishers are not responsible for thecomments of authors or for unsolicited manuscripts.Distribution is to business executives and developing youngprofessionals in Bibb and surrounding counties. All manu-scripts, photos, drawings, or letters will be treated as uncon-ditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes,and as such are subject to address Macon’s unrestrictedright to edit or comment editorially.

Macon’s Business Magazine

4360 San Carlos DriveMacon, Georgia 31206478-314-2285 phone

478-314-2294 fax

website:www.imediagroup.biz/addressMacon

email:[email protected]

Imedia GroupPublisher

Ronald T. WilliamsChairman

David S. CanadyPresident

Dawn BurkhalterChief Financial Officer

Vicki MillsSean WatersTim Anderson

Advertising Sales

Jessica Walden-GrinerEditor

Susie AllenRobb Gensic

Graphic Designers

Designed & Printed by Imedia Group

Photography Ken Krakow Photography

www.kenkrakow.com

Contributing WritersDavid S. Canady

Mark HoerrnerRick Maier

Kevin ManusKathleen Medlin

Judy RockerKristen Soles

Katherine Walden

A product of Imedia Group

addressDelivering Components of Success

opportunities in our Bulletpoints section, editorial features and

departmental stories, and of course, great readers and distribution for

advertising frequency. I look forward to and appreciate your input.

Remember the year is far from over. We still have more than 10

percent of the year left to go. Take advantage of it.

To our mutual success,

The die is cast – elections, for the most part, are

over and done. And the DAWGS are the victors over

the Auburn Tigers. No more solicitations calls and

no more taunting by War Eagles for another year.

Life is good.

In a recent conversation with an address

Macon reader, I was questioned concerning the

orientation of our editorial content. Basically it was

under the premise, “Where do you get all of your

ideas and aren’t you afraid you are going to run out

of them?” My response: “Never! Everyone has an

interesting story to tell. Sometimes you just have to

dig a little deeper than others.”

Fact of the matter, for address Macon, people

are the differentiating factor. No matter what your

favorite subject matter to read – business, sports,

decorating, wine or travel – it is always more

interesting to read when the story contains

someone you know, would like to know or find

interesting. Personally, I think the real experts on

any subject matter are those who have lived

through an experience, not just studied it.

As far as the “experts” we feature in address,

“you can’t judge a book by its cover.” Take for

example the couple whose picture adorns this page.

Upon first meeting Drs. Bruce and Jennifer Allen,

you are immediately impressed by their well-versed

knowledge on many subject matters, their poise

and professional nature. A picture is worth a

thousand words, so you now have some hint that

while all of my fore mentioned descriptions are accurate,

the Allens are also fun-loving, outgoing and genuine people.

Knowing what little I did about the Allens prior to Judy Rocker’s

interview, I was excited with the story potential. The most interesting

aspect surrounding the Allens’ new home featured in address is not

the contents you see. The most interesting aspect is the stories

coinciding with their collections. They are truly a renaissance duo.

As the holidays and 2007 approach, I am motivated to skip the

typical traditions of New Year’s resolutions. While you are reading

this issue in November, we are in full steam with our plans for the

next several issues. This forward planning has allowed me to look

beyond my annual year-end review and develop a process for

continual planning and re-evaluation.

addresss is Macon’s champion for business, but we have to

know about your business to be of benefit. We offer free press

address my perspective

Drs. Bruce and Jennifer Allen

www.kenkrakow.com

David S. CanadyPublisher, address Macon


“Since 1998, Macon Occupational Medicine has been a clinical site for the Medical Assisting Program

at CGTC. The internship offers training in the field of occupational and environmental medicine. The

internship also allows us the opportunity to evaluate the students for future employment. The students

are already well trained by the time they get to their internship, which is a reflection of CGTC’s quality

instructional program.”

— Bill Lindsey, MHA, FACHE, PHRSenior Vice PresidentMacon Occupational Medicine, LLC

www.centralgatech.eduphone: 478.757.3400

As partners in workforce development, Macon OccupationalMedicine provides clinical sites forinternships and employs graduates of Central Georgia Technical College.

Pictured, clockwise from top: Laurie Gregory, RN, Nurse Director; Linda Morgan, 2004 CGTC Graduate; Amy McDonald, Current CGTC Student; and Arthur Meadows, 2001 CGTC Graduate.

PPaarrttnneerrss iinn WWoorrkkffoorrccee DDeevveellooppmmeenntt


BULLETPOINTS•••••••••••••••••••••••corporatebusiness ventures •events•awards•sales reports•moving•new

The Shoppes at River CrossingBreak Ground

A groundbreaking ceremony for The Shoppes at River Crossing was held on

September 12 with local business and government leaders joining executives

from Jim Wilson & Associates, Inc. and General Growth Properties, Inc., the

two companies that are building the 750,000 square-foot regional shopping and

entertainment center at I-75 and Riverside Drive. The center is scheduled to

open in the Spring 2008 with upscale specialty stores, restaurants, two depart-

ment stores and five mid-size anchor stores. The Shoppes at River Crossing will

be the first open-air retail and entertainment center in Bibb County and will

serve a 22-county trade area in Central Georgia. “We look forward to serving the

people of the heart of Georgia,” said John Bergstrom, senior vice president,

development of General Growth Properties. “We will introduce retail stores and

restaurants that Macon will embrace, situated in an environment that visitors

will want to enjoy time and time again.”

Macon Hosts ConvenienceStore & Petroleum Trade

Show for Third YearFor the third year in a row, Macon hosted convenience

store and petroleum retailers from throughout Georgia and

the Southeast at the Southern Convenience Store &

Petroleum Show at the Macon Centreplex on October 25 &

26. The event, sponsored by the Georgia Association of

Convenience Stores and the Georgia Association of

Petroleum Retailers, featured more than 200 booths

showcasing the latest in products and services for the

convenience store and petroleum industry and seminars for

all levels of store employees and owners.

According the Beth Robinson, Convention Sales

Manager for the Macon CVB, “We are very pleased to have

this trade show in Macon for the third year in a row. The

convenience store industry is so important to middle

Georgia because our visitors, especially those traveling

along I-16 and I-75, spend a lot of money on gas and

convenience foods. We’re looking forward to hosting this

group for many years to come.”

Third Wave Launches New Admissions Website

for Mercer UniversityThird Wave Digital is pleased to announce the launch of

www.gomercer.com, an admissions recruitment website for

Mercer University. Recently, Mercer University decided to

redesign their online marketing efforts in the area of under-

graduate admissions. It was determined the new admissions

website should stand alone from the main Mercer site and

provide potential in-coming freshmen with a slick, hip and

multimedia focused experience.

Third Wave Digital responded with the creation of a

“push” technology site loaded with cutting edge features

wrapped in an engaging graphic user interface that is invit-

ing and intuitive. The new Go Mercer website features over

30 minutes of custom streaming media clips produced com-

pletely by the Third Wave team. In addition, Go Mercer also

features a detailed interactive campus map, over a dozen slide

show presentations, custom music and some very unique

Flash animated elements.

For more information, contact Bart Campione at

478-750-7136 or at www.thirdwavedigital.com


BULLETPOINTS•corporate

Verizon Wireless Brings Wireless Broadband to Central Georgia

Verizon Wireless announced it is making wireless broadband service available

for Macon, Warner Robins and surrounding areas. The company said it is the first

to bring the service to Middle Georgia. The service would allow users to connect

laptop computers wirelessly anywhere in the service area at broadband speeds. The

area also includes Fort Valley, Perry, Forsyth and Milledgeville. The Macon area

becomes the third in Georgia, behind Atlanta and Athens, to get the service, said

Greg Heenan, director of data sales for Verizon, and that Savannah, Augusta,

Columbus and Albany will follow. According to him, laptop users can currently

get cellular connections to the Internet at dialup speeds, and Verizon's service

allows remote connections at speeds that rival direct service link connections.

Heenan said the service is particularly popular with business people who

frequently work in remote locations.

California Cereal Products, Inc.to Locate a Cereal Manufacturing

Facility in Macon, GA

Sterling Savely, Chairman and CEO of California Cereal

Products, Inc., joined local officials at the Georgia Sports Hall of

Fame in Macon to announce that the California based company has

purchased the 454,476 sq. ft. former Keebler/Kellogg food man-

ufacturing facility in the Allied Industrial Park area. Sterling

Savely stated, “Our orders exceeded our capacity in our California

facility, and this building fits perfectly in our

expansion plans.” California Cereal Products, Inc. chose Macon as

the site for their second plant after searching for other facilities on

the East Coast. “When fully operational the plant will employ up

to 235,” according to Savely.

“California Cereal Products will be a great addition to our

community,” stated Charles Bishop, Chairman of the Bibb County

Commission. “This will provide employment opportunities for

the former Keebler/Kellogg employees left unemployed when the

facility closed earlier this year,” continued Bishop.

Savely stated, “The reception we have received from

development officials in Macon, Georgia has far exceeded our

expectations. Everyone has been eager to help.”

Jeff Counsell, Trammel Crow in Chicago, Illinois represented

California Cereal Products, Inc., and Art Barry of Coldwell

Banker/Eberhardt and Barry Commercial in Macon, Georgia rep-

resented the owners in the $6.5 million transaction.

California Cereal Products, Inc., based in Oakland, California,

is a supplier and contract manufacturer of batch cooked breakfast

cereal, producing traditional oven-toasted crisp rice, whole grain

brown crisp rice, corn flakes, wheat flakes, multi-grain flakes, and

sugar coated variations. The product is shipped to markets in

Asia, Australia, Europe, the United States, and South America.

Since January of 2005, fifteen companies have expanded or

relocated to Macon as a result of the efforts of the Macon

Economic Development Commission. These companies represent

investment of over $207 million and over 1,201 new jobs.

The Macon Economic Development Commission is the

private/public partnership responsible for recruiting new business

and industry to Macon and Bibb County in Georgia and for

the retention of established companies. If you would like more

information on economic development in Macon, please contact

Pat Topping, CEcD, Senior Vice President at 478-621-2030 or

visit www.maconworks.com.

Stroud and Company’s StarSoftware Project

Buildings Magazine recently announced that Stroud and Company has

been recognized for its construction of Star Software’s new facility. This project

was highlighted in the publication’s October 2006 issue, along with other

exemplary projects. This issue was the magazine’s first annual recognition of

innovations in the building industry.

More than 50 unique project innovations were submitted from around

North America. The entries were reviewed by a judging committee that estab-

lished criteria based on aesthetics, function, performance and sustainability.

This is the second recognition Stroud and Company has garnered for this

project. Earlier this year, the Georgia Branch of the General Contractor’s

Association presented Stroud and Company with a Build Georgia award.


Imedia Group Hires New Directorof Communications

Jessica Walden-Griner has joined Imedia Group as the Director of

Communications. The position includes coordinating the editorial aspects

of address Macon and Houston County Magazine, both published and printed

by the company.

Prior to arriving at Imedia Group, Walden-Griner

worked as the Public Relations and Events Specialist at the

Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Managing Editor of Georgia

Music Magazine and Editor of the 11th Hour arts &

entertainment newspaper. Although she is a new addition

to Imedia’s staff, she has acted as a contributing writer for

address Macon and Houston County Magazine, which

she also served as a freelance editor.

She graduated cum laude with a journalism

degree from Georgia State University, where

she was the recipient of the Walter F.

Newman Scholarship for Print Journalism.

She currently sits on the Board of

Directors for Midsummer Macon.

Warren Associates of MaconNamed Finalist For 2006 GA

Family Business AwardWarren Associates Inc. of Macon has been named a finalist for

the 2006 Georgia Family Business Award presented by the Cox

Family Enterprise Center at Kennesaw State University.

