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Deon Tucker, Regional Director for Georgia Power

December 1, 2023 by Mike

Celebrating Powerhouse Women salutes and recognizes women who are making an impact, whether it’s in business, philanthropy, public service, or elsewhere.

Deon Tucker/Georgia Power

Deon Tucker is the Regional Director at Georgia Power. She leads the company’s external affairs activities for DeKalb, North Fulton, Gwinnett, Forsyth and Rockdale counties. She also provides leadership and support for power delivery, customer service, sales, and community and economic development to bring value to customers.

Deon began her career with Georgia Power in 1994 as a temporary customer service representative. Since then, she has held various positions throughout the company — including human resources associate, scheduling analyst, customer service supervisor, assistant to the manager of customer field services, field operations and development manager, region customer service manager and sales and service manager for Georgia Power’s statewide, 24-hour call center.

Additionally, Deon is active in the community and currently co-chairs the Forward Macon campaign, an economic development effort of the Macon-Bibb County Chamber and is a graduate of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute, the Georgia Academy for Economic Development and Leadership Henry.

Deon holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Troy University.

Celebrating Powerhouse Women is presented by

Gwinnett Chamber Announces 2023 Small Business Award Winners

December 1, 2023 by Mike

2023 Small Business Awards Winners pose with Gwinnett Chamber CEO Nick Masino: Danielle Hudson-Laughlin (SAGE Business Counsel), Kandi Todd (Bring The Crew), Joy Monroe (SPARC), Tim Minard (Eclipse Gaming Systems), Mark Farmer (Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center), Colleen Japuntich (NEMA), Shara Ryan (Team Ryan Automotive), Bin Liu (SimpleFloors), and Charbel Aoun (Georgia First Generation Foundation).

GWINNETT CHAMBER ANNOUNCES 2023 SMALL BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS

The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce hosted the annual Small Business Awards on December 1st at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville. The program recognized ten winners among 100 finalists for exceptional business practices and entrepreneurial excellence.

“Ninety percent of our members have 50 employees or less making small business a vital industry to our organization and an important one to recognize and celebrate,” said Nick Masino, President & CEO, Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett. “We are honored to have these amazing individuals innovating and leading our business community and would like to congratulate them on their incredible success this year.”

Rikki Klaus, producer for CNN, emceed the awards program sharing each winner’s compelling story of ingenuity, creativity, and success. Winners were announced in real time as follows:

Community Contributor Award – SPARC (Single Parents Alliance & Resource Center)
Culture Creator Award – Eclipse Gaming Systems
Emerging Entrepreneur Award – Charbel Aoun (Georgia First Generation Foundation)
Launch Award – Sugarloaf Wellness Center
Minority-Owned/Woman-Owned Business Award – Danielle Hudson-Laughlin (SAGE Business Counsel)
Small Business Award (0-5 Employees) – Bring The Crew
Small Business Award (6-24 Employees) – Team Ryan Automotive
Small Business Award (25+ Employees) – NEMA, Inc.
Support System Award – Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center
Founder Award – Bin Liu (SimpleFloors)

Former EO Atlanta President Ethan King delivered this year’s keynote address. King shared his insight and experience as an entrepreneur which led him to become a bestselling author of Wealth Beyond Money, TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and co-founder of his business, Zeus’ Closet.

To learn more, please visit GwinnettChamber.org/Small-Business-Awards.

Mike Sammond interviews keynote address speaker Ethan King, bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and co-founder of Zeus’ Closet.

Bruce Matzner, CFO for PepsiCo South Division

December 1, 2023 by Mike

“Regions Business Radio Orlando” covers financial topics such as banking and lending, mortgages, wealth management, and more, while also introducing you to many of the top executives with Regions Bank in the Orlando and Central Florida market.

Hosted by Scott Wall, Commercial Banking Leader with Regions, all episodes of “Regions Business Radio Orlando” are available for download on Apple iTunes, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts, Spreaker, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

On this month’s episode, Scott interviews Bruce Matzner, the Chief Financial Officer for PepsiCo’s South Division.

