4/30 SUCCESS 2013 - Dublin-Laurens County

SUCCESS 2013CELEBRATING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN DUBLIN AND LAURENS COUNTY

INDUSTRY GROWTH BUSINESS CITY/COUNTY EDUCATION CARL VINSON VA

INDUSTRYInvestment in thefuture: SPFT putting $42 million

into expansion at Dublin Mill

Page 2

INSIDE:

CITY/COUNTYA Dublin-to-Dublin connection:Mayor and officials make visit,

get ideas overseas

Page 3

GROWTHPort of possibility:With largerships expected at a deeperPort of Savannah, Dublin couldreap the benefits of global

growth

Page 8

CITY/COUNTYLeading the way: LeadershipGeorgia tour group enjoys visit

to Dublin, Laurens County

Page 4

EDUCATION‘First day of tomorrow:’ DHSsolar installation opening doors

for schools

Page 10

CARL VINSON VAA special environment:Veteranshappy with new community

center

Page 11

BUSINESSWorkforce workshop: New JobConnection giving hope to

people trying to find work

Page 9

EDUCATIONInternational accreditation:Dublin High School preparingto implement International

Baccalaureate program

Page 5By JASON HALCOMBEThe sounds of hammers, drills

and grinders was briefly interruptedby the grinding of gravel under cartires as Erdrich plant managerWal-ter Huber pulled into the makeshiftdriveway for weekly briefing withcontractors.As Huber stepped out of his

Volkswagen - one of three Germanbrands the plant will supply parts towhen completed - he was greetedby smile after smile from contrac-tors and coworkers.And for good reason.The Erdrich site, which has been

under construction for over a year,is fitting precisely within corporateplans to have the plant operationaland shipping product by January2014."We are still on schedule," Hu-

ber said with a smile.Over the past 12 months,what

started as shifted dirt by LaurensCounty crews has been molded in-to a covered steel frame that domi-nates the skyline of the I-16 Indus-trial Park located off Ga. 257."It even has windows now,"

joked Huber. "As you can see, the130,000 square foot facility is nearlycomplete."Erdrich was the first of four ma-

jor industrial announcements madein 2012.A 130,000 square foot, $39million metal stamping facility at thecenter of the company's first NorthAmerican venture.When opera-tional, the Dublin plant will employ178 and mirror the size and impor-tance of its German operations.The midsized family-owned com-

pany produces complex metal partsand subassemblies for the automo-tive industry and has been in themetal stamping business for morethan 50 years.It was that family-focused ap-

proach to business that first drewCEO Georg Erdrich to LaurensCounty officials, who showcased theI-16 site during a helicopter tour ofthe area."We started a friendship that

honestly translated into this ground-breaking," said JimmyAllgood, for-mer chairman of the Dublin-Lau-rens County DevelopmentAuthori-ty."We made every effort to find

the right place to locate our newfactory inAmerica," Erdrich saidduring groundbreaking ceremoniesfor the site.The company currently has two

plants in Germany, one in the CzechRepublic and another in China thatsupply parts to other automotivesupplier companies and as well toBMW,Mercedes andVolkswagen.Construction is projected to be

completed by the end of May,with aJune 14 ribbon cutting to follow."After that, we'll be putting in

machinery step-by-step," Hubersaid.Four new employees will begin

work with the company May 1,withplans to produce the first samplesat the plant around November."We are really excited," Huber

said. "We have been moving alongvery well. It has been a pleasure towork with the contractors and sub-contractors.No complaints."

Erdrich ribbon cutting setfor June, operations slatedto begin in January 2014

Nearingcompletion

"As you can see, the 130,000square foot facility is nearlycomplete."

— Walter HuberErdrich plantmanager

Photos by Jason Halcombe

(Top): Huber stands in frontof the nearly-completed Er-drich facility. (Above): CEOGeorg Erdrich speaks atJuly’s groundbreakingceremony. (Below):Construction was wellunder way this pastwinter.

By JASON HALCOMBEIn the middle of his speech,

SP Fiber Technologies CEO JayGurandiano said, "You makeyour money where you putyour money."Gurandiano and SPFT lived

up to that statement in theeyes of Laurens County resi-dents, when they announcedplans to invest $42 million inthe Dublin mill over the nextyear to become what theyhope is a "world class" produc-er of packaging materials.The lunchtime announce-

ment came less than a week af-ter SPFT officials were success-ful in transforming PM2, one ofthe world's fastest and mostefficient newsprint productionmachines, into a producer ofthe packaging grades used tomake items like the brownbags found at most fast foodrestaurants.The successful "experiment"

was ahead of schedule and un-der budget, which had Guran-diano and other SPFT officialsvery excited about the futureof the Dublin mill."I can't tell you how proud I

am to be here," Gurandianosaid. "In the No. 2 machine, wesaw a vision...What was aworld class newsprint machinewe hope to make a world classpacking machine."Gurandiano said SPFT offi-

cials are hopeful Thursday's an-nouncement was "phase one,"with plans for continue a part-nership with GreenPower Solu-tions on a biomass power plantnearing the financing stage."The vision is to turn this

mill into the greenest mill inNorth America," Gurandianosaid.Tom Croteau, Division di-

rector, Georgia Department ofEconomic Development said he"grew up in a town with six pa-per mills...now there arenone.""My dad and all my un-

cles...put bread on the tableand roof over their head,"Croteau said. "It's really a joyfor me."Croteau used the compari-

son of locating new industryvs. growth of existing industryto that of a newborn vs. a highschool graduate."When they graduate high

school," Croteau said, "that'sreally when you stand up soproud.That's how we feel to-day."Dublin mill manager Glenn