Warren Associates, a widely-known general contractor in

Central Georgia for 35 years, is one of two finalists recognized

along with the winner in the Small Family Business category.

The Small category encompasses those firms with 50 or fewer

employees. The award was presented Wednesday, May 24, to

Warren Associates President C. Warren Selby Jr. during a ban-

quet at the Cobb Galleria Centre near Atlanta. The awards cere-

mony was co-hosted by Georiga Trend magazine and the Cox

Family Enterprise Center.

The annual awards program was initiated in 1992 to celebrate

family firms demonstrating strength in business as well as strong

family ties, including multigenerational ties to the business. The

judges also considered contributions to industry and community,

and innovative business practices and strategy.

BULLETPOINTS•educat ionNational Achievement Scholarship

Program Announces 2007 SemifinalistsTwo Central High School students — Sasha Hutchings and Alexandria Byas — have been

named Semifinalists by the National Achievement Scholarship Program in its 43rd

Achievement Scholarship competition. As Semifinalists, Hutchings and Byas will move on to

the next level to compete for about 800 awards worth $2.5 million.

The 1,600 Semifinalists were selected out of a national pool of more than 130,000 high

school juniors based on scores from the 2005 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship

Qualifying Tests (PSAT/NMSQT). To become one of the 1,300 students expected to be named

as Finalists in February, each student must present a record of high academic performance

throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by the school principal, and earn SAT

scored that confirm the PSAT/NMSQT performance. The National Achievement Program

began in 1964 to honor academically promising African American youth and provide scholar-

ships to many of the participants.

Central GeorgiaTechnical College

Campus Selected as Sitefor Winning Water Festival

Central Georgia Technical College is gearing up

to host the Winning Water Festival slated for March

22, 2007. Part of a statewide initiative, Winning

Water will be an interactive day of learning for

selected fourth grade classes in the Ocmulgee and

Lower Oconee River Basins. The purpose of the

festival is to educate students about ground, drinking,

and surface water (watersheds) and water quality in

a fun hands-on atmosphere. The Macon festival will

serve as a model for future water festivals in

Georgia’s other river basins.

Festival presenters will include water/natural

resources experts from universities and colleges,

government agencies, environmental organizations

and private businesses who will teach children in a

fun and interactive atmosphere. Over 850 students

have already registered to attend the event, held in

partnership with the International Cherry Blossom

Festival. Organizers include the Water Systems

Council, Keep Georgia Beautiful, the Georgia

Department of Community Affairs and Central

Georgia Technical College.

Pictured left to right, Alexandria Byas – National Achievement Semi-finalist and Commended

Scholar for National Merit, Sasha Hutchings – National Achievement Semi-finalist, Brian Mink

– Commended Scholar for National Merit, and Laura Cox – Commended Scholar for National

Merit. Not pictured is William Black, who is a Commended Scholar for National Merit.


BULLETPOINTS•educat ionTimberlake Honored by Macon State College Foundation

Joe Timberlake III of Macon was presented the inauguralLegacy of Leadership award by the Macon State CollegeFoundation during the recent annual meeting of the Board ofTrustees. The Legacy of Leadership award, the highestbestowed by the MSC Foundation, was established to honorindividuals or groups who have given exemplary service toMacon State and/or the Foundation.

For many years, Timberlake was president of his family’sTimberlake Grocery Company. Today he remains as presidentor managing partner of several family ventures. Timberlake’sunsurpassed leadership as chairman of Invest in Success,Macon State College’s first comprehensive fundraising effort,resulted in the Foundation exceeding its $6 million goal.

FPD Opens the 2006-07School Year with new

$6.3 million High School and Record Enrollment!On August 21, First Presbyterian Day School

started a new school year, but this year was not like any

other school year. The prospect of exceeding any past

enrollment record with 993 students was thrilling;

however, even more exciting was the fact that students

did not return to the same old surroundings. This year

they were greeted with beautiful new state-of-the art

classrooms, labs and gathering areas. A $6.3 million

high school, equipped with smart board technology in

every classroom, a large lecture hall, senior gathering

area, and new science and technology labs was com-

pleted this June. The middle school was renovated and

the elementary school was reconfigured to add 25 per-

cent more square footage to each classroom. Striving

to “educate and equip students to change the world for

God’s glory,” it’s an exciting time for FPD.

Pictured left to right, Dr. Betty Timberlake, Peggy Timberlake,

Joe Timberlake III, MSC President David A. Bell, Bob and

Jennifer Timberlake, and Caitlyn Timberlake.

Central High SchoolEarns Governor’s Cup

Governor Sonny Perdue has recognized

schools across the state of Georgia as part of the

Governor’s Cup Challenge for outstanding

improvement on the most recent administration

of the SAT test, awarding them with the

Governor’s Cup. Organized by Georgia High

School Association (GHSA) Class and Region

assignments, schools are compared with simi-

larly sized schools within the same Region of

the state. The GHSA organizes schools into

five Classes (i.e., A, AA, AAA, AAAA, and

AAAAA) with each Class having eight regions. Within each Region within a Class, the

school that has the greatest average gain in the most recent total SAT score for reading

plus math over the previous three years will be selected as a Regional winner and will be

a finalist for the Class competition.

Bibb County’s Central High School has been honored as the Region Winner of

3-AAAA for showing an increase in SAT scores from 2004-2006 of 16.5 points. Also

recognized on the web site (www.satrocks.com) are schools that improved by

10 points or more over the three years. Both Rutland and Westside High Schools

are listed in this category.

“We are closing the gap in scores and achievement in Bibb County,” says Bibb

County Superintendent of Schools Sharon Patterson. “Each year we are showing

improvement across the district, which translates to a better future for our children.”

“I am very proud of my students for working so hard and taking their education

seriously,” says Central High Principal Dr. Erin Weaver.

Since 2004, students in Bibb County have shown exemplary improvement as their

scores have increased 27 points (12 points in critical reading and 15 points in math).

The greatest improvement has been with African American students who, since 2004,

have seen a 20 point increase in critical reading and a 19 point increase in math.

Pictured, Assistant Principal

Dr. Dennard Scoggins displays

the Governor's Cup that was

awarded to CHS.


Tastes Only GeorgiaCan Offer

Gourmet Food Gift Boxes

www.onlyga.com

4360 San Carlos DriveMacon, GA 31206

478-314-2295478-314-2294 fax

Toll Free877-788-3344


BULLETPOINTS•communi tyNewTown Macon PresentsPartners in Progress Awards

At the 2006 NewTown Macon Annual meeting the following

awards were presented to community members who have made an

impact on downtown Macon.

Growing Jobs: Tony Long and Gene Dunwody, Jr.

have recruited restaurants, nightclubs, businesses, artists and

residents back downtown.

Increasing Residents: Vern McCarty has restored the

historic Happ Brothers factory, Katherine Court and The Terraces

into beautiful living spaces.

Creating a Sense of Place: David Thompson assembled

a volunteer board for Cox Capitol Theatre, helped raise $1.4

million for renovation and launched movies and concerts.

Special Recognition: Frank Amerson, Jr. led an effort

to donate the historic water works property to the Urban

Development Authority and NewTown for a public park.

Emerging Partner: Jeff Jones and Clay Murphey of

Woodland South built the first high-rise office complex downtown

in 15 years. A $75 million riverside complex and residential devel-

opments are planned.

Leadership: R. Kirby Godsey. As president of Mercer

University and chairman of NewTown, Kirby Godsey increased

Mercer’s presence throughout downtown by renovating buildings

for the medical school and other offices as well as signing master

leases on Broadway Lofts and Poplar Point. The University

also restored The Grand Opera House, transforming it into a

performing arts center and cultural asset.

Museum of Arts & SciencesHoliday ActivitiesCelebrate! ExhibitNovember 15 - December 31

Throughout the world there are many annual winter

festivals and special holidays that celebrate the traditions

of different cultural communities. This exhibition explores

eight major festivals from around the world: Hanukkah,

Diwali, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Posada, Chinese New Year,

Pioneer Christmas and Victorian Christmas. Discover a few

of the common threads between them as well as the

diversity of theme, setting, and culture that make each one

of these festivals unique.

Story of The Star Planetarium ShowDecember 2 - December 30, Saturdays at 12 p.m.Free with Museum admission

A kindly grandfather narrates the Museum’s traditional

Christmas show. This program includes the Biblical story, a

discussion of holiday customs, and a search for a scientific

explanation of what the Star of Bethlehem might have been.

For more information contract the Museum of Arts

and Sciences at 478-477-3232 or visit their website at

www.masmacon.com.

Intown Macon’sChristmas CandlelightTour of HomesSaturday, December 2, 2006 – 8 pm

Sunday, December 3, 2006 2 – 6 pm

Visit a collection of Intown Macon’s finest

historic residences, ranging in age from 1836

to 1926, and all dressed up for the holidays.

Tickets will be $15 in advance or on the

days of the tour. Advance tickets will go on

sale on November 15th and will be available

for purchase by cash or check through

Friday, December 1st at Ginger Michelle,

Creter’s, Forsyth Road Ace Hardware, and Aunt Zelda’s Furniture. Tickets

on the days of the tour will only be available for purchase at 244 College

Street (corner of College and Bond Streets). Tour programs may be picked

up at 244 College Street on the days of the tour. For more information,

please call Tour Chairman Julie Groce at 478-743-5651 or visit our

website at www.intownmacon.org.

Macon Arts Hosts 2006 Cultural Awards Macon Arts honored five arts community leaders during the 2006 Cultural

Awards held October 5 at Macon Little Theatre. The Awards honor those who

have made significant cultural contributions to the arts and cultural life of

Macon and Bibb County. This year’s recipients (pictured above, left to right) are

Franklin Camp Bacon, Dorothy Ogden Brown, Dr. Edward K. Clark, Morris

Purcel and Rosemary Spiegel.


“GIVE TANKS”“GIVE TANKS”

Harley-Davidson of Macon 5000 Mercer University Dr. 478.474.3343

VISIT HARLEY-DAVIDSON OF MACON

FOR GREAT HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR THE

HARLEY ENTHUSIAST ON YOUR GIFT LIST.

A wide array of Harley and Buell motorcycles for the “Perfect Gift”An excellent selection of the latest Harley apparel and giftsDon’t forget we provide excellent service by factory trained technicians

TIS THE SEASON TO BE HARLEY

Harley-Davidson of Macon 5000 Mercer University Dr.478.474.3343

componentsof successaddress Macon is a champion for business and delivers components ofsuccess for business, economic development, quality of life and lifestyles.Discover the products, services and resources available in our communityand benefit from our collective success.

Photography by Ken KrakowVisit online at kenkrakow.com

17 medicine

18 next generation

21 business

22 education

25 dining

26 philanthropy


medicine

Darby’s MiracleRobin Cochran, owner of Darby Physical Therapy Associates, is

the mother of a special needs child. Her eight-year-old daughter,

Darby, has cerebral palsy. After trying an array of therapies trying to

find anything that might improve her child’s motor skills, Darby’s

orthopaedic surgeon recommended the highly progressive Adeli suit

therapy to Cochran … and her family found a miracle.

The Adeli suit, originally developed in 1971 for the Russian space

program, has proven successful in rehabilitating patients diagnosed

with cerebral palsy, brain trauma and other neuromuscular disorders.

This therapeutic innovation consists of shorts, a vest, shoes and

sometimes a headpiece, all of which have special tabs for connecting

strong bungee cord-type bands. The bands, in turn, are fastened to

the suit focusing on the weak area of the body.