Bruce Matzner/PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $86 billion in net revenue in 2022, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

About Regions:

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $145 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest, and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,400 banking offices and 2,000 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.

This information is general in nature and is provided for educational purposes only. Regions makes no representation as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any information presented and Regions does not accept liability for any direct or indirect loss stemming from the application of any material. Information provided and statements made by employees of Regions should not be relied on or interpreted as accounting, financial planning, investment, legal or tax advice. Regions encourages you to consult an appropriate professional concerning your specific situation and irs.gov for current tax rules.

Matt Bemister & Melissa Ketty with USI Insurance and Juan Terrazas with Path United

November 30, 2023 by Mike

Juan Terrazas, Matt Bemister, Melissa Ketty

Melissa Ketty and Matt Bemister/USI Insurance

USI is a leading local and national insurance brokerage and consulting firm delivering customized property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk and retirement solutions.

Juan Terrazas/Path United

Path United is dedicated to transforming the lives of children living in mobile home park communities in Georgia and Tennessee. Their mission is rooted in addressing the critical challenges these children face, including the lack of access to positive adult relationships and essential academic, social, and emotional skills. They are committed to empowering these young individuals to flourish and reshape their narratives.

Gwinnett Business Radio is presented by

Season 4, Episode 6: Balancing Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

November 29, 2023 by Mike

Derek Hays, Leta Brooks Hays, Austin Collins

Leta and her guest Austin Collins with 5Strands answer listener questions about health, nutrition, and how to balance your mind, body, and spirit.

Austin Collins/5Strands

In 2017, a mom started her mission to create transformation and change within the healthcare system. Founder and CEO Lisa Blaurock started her company’s foundation in the gluten-free industry. The 5Strands team traveled to tradeshows, got on the ground and started spreading awareness about gut health and food intolerances. The functional health assessment 5Strands provides lead to many solutions for “unsolvable” health problems. Those who are truly ready to experience a positive transformation, can trust the people at 5Stands to help lead to movement.

“What’s the status of your life?” Ask yourself this question and dive into the “Status Life with Leta” podcast. Leta takes her millions of listeners on a journey to design their best life. No topic is off limits and she never shies away from using her own life as an example. Leta engages her audience with her honesty, captivating stories, and talent for teaching. “Never settle for the status quo. Life doesn’t have to be boring or mundane. Let’s work together to design your best life!” – Leta

“Status Life with Leta” is brought to you by Derek Hays Law. If you’ve been injured by someone else and you need an attorney to fight an insurance company for you, the only one to call is Derek Hays Law at 404-777-HURT. Let Derek put his 26 years of knowledge and experience in the personal injury field to work for you. When you hire Derek Hays Law, you get a team that specializes in personal injury claims and a one-on-one experience with your attorney unlike most law firms. We pride ourselves in a commitment to communicate with our clients in a way that creates a personal connection between you and your attorney. The most effective way for us to advocate for you is to develop trust, understanding, and confidence in all that we do for you. We look forward to speaking with you about your potential case.

Contact Leta at statuslifewithleta@gmail.com.

Status Life with Leta on Instagram

Status Life with Leta on Facebook

Leta (Perry) Brooks-Hays | LinkedIn

Visit Leta’s Blog, Online Store, and more at www.statuslifewithleta.com

Season 1, Episode 2: Exposing Ghosts

November 22, 2023 by Mike

Throughout the “commute” of our lives we adopt and release, mostly subconsciously, experiences that inform our assumptions about how to conduct business. The Leader’s Commute Podcast, hosted by Jess Villegas, offers an informal strategy for how leaders can leverage their past impactful experiences in a more conscious way to result in better business performance.

Jess Villegas/Financial and Operations Executive, Business Performance Consultant, and Leadership Expert with ACUITY Business Consulting

ACUITY Business Consulting is a business performance consultancy working with leadership teams to translate their talent and resources into exceptional and sustainable organizational performance. They do this by surfacing actionable clarity and providing execution expertise in the areas of Strategic Design, Financial Management, Operational Excellence, and Leadership Development, so that leadership can confidently navigate their organizations toward next-level performance.