Hill opened the brief programby thanking original mill manag-er RonWilson."We were a very successful

company, but times change,"Hill said. "...About a year and ahalf ago we did an experiment.It was an experiment but wewere very successful."The experiment was the

first try to produce the brownpackaging materials on the PM2machine; a machine that haspreviously been listed as both

the world's fastest and mostefficient newsprint machine."We're only had one (paper)

break since we started last Fri-day," Hill said. "...Most of all,and I mean this from the bot-tom of my heart, what theDublin team accomplished isremarkable in such a shortamount of time. If they workedless than 80 or 90 hours theyfelt like they had a day off.""We can see a bright future

for SP Fiber Technologies," saidScott Beasley, chairman of theDublin-Laurens DevelopmentAuthority. "This is truly a win-win day for Dublin and LaurensCounty."Dublin Mayor Phil Best

agreed."With the investment these

folks are about to make, it'sjust another sign that our local

economy continues to be re-vived," Best said. "This is goodor better than locating a newindustry.""It's great news that SPFT is

expanding and doing it success-fully," added East Dublin MayorGeorge Gornto."It means a lot to Laurens

County," said Laurens CountyCommission Chairman EmoryLake. "SPFT makes up such alarge portion of our tax base,and this news is good for theentire county. It's exciting tosee they're planning on beinghere for a while.""It's just another sign of

how this community comes to-gether to work with industry,"said Dist. 150 State Represen-tative Matt Hatchett. "Creditto SPFT for thinking outsidethe box."

Tuesday, April 30, 2013/Dublin, Ga/Page 2The Courier Herald

910 E. Jackson St., Dublin, 272-4353826 S. Harris St., Sandersville, GA, 552-5102

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INDUSTRY

Investment in the futureSPFT putting$42 millioninto expansionat Dublin Mill

Photos by Jason Halcombe

SPFT CEO Jay Gurandiano (above, left) said he hopes the mill expansion is “only phase one.” Also pictured, Dublin Mill manager Glen Hill.

By PAYTON TOWNS IIIWhen the Mayor of Dublin,

Ireland invited the mayors fromall of the Dublin towns in theUnited States, Phil Best wantedto represent Dublin, Georgia.

Best went along with his wifeCile and he took Dublin CityManager George Roussel andPresident of the Dublin/LaurensDevelopment Authority CalWray.

"It was the year of the Gath-ering in Ireland," Best said. "Inthe letter, it said I could bring adelegation with me if I wantedto."

Best called Roussel,Wrayand county administrator BryanRogers because they are a partof the economic developmentteam in the area. Unfortunately,Rogers was unable to go.

"It was a once in a lifetimetrip," Roussel said. "It was agreat experience and I think weaccomplished a great deal. Itwas a honor to be asked and ahonor to represent the greatcitizens of Dublin."

Wray said it was good to ex-tend economic development ef-forts.

"The city (in Dublin, Ireland)was great in helping us to es-tablish meetings,"Wray said."With their invitation and assis-tance of setting up meetings, itadded a whole lot more credi-bility to our trip meeting withcompanies and meeting withagencies to try to get invest-ment going both ways to Ire-land and the U.S.And specifical-ly, to Laurens County."

None in the group had everbeen to Dublin, Ireland before.Best said the plane ride wasabout 7 1/2 hours going andclose to 9 coming back.

"Ireland is as equal as us inthe south about hospitality,"Best said. "They looked after usand made sure we were takencare of.They treated us likeroyalty."

Wray said everyone theysaw was nice from people walk-ing down the street to cab dri-vers.

"One time George and Iwere walking and we kind ofgot turned around,"Wray said."A guy stopped and guided usbecause he saw we were lost."

It was good to be face toface with people about busi-ness.

"It was neat to meet peoplewho may come here for a busi-ness opportunity," Best said."That was priceless. From atourism standpoint, I fully be-lieve we'll have a continued re-lationship with a city in Ireland."

Wray said they were able toset up 10 to 12 meetings overtwo days.They met with groupslike Enterprise Ireland, InvestIreland, Locate Ireland and theAmerican Chamber of Com-merce.

"Those groups help to bringinvestment to Ireland and theyalso help Irish companies investin the U.S.,"Wray said. "Wemet with a couple of companiesthat will be looking at locationsin the U.S. It was good to setup relationships to make futurecontacts. It was really benefi-cial."

They met with a consultantgroup out of Belfast that takescompanies from Ireland to Con-tinental Europe and the UnitedStates.

"They were very excitedabout the opportunities here,"Wray said. "I think we'll behosting them in the next fewmonths in a visit here. On theirnext trip to the United States,they want to come to Dublinand see what we have to offeron the industrial side."

The group was in Dublin, Ire-land on St. Patrick's Day.The pa-rade had 500 thousand people,Wray said.And there were me-chanical floats and a lot ofstreet theatre people in cos-tume.

They are working with get-ting a sister city from a town ahour away from Dublin, Ireland.

"I think that will createtourism possibilities for bothcountries and both cities," Bestsaid. "A lot of people would liketo go to Ireland. I think wecould get up a delegation ofpeople who'd like to go to Ire-land and the same with peoplethere who'd like to come here."

It was also good to have allof the Mayors from Dublintowns in the U.S.

"This was the first timewe've all met at one time," Bestsaid. "We met the mayor ofDublin, Calif., Dublin, Ohio,Dublin, N.H. and Dublin, Penn.Hopefully we'll have some rela-tionships with them too. Caland I've talked about maybegetting a future meeting with

them too."Roussel was impressed with

the history in Ireland.They

went to Trinity College whichwas founded in 1633. Some ofthe structures are still there

and most of Shakespeare's orig-inal works are in the library, hesaid.

"That was one of the thingsthat impressed me personally,"Roussel said. "There was a lotof lessons learned."

One of the things the mayorfrom Ireland wanted known wasthat people can go to Irelandfor tourism.

"More than anything, theDublin mayor of Irelandreached out to the mayor ofBelfast and Northern Irelandfor tourism," Roussel said."They have the huge museumor memorial for the Titanic. It'son the same site where the Ti-tanic was built and launched."

Wray said the trip was pro-ductive. It was a good firststart, especially with relation-ships.

"It really set up good for ourfuture," he said.

Best said they know thatthey can't wait for businesses tocome here.

"I think Cal and the Develop-ment Authority have proventhat in order to get business,you can't sit at home waitingfor it to come to you," Bestsaid. "You have to go after it.That was a good reason to goand it was an excellent oppor-tunity to reach out to thesefolks. I wouldn't be surprised ifsomething good doesn't comefrom it."


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CITY/COUNTY

A Dublin-to-Dublin connection

Special photo

Best (far right) with fellow “Dublin” mayors during a recent economic development trip to Ireland.