This design creates a kind of imitation muscular framework to

steady the patient’s trunk and extremities as close as possible to the

norm. It maximizes the course of muscle movements in the way they

would have moved if they had functioned naturally. It also induces

normalizing nerve impulses that stimulate the brain to send correct

signals to the impaired parts of the body. It is extremely important

to note that patients retain the results of Adeli treatment long after

the rehabilitation course.

Initially, families who wished to receive this

type of therapy had to go to Eastern Europe.

However, in recent years Adeli suit programs have

sprung up in California, Michigan, Miami, Florida,

The University of Alabama’s Children’s Hospital

and Darby’s here in Macon. With so many geo-

graphic areas in the U.S. now offering Adeli treat-

ment, the need to travel abroad virtually has been

eliminated. Regarding Macon, Debbie Gilmore,

Chief Operations Officer for Darby Physical

Therapy, says, “This city offers everything you can

think of for patients coming from out of town. In

addition to quality medical care, Macon has every

convenience and accommodation offered in

Atlanta, without all the traffic and confusion.”

What is still unfortunate about this profound

invention is the cost. “A typical session consists

of four hours a day, four days per week, for

four weeks, at a cost of approximately $6,000,”

says Gilmore.

Then again, Darby’s staff is addressing that

issue in order to deliver Adeli suit treatment to as

many patients as possible. “Insurance companies

do not currently recognize the Adeli suit as a tool

or treatment for which they will pay. However,

developers are involved in efforts with insurance companies and the

FDA so, hopefully, all of that will change. In the meantime, we have

implemented a non-interest bearing ‘lay-away’ plan for those wanting

us to help them save for a future therapy session. We want to help in

any way we can. It is also our desire, in the near future, to develop a

scholarship program or ‘STAR PROGRAM’ in an effort to provide this

effective therapy to as many as possible,” says Gilmore.

Cochran sums up the technology as both a business owner and

a mother: “When she was six months old, doctors said Darby would

never walk or talk. She talks fine and now that she’s been in Adeli suit

therapy, she can walk 63 steps with her walker. That may not seem

like much to the average person, but it gives her the independence to

do things we take for granted — things like going to the bathroom

alone or walking across a room for a book.”

A strong advocate of the Adeli suit, Cochran wants to spread

news of this technology to other parents of special needs

children like Darby. “I’ve seen it work for my child and all I can say

is ‘seeing is believing.’”

Kristen Soles

address


address next generation

Community Property“You could say I’ve been in the real estate business all my life,

really,” notes President of Midtowne Mortgage Walter Moody. “I’ve

actually been working in it for the past 10 years, but I learned a lot

from watching my mom, who’s been an agent for over 20 years and

my dad who’s been involved in any number of real estate

projects since I was little.”

Moody says he chose to follow parents Tom and Mary into the

real estate foray because he enjoys helping people. “I worked for a

big real estate company in Atlanta for a few years and made a lot of

good contacts, but when Tino Sheridan and Peter Solomon invited

me back to Macon to work with their new company, I was ready.

There’s nothing in the world like being able to help people buy that

first house, or the satisfaction of helping people relieve a little debt.

To me, that’s what my job is all about.”

That same benevolent demeanor so common to Moody’s work

spills over effortlessly into what he sees as his community

responsibilities. “Civic involvement is the apex of it all. As citizens,

we’ve got to be involved; whether it’s arts, education, government, or

something else. People being involved in their communities is

what really makes the difference,” he affirms.

Among Moody’s many patron causes is the Hay House.This

year he serves as President of the Board of Directors. Among the

things that excite him about serving on this board is the annual

“Seasons of the Vineyard” wine tasting benefit. When Moody

was invited to sit on the Hay House Board, he was given the

charge of developing this event. As a lover of wines, he was only

too happy to do so. Each year since Moody took on the project,

it has continued to grow in popularity. It has since passed on to

new talent, but Moody remains connected with the event.

As he remembers an incident from his childhood, those

who know Walter Moody will tell you he still exhibits the same

humanitarian enthusiasm: “I was maybe eight or ten and mom

was a Salvation Army volunteer. Each year during the holidays

we would have different rooms at the Salvation Army store set

up with different items. I got to help escort the people through

the rooms. I always enjoyed that because I thought it was fun to

know what other people were going to get for Christmas and

sometimes I got to help pick out things!”

Moody maintains he never complained about having to do

charity work. “It was just the way it was in our house. I don’t

think we really knew any different, but I liked doing it. It’s not

like my parents made us. The only time I can think of was maybe

when the kids next door were playing football and I had to pull

weeds from the flowerbed; I don’t think I liked helping out

much then. But now, I have the best-looking flowerbeds in the

neighborhood and don’t have to pay anybody to do them!”

Speaking of children, Moody and wife Allyson recently had

twin boys, Walter Glenn and Barrett Thomas. At 11-weeks-old,

Moody says his young sons haven’t exactly changed how he sees

the world yet, but he can understand where that thinking comes

from. Will the youngest Moodys follow in the family

footsteps of civic leadership? “I sure hope they pick up on it.”

Moody expresses. “I’m going to give them every opportunity,

but I won’t push. It will be up to them.”

Kristen Soles

Walter and Allyson Moody with newborn twin boys.

DISCOVER THE POWER OF PRINT.

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478.314.2285


business

All In The FamilyFour generations of the Dopson family were photographed

during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of the new

location of Jack’s Saw Shop on Thomaston Road. Bill, Ronnie, Bonnie

and Scott Dopson know how to run a family business — they’ve been

at this for over 40 years.

“People come into the shop and tell me they’ve known my

dad, Jack, for all these years and wouldn’t do business with anybody

else. I tell them that’s funny because my dad’s name is Bill,”

laughs Ronnie Dopson.

Jack Mayo opened Jack’s Saw Shop in 1949 on Broadway as

a motorcycle and go-cart shop. Then Felton Griffin, a local pulp

woodier, took over the business as a way to work on his equip-

ment. When Griffin retired, his employee, Bill Dopson, bought

the business from him but never changed the name from the

original owner. Dopson’s family is still running the business

today and many people assume that Bill is the shop’s namesake.

Approximately 27 years ago, they moved the shop to an

undeveloped part of Macon on Forsyth Road. That is the location

that has made them famous to the current customers in

Middle Georgia. This is also the same time that Bill’s son, Ronnie,

came into the family machine business after a hunting accident

put him out of work.

“My father is an honest, tremendous business man,” says

Dopson. “He taught me to always look a customer in the eyes

and tell the truth.”

This commitment to put customers and customer service

first is the core of what has kept Jack’s Saw Shop in business for

47 years. Dopson boasts that they have always sold only top

quality saws, yard equipment and mowers from manufacturers

such as Stihl and Snapper. Plus, they service what they sell to

ensure that if you buy a piece of equipment from Jack’s, you will

be taken care of.

Father, Bill Dopson, is not as involved in the day-to-day

business activities anymore due to health restrictions. Ronnie is

the man in charge these days, and he is quick not the take all the

credit for the business’ success. His wife, Bonnie, runs a tight

ship and takes care of the finances while their son, Scott, is his

father’s right hand man.

“I wish everyone enjoyed coming to work as much as I

do,” says Dopson. His enthusiasm must be contagious because

all of the employees seem just as eager to please customers

as Dopson himself.

The new location for Jack’s Saw Shop on Thomaston Road is

an exciting venture for the Dopson family. The shop is located on

3.3 acres with a spacious showroom, ample workspace for the

mechanics and most importantly, a huge parking lot for customers.

“The biggest complaint from customers in our old location was

parking — we basically had outgrown it,” says Dopson. “Thomaston

Road is growing, just like when we moved to our Forsyth Road

location — there was nothing there.”

The Dopsons are eager to adapt their business to the growth of

a new location and more employees. Most importantly they are ready

for the challenge of serving more customers, and pleasing customers

is what this family does best.

Kathleen Medlin

address

Ronnie and Scott Dopson


education

Businesses Go Back To SchoolRon McCall, principal of W.S. Hutchings Career Center, walks

through the halls of the school and students stop, shake his hand and

say “good morning.” It may not be typical in most high schools to see

students and administration interacting in such a professional

manner, but it is the norm at Hutchings.

W.S. Hutchings Career Center opened in 2002, and its goal is to

make graduates workplace ready. The school trains students with the

right communication skills, work ethic and business proficiencies so

they will succeed in the workforce. There are seven different career

schools at Hutchings: healthcare science, automotive technology,

drafting/design, information technology, manufacturing and

engineering, marketing and professional foods/culinary arts.

“This is not a last-ditch school for students who couldn’t function

anywhere else,” says Mary Beth Francine. “On the contrary, these are

top-notch, goal-oriented students from all over Bibb County applying

to attend Hutchings.”

Mary Beth Francine has a unique role at Hutchings. She is the

school’s corporate employment liaison and representative for the

Center for Racial Understanding (CRU). Thirty percent of her time is

allocated to be in the school with students and the remaining seventy

percent of her time is spent in the community “selling” Hutchings

students and the services of a career center to local employers.

These are lofty goals for any tenured educator and quite a feat

for someone who has been in her position only a few months;

nonetheless, Francine seems more than up to the challenge. She

worked for 13 years with children in a previous job and she held

another position with a temporary employment agency. The mix is

someone who wants to see students succeed in the workplace.

The mission for the CRU is to work to remove race as an impedi-

ment to economic, political, social and educational progress in

Central Georgia and create a climate of trust, respect, knowledge and

awareness among all people. Francine is building an intricate relation-

ship with local employers by showing them that Hutchings students

are ready to be the workforce of tomorrow. An employer who invests

with her students today through sponsorships, apprenticeships and

mentoring programs will ensure a successful future employee base.

“Local companies like GEICO, BMW of Macon, Riverside Ford

and national companies like The Crowne Plaza are on board with

us,” explains Francine. “They know the

importance of training these kids early

and some of our students graduate with

job offers from companies where they

have done apprenticeships.”

One of her directives from the Bibb

County Board of Education is to follow

students for one year preceding gradua-

tion. Francine will track graduates to

determine how well Hutchings trained

them for their present employment, career

plans or continued education efforts. The

class of 2007 will be Francine’s first class

to track so she is eager to see how work-

place ready the students feel after they

leave their alma mater behind.

“This is my dream job — I am so

excited and look forward to coming to

work each day,” boasts Francine. “The

teachers and staff care and want to see

these students succeed.”

With Francine’s enthusiasm for these

graduates and the right support of local and

national businesses, students entering

middle Georgia’s workforce will be trained

to make a positive impact in our community.

Kathleen Medlin

address


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address dining

The Secret Is OutYou have just been seated at a quiet table at Magnolia’s New South

Grill. The ambience tells you that your dining experience is being

taken seriously by the staff, so my recommendation is not to ask Elvis

“Kip” Hammersley, Jr., owner and chef, what is “good” on the menu.

As Hammersley says, “It is like asking me which one of my

children I prefer. It is impossible to answer. Each dish has qualities

that I like and admire and they are all unique creations.”

Having sole creative control over the menu, services for

customers and food preparation is what makes his restaurant more

than most. Hammersley is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of

America (CIA) in New York and his resume shows impressive positions

with the best and biggest hotels for large-scale banquet services and

other upscale restaurants. He has 21 years in the restaurant business

and knows exactly how he wants his customers treated.

But, what Hammersley enjoys most is making his food

personal for his guests. His weekly responsibilities for the

restaurant include trips to the local farmer’s market for

the freshest seasonal produce and keeping up-to-date with

information from his other suppliers for meats, seafood or

imported produce. He comments that he comes from a farming

family and knows the value of handpicked ingredients.