Jess Villegas is a Financial and Operations Executive, Business Performance Consultant, and Leadership Expert with track record of growing profitability in multi-site manufacturing, assembly, and distribution environments. He is skilled in the development of strong-accountability management teams, the design and execution of complex business strategies, and the optimization of resources to meet business objectives. Jess has managed in the roles of CEO, President, VP Operations, and Division Controller in diverse industries including water infrastructure technology, food-service packaging, and consumer products distribution. He’s recognized as an engaged and effective leader utilizing exceptional leadership and communication skills to achieve results.

The Leaders Commute podcast is presented by

Season 1, Episode 6: The Atlanta Vibe Professional Volleyball

November 20, 2023 by Mike

Stan Hall, Tori Dilfer-Stringer, Colleen Craig

The Gas South District’s “That’s The Ticket!” is the ultimate podcast exploring all things Gas South District, and a source for insights to events on campus and discussions on the wider entertainment and tourism industry. The series is hosted by Stan Hall, CEO of Gas South District and Explore Gwinnett.

On this episode, Stan talks with Colleen Craig and Tori Dilfer-Stringer with the Atlanta Vibe, a new professional women’s volleyball team that will begin play in the Gas South Arena in 2024.

For further information about Gas South District and upcoming events, visit GasSouthDistrict.com. That’s the ticket!

Claire Dees, Executive Director of Spectrum Autism Support Group

November 17, 2023 by Mike

Celebrating Powerhouse Women salutes and recognizes women who are making an impact, whether it’s in business, philanthropy, public service, or elsewhere.

Claire Dees/Spectrum Autism Support Group

Claire Dees is the Executive Director and co-founder of Spectrum Autism Support Group, a local non-profit organization, providing support, education and resources for individuals and families impacted by autism. Spectrum serves over 2000 individuals with autism each year and their families with support groups, camps, respite, socials skills groups, family event and community education and training. Claire has a BS in Business Administration from Presbyterian College and over 35 years in the field of disabilities, both as a parent and a professional.

Claire serves on the Autism Plan for Georgia Advisory Council, the Center for Leadership in Disability Advisory Council, Board of Visitors of Georgia Gwinnett College, Northside Women’s Leadership Council, is a Gwinnett Chamber Chairman’s Club member, member of the Duluth Business Association and the Peachtree Corners Business Association and president of the Duluth Civitan Club. She was the recipient of the Georgia Achievement in Autism award in 2019. She has been nominated for Chamber Moxie awards the past 2 years in several categories. Claire was previously a lobbyist for disability issues for 4 years in Georgia and continues to advocate as well as educate families on how to speak up for their family members at the state and national level.

Claire is the parent of 3 adult children, one of whom lived with autism until his early demise in 2011. Her passion is helping families live better and more inclusive lives in their communities, regardless of abilities, where all can live, work, play and worship together. Opening the new Spectrum Autism Support Center in 2023 will be one of her greatest accomplishments as Spectrum celebrates it’s 25th anniversary this year.

Celebrating Powerhouse Women is presented by

Joe Noonan with Inside Edge Business Consulting and Matt Breceda with Country Financial

November 16, 2023 by Mike

Steven Julian, Matt Breceda, Joe Noonan, and Harper Lebel

Joe Noonan/Inside Edge Business Consulting

Inside Edge Business Consulting provides a team of experts in sales execution while helping sales professionals reach their potential.

All their Coaches are all top sales producers first, and professional trainers second. Inside Edge takes pride in the fact that they know what it takes to reach the next level in sales and that they know how to relate to and help change the habits of your sales team because they are doing it in their on business… every single day.

Matt Breceda/Country Financial

As a Financial Advisor of COUNTRY Trust Bank, Matt Breceda can help you create a financial plan so you can achieve financial security through investment management, retirement, trust, and planning services.

As a COUNTRY Financial Insurance Agent he’s also prepared to help you protect the things you love through a wide range of insurance and financial products and services including but not limited to auto, home, life, and farm.

Gwinnett Business Radio is presented by