Mayor and officials make contacts, get ideas overseas

"I think Cal and the Development Au-thority have proven that in order toget business, you can't sit at homewaiting for it to come to you. You

have to go after it. That was a goodreason to go and it was an excellent

opportunity to reach out to thesefolks. I wouldn't be surprised if some-

thing good doesn't come from it."

— Phil BestDublin Mayor

By PAYTON TOWNS IIIThe Leadership Georgia

Class rolled into town onMarch 21 and got to see thebest that Dublin had to offer.

Dublin officials rolled outthe welcome mat.The DublinHigh School cheerleaderscheered while the band playedthe school's fight song as mem-bers from the class got off thebuses.

Marsay and Aimee Simpson,the program chair for Leader-ship Georgia, were pleased withwhat they called "a wonderfultown."

"People say that Dublin isknown for its people and thatis absolutely true," MarsaySimpson said. "The people havebeen unbelievable."

Aimee Simpson calledDublin an amazing place. Shesaid Dublin is an example ofwhat Georgia is trying to be-come in terms of economic de-velopment and internationalgrowth.

"It really is the gold standardfor cities to follow," Aimee said."I'm a native ofWashingtonD.C., and this has been themost welcoming city I've beento my entire life.The countyand city and business ownershave opened up their arms tous."

Others in the group enjoyedwhat they saw and wanted tosee more than what they wereused to seeing.

"I'm looking forward to see-ing some parts of Dublin that Iwould normally not get to," JonPannell said. "I know we are go-ing to get to tour some of theindustries in town.The down-town looks great. I'm very im-pressed with downtownDublin."

Kimberly Pannell said this isthe second meeting that theclass had been able to get to-gether.

"They'll start forming thosebonds and start networking to-gether and get to know eachother a little bit better," shesaid.

Jon and Emily Howell lookedforward to seeing Dublin. Eachcommunity has different thingsto offer that makes their stayincredible.

"Dublin is no exception," JonHowell said. "Not only is theira sense of community, but asense of international presenceyou have with the various com-panies that you have been ableto recruit and maintain here. Itsays a lot about the economicdevelopment and the greatplace to not only work but toplay, live and raise a family."

PhilipWilheit Jr. and his wifeAddie, are the hospitality chairswho take care of the entertain-ment at the events for GeorgiaLeadership.

"We make sure they havesnacks and food just about allthe time," he said. "We have tomake sure the next entertain-ment is ready and tend to staybehind and do the work."

Added AddieWilheit: "I'vebeen to Dublin once to seewhere all of the events weregoing to be held. Everyone hasbeen so helpful and accommo-dating. It's been great."

After the reception, mem-bers were divided into groupsand led by Laurens Youth Lead-ership to the Fred Roberts,Christ Episcopal Church, St.Paul AME and the J. Roy Row-land Federal Courthouse.

After that, the groups metback at the Ice House for din-ner.While there, the group waswelcomed byWillie Paulk, Pres-ident of Dublin Chamber ofCommerce, Jimmy Allgood, for-mer Leadership Georgia Presi-dent, and President AlexWayne.

Leadership Georgia touredmany places that weekend, in-cluding a tour of the Carl Vin-son VA Medical Center will kickoff Friday's festivities, followedby stops at Mage Solar,YKK AP,Gully Branch Farms in BleckleyCounty and Erdrich USA.


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Leading the wayLeadership Georgia tourgroup enjoys visit toDublin, Laurens County


CITY/COUNTY

Photos by Payton Towns III

The Leadership Geor-gia tour group madestops in downtownDublin, but also traveledall over Laurens Countyto witness all that eastcentral Georgia has to of-fer.


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International accreditationDublin High School preparing to implement International Baccalaureate program


EDUCATION

By JASON HALCOMBEA three-year process to set

Dublin City Schools and its stu-dents apart academically is set tocome to conclusion this fall, asDublin High School completesthe final phases of its certificationprocess for the International Bac-calaureate program."We're on track," said Dr.

Chuck Ledbetter, Dublin CitySchools Superintendent.The Swiss-based certification

program, currently offered by3,580 schools in 145 countries,has become the gold standard forboth colleges looking for thebrightest and best students andindustries looking to locate incommunities with highly-skilled

workforces.Initiating the program began

three years ago as part of DublinCity Schools' strategic planningdone several years prior."We'll running an IB-type

schedule in the fall," Ledbettersaid. "When we have our visitsfrom an IB committee.They'llcome and look at everythingwe've set up to do and are doing.We've had a consultant come andsay we're on track, or we need towork on this here or this there.We anticipate, when the commit-tee comes in the fall, not long af-ter that we'll have approval of theprogram."A global economy calls for

globally-minded citizens and

workers, but according to the IBteaching strategy, "Students mustfirst develop an understanding oftheir own cultural and nationalidentity.All IB students learn asecond language and the skills tolive and work with others inter-nationally - essential for life in the21st century."Among other requirements, an

IB curriculum focuses heavily oncritical thinking, research andcommunity service.As Ledbetter puts it, "the aca-

demic stringency is not thebiggest part; it's learning how tothink and problem solve."The two-year program will

culminate with students complet-ing a research paper Ledbetter

compares to a "MastersThesis."The IB diploma certificate pro-

gram will be offered to junior andsenior students, but Dublin CitySchool faculty and staff will beginevaluating and preparing potentialIB candidates as early as middleschool.When completed, students

who graduate with the IB certifi-cation will have a diploma recog-nized by colleges and universitiesall over the world, but Ledbettersaid IB will have a tri-fold impacton Dublin City Schools."There are three reasons I feel

like it's very important for DublinCity Schools and Dublin HighSchool," Ledbetter said. "For thestudent:A student who gets an IB

diploma certificate on their diplo-ma is essentially going to be ac-cepted into just about any collegein the world.They're seen as thebest students in the world.Yesyou'll be able to get into the Uni-versity of Georgia, or any IvyLeague school or Oxford orCambridge. It's the creme de lacreme of credentials."Second, when international

corporations look at our area,people from outside our areadon't always trust theAmericaneducation systems. Even thoughI'd argue we test all our studentsand not a specific group, IB is thebest students. If you have an IBprogram, that alleviates any edu-cation fears from people from

other countries looking to cometo our area.Finally, when you're sending

teachers for training and lookinghow to improve the learningprocess, get students to thinkmore deeply, teachers use thoseprocesses and share thoseprocesses with non-IB teachersand students."It raises the bar for every-

body."And that has DHS principal

Robert Hunter excited at whathaving IB will mean for his schoolbeginning this fall."I'm really glad we're getting a

chance to do it," Hunter said.