Also, I wouldn’t recommend trying to label his food with

any trendy lingo. In Hammersley’s words, it is something familiar

with a unique flare and can be called southern in a “laid back”

way. He takes the food that he loves from his childhood years

in Monroe County, uses his training from CIA and then inter-

prets the dish into its own distinctive recipe incorporating his

favorite cooking techniques and seasonal ingredients.

The results are selections that make your mouth water as

you read the menu options: peach glazed porterhouse pork

chop served with whipped sweet potatoes and seasonal vegeta-

bles, fresh Georgia tomato and buffalo mozzarella stack,

Atlantic lobster and jumbo lump crabmeat in a sautéed cake

served with Vidalia onion slaw and creole remoulade, or a

soufflé-style banana pudding made to order. There is also an

extensive wine selection available.

Customers tell Hammersley he has the best kept

dining secret in Macon with his restaurant snugly and

inconspicuously tucked in the Food Lion shopping center on

Thomaston Road. He wants people to realize that upscale

dining can be found in North Macon — regardless of past

experiences. He wants people to come in, try the food and

come back again and again. For Hammersley, this is what

owning a restaurant is all about — creating dishes that are new

and well-liked by customers.

Dining is casual and reservations are suggested. The

Magnolia New South Grill is open Tuesday through Saturday

with lunch hours from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner hours from

5 to 9 p.m. You will find a menu that does change seasonally

with market availability but customers are always sure to find

something delicious in this hidden gem.

Kathleen Medlin


address philanthropy

Right Man, Right CauseWhen Les Jones began working for Kroger over 20 years ago,

neither he nor Kroger’s corporate office could foresee the awe-inspiring

philanthropic success he would create. Though Jones and Kroger

support a number of charitable causes throughout the year such as

the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the American Cancer Society’s

annual Relay for Life, and other organizations that promote the

health and education of children, they made their mark this year with

their annual fundraising effort for The Children’s Hospital at The

Medical Center of Central Georgia.

Each spring, Kroger’s national headquarters totals the philan-

thropic efforts of each of their stores. This year, Kroger’s Zone T,

which includes 12 stores in Macon and surrounding areas, raised over

$114,000 for charity. What’s even more incredible is the news that this

is the highest amount of money collected by any Kroger zone in the

United States. $83,000 of those funds were earmarked for The

Children’s Hospital’s Generation to Generation campaign to expand

the neonatal intensive care unit and oncology/hematology center.

As unit manager for Kroger, Jones is the driving force behind

many fundraising events in Central Georgia. He credits some of his

motivation to his mentor who educated Jones at an early age about

the importance of supporting the community. However, Jones says

The Children’s Hospital is special to him: “If it were my children, I

would want them to have access to

our local children’s hospital. Both

my wife and I work and it would

be devastating if we had to be

separated and drive hours to

receive pediatric care when we can

get everything here in Macon.”

Jones praises Kroger employees

for their integral role in raising

$40,000 more this year than in

2005. “There was involvement at

every level, from the Zone office to

the store management teams to

the hourly employees … everyone

was committed to our goal.” To

raise money, employees sold hot

dog plates, hosted a carnival and

sold the Children’s Miracle

Network balloons customers often

see all along the store windows.

“Les Jones has been Kroger’s

representative to The Children’s

Hospital for about 15 years,” notes

Missi Upshaw, fundraiser for The

Children’s Hospital. “About the time Les became involved, our Board

was looking into the logistics of starting a celebrity golf tournament.

Les, on behalf of Kroger, was a fundamental part of this planning

process. In 1992, our first Celebrity Classic tournament, presented

by Kroger, raised $90,000. Fourteen years later, our event is still

presented by Kroger and this past April we raised $311,000.”

Jones is eager to discuss Kroger’s support of The Children's

Hospital, but he also gives credit to other local businesses who have

championed the Celebrity Classic over the years. “The Central

Georgia business community comes through each year in support of

our Celebrity Classic. The level of commitment grows each year. All

you have to do is tour our children’s hospital and you can’t help but

get involved.”

While we celebrate Jones and the Kroger stores on a local level,

it is very necessary to note the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG)

recently named Jones their Healthcare Humanitarian for 2006. In

another quote, Jones commented, “I believe in my heart that The

Children’s Hospital is the best organization I have ever worked with.

The people truly care about the children they serve and I believe it is

everyone’s responsibility to get involved in your community.”

Kristen Soles


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Passion for Jesusin the marketplace.Community-wide Christian business seminar.

Economic ImpactUnited Way of Central Georgia

Formerly a “gifting” organization supporting hundreds of charities, the organizationnow focuses on treating specific social and economic challenges in the community.

We’re more than you know.

Sports, Fitness and Recreation

Our Mission is to enable all young people, especially thosewho need us most, to reach their

full potential as productive, caringand responsible citizens.

United Way partner agencywww.bgccentralgeorgia.orgProudly supports local charities.

• Affiliations with: NFL, NBA / WNBA, USGA and MLB

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The following happens daily at your local Boys & Girls Clubs in the core program of:


hen you show people that something

has value, they are more than willing to

give their hard-earned dollars.”

David Lanier evangelizes that message

now for the United Way of Central Georgia

(UWCGA). He learned the value of charitable

giving as a young banker working his way up

through the ranks. It took a discussion with

his father, but he saw that money spent to

better his community had a real and tangible

result. The problems may never disappear,

he says, but the United Way is continuing

to target issues central to social problems

in Central Georgia.

This year, Lanier, who is a regional presi-

dent for BB&T Bank, is chairman of the

UWCGA’s fund raising. Not only is he working

to get professionals into businesses to talk

passionately about the prospect of a company

fund drive, he’s working to demonstrate the

success of the programs supported by the

United Way, and hopefully, increase personal

donations in the wake of the departure of a

couple of large companies from the area.

This includes convincing Macon-area

businesses and individuals to donate $4.3

million to assist the 70 programs that the

UWCGA funds in a 14-county area centered

on Macon. What’s unique about his mission is

how the United Way has changed over the

years. The UWCGA doesn’t simply act as a

fund raiser for any charity doing good

work locally, but selectively attacks a short

list of social issues affecting the local

community. That means that donated dollars

stay in the community and work to better

the local populace.

This is a direct departure from the way

the other 1,300 locally-governed United Way

organizations have served communities for

more than a century. Even just 25 years back,

UWCGA was a very different animal.

“We’ve turned the whole way of thinking

about UW around to go after specific high pri-

ority social problems,” says Ron Watson,

UWCGA’s president and C.E.O. “Competition

for charitable dollars over the past years has

meant that we had to change. We had to add

value beyond just funding non-profits. Now,

we fund targeted programs to achieve

success in areas we have deemed as systemic

challenges in the community.”

There are basically five target areas: special

initiatives, helping children and youth achieve

success, helping families towards economic

self-sufficiency, meeting basic needs and

promoting health, safety and wellness.

The UWCGA has stepped away from

across-the-board funding of non-profits to

giving funds to specific programs. Rather

than funding an agency’s full budget, the

UWCGA requests program submissions from

agencies and then distributes funds based on

how those programs match up with UW goals.

A good example of this is Boys’ and Girls’

Clubs of America. The agency is funded with

an eye on one of the key missions targeted by

the UWCGA – enriching the lives of children.

How the United Way WorksPrimarily, the United Way is a fund raising

organization that over the years has developedstrong strategies for getting in to the work-place and garnering donations from employees.While there are some corporate donors —

Geico Insurance kicks in significant funds overwhat employees raise — and the occasionalgift from other charitable foundations — Peyton Anderson foundation granted morethan $3 million for the UW — almost alldonations come through an at-work voluntary participation program.

Employees fill out pledge cards that indi-

cate their giving over the span of a year. Some

give only a few dollars, some offer as much as

a $1,000 a year. Any amount is accepted and

employees may even specify certain charities

to be recipients of the funds. On the whole,

‘‘W

When you show people that something hasvalue, they are more than willing to give their hard-earned dollars.David Lanier

David Lanier with BB&T staff


We’re changing people one life at a time.That’s the impact of this business: changing

the community in small but steady steps.Ron Watson

Watson says that about 80 percent of the

funds go into a general fund managed by his

40-member Board of Trustees.

Some companies look for additional ways

to generate money for the charity.

“One of the things we do at the local

Wachovia banks is have the employees donate

a small dollar amount to a United Way fund

one or two days a month,” says Chuck Harmon,

area president for Wachovia Bank. “Everyone

dresses casual on those days. This way we

build up a pretty good pool for a wonderful

cause. It keeps United Way in the minds of

our employees and clients all year long, not

just during the normal fund raising period.”

Once the pledges for donations are received,

the trustees get to work reviewing proposals

from the various agencies requesting funds.

“The trustees review this in detail,”

Watson says. “They visit the agencies. They

come up with funding recommendations.

Ben Forehand

Paul Cable, is also a J. Clay Murphy member.

“Giving this money has not altered my

life in any tangible way,” Baldschun says. “It’s

not a big sacrifice for me, but it makes a

big difference in the life of our community.

You can’t get a return on dollars like that

from any investment.”

Utilizing Community ResourcesFor the United Way, raising roughly $4.5

million each year is a daunting task for a

skeleton crew of 14 staffers who cover 14

counties in central Georgia. One of the ways

in which the UWCGA compensates for this is

to utilized “loaned” executives.

Ben Forehand is an Engineering

Supervisor with the Georgia Power Company.

For 12 weeks out of the year, he resides

full time as a loaned executive at the UWCGA

office. Georgia Power continues to pay his

salary, but he concentrates on a personal

responsibility for helping generate more than

$500,000 in donations by going out and

speaking to businesses new and old about

the benefits of introducing employees to

the United Way.

“In the everyday hustle and bustle of my

job, I really didn’t have a lot of exposure to

the things going on in the community,”

Forehand says. “I’ve had a chance to learn

about the issues in my communities and how

the United Way is impacting those issues.”

Forehand volunteered to be a loaned

executive early, hoping to get a spot in

Atlanta. As it turned out, he was able to get a

spot in Macon, much closer to his

Milledgeville home. He’s one of seven loaned

executives in the area.

“We’re working on some new businesses,

such as Sara Lee and Bass Pro Shops, but it

takes a lot of work to get larger companies

involved. They set up meetings. A lot of what

I do depends on access. A lot of what I do is

The board ultimately approves how much

money we give to an agency each year. The

agencies, while we have had some long-term

partners, are not static. We have just brought

several in to the fold. We also cull organiza-

tions that either are focusing on issues that

we are not currently financing or who don’t

work to continually produce results.”

Another way the UWCGA raises funds is to

concentrate on the J. Clay Murphy Society, a

level of giving that denotes its members have

donated at least $1,000 annually to the

UWCGA. Named for one of the UWCGA

founding fathers, the society is defined as the

“leadership level” of giving and uses the

J. Clay Murphy members as evangelists for

other companies and for potential high-

dollar personal gifts.

Kent Baldschun of Baldschun, Cable and

Jones is a member of the J. Clay Murphy soci-

ety and has been for some time. His partner,


talk about how you can be a corporate citizen

and have a positive effect on the community.

Most of these businesses already understand

that perspective and I am just helping them

to see that from the United Way point of view.”

How The Money Helps In the Community

About 40 organizations, Watson says, are

now recipients of the UWCGA monies. That’s

down from the multitudes UWCGA used

to fund. Unlike traditional businesses, the

economic benefits of such organizations may

be hard to track because the outcome is esoteric

rather than a tangible accounting. Service and

community enrichment, then, rather than

profits, are the economic indicators.

Mike Killen, president and CEO of the

Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Central Georgia,

represents one of those donor recipient

agencies. BGCCG works to help children

reach their full potential as citizens of the

community. About 40 percent of Killen’s

operating budget is United Way funded.

