Athen Walden, Jim Harrell, and Russ Yeomans have been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce. Each will serve a two-year term beginning in January 2009.

Retiring from the board in December after serving two- year terms are Henry Terwilliger, Butch Frye and Asa Garrett.

Russ Yeomans is a 1994 graduate of David Emanuel Academy and a 1998 graduate of Georgia Southern University where he received his BBA in Management. He is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and is an active member of Southern Boosters. Russ also serves on the Georgia Forestry Association's Logging and Transportation Committee and is currently Co-Chair of the Southeast Timber Expo of the Pine Tree Festival. He is Executive Vice President of Yeomans Wood and Timber, Inc. and is a graduate of Leadership Emanuel. He is married to the former Stacy Jarriel of Metter, and is a member of First Baptist Church of Swainsboro.

Jim Harrell is a 1984 graduate of Swainsboro High School. He graduated from East Georgia College in 1986 and in 1988 graduated from Georgia Southern University with a BBA in Economics with emphasis in agri-business.

In 1989, he began employment with Southeast Georgia Farm Credit, ACA in Statesboro, where he served as a loan officer trainee and received various promotions until reaching senior loan officer position. In July of 1996, he accepted the Vidalia branch manager's position with Southeast Georgia Farm Credit and remained there until July 1998.

In August 1998, he began employment with the Citizens Bank of Swainsboro as vice president. He was promoted to senior vice president in January 2000.

Jim is a member of the Swainsboro Exchange Club, where he is currently serving as club secretary. He is a former member of Swainsboro Kiwanis Club and is a graduate of Leadership Emanuel.

He is married to the former Tammy Moore of Dellwood, and they have two children, Russ & Zoie. They are members of El Bethel Baptist Church, Twin City where he serves as treasurer.

Athen Walden is a 1995 graduate of Emanuel County Institute. He graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1999 with a BBA in Finance. He is a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity and is an active member of the GSU Alumni Board and Southern Boosters, Inc. He has also served as president of the Emanuel County Georgia Southern Eagle Club.

He has served as president of the Swainsboro Rotary Club, is a graduate of 2008 Leadership Emanuel and is currently co-chairman of the 2009 Pine Tree Festival and Southeast Timber EXPO

Currently, he is vice president of Spivey State Bank and is president of the Twin City Development Authority.

Athen is married to the former Abby Barnett of Washington, Georgia. They have two children, Ally and Jack. They are members of First Baptist Church in Twin City.

Serving as 2009 officers for the chamber will be Milton Gray, chairman; Kenny Griffin, chairman-elect; Richard McNeely, secretary; Stephanie Fagler, treasurer; Ken Warnock, past chairman.

Serving as 2009 officers for the chamber will be Milton Gray, chairman; Kenny Griffin, chairman-elect; Richard McNeely, secretary; Stephanie Fagler, treasurer; Ken Warnock, past chairman.

Also serving on the Board will be Wade Johnson, Dr. Bobby Sasser, Harry Martin, Charles Schwabe and Desse Davis.

Regina & Randy Forehand, owners of Swainsboro's newest restaurant, will host a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, Dec. 10th, at 4:00 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

The new restaurant is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. serving soups, salads sandwiches, and bakery items. Catering is also available.

In an effort to promote local business this Christmas season, the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce has created an "Emanuel Made-Emanuel Grown" page on the Chamber's website. To view the page, go to www.emanuelchamber,org. Look for "Emanuel Made- Emanuel Grown" on menu board.

The Chamber is promoting local artists, local wood crafters, quilt makers, etc. and those items that are unique to the region.

"We will be glad to place these items on our webpage at no cost! We will need a photograph and description of the item including a price point," stated Bill Rogers, Jr. chamber president.

"Since our website continues to draw traffic and is a mainstay in our efforts to promote Emanuel County, our idea is to connect buyers and sellers. If we can promote "Emanuel Made-Emanuel Grown" products, everyone is served."

Thursday night, February 5th, has been selected for the 2009 Annual Chamber Banquet. The event will be held at East Georgia College, beginning with a social at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

This year's theme is a closely guarded secret, but should be loads of fun! Tickets are $30 each and will be available starting on January 2, 2009.

Last year's event was sold out early, so make plans now to attend!

As part of the Vision Series, The Glenn Miller Orchestra will be on stage at East Georgia College on Friday, January 23rd. A gala in being planned preceding the show to benefit the East Georgia College Foundation. More details later, but mark your calendars now!

With the economy still in the doldrums, the Georgia Economic Outlook series should be more interesting than ever. The annual event is planned for January 15, 2009, at East Georgia College in the Richard L. Brown Room.

The series, directed by the Terry College of Business, annually draws thousands across the state with Atlanta, Columbus, Jekyll Island, Macon, Savannah, Augusta, Thomasville, Albany and Athens serving as other host sites.

For more information or to order tickets, call East Georgia College at 478-289-2099 or 478-289-2000.

The ladies of the Nu Upsilon Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will host the sorority's Cluster VI Regional Meeting in Swainsboro on December 5-6th. The meeting will be held at Swainsboro Middle School on Tiger Trail.

Cluster VI includes sorority graduate chapters in Augusta, Savannah, Hinesville, Vidalia and Statesboro in Georgia and Orangeburg, Monks Corner, Georgetown, Walterboro, Charleston, Beaufort, Summerville, and Aiken in South Carolina.

Undergraduate chapters from Georgia Southern, Savannah State, Augusta State, Paine College, Armstrong Atlantic, South Carolina State, Clafin, College of Charleston, Voornees, University of South Carolina-Aiken, and Charleston Southern University will also be in attendance.

Some 400 ladies all dressed in pink and green are expected for this weekend in Swainsboro.

The Downtown Development Authority has set up a telephone number to report littering and illegal dumping. The Chamber asks for your help. When you see someone littering, call 237-7025, Extension 1155. Help keep Swainsboro beautiful!!!

The Georgia Academy of Economic Development will offer a "Spring 2009 Economic & Leadership Development Program."

Sponsored by the Department of Community Affairs, the Region 9 Academy will be held in Vidalia, Ga., at the Center for Economic Development.

The program calls for 5 one-day sessions in a 4- month period. Dates have not been announced but interested candidates should contact the Swainsboro/Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce or Jim Crowdis, Region 9 Representative, Department of Community Affairs, at 478-272-8700.

The program is ideal for chamber members, newly elected officials, economic developers, or those interested in learning more about how local government works.

This marks the eleventh year for the Academy. Some 267 candidates have completed the Academy course work.

Small and medium-sized firms employ 80% of the U.S. workforce where drug testing policies and programs are not in place. Absenteeism, increased healthcare cost and decreased productivity due to alcohol and other substance abuse cost the average company $1,000 per employee per year studies show. In Georgia, state certified drug-free workplaces receive a state-mandated 7.5% discount off their workers' compensation insurance premiums. This is the highest discount available in the nation. For many companies, this discount translates into thousands of dollars in savings annually. Now, more than ever, this saving is important. Is your company taking advantage of this pro-employer law? Certification as a "drug-free workplace" is a simple, quick, inexpensive 5-step process. The Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce can assist your company in achieving this special certification and qualifying for the state- mandated 7.5% discount. Call the Chamber at 478- 237-6426 for more information.