See IB page 11

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Heart of Georgia Healthy StartHeartland EMS Inc.Helton, Hon. JonHi Tek RationsHIBU/Yellow BookHill RealtyHillcrest Urgent CareHobbs Sporting Goods, Inc.Holiday Inn Express & SuitesHome DepotHome Instead Senior CareHometown LendersHoneysuckle Farm RV ParkHood & Palmer, CPA, PCHooks BuildingHospice AdvantageHospice of Laurens County, Inc.Hoyer, BruceHudson & MarshallI V. Care OptionsIntegrity Hospicerish Acres RV, LLC

J B Clark Oil CoJ C Penney CoJ Keyton SalonJ T. HannaJ F. Kimmons & Associates, P.C. CPAsJack’s MarketJames Hampton Construction Inc.Jet Foods Stores of GA #25J m’s Ultimate Guitar Shopob Training Unlimited, Inc.

John Mark Butler-State Farm Ins.Jones Land SurveyingJoshua E. Kight, LLCJudicial Alternatives of GAJust Because...Floral & Gift ShopK.I.D.S. KingdomKeep Dublin-Laurens BeautifulKing Law GroupKingdom Living ChurchKirkland, MD James J.KrogerK’s Electric VaporLand Care ServicesLandmark Lawn ServiceLaQuinta Inn & SuitesLaurens Baptist AssociationLaurens Co Board of EducationLaurens Co Board of HealthLaurens Co CommissionLaurens Co Cooperative ExtensionLaurens Co Farm BureauLaurens Co. Solid Waste Mgt. Auth.Laurens Human Resources AssociationLaurens Internal MedicineLaurens Now MagazineLeland Supply & ChemLentile Construction CompanyLeon Green, Attorney at LawLeprechaun of Dublin, Inc.Liberty National Life InsuranceLifetime Cabinet IncLil’ Tom’s Fish Market on MadisonLittle House Self Storage WarehouseLittle Ocmulgee EMCLiz’s Transport LLCLong Forestry Consultants, LLCLonghorn SteakhouseLord’s Sausage & Country HamLou Ann’sLovett & TharpeLovett Insurance AgencyMAGE SOLARMagic-98.1-FMMail & MoreMain Street DublinMajor Turbine Pump & SupplyMalone FarmsManning Mackey, LLC PennyManpowerMariette’s Back to Basics, LLCMartin, JonMartinez Lawn CareMaryland Fried ChickenMax Brown PharmacyMcDonald’sMcMichael, LisaMed1stMEDEX Associates LLCMedical CenterMedical Park PharmacyMedinova, Inc.MedspaMerrill LynchMeyers, Jr. DDS, PC Charles Michael’s Deli & SeafoodMichael’s PharmacyMiddle GA Anesthesia Assn

Middle GA Business ProductsMiddle GA Family DentistryMiddle GA MechanicalMiddle GA ProbationMiddle Georgia State CollegeMiddle Georgia Tile Co.Midstate Paint & Home Improvement, Inc.Miller, RobMiller, WallaceMoore Station VillageMoore, DannyMorris BankMoye Electric Co.Natural Touch, LLCNelson & Dixon, LLCNew Vision FellowshipNichols SecurityNichols, Cauley & Assoc, LLCNichols, FarrellOatts Drug CompanyOconee Dental AssociatesOconee EMCOconee Fall Line Tech CollegeOconee High School National Alumni Assoc., Inc.Oconee Regional LibraryOffice Supply ProgramOFTC Foundation - South, Inc.Old South Staffing, LLCOle Times Country BuffetOptim Medical Center TatnallOrkin Pest ControlOrr Insurance AgencyPage House Bed & BreakfastPampered Pets Bed & BiscuitPapi Loco’s Mexican RestaurantParker AerospacePatti Hendley State Farm InsPetsensePilot Club of DublinPine Forest United Methodist ChurchPioneer CreditPitts Toyota/ScionPlenus-SystemsPlum AlleyPolhill, DavidPollock, CecilPorter, LesterPremier Construction AssociatesPremier Heating & AirProgressive Rural TelephonePromise of Hope Inc.Purchasing Alliance SolutionsPure Water EnterprisesQBT Industrial Fabrications, Inc.Quality Inn & SuitesRandolph’s Jewelry Repair PlusRebecca Whigham, DDSRed Carpet InnReeves Const Co/Midstate RegionRegina’s on BellevueRehab Advantage & Sports Medicine, Inc.Renal Physicians of GA - Carlos O. Martinez, MDResCare HomeCareRhino Wireless USARicks’ Glass CompanyRiverview Heights ApartmentsRobertson, YvonneRoche Farm & GardenRoute 112 MediaRowland, J. RoySafePro Security Systems, LLCSalon AboveSalsa’s Mexican RestaurantSalvation ArmySam Martin Well DrillingSapp Outdoor AdvertisingSaxon Heights Talented Arts & Gifted Elementary SchoolSCM/HASACKSeaton, Jr. FrankSecurity First Asset ManagementSerenity Hospice CareSERVPRO of Dublin/Vidalia/ClaxtonShamrock Beverage MartShamrock Bowling CenterShamrock Custom KitchensShamrock Nursing and RehabShamrock Vending, Inc.Shane’s Body ShopSharkey, TracyShepard, AnnaSheridan PlaceShort, TedShred-Cycle, Inc.Sign * A * RamaSimpson, JohnSkinner, LucySleep & Recline, Inc.Smith, GeraldSmith, Henry