“That United Way funding has been the

leverage that has allowed us to go out and get

additional support to run life-changing

programs in our community,” Killen says. “We

are doing a program called ‘Money Matters,’

which is a financial literacy program, and

because of UW funds, we were able to roll out

a program that helps people break the cycle

of generational poverty.”

Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs’ programs are

more than what the community is aware of —

not only do the programs enhance school

activities, but BGCCG also fosters programs

such as Jr. Golf, Obesity Reduction, Career

Exposure and leadership opportunities. The

programs are showing clear results. Three

times in the past five years, one of the Central

Georgia area youths has been named the

“Youth of the Year,” essentially the Medal of

Honor within the Boys’ and Girls’ Club

organization. It’s an honor that only one child

out of 85,000 children statewide will receive.

While Killen can’t maintain a large staff to

do all of the outreach he wants to do, he’s

been creative with efficient use of money and

targeted partnerships with centers and agen-

cies in Bibb, Houston and Monroe counties.

“We’re serving more kids than ever

before,” Killen says. “We’re averaging about

1500 kids a day in our programs. If we looked

at what daycare would cost parents in our

community, that would be about $3 million

local parents would have to pay. We’re actually

able to take those dollars and be more

efficient with them and provide the same or

better programs for just $750,000 annually. If

there was ever any doubt about how we

directly benefit from giving to the United Way,

that savings of more than $2 million is clear

proof that giving is the right thing to do.”

Children are one of the key focus areas

for the UWCGA. Watson says that they have

managed to make great strides with the children

who are in United Way-sponsored programs,

touting that 96.7 percent of those children

performed at or above their age-appropriate

levels in school. About 68 percent of the

children helped by the United Way gained

self-confidence that enabled 61 percent of

them to directly improve academic performance.

Preparing for the FutureTo serve as the backbone for so many

community programs is a challenge that

requires financial discipline and foresight.

Watson is confident that the United Way of

Central Georgia is utilizing both. The charity

currently has a $1 million cash reserve to

call in when promised donations don’t hit

the mark or in the event of dire local

needs. In addition, UWCGA owns a building

valued at more than $4 million that keeps

it from having to pay rent or a mortgage

and helps to provide office space for other

non-profit organizations.

Donations, however, are a tough prey to

catch. UWCGA has been doing well, but

That United Way funding has been the leverage that has allowed us to go out andget additional support to run life-changingprograms in our community.Mike Killen


Watson sees a potential plateau coming

which goes against the corporate goal of

trying to provide more and more each year in

order to provide service to a growing

residential population.

“We put out an intangible product, really,

because donors can’t quite put their arms

around it,” Watson says. “So we work hard

at developing that sense of marketing. You

need to be pretty good at it or you won’t

survive. There are still many challenges. We

probably reach about 25 percent of the

working population.”

Unlike some charities, Watson says he

loathes to try to telemarket to the home, so

he keeps the UWCGA focused on business.

But even that has difficulty.

“Just to get people away from their

desk for 20 minutes to see a video is tough,”

he says. “We can’t spend a lot of money

on advertising. We’re at the mercy of the

company in most regards for the content

of the message with our employees. The

company’s management is then surrogates

for us in reaching their employees. If we

don’t make an effective sales call on the CEO

from the beginning, we’re dead in the water.

So that’s where we focus our efforts.”

Watson says the organization is doing its

best to integrate technology. They have a lot

of information available on the web —

www.unitedwaycg.com — and are working to

make sure even the smallest business has a

chance to get involved in donations. For

professional contacts, he’s having doctors

call other doctors and attorneys make calls

on other attorneys.

“You can’t stop because the future keeps

coming whether you want it to or not,” he

says. “The main point about the change for

United Way from a fund raiser and funder to

an organization focused on community

impact is where the future lies for us. I think

that’s what people want to see happen.

Governments and non-profits have been

around forever, but we still have the same

problems we had 100 years ago and we’re

adding issues as the country grows. We are

working hard to keep a tight focus rather

than the shotgun effect so that we can

demand results at a community level to

change systemic problems.”

“At the end of the day,” he adds, “We’re

nothing without the thousands of residents

who donate and work with us to improve

the community. We’re changing people

one life at a time. That’s the impact of this

business: changing the community in small

but steady steps.”

Mark Hoerrner

Photography by Ken Krakow

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Kathryn Dennis and Ashley Smithobserving foundation dollars at workin a school science lab.

“

”

We have been veryimpressed with theCommunity Foundation’ssystematic review offinancial managersand their performanceon behalf of thefoundation’s accountholders.

hen Peyton Anderson died in 1988,

he provided, in his will, the funding

for a foundation which would bear

his name. By 1990 the Peyton Anderson

Foundation, under the direction of Juanita

Jordan, was fully funded. “We were over-

whelmed by the requests for help at the very

outset — the needs were huge,” Jordan says,

remembering the desperation of so many

individuals and organizations in securing

money for efforts to improve the lives of the

people of Macon and Middle Georgia. “Mr.

Anderson, who was my boss for years, was

more interested in making things happen

than giving operational funds to various

groups,” Jordan says, reflecting on Anderson’s

well-known reputation as a philanthropist.

“Mr. Ed Sell, one of our trustees, and I

attended our first meeting of the Southeast

Council of Foundations in Charleston, South

Carolina, and absorbed all we could about

foundations,” Jordan says of this burgeoning

idea for an “umbrella” public foundation. One

of the facilitators at the meeting in Charleston

was Alicia Phillip, director of the Community

Foundation of Atlanta, who, according to

Jordan, had taken that foundation from assets

of $3 million to the multi-million dollar range.

“Alicia became a mentor to us, advising our

board [of the Peyton Anderson Foundation] on

the possibilities for, and advantages of, a

community foundation for Macon,” Jordan

comments on her longstanding friendship with

Phillip, adding, “The daunting task ahead of us

became clearer once we understood the selling

points of a community foundation.”

The benefits to donors to the foundation

would include the elimination of filing the

IRS 990 PF form, a requirement for private

trusts; the ability to designate recipients of

the donor’s choice and, the establishment of

an advisory board to oversee the donor’s

contributions. Armed with all of this

information, Jordan had only to convince

other charitable groups in Macon that their

campaigns for giving would not be

adversely effected.

Enlisting the help of Ed Olson, chairman of

the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce,

and Ron Watson, president of the United Way

of Central Georgia, at the time, Jordan met

with Phillip from the CF of Atlanta who advised,

“We needed to identify the people in Macon

who would enthusiastically support a

community foundation and could afford to

give discretionary assets to the foundation,” the

only encouragement Jordan needed to begin

selection of the first board of directors.

“With the help of members of the Peyton

Anderson [Foundation] board of directors,

names of dynamic leaders in the community

who would have credibility with the public

in promoting a community foundation, were

selected as a founding board for the

Community Foundation of Central Georgia,”

Jordan says, still filled with admiration for a

board of 25 civic and business leaders who

serve up to six consecutive years before

rotating off the board. “I invited the director of

the CF in Jacksonville, Florida who brought the

chairman of the board of that foundation, a

banker who was sold on the idea, to our first

board meeting” Jordan recalls, adding, “and his

enthusiasm and support for the idea added

even more credence to our efforts.”

Launching a foundation of such magni-

tude, in terms of its potential for the Middle

Georgia area, prompted Jordan to order

informative books from the Southeast Council

of Foundations on exactly how to run a

community foundation. Each new board

member was given a book at their inaugural

board meeting, a meeting Bill Matthews led as

the first chairman in 1993. In an earlier

interview with Matthews, he said that of all his

civic accomplishments, he is proudest of his

continuing involvement with the Community

Foundation of Central Georgia.

Jordan went to the Peyton Anderson

Foundation for start-up money of $250,000,

then to the Woodruff Foundation in Atlanta to

match those funds to afford the new

foundation the bare essentials — a director

and an office. Having been friends for years

with Peter White, the executive director

of the Center for International Studies in

Atlanta, Jordan was delighted to have

White’s son, Paul, as the first staff person.

Lee Laughter

W

“

”

So many people arenot aware of thebenefits of a publicfoundation rather thana private one, and thetax benefits affordedthe donors to theCommunity Foundation.

“He was a bright, well-educated young man

who hadworked with his father and brought

enormous knowledge and leadership to the

CFCG,” Jordan remembers.

Jordan, intent on further educating the

new board of directors, didn’t consider her job

complete when White was hired. She attended

a meeting in San Francisco in 1993 of only

community foundation representatives, a trip

underwritten by the late Dave Zuver, another

visionary and philanthropist in Macon and, an

avid believer in Juanita Jordan. “I went out

there representing the smallest foundation

based on our assets, which totaled about $8

million,” Jordan says with a laugh, “but, I was

so excited about what I was hearing, I had to

buy another suitcase just to bring home all the

material from that meeting.”

Jordan has enjoyed working with several

directors of the CFCG, but says, “Under the

leadership of Kathryn Dennis, who has been

president since 2002, I can feel comfortable

rotating off the board [of CFCG].” Dennis, who

left Sun Trust Bank after 15 years to take the

job of president of CFCG, is hard to catch, if

you are looking for her behind her desk.

Dennis personifies the mission statement of

the CFCG, “ …. to enhance the quality of life for

the people of central Georgia.” According to

Lee Laughter, executive director of the Girl

Scouts of Middle Georgia, Inc., “Kathryn is

always willing to meet with our board of

directors or our finance committee,” and, in

turn, “we have been very impressed with the

Community Foundation’s systematic review of

financial managers and their performance on

behalf of the foundation’s account holders.”

The Girl Scouts are only one of the

recipients of the “over $22 million in grants

awarded through the foundation’s donor-

advised, unrestricted, designated, field-of-

interest, scholarship and organizational

endowment funds,” since its founding in 1993,

according to a brief history of the organization.

Dr. John O’Shaugnessey, retired from private

practice as an internist since 1997, is now in his

fifth year on the board of the foundation, and

chairman of the grants committee, responsible

for determining need and parameters for gifts

by the foundation. “I like the idea of investing

money here and spending it here,” he says of

the foundation’s diligence in managing the

gifts of individuals, families, corporations,

private foundations and not-for-profit

organizations. He adds, “So many people are

not aware of the benefits of a public

foundation rather than a private one, and the

tax benefits afforded the donors to the

Community Foundation.”

Jordan cites an instance of one property

owner who had owned some acreage for a

number of years which he knew had

increased dramatically in value. Had he sold

it at the present market value, he would

have paid capital gains taxes on property

he could realistically afford to keep in his

portfolio. Rather than selling the property, he

gave it to the Community Foundation to

establish a donor advised fund in his name.

When CFCG sold the property, the cash from

the sale became available for the donor to

recommend grants. One of the goals of the

CFCG, “to serve donors’ varied interests [of

philanthropic giving] and needs,” protects

individuals, such as this particular donor,

who have specific recipients in mind when

they set up the endowment.

The Macon Volunteer Clinic lists

O’Shaughnessey as vice-chairman of the board

of directors, a position he has held since its

founding in 2002. His three-page resumé of

accomplishments in the medical field and

history of service in the non-profit arena belie

his professed “retirement.” Like other members

of the board of the CFCG, who represent a broad

field of endeavors, O’Shaughnessey brings his

personal passion for improved medical care to

the table, not only through his volunteer efforts

at MVC, but with the Mother and Child

Ministries, another worthy CFCG grant recipient.