Smith, RogerSmith’s JewelersSonny’s Pit Bar-B-QSouth Construction Company, IncSouthern Equipment Dealers Assoc.Southern Heritage BBQSouthern Printing CompanySouthern Sassy’sSouthland Care CenterSports EmporiumSprinklers & More, Inc.St. Patrick’s Festival CommitteeStanley Funeral HomeState Representative Bubber EppsState Representative Matt HatchettSteelFab of DublinStepping Stone Child Advocacy CenterStevens G. Hill, DMD LLCSteve’s Garage DoorsStrickland, LoriSubway/Taco Del MarSue’s CateringSumner, Avery & Harper, LLCSunbelt Credit #673Suncoast Acceptance, Inc.Super 8 MotelSuperior Church FurnishingsSusie Dasher STEM Ele.Sweat, KathySwida, LindsayT. Lake Environmental DesignTanner & Associates - Land SurveyorsTaylor & Karoly, PCTaylor, Schroth, and Dominy Wells Fargo AdvisorsTeen Challenge of Middle GATelamon CorporationTelfair Coin LaundryThacker, PhilThe After Owls Pediatric Care, LLCThe Bank of SopertonThe Bradmark CompanyThe Hair Academy, Inc.The Kight Law Firm, PCThe Lighthouse Adult Day Care CenterThe Olive BranchThe Sign Store of DublinThe Sir Shop IncThe Stefanis GroupThe Sweet ShopThigpen Auto Sales, Inc.Thigpen,Jones,Seaton & Co PCThigpen,Jones,Seaton & Co PCThomas & Hutton Engineering Co.Thomas, AllenThompson, Sr., PC Scott B. Three Rivers Home HealthTitle Exch & Pawn of DublinTLC Children’s Services, Inc.Tolleson, Senator RossTomlinson Pharmacy, Inc.Tomorrow’s HeirloomsTouchberry, EdTown of CadwellTown of DexterTown of RentzTowns Maytag Home Appliance CenterTownsend Brothers Funeral Home IncTownson, Hon. William M.Trinity Christian School Inc.TRO Contract ServicesTroupCorn Maze AdventureTV-35Uniform CarouselUnited HospiceUpward Surgical, LLCUS Army Recruiting StationVeal, TimVerizon WirelessVia col VentoVincent, JerryW.I.N.G.S.Wal-MartWells Fargo Advisors - Tripp GilliamWest Laurens High SchoolWhite Well Drilling Co.Wicker, LaurieWild Bore Machine, LLCWilliams Chapel Baptist ChurchWilliams Package ShopWilliamson’s BakeryWindham Greenhouses Inc.Wise Computer SolutionsWoodburn, DavidWyatt Sign Co.Xcel Realty Group, LLCYates Ins. & Real Estate Inc.YKK AP America, Inc.Yogi’s Liquor Mart

2013 DUBLIN-LAURENSR OF COMMERCE MEMBERSast Dublin, Dudley, Dexter, Rentz, Cadwell and Montrose


By JASON HALCOMBEWhen engineers and workers

began construction of the Pana-ma Canal more than 100 yearsago, all parties involved under-stood the implications.

Building a straight-shot pathfrom the Atlantic and PacificOceans would open up unheardof trade opportunities andserved as not only a modernmarvel but a huge step towardrealizing a global economy.

When completed in August1914, the new gateway cost thejoint American-French govern-ments $639 million.

Almost exactly one century

later, the state of Georgia is at-tempting to secure an almostidentical sum to complete thedeepening of one of the world'sbusiest ports so it will be ableto accept the largest ships inthe world and keep the state,and national economies hum-ming toward recovery.

To handle the Post Panamaxvessels that will be crossing thePanama Canal by 2015, Georgiahas had to prepare plans todeepen the Port from 42 to 47feet over the next two years.Cost estimates are roughly$652 million; a mere 13 millionmore than the original cost to

build the Panama Canal.When completed, the deep-

ened Port of Savannah will bethe driving force of an economicengine powering more than

350,000 jobs in Georgia alone.“This infrastructure invest-

ment is crucial not just for theport, but for the economy ofGeorgia and the entire South-

east,” said Deal.“A deeper Sa-vannah Harbor means greaterefficiency for 21,000 U.S. com-panies, 75 percent of which areheadquartered outside of Geor-

gia. A U.S.Army Corps of Engi-neers study has shown thatSHEP will reduce shipping costsfor private companies by at least


2069 HWY 441 SOUTH, DUBLIN478-272-7444 • 1-800-504-6677


GROWTH

Port of PossibilityWith larger ships expected at a deeper Port ofSavannah, Dublin could reap the benefits ofglobal growthPhoto courtesy GA Ports Authority

With plansto deepenthe Port ofSavannah,largercontainer shipscould mean anexpanded rolefor Dublin andLaurens County.

See PORT page 9

By PAYTONTOWNS IIIAngela Taylor needed help

finding a job when a friend toldher about Goodwill's new JobConnection.

The Dublin woman made herfirst trip to it a week after itopened on April 4.

"I think it's real great to have aplace like this," Taylor said. "Peo-ple are having a hard time findingwork."

And that's what people will beable to find when they go to theThe Job Collection, located nextto the Goodwill Store at theDublin Mall.

Candace Herrera, staffing spe-cialist, greeted people as theywalked in asking if they neededhelp with finding a job or makinga resume. Since it has been open,more than 100 people have regis-tered since it opened.

"We are a resource center forthe community," Herrera said."As a resource center, we can of-fer access to our computers forfree.They can come and use ourcomputers and do resumes."

They will help people withtheir job searches with listings online or in books on the tables.

"You will find out that a lot ofpeople have been working ontheir job for 20 to 30 years andstarted at that job straight out ofhigh school," Herrera said.“They've never had to use acomputer and find themselveswithout a job and just about 90percent of all jobs is you have togo online to do the applications.This is a way to help for thosewho don't have computer skillsor know how to go online.We'regoing to offer classes."

The job listings will be for ar-eas around Dublin includingSwainsboro and Sandersville. Be-

fore opening the connection inDublin, people in this area had togo to Macon or Warner Robins.

The place offers computersfor education and career devel-opment use; career counselingand enrichment workshops; re-sume development assistance; in-structional videos and audiotapes; pre-screening and referralof qualified job applicants; on-site-employee recruitment; job post-ings; retention assistance; cus-tomized training; Good Samaritanclothing vouchers to qualified jobseekers and career fairs.

The free weekly classes thatwill be offered includes: Introduc-tion to Job Search; Resume andCover Letter Workshop;The Keyto Getting an Interview; Get aJob/Keep a Job; Money Smart; andDress for Success.

Herrera said they can domock interviews.

"We can act like they are at areal interview," she said. "Somepeople get in front of people atan interview and get real ner-vous. Let us know about your in-terview and we can do a fakeone and help you out."

In 2012, Goodwill Industriesof Middle Georgia placed 2,781people into jobs and offered ca-reer development services tomore than 15,000 individuals.During the past five years, 9,836people were placed in jobs, creat-ing more than $287 million in es-timated annual new payroll eco-nomic impact.

Taylor said she's been lookingfor about three weeks. She wasglad to hear about The Job Con-nection, and glad it was locatedin Dublin.

"I had put in for some jobs online but they never called me,"Taylor said. "I feel good about it

being here. Somebody told meabout it and I knew I wanted tofind it."

Herrera said they plan to offerresume classes. People can sched-ule a time to sit down with herand they'll work on their resume.

"We want people who do nothave jobs to find jobs," she said."It don't matter where it is at aslong as they find a job.We like tohave feed back when they get aninterview."

A man came in to The JobConnection the first day itopened. He came in the next dayand then on Monday.When hecame in Wednesday, he had somegood news.

"He said "'I have an interview'"and I was excited," Herrera said."That is very rewarding. In thelong run, the more people whoget a job, the better our commu-nity will be."

They will soon have a mem-ber on staff who is bilingual.

"We are going to reach out tothe Hispanic community," Her-rera said. "We're are going tostart offering ESL classes which isEnglish as a second language forfree. Hispanics in the communitywho have a limitation of notspeaking English will be able tolearn.That in the long term willhelp the community.The morethey can communicate, the betterthey can fit into society."

The Job Connection is onlypossible through support re-ceived by Goodwill from the lo-cal community.Through philan-thropic investments, along withdonations of clothing and house-hold items to the stores, Good-will is able to continue to expandits mission-based programs whichis to help people find jobs andprovide programs that ultimately

contribute to both human andeconomic development.

In 2012, 18,500 householddonors in Laurens County donat-ed approximately 740,000pounds of material to Goodwill.The sale of these items resultedin keeping the equivalent of 17tractor trailer loads of materialout of local landfills.

And while shopping at thestore, people will be able to lookthrough a window and see wherepeople are busy trying to findthem a job.

"All of the donations and peo-ple who shop in there are payingfor these computers," Herrerasaid. "The more you donate, themore you are going to help thecommunity.There's a lot of goodto it."

The Job Connection is open8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondaythrough Friday.

For more about services atGoodwill of Middle Georgia andthe CSRA, go towww.goodwillworks.org.

$213 million a year. NeitherGeorgia nor this nation can af-ford to delay a project that pro-vides customers with a toolthat reduces their costs.”

But as Cal Wray, Dublin-Lau-rens Development Authoritychairman, points out, a deeperPort of Savannah could havehuge implications on a more lo-cal scale as industries eye sitesthat meet location, infrastruc-ture and workforce specifica-tions. And Wray believes Dublinand Laurens County are poisedto be on the short list whenthat time comes.

"Port deepening is somethingwe talk to companies about a

lot," Wray said. "Because com-panies bring a lot of raw materi-als, or export a lot of product.Presently we have companieslike YKK and SPFT, to name afew, and I could name another10 or 15 who would immedi-ately benefit from deepeningthe port."

According to Port officials,Laurens County imported morethan $18 million in goods andexported nearly $10 million,sending a total of 990 contain-ers and more than 13,000 tonsin 2012.Top export commodi-ties were:Newsprint $6.94MPaper & Paperboard $1.36MPet & Animal Feeds $814,318

Regionally, the Heart of

Georgia Altamaha accounted formore than $310 million in ex-ports, with $242 million devot-ed to wood pulp alone.

“Having the Georgia ports inclose proximity to our area isan invaluable resource that weare very fortunate to be able toaccess," said Brett Manning, ex-ecutive director of the Heart ofGeorgia Altamaha RegionalCommission. "Georgia Portsplays a vital role in the econom-ic success of our 17-county re-gion, especially in the export ofits agricultural and manufac-tured goods.”

And Wray said a deeper portwill only expand on those op-portunities in the years tocome.

"A deeper port opens anoth-er class of potential tenants andpossibilities for the community,"Wray said. "With more product,larger ships and better routes,the port will continue to helpseparate us from 90 percent ofthe country who either don'thave a port capable to support(an industry's) needs or onegrowing at the same rate asours. Port activity is crucial."


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BUSINESS

Workforce workshopNew Job Connection giving hopeto people trying to find work

Photo by Payton Towns III

The Job Connectionwill serve as a workforcetraining facility.

By JASON HALCOMBE"The first day of tomorrow"

as Public Service CommissionerLauren "Bubba" McDonald put itso eloquently, took place onMarch 11 in front of a crowd ofroughly 60 people at the DublinHigh School Auditorium.

While high school auditori-ums have typically been the gath-ering place for graduation cere-monies, or drama club perfor-mances, the Dublin City Schoolsystem used the venue to high-light a first-of-its-kind effort tointegrate the latest solar technol-ogy, both as an instructional toolin the classroom, but also as acost-saving tool for school sys-tem leaders.

And with a project cost-sav-ings of $3.5 million over the nextquarter-century, including a$100,000 savings in its first yearalone, officials said more publicdollars will be headed into class-rooms and away from utility ex-penditures.

Which is why most involvedbelieve McDonald was right insaying the "first day of tomor-row" is here for schools lookingto maximize every dollar withthe latest technology.

"The Dublin-Laurens CountyDevelopment Authority is sovery pleased to have played arole in this great project," saidCalWray, chairman of theDublin-Laurens DevelopmentAuthority. It wasWray's officethat offered up bonds that, whenpaired with a 25-year leaseagreement with Renewable Ener-gy Equipment Leasing, made theproject financially viable for theschool system.