Another of the goals listed under the

mission statement, “to provide leadership and

resources in identifying and meeting local

needs,” is the responsibility of the board and

Dr. John O’Shaugnessey

staff of CFCG. Hazle Hamilton serves as Chief

Financial Officer; Ashley K. Griffin as Director

of Donor Services and Sara MacConnell, Donor

Relations and Grants for CFCG. Says Dennis,

“We have a small staff, but every one of them is

committed to providing the highest level of

service to our donors.” Regarding the board of

directors, Dennis has nothing but praise for

their participation, noting that it is rare to have

more than a few missing from a board

meeting. Describing the community leaders on

the board, she states, “They are the primary

ambassadors for our foundation, telling our

story to donors who want to get more out of

their philanthropy,” adding, “they review and

approve grant requests and share their

extensive knowledge of our community with

donors, each other and the staff, so we can

make better investments in Macon and

Middle Georgia.” The level of giving and the

increase in endowments are indicative of the

efficiency with which Dennis and her staff of

three full-time employees and office assistant,

Alex Edwards, a senior in high school, run

the Community Foundation.

Joe Timberlake, local businessman and

current chairman of the board of the CFCG,

started the Middle Georgia Food Bank with

Baptist minister, Rev. Ben Fore, and Methodist

minister, Rev. Helen Henry, over 20 years ago

and served on the board almost a decade. Not

only has Timberlake seen the advantages of

“giving appreciated assets directly to charities,”

he sees the benefits to the Food Bank from the

CFCG. Having been active in non-profit

agencies for years, Timberlake is nevertheless

eager to point out that, “the Community

Foundation has been the catalyst for $40 million

in gifts [the earnings of] which are used for

charitable purposes.”

Looking over the roster of board members,

one can see the zeal with which Macon’s

leaders have believed in the mission of the

Community Foundation. Melvin Kruger, part of

what Jordan refers to as her original “brain

trust,” is once again serving on the board. In fact,

the by-laws dictate that a board member can

serve two consecutive three-year terms, but

must rotate off the board for one year before

being elected again. Jordan related the story of

one former board member who had recently

called to tell her that she “missed being on the

board of the foundation, and to please let

Kathryn know I am ready to come back.” Board

members not only invest their time; they

invest financially, “putting their money where

their mouth is.”

Mike Ford, CEO of Newtown Macon, states,

“I am involved in the Community Foundation

in two ways. They manage all of the money

for Newtown Macon, which provides excellent

control over funds and investment oversight

of NTM’s assets.” Secondly, Ford says, “I have

a personal donor advised fund with the

foundation which allows my family to

contribute appreciated assets and avoid the

taxes [incurred with after-taxes giving], where

contributions are made to organizations that

my family and the foundation recommend.”

Ford adds to the list of accolades for Dennis

and her staff, stating, “They are most

professional and accessible.”

Boone Smith, a local attorney whose clients

depend on him to navigate and interpret the

ever changing and confusing income tax

laws, is now chairman of the development

committee and a former audit committee

member. He is now in his fourth year on the

board of directors of CFCG. He, too, stresses

the tax advantages of a community foundation

versus a private foundation, but particularly

likes the flexibility of giving through the CFCG.

Careful to explain in layman’s terms the

intricacies of the law as it pertains to charitable

gifts, Smith says, “The foundation offers the

opportunity for unrestricted giving, where

the foundation determines areas of most

urgent need, for the donor or, advised giving,

a vehicle for the donor to assist in

determining recipients of gifts from that

person’s endowment.” Smith refers to the

Professional Advisors Board, a separate entity

from the directors, as the seasoned veterans of

various law, CPA and brokerage firms in Macon

who meet annually rather than bi-monthly, as

required of the board of directors, to do just

“

”

The CommunityFoundation has beenthe catalyst for $ 40million in gifts [theearnings of] which areused for charitablepurposes.

Boone Smith with Suzanne Harper ofthe Museum of Artsand Sciences

what the name implies, advise the board and

staff on areas of need that may have fallen

under the radar of CFCG.

Smith voices some concern over the

apparent lack of understanding of what exactly

the Community Foundation does, not only for

Macon and Middle Georgia, but for those who

invest in the foundation. “We need to raise the

awareness of the public and the profile of the

Community Foundation to attract more investors

in charitable giving,” he concludes. With

Smith’s intensity in selling a “product” he so

firmly believes in, matched only by the boundless

energy of the board of directors and a president

who has set a goal of increasing the corpus of

the foundation by several million over the next

few years, his wishes will become a reality.

“People recommended for the board of

directors are leaders in their respective fields,”

states Jordan, “because they have proven that

their employees, stock holders and peers look

to them for answers to the needs of the com-

munity — and they never fail to provide them.”

Dennis, who serves on several other boards

of non-profits in Macon, is also a volunteer

scout leader with a daughter whose goal is to

earn the Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl

Scouts. Not only is Dennis a role model for

young women, she is an “invested advocate,” as

one admirer puts it, in Macon and Middle

Georgia. The Community Foundation of Central

Georgia, serving 14 central Georgia counties, is

one of 700 in the U. S., and is now recognized

for meeting the Council on Foundations

National Standards for community foundations.

Jordan has good reason to feel confident that

her brainchild is in good hands.

Dennis believes one of the ultimate

goals of the CFCG is to “bring out the

philanthropist in everyone.” With the CFCG’s

strong momentum, she adds, “We would like to

see donor advised and unrestricted funds

created to support every community in central

Georgia.” Even though the tax benefits are

significant, research indicates that reducing

taxes is actually the seventh reason in importance

given by “people motivated to give,” according

to Dennis. CFCG places great emphasis on

its flexibility in giving, advising donors on

charitable giving through the foundation, with

the advantages of personal oversight without

the hassles of a personal foundation.

In a September address to the Macon

Downtown Rotary Club, Dennis listed the four

primary motivators for family philanthropy as:

the wish to establish a family legacy; developing

a giving spirit in children and grandchildren;

creating stronger relationships among family

members; and, involving the entire family in

supporting the community where the family

generated their wealth.

The Community Foundation of Central

Georgia has made it possible for families who

feel a responsibility to share their good fortune,

to do so with strong administrative support, at

a reasonable cost, while creating a legacy of

giving for future generations.

Katherine Walden


“

”

People recommendedfor the board ofdirectors are leaders intheir respective fields,”states Jordan,“because they haveproven that theiremployees, stockholders and peers lookto them for answers tothe needs of thecommunity — andthey never fail toprovide them.

Joe Timberlake

Tom Sands - the executive.


Modern ideas of destiny or fate are most often applied to romanticsituations, true love and so on, but every now and then one can’thelp think fate had a hand in other areas as well. Take TomSands, for instance. As the current Vice President of ProfessionalServices for the Medical Center of Central Georgia, Sands’ lifeseems to have always been directing him toward Central Georgia—and toward helping others.


or Sands, the Medical Center is a

powerful and effective means of helping

others. The hospital’s economic impact

on the Macon-Bibb County region alone tops $1

billion, setting aside the fact that it’s the region’s

largest employer with over 4300 employees at

last count. And of course, MCCG’s medical

services have improved the lives of thousands.

The Medical Center stands as the only level-one

trauma center in Central Georgia and boasts the

Georgia Heart Center for advanced cardiac care.

Last year alone through these services and many

others, the Medical Center treated over

32,000 inpatients while its emergency center

saw over 48,000 individuals, most residents

of the community.

But while the Medical

Center’s commitment to service

was a good fit for Sands, he

also had a family connection

there: his mother. She was a

nurse at the Medical Center

for 40 years and the first

African-American registered

nurse to work in the operating

room. In fact, early in Tom’s

career for the Medical Center,

he had an office just down

from the operating room

and was keenly aware of

both his mother’s presence

and her example.

Sands’ current position at

the hospital, vice president

of professional services, is

understandably broad as he

oversees a number of different

areas. The lab, pharmacies,

radiology, respiratory services,

rehabilitation services, pur-

chasing, materials manage-

ment, Macon Health Club,

and the Wellness Center all fall

within his purview, totaling

over 700 employees. He’s

particularly proud of the recent expansion of the

Medical Center lab, a facility that performs some

2.1 million tests each year, and the recent digital

upgrades to radiology. The old X-ray films that

many of us are accustomed to are no longer

necessary at the Medical Center as the images

are now digital. A doctor can access a given X-ray

in an instant and they can be transported via disk

to doctors outside of the Medical Center.

Each such improvement undergoes a

rigorous process to ensure its appropriateness

and fiscal fitness in terms of the Medical

Center’s mission. Whether a given service or

advance is offered by a vendor or simply

requested frequently by the medical staff, Sands

coordinates an extensive review with members

of the effected department. The review

examines the service’s overall need in the

community, where else the service offered, and

what other technologies or vendors might

provide the service more effectively and

at better cost.

Sands is committed to such improvements.

Every advance Sands brings to the Medical

Center means that the hospital can “provide the

care and services to Macon citizens without

them having to leave Central Georgia.” Working

to support one of his community’s largest

medical resources, Sands acknowledges that he

affects people “during [times of] their greatest

need.” The importance of his work also occurs

to him on a more personal level: he was

born at the Medical Center (then Macon

Hospital) and also volunteered there as a

teenager during high school.

He is also committed to the very idea of

being a medical executive. He’s a fellow for the

American College of Health Executives and the

regent for that organization in the southern half

of Georgia. Aside from meeting with his fellow

members to exchange ideas and problems,

Sands promotes his profession and its unique

opportunities and challenges whenever he can

in the Georgia community.

Likewise, helping his community has contin-

ued to be a significant part of Sands’s life.

Before returning to Macon after receiving a

double Master’s in Business Administration and

Medical Administration, Sands served in

Columbus at Columbus Regional Healthcare

System. While serving there as administrator of

ambulatory services, he began seeking funds for

a community health center. After securing a

$500,000 grant, Sands oversaw the center’s

development into a reality and now Columbus

has opened another community center to

ease the burden on indigent families in

particular. “When you don’t have your health,”

says Sands, “it’s really hard to go out there

and make a difference.”

Once he returned to his hometown, Sands’

community activity has ranged from coaching

soccer and baseball to serving

on the board of directors for

the United Way of Central

Georgia. Presently, Sands

serves on the education

committee of the Macon

Chamber of Commerce and

the board of directors of

Central Georgia Technical

College Foundation. He is also

on the board of directors for

the Macon Downtown LIONS

Club and a recently elected

president of the 100 Black

Men of Macon.

The 100 Black Men of

Macon, a national service

organization with over 100

chapters, provides Sands a

unique way to serve the

community. “[S]omething is

happening in our social struc-

ture that is causing people to

give up at an early age,” says

Sands. The 100 Black Men’s

commitment to education,

mentoring and economic

empowerment permits Sands

an avenue to bring hope back

to his own community, partic-

ularly in the lives of young African Americans. To

that end, the 100 Black Men began Project Reach

in which it adopted the entire fifth grade class of

Ingram/Pye Elementary. Along with mentoring

opportunities, the organization promises that

any of these students who are accepted into

college would have his or her post-secondary

tuition covered by the 100 Black Men of Macon.

Here again one cannot help but think of fate:

Sands attended the very elementary school he is

now helping to mentor.

Another component of 100 Black Men’s

outreach of hope is Operation LIFT (Leadership

Initiative For Teens). Sands insists on the

importance of education to a fruitful life, or as

Sands puts it, “positioning oneself for success.”

F

Tom Sands - the family man.


Tom Sands - the volunteer with fellow 100 Black Men members.


Operation LIFT sought to teach teenagers the

basic skills needed in the business world from

interview techniques to proper business

decorum and social skills. Sands’ wife Michelle

even lead a number of the seminars and

training sessions in her capacity as a consultant

for small businesses.