"We appreciate the forwardthinking, the environmental con-sciousness, and the support ofour local manufacturer, Mage So-lar, by the City of Dublin SchoolSystem,"Wray said. "We lookforward to seeing this projectcompleted and many more tofollow across our great statefrom such a fine example.”

The project was the result oftwo years of research, planning,multiple meetings and designsbefore settling on the enormoussystem that will occupy most ofthe DHS campus. During the firstweeks of April, integrators beganrunning transmission lines fromsome of the 12 panel locations,with three-pronged steel supportbeams giving the only indicationthat the power plant was ebbingcloser toward its May comple-tion date.

"As we deal with the 'new re-ality' of ever shrinking revenuefor education, we have to lookfor new ways to reduce ourcosts and maximize the dollarsthat actually are spent for stu-dent learning," said Dublin CitySchools Superintendent Dr.Chuck Ledbetter. "Dublin CitySchools is happy to have publicand private partners who haveenabled us to reduce our energycosts through solar power.Thisallows us to practice good stew-ardship of the tax dollars en-trusted to us by using more ofthem in the classroom, while alsoallowing us to be good stewardsof the world God has given usthrough clean power."

The system will be spread outacross 12 individual sites locatedon Dublin High School's campus,with the bulk of the 4,000 panelsexpected to be perched in fixed,rooftop locations including theauditorium.The new power plantwill generate 1.08 MW whencompleted at the end of May.

Three separate installationswill mounted at ground level andwill face Hillcrest Parkway, withone unit utilizing dual-axis track-ing system that will allow thepanels to follow the path of thesun.

"Dublin High School will bethe greenest high school inGeorgia and not because of its

Shamrock," said principal integra-tor Robert Green, CEO ofGreenavations. "This was not on-ly a groundbreaking event forthis school...With this develop-ment, we can unequivocallystate...there is enough sunshinein Georgia for solar to succeedand drive down energy costs."

Project planners are sayingthe effort by Dublin High Schoolcould pave the way not only forschool systems, but could be justthe jolt Georgia's young solar in-dustry needs to flourish in thecoming years.

"When education and sustain-ability come together to securejobs and create financial savings

that can be reinvested in theschool, clean solar energy hasthe most positive impact imagin-

able," said Joe Thomas, Presidentand CEO of Mage Solar. "This isa tremendously exciting land-

mark project for the entire stateof Georgia and we are extremelyproud to be part of it."


We salute our employees

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EDUCATION

‘First day of tomorrow’ for DublinPhoto by Jason Halcombe/Special graphic

State and local officials joined Dublin City Schools to break ground on the 1.08 MW solar power plant to be located at Dublin High School (graphic below).

DHS solar installationopening doors for schools

You are the heart You are the heart and soul of ourand soul of our

business.business.

"Being the first school in thecounty, I think you have to go toMacon to find the next closestone. I think it's a great thing forus in Dublin. It's a fairly expensiveand extensive process. I think forus to have the foresight and takea chance to make this workspeaks a lot to our district andsuperintendent.We're really ex-cited to be leading the way in thisarea in providing IB.This isn't justfor people here. It's also peoplewho may be considering movingto the states, to Georgia or even

Laurens County."Ledbetter, formerly of Alaba-

ma, said he remembers whenMercedes Benz was finalizingplans to locate a facility nearTuscaloosa that they would onlydo so if they were guaranteedthe area offered IB-certifiedschool systems.That reality hasgrown in significance, as moreand more foreign industries lookto locate stateside, taking the cer-tification process beyond thebounds of the education systemand making it a part of local com-munity economic developmentplans.

CalWray, chairman of theDublin-Laurens Development Au-thority, said competition for newindustry has grown exponentiallyin recent years, as companieslook to maximize opportunity forexpansion projects."The site location process

continues to be more competi-tive and difficult to locate com-panies as more communitiesand States are hungry for jobs.It makes us work harder andsmarter to find the items thatare key to a company’s decisionmaking process. Our ability toput both greenfield sites and

existing quality buildings in frontof them is critical to be in theprocess for even competing forthe jobs."Logistics, utilities and work-

force then enter into the equa-tion, and if any of those factorsdon't pair with profitability thena community could be axedfrom consideration."But it is also about trust,"

Wray added. "You must showthem that our information is ac-curate, we can be relied uponto help them, and our commu-

nity will embrace them andmake them one of us.As youcan see the process is very te-dious, a lot of preparation is re-quired before a company evenconsiders our area, and wemust constantly improve tohave a chance to bring jobs toour community."One of those improvements,

Wray believes, is the ability forDublin and Laurens County todisplay its commitment to edu-cation through the IB program."The IB program is very ben-

eficial to our community,"Wraysaid. "It is a respective programthat companies understand andtrust to educate their children.While executives worry aboutthe education and teaching thatchildren will receive the IB pro-gram gives them comfort in theamount of preparation and cer-tifications that a school systemmust endure to receive and tobe allowed to teach under theprogram. So it gives us an ad-vantage over communities thatare lacking such a program."

By PAYTONTOWNS IIIIt wasn't long before the new

Community Living Center at theCarlVinsonVA Medical Centerwas compared to a Hilton Inn.That's what JohnTaylor Sr., a

volunteer with American LegionPost 17, called it while he playedcards with fellowVietnamVeter-an Larry Butler.“It’s very nice,” Taylor said

earlier this year.“I’ve been to

many veteran hospitals through-out the United States and thisone is rated No. 1 or No. 2 over-all. I really like this one.The peo-ple have really met their needs.”Butler has been at theVA for

two years.“This is great and the staff is

real good as far as I’m con-cerned,” Butler said.“I play cardsjust about every day.”Butler likes to be able to help

others.“It makes me feel better

when you are doing somethingfor other people,” he said.The Community Living Cen-

ter, which has approximately 76beds, opened in July of 2012 afteralmost two years of construc-tion. The expansion made fourwings where an empty field usedto be.“We remodeled that com-

plex,” said Frank Jordan, PublicAffairs Officer at the CarlVinsonVA Medical Center.“It’s designedon the principals of patient, family

center care.We included thefamilies because they are so im-portant to our veterans.Wetried to design it with theirneeds in mind by asking themwhat they needed.”The goal was to make the

center as much like home as theVA could be, while maintainingthe healthcare that was needed.To do that, they had to create aDisneyWorld like approach.“If you’ve been (to Disney

World), all you see is the magic,"Jordan said. "You don’t see thestuff behind the walls and em-

ployees running around fixingthings.We try to hide stuff hereso that it doesn’t look like anursing home.You won't seenursing stations.You’ll see littleareas where they have to dotheir administrative stuff. But allof this is done for the veterans.”It’s really like a dorm.“The veterans were wanting

to get in there,” Jordan said.“It’sbeen wonderful.…These veter-ans have their own little apart-ments and they can go visit withtheir friends or go see or havefamily come in.…We try to put

as few restrictions as we possiblycan while maintaining securityand the best health care.”The center, which is on the

north side of the property nearthe medical center’s existingwings 6 and 8, has space for 76beds.Veterans can go out on apatio or in the courtyard in themiddle of the buildings and seetraffic business alongVeteransBoulevard.“What I love about this is it’s

an opportunity for our veterans


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Dear Citizens of Laurens County,

We are blessed to live in a community with so many great industriesand so many leaders who saw the benefit of attracting manufacturing tothis community as early as the 1960s. We are as committed today as ourcommunity was so many years ago to help our industries grow as well asrecruit new industries to our community. We attempt on every occasion torelay to our industry leaders our appreciation for their investment and em-ployment of our local people. They need to hear how much they mean toour community.

We were able to hear about such a great announcement and growthpotential at SP Fiber Technologies last week to the tune of $42 million incapital investment. SPFT is vital to this community and their future onceagain looks bright for our community. Their leaders are spending count-less hours and are committed to our community and our citizens. In addi-tion to SPFT, Laurens County saw 16 of our local industries expand in2012 investing money and hiring people. This is essential for our commu-nity’s success and growth. It had been several years since we had seensuch growth in our industrial base and we look forward to this trend contin-uing into the future. In 2012 alone, our community saw the location andexpansion of 21 industries, $206 Million of Capital investment, and the an-nouncement of 613 jobs to be created. All are bright spots for our commu-nity.

It has been a very successful 2013 to date, and much of this successcan be attributed to the partnerships of the Development Authority, City ofDublin, Laurens County Board of Commissioners, and countless partnerswho have given their time, energy, and cooperation to allow us the oppor-tunity to bring such companies home. To all of these groups, we saythank you and well done. These partnerships and cooperation will onlycontinue to allow us to bring new companies and jobs to our community.

Your Development Authority is constantly working to find our next in-dustry, our next existing industry to expand and create jobs, our next jobopportunities for our people, and next growth area for Laurens County.We are looking at prospects across many industries, both large and smallcompanies, and both domestic and international in origin. We have ahealthy project load and will work diligently to locate these in LaurensCounty.

Thank you all for your support and tireless efforts on behalf of LaurensCounty,

Cal Wray Scott BeasleyPresident ChairmanDublin Laurens County Dublin-Laurens CountyDevelopment Authority Development Authority

Dear Citizens,

As we approach the 38th Annual Business Appreciation Day,we salute and extend our sincere appreciation to the 580 busi-nesses who invest in our Chamber and in Laurens County. Theirinvestment creates a positive growth in our community and veri-fies our mission statement which is to make our community “aneven better place to live, work, play, and retire!

Since our year began in November 1, 2012, we have wel-comed 34 new members , conducted 21 ribbon cuttings and onegroundbreaking ceremony. Entrepreneurs and small businessescontinue to make up a large percentage of our business entities.We are so fortunate to live in Laurens County where we work to-gether to ensure a thriving business atmosphere.

We extend our appreciation and congratulations to the City ofDublin County of Laurens Development Authority, City of Dublin,Laurens County, existing industries, local businesses, and otherentities, for the local expansions of our businesses and industries.We will continue to partner with them to make our area more at-tractive and desirable not only for newcomers, but for all of our cit-izens.

We say “thank you” to all of our businesses for making our slo-gan come true: “Green & Growing!”

Willie Paulk Jep CraigPresident ChairmanDublin Laurens County Dublin-Laurens CountyChamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce

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to fill like they are at home,”said Chaplain Samuel Scaggs.“It’s not an institution, but theyare in their own living roomand they can be in their ownkitchen.They can relax andnot feel like they are in a hos-pital. That brings about mentalwellness as well as physicalwellness.”

The building was designedto help create a homelike at-mosphere for veterans livingthere, featuring both privateand double-occupancy roomswith many comforts of homelike laminate wood floors,electric fireplaces and commu-nity kitchens.There are com-mon rooms for the veteransto play games or watch televi-sion on a big screen.

And there are always thingsthat can be done to improvethe center.

“We are always looking forimprovements,” Jordan said.“We want to do some morelandscaping.We’re responsiblefor our customers. If theywant something and it soundslogical, we’ll jump on it.”

The veterans living in thenew center have liked whatthey saw. John King was readyto go get a haircut when hisson David walked into hisroom on a cool January morn-ing. King, aWorldWar II veter-an and Korean war Prisoner of

War vet, was happy to moveinto the latest addition to theorganization’s Dublin facility.

“I’m very lucky they gaveme one," King said. "I’m happyto be here. I have no com-plaints.”

His son agreed.“I like the one person

room a lot better,” David said.“He gets more rest than hedid before.They have reallynice rooms and the bath-rooms are really big.They arebigger than the one at myhouse.The other rooms werenice, but overall I think he’sbetter here.”

And with the changes, themoral of the veterans seemedto improve too.

“As a chaplain, I’ve seenspirituality improvement,”Scaggs said.“I’ve seen peoplewho have smiled more herethan I’ve ever seen them be-fore. I’ve had people invite meinto their life just by sitting ontheir couch.”

Some veterans started go-ing to the chapel after movingto the center.

“They told me that they al-ways felt like they were in ahospital and that they feltsick,” Scaggs said.“Now theytell me that they put on theirSunday best and go to church.This is a real special environ-ment.”

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4/30 SUCCESS 2013 - Dublin-Laurens County