In fact, Michelle’s firm, Empowerment

Concepts, is a central way that she gives back

to the community. As a consultant, Michelle

seeks to strengthen small businesses, helping

them address issues of strategic development,

marketing and training. Both the Sands

acknowledge the significance of economic

empowerment in improving individual and

community life. Michelle also

works with Jack and Jill of

America, a national organization

committed to improving the lives

of children.

The Sands’ children even

have a role to play in the

community, specifically through

the LIONS Club’s fundraising

for its various causes. Sands’

youngest son, Alexander, 10,

helps his father in ringing the bell

during the LIONS’ Christmas

partnership with the Salvation

Army ringers throughout the city.

During the LIONS’ springtime

initiative of brooms and mop

sales, Sands recruits his oldest

son Kendall, 14, to help carry the

products. Like his mother before

him, Sands believes that modeling

service for his children is just as

important as the service itself.

Why a busy executive would

involve himself so deeply in his

community is a serious question,

and one that fate alone cannot

answer. First and foremost, Sands

says, “I enjoy it.” While others may

find serving the community

daunting after a full work day or work week,

Sands finds it energizing. This can be partly

explained by the emphasis Sands places on

building relationships. To Sands, an opportunity

to interact with members of the community is an

opportunity to learn from each person he

meets, an opportunity to enrich his own life.

More to the point, however, Sands argues,

“It’s the right thing to do.” A career offers the

community only so much while the community

provides much for each individual: “If you’re not

giving back, then you’re only taking.” While

Sands understands the importance of one’s

career, he doesn’t believe that promotions and

projects are what people will truly remember

about a life well lived. Ultimately, only a balance

between work and community in one’s life

will prove truly satisfying.

To those reluctant to engage in community

service, Sands has some very reasonable advice.

First, realize that each of us has something

special to contribute whether or not we occupy

positions of power in the community. Also, find

a way to contribute to your local world that

you enjoy. Any service you can lend time to is

significant whether it’s in coaching a soccer team

or leading a project to create community health

centers for the poor. You may even find that

your career is enriched by what you give to

the community. Sands himself finds that as he

interacts with various residents of our region,

his own view of delivering health services

and identifying needs is brought to focus

and continually improved.

Executives, Sands believes, can play a special

part in improving the community. An executive’s

ability to direct public-private initiatives is

particularly valuable in transforming people’s

lives. Likewise, an executive’s familiarity with

assembling an action plan, seeking the necessary

support for it and seeing it through to

completion can address any number of

community problems.

Nonetheless, the demands of family, career

and community can be demanding on anyone,

particularly on executives. Sands emphasizes

balance in every aspect of his life, stressing

that adding community service to an already

busy schedule is part of that balance. On the

other hand, balance also involves “learning

to say no.” Community service “doesn’t have

to be a full-time job,” Sands suggests. He credits

the balance in his life to both his

supportive wife Michelle and his assistant

Beverly. “It’s nice knowing where you have to

be every day,” Sands notes.

His rise to Vice President of Professional

Services at the Medical Center of Central

Georgia also has a lot to do

with what he’s learned

along the way and, again,

“positioning yourself for

success.” Education, as he

mentions, is always first in

building a successful

career (and one of the

biggest items on Sands’s

lists of improvements for

Bibb County and Middle

Georgia). Sands also

stresses the need to

carefully define what you

want and nurture a

burning desire to achieve

it. As one begins to take on

more responsibility, Sands

points to taking risks

by accepting challenging

projects to establish one’s

capabilities. But as always

with this native Maconite,

the key to success is often

found in relationships. He

insists that building

relationships with those

above you in the organiza-

tion means establishing

trust and understanding

between parts of the team.

Whether you accept that fate had any hand

in bringing Tom Sands back to the Middle

Georgia community and his hometown, Sands is

still glad to be here, and while he acknowledges

that native Maconites can often be more critical

of the city than outsiders, he is insistent upon

the potential the citizens themselves possess. “If

not us, then who?” asks Sands. This community,

and the relationships to be nurtured within it,

remain central to Sands’ life and, he believes, the

success of us all.

Kevin C. Manus


Robbie Roberts worked his entire career at Brown & Williamson.

He was one of the first hires at the plant in 1977 and one of the last

to leave in July, 2006. His responsibilities included accounting,

finance and operations management.

Like everyone else, Roberts had heard the rumors of the closing

for years, always knowing that one day those rumors would become

reality. The nearly three years between the announcement of the

closing and the end of his work in liquidating assets gave him

sufficient time to put the next stage of his career together.

Roberts’ wife, Anna, has been a top real estate agent in Macon for

19 years, working for two of the largest brokerage companies in the

area. “Anna lives and breathes real estate and she’s extremely good at

sales. I like the administrative work, so we really compliment one

another in the new business,” says Roberts. “We had thought about

opening our own firm in several years, so the plant closing basically

accelerated our plans. The early pension benefits from B&W and hav-

ing two sons through college made the leap a bit more comfortable.”

“We don’t plan to become the biggest real estate broker

in Macon, but we do intend to be the best by offering customers

superior service.” he adds.

The most positive experience of being an entrepreneur so far for

Roberts? “It’s much more fun to row your own boat.”

Business: Rivoli Realty, Inc 4525 Forsyth Road, Macon, Ga. 31210 (478) 477-6528Description: Real estate salesOpened: May, 2006Website: www.rivolirealty.com

Robbie RobertsRowing His Own Boat

StartUpsOne door closed and anotheropened for these five former B&Wemployees turned entrepreneurs

Three years after Brown & Williamsonannounced they were closing, the cigaretteplant that once employed over 3,000 peopleis now a silent, empty shell. The Macon economy is steadily absorbing the shock asthose displaced workers who did not retireearly or transfer to North Carolina find newjobs in the area.

Five of those former B&W employeesused the shutdown as an opportunity tolaunch their dream of starting their ownbusiness. Here are their stories.


Jim Welch grew up in Chicago working in his uncle’s butcher

shop. Since moving to Macon in 1996, he has been less than

impressed with the availability of fresh steaks and specialty meats. So

when B&W announced the early end of what he thought was a career,

Welch and his wife Nancy decided to open Welch’s Country

Smokehouse across from the entrance of the new Bass Pro Shop.

The store, which is similar to relatives’ shops in Chicago and

Michigan, carries quality steaks and chops, a large assortment of jerky,

sausage, smoked meat, cheeses and related products. There’s nothing

like it in Macon.

To get the business started, Welch took advantage of the outplace-

ment benefits offered at B&W by attending entrepreneur classes

taught by Donald Rhodes, area director for the University of Georgia’s

Small Business Development Center. “The people at UGA are fantas-

tic,” he says. “We couldn’t have made it through the start

up without them.”

Business at Welch’s (next to the Pig in a Pit restaurant) has

been steadily building by word-of-mouth. “We’re waiting for the

opening of the Bass Pro Shop store in October to help more people

discover that we’re here.

“I miss the structure and camaraderie of B&W” says Welch, “but

working with my family and meeting all of the really fine people who

come in the store has been fantastic.”

Jim WelchFrom Making Smokes to Smoking MeatsBusiness: Welch’s Country Smokehouse 1687 Bass Road, Macon, Ga. 31210 (478) 474-7351Description: Retail sale of meat and related specialties Opened: February, 2006

Start Ups


Micah Strong was a 35-year-old licensed electrician with B&W

when they announced the closing of the Macon plant. With his wife

caring for two young children at home, the pressure was on to find a

new way to support his family. “I thought I would retire from Brown

& Williamson,” he recalls. “With only nine years of service with the

company and no offer to relocate to Winston-Salem, I was faced with

working for someone else or opening my own company.”

As his biblical name might imply, Strong says he prayed a lot over

his decision to start a new business. “In the end I put my faith in the

Lord and went for it.”

Strong used his two-year separation notice and generous

severance package to begin building his new business. He’s starting

out small, employing part-time workers and operating out of his

house. With big plans to grow, he knows he will be facing plenty of

marketing and administrative challenges. “I’ll be working some long

days before I get the right team in place,” he says. “Not every decision

I make is the right one, but sooner or later you run out of things that

don’t work and find the magic formula that does.

“None of my family had ever owned a business, so this was all

new to me. I’m going to business owner school every day, but I’m

doing what I love to do.”

Start Ups

Micah StrongA Leap Based on FaithBusiness: Strong Electrical Services, Inc.

P.O. Box 2128, Gray, Ga. (478) 747-7908 Description: Licensed contractor for commercial and industrial electrical workOpened: March, 2006


With nine years of experience in managing multi-million dollar

cigarette operations and an engineering degree from Mercer, Daniel

Duston saw the plant closing announcement as the perfect opportunity

to pursue his dream of starting his own business. Despite an attractive

offer to transfer to the RJR plant in Winston-Salem, he decided to stay

close to his family in Macon. After researching the market and

developing business plans, the 35-year old invested in a franchise for

a mobile car and truck fleet service. Within months he bought two

vans and a box truck and started drumming up business for his unique

maintenance and repair services.

For nearly two years, Duston worked at getting Total Fleet

Maintenance up and running while he worked at B&W. “It might have

been better to wait for the corporate outplacement benefits,” he says,

“but my wife Lynn was a major help in the early work of developing

a base of customers.”

The Panama City native says he misses the daily contact with

his B&W friends. But he is making new connections. “Despite the

pressure of managing cash flow each month, I love meeting new

customers and having the freedom to call the shots.

“My goal is to continue to grow the mobile business across

Middle Georgia and eventually open a service center that caters to

over-the-road drivers,” he says. “Customers are eager to try our

services because we make it easier for them to do what they get

paid to do – keep their vehicles on the road.”

Start Ups

Daniel DustonFamily Trumps TransferBusiness: Total Fleet Maintenance, Inc.

4480 Riverside Dr., Suite 4, Macon, Ga. 31210 (478) 405-7791 Description: Mobile fleet servicing in a 14-county areaOpened: August, 2004Website: www.totalfleetmaintenance.com


Start Ups

Nathan (Nate) CollinsFrom Automating to Creating JobsBusiness: Georgia Water Sports

2590 Eatonton Highway, Haddock, Ga. 31033 (478) 986-9841 Description: Marine equipment and repairs, ski instruction and sports excursionsOpened: August, 2004Website: www.georgiawatersports.com

B&W recruited Nate Collins from the engineering school at the

University of Florida in 1999. Having grown up near the water in

Florida, he felt very much at home living at Lake Sinclair.

“The toughest thing about the merger with RJR was staying

motivated for the two years that we knew the plant was closing, but

I used that time to consider my options. I wasn’t thrilled about

working nights for RJR in Winston-Salem, or working 60 to 70 hour

weeks at a paper mill in Palatka, Flordia,” he recalls. “Plus, my wife

Becky and I had become pretty attached to the people at the Lake.”

Like others, Collins took advantage of B&W’s outplacement

benefits by taking college courses to become a certified marine

mechanic and attending the business development classes offered

by UGA. Combining his passion for water sports with his engineer-

ing training, he decided to open his own marine shop. “One day I

work on boat engines, and the next day I might be taking a group

wake boarding on the lake,” he says.

With plans to become a boat dealer with expanded facilities,

Collins is investing long hours in the startup. “There’s plenty of

work. Boat owners appreciate good, fast service from a shop they

can trust.

“I was never comfortable with some of my projects at B&W

that involved further reductions in manning. Now I’m building a

business that will let me offer people a fun, meaningful career.”

Rick Maier


he citizens of Neyland, Wales stood in honored silence as the somber

processional passed by carrying one of their own, Lord Gordon Parry, to

his final resting place. The only sound that could be heard was the rhythmic

cadence made by the boots of the Welsh Royal Guard as they took the lead at

the front of the hearse. Cars with family and friends followed and overhead

the RAF did a missing man fly over in a final farewell to the great Welsh

statesman. Everything reflected a formal state funeral: the services, the

ceremonies, the processional, the national news coverage, the presence of

dignitaries and of family and friends. Everything was

protocol except for instructions given by Gordon Parry

to his daughter, Catherine, a few months before his

death. “Ask Bruce to be a pall bearer,” Lord Parry had

said. “I know he’ll come.” So on that solemn occasion,

Dr. Bruce Allen of Macon, the only non-family member

asked to be a pallbearer, embraced his friend’s final

request and escorted Lord Parry, Baron of Neyland, on

his final journey. But how did such a friendship, half

a world away, come to be?

T

he roots of Bruce Allen and his wife Jennifer

go deep in the red clay of Middle Georgia.

Bruce grew up in Warner Robins where he loved

the outdoors. He graduated from Warner Robins

High School with honors and went on to UGA

where he majored in chemistry and graduated

Magna cum Laude and was Phi-Beta-Kappa.

Jennifer is from Roberta. She graduated

valedictorian from Crawford Country High

School, where she won the “Betty Crocker

Future Homemaker of America award.” Her

father, J.B. Hawkins, was the high school basket-

ball coach and is now honored in the Georgia

Coaches Hall of Fame. Her mother taught the

sixth grade there for 30 years. Inspired by her

parents, Jennifer graduated Summa cum Laude

from UGA, with an undergraduate major in edu-

cation and a master’s degree in speech therapy.

Bruce and Jennifer first met at the Medical

College of Georgia. After being Assistant

Professor in the Department of Dermatology,

Dr. Bruce Allen left Augusta to open a private

medical practice in Macon. Shortly after they

were married, Dr. Jennifer Hawkins Allen joined

her husband in his quickly growing dermatology

practice. It was a practical path for a Southern


couple to follow. But at some point along the

way the Allens began to pursue a path less taken.

They chose to embrace the world, and the world

embraced them back.

The Allens have traveled extensively and

their time abroad has not only been a tangible

experience, often colored with adventure, but a

purposeful pursuit of other cultures. Their trips

have been a vehicle for understanding and for

building friendships. “People are pretty much

the same the world over,” Bruce explains. “They

want to be respected for what they do. They

want their children to have a better life than they

have, and they want to be able to raise their fam-

ily in peace.”

Perhaps it is their heart of understanding

and their gift of hospitality that has made the Allen

home an international respite for foreign visitors

and an asset to Macon, which is fast becoming a

player in the global business community.

So far, 17 foreign companies, both European

and Asian, now call Macon home. According to

Pat Topping of the Macon Economic

Development Commission, Macon’s proximity

to the Atlanta airport and to the ports in

Savannah, Brunswick, Jacksonville and

Charleston are important, but in the final

analysis he concludes, “This is a relationship

business that we’re in and people tend to do

business with people that they’re comfortable

with. To have somebody like Bruce and Jenny

host people, it’s a big part of it.”

In addition to opening their home to foreign

dignitaries, this year Bruce served as chairman of

the sixth Annual Georgia European Union

Summit held in November at Idle Hour Country

Club in Macon. Initially the idea of local attorney,

Chris Smith, the Georgia EU Summit is a net-

working event that hosts Consuls General and

Trade Commissioners from European nations to

both introduce them to Macon and to honor the

many European countries that invest in Georgia.

This year the keynote speaker was Mr. Matti

Anttonen, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission

Embassy of Finland in Washington, D.C. Finland

holds the presidential seat of the European

Union this year. Over 20 European Consuls and

Trade Commissioners and their staff attended

the event in November. “Macon is rapidly

becoming a player on the international

scene,” observes Bruce, “and the Georgia EU

Summit is one Macon component that we fer-

vently hope will become the preeminent

European event in Georgia.”

Connecting with people from other

countries and developing a strong bond of

understanding and trust calls for not just

southern hospitality but international

hospitality. According to Bruce, the Macon

International Cherry Blossom Festival has

played a pivotal role in Macon developing

lasting international relationships. “I’m the

chairman this year of the Featured Nations

Committee for the festival,” he says. “As far as we

can tell there is no other major festival in the

United States that is prominently built around

featuring foreign countries, their art and

citizenry. This 25th Anniversary year we plan to

introduce a foreign film component to the festival.”

It was through the Cherry Blossom Festival

that he and Jennifer first met Lord Gordon Parry.

They developed a hard, fast friendship that

transcended distance and age. “He never had a

son, so he used to call me his ‘son,’ especially

when he was about to impart some wisdom.

Also, at his insistence, he became a godfather

to our son Blake,” Bruce says of the elder

statesman. “Some people you meet in your life

make you very fortunate because they help your

life blossom. Gordon was like that. He had a

very profound influence on us, our interest in

the world, and our love for different cultures.”

The Allen’s love for different cultures is best

seen by the number of foreign guests they have

welcomed into their home. Some of their

visitors have included Earl Grey of Earl Grey

tea fame; Mr. Jan Sauer, the Trade Commissioner

of Denmark; The Honorable Anne Mallinson;

Lord Mayor of Westminster London, England;

various Asian and South American guests; and of

course, Lord and Lady Parry who were often

house guests. Japanese visitors have a pleasant

surprise when they meet their son, Blake, a

senior at Stratford Academy who speaks

Japanese and plans to major in East Asian

studies and international business when he

attends college next year.

Each guest takes home something different

from their stay with the Allens. As Jennifer

observed when discussing international visitors

to Macon, “We often don’t realize what we

have in our own backyard.” The truth of this

statement was demonstrated during the last

Cherry Blossom Festival, when Director General

Wang, one of the Taiwanese dignitaries that they


were hosting, was so impressed with the lake at

the Allens’ home, that he wrote a poem entitled

“Bruce’s Lake.” It was published in the China

Times and now is a point of interest for

Taiwanese visitors to Macon.

Although the list of dignitaries is grand and

multinational, the Allens have carefully created a

home environment that will grow friendships.

“Alloway” the name of a small Scottish village

and the birth place of poet Robert Burns, is the

name Bruce and Jennifer have given to their

Georgian style home on Old Forsyth Road. Their

home is intriguing and visitors are captivated the

moment they are welcomed through the door.

With the guidance of interior decorator, Judy

Hodgens, Alloway blends history and culture

together like a seamless fabric. An expansive

Greek mural called “Clio’s Welcome,” replete

with detail, greets visitors upon their entry into

the foyer. “I commissioned this mural for my

wife,” explains Bruce. “Clio is the Greek muse of

history. We have a mutual enjoyment of

life-long learning and this mural is a celebration

of that.” The mural is the work of the Macon

artist Nancy Huggins and took almost three

months to complete.

The Jefferson Room adjacent to the foyer is

a conversational room that showcases Bruce’s

deep love of history, his knowledge and respect

for Thomas Jefferson and the era in which he

lived. “If I could live in any other period of

history, I would choose the time of the Founding

Fathers,” Bruce comments.

The Allens’ home reflects their extensive

world travel. International guests find it a haven

because it celebrates the beauty of different

cultures. The second floor east room of the

house is Oriental-themed and contains a

karaoke music center and home theater. You

enter the room through Asian pilasters which

support a pagoda pediment. The west room,

also on the second floor, is Occidental-

themed and incorporates Greek and Roman

motifs which emphasize the development

of western thought and culture. You enter

through fluted Greek pilasters that support a

Roman arch underneath which is a painting of

Pompeii and Vesuvius, again the work of Nancy

Huggins. The west room is decorated like a

museum and displays collections from many

periods in western history.

The guest room, which is located on the first

floor, offers an introduction to the history

of their own home state of Georgia. A full

collection of twelve blue and white Georgia

Historical Plates, made by Wedgwood, adorns

one wall. The collection commemorates the

200th anniversary of the founding of Georgia

with each plate depicting a different historical

event or place in Georgia.

The Allens may have embraced the world but

their hearts belong to Macon. People often ask

them where they will live when retired. But

retirement is a word not active in either of their

vocabularies. “Well, I have no plans to retire,”

Jennifer begins. “I love working and I love my

patients, and realizing we could live any place in

the world, we would still choose Macon. It’s

because of the people that are here and because

this is where our family and friends are, we will

spend the rest of our lives here.”

Their level of commitment to Macon is one

of involvement. Bruce is a businessman and also

serves on several boards, while Jennifer is a

prominent dermatologist. Both are excited

about the city’s potential and impressed by

Macon’s younger leaders. “There is so much

diversity here,” Jennifer continues. “We have

several colleges, great music, restaurants and

it’s such a beautiful area. It’s interesting to

see Macon through the eyes of our visitors. They

find it fascinating, all the unique history we

have here, such as the Indian Mounds and

the Halls of Fame.”

The word diversity could easily be applied

to Bruce. His tangible accomplishments are

many: physician, researcher, author, musician,

commercial pilot, candidate for the space

program, master scuba diver, world traveler

(adventure and good will travel), lecturer,

mountain climber, founder of CyberMedix

Resources, LLC, and avid historian. Some would

describe Bruce as a true Renaissance man, not

so much just for his pursuit of knowledge, but

for his application of that knowledge.

The knowledge Bruce gained during his six

day, 20,000-foot ascent up Mt. Kilimanjaro

passed on to Jennifer and Blake when they later

climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan. “There’s a trick to it,”

says Bruce, “what you do is just get a song in

your head that works with your rhythm and you

sing it over and over again.” Bruce learned this

in his hard-fought climb to reach Uhuru summit,

the highest point in Africa. He sang “Turn the

Page” by Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band.

I love working and I love my patients, and realizing we could live

any place in the world, we would still choose Macon. It’s because of

the people that are here and because this is where our family and

friends are, we will spend the rest of our lives here.


“I sang, ‘Only Believe.’ You know, all things

are possible, only believe.” Jennifer says of her

choice of song when climbing Mr. Fuji. “A lot

of mountain climbing is pure boredom. You

literally put one foot in front of the other. Your

brain is the only thing that keeps you going. I

know Bruce wondered if I would make it

because I’m not athletic. I like to read and to

play the piano, but I made it and it gives me

something to draw on.”

Bruce, Jennifer and Blake all share a deep

love of experiential learning. It is a

constant in their lives. Bruce gives credit to his

high school biology teacher, Mrs. Sally Blackwell

for this passion. “What she did focused me

in life. She taught me to love learning… to

continue to learn and to challenge myself to

be a better person,” he says.

Jennifer also gives credit to her teachers in

Roberta. “I was very influenced by my teachers.

My parents were both teachers, and I grew up

believing I could do whatever I wanted to do if I

was willing to put the work into it. I didn’t see

limitations even though in 1976 not many

women got into medical school. There were

160 men and 16 women in my class when I start-

ed medical school. And when I came to Macon,

there were only four other woman physicians

here. Today we almost have more women doc-

tors than men in Macon.”

When speaking of his wife as a fellow

physician, Bruce’s obvious pride in her accom-

plishments shows. “She treats her patients like

she would want her family treated. Jenny is the

closest thing to a female Marcus Welby you can

find.” And when reflecting on her “Betty Crocker

Future Homemaker Award” from high school

Bruce smiles, “You know, we’ve joked about

that. She said all she had to do was write a paper

to win. But in all honesty I don’t know if you

could have a better homemaker than Jenny. She

takes the house and makes it a loving home.

With all the aspects that go into that, I think it

was a very appropriate award.”

The Allens took a path less traveled and from

that grew many international friendships. Their

knowledge and experiences enrich not only

their lives, but the lives of all who know them.

They embraced the world, and then, invited the

world back home to Macon.

Judy Rocker



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4589 address Macon

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