Career counseling Archives - Business RadioX ®

2025 GNFCC Nonprofit Award Winners Making a Lasting Impact: Chattahoochee Nature Center and RUMC Job Networking

June 25, 2025 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

2025 GNFCC Nonprofit Award Winners Making a Lasting Impact: Chattahoochee Nature Center and RUMC Job Networking

00:00 /

2025 GNFCC Nonprofit Award Winners Making a Lasting Impact: Chattahoochee Nature Center and RUMC Job Networking (GNFCC 400 Insider, Episode 108)

In this special episode of the GNFCC 400 Insider podcast, host Rebekah Anderson sits down with the 2025 Nonprofit Award Winners to explore the remarkable impact of two standout organizations: RUMC Job Networking Ministry and the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

Jay Litton shares how the job ministry at Roswell United Methodist Church has helped over 90,000 job seekers find meaningful work, combining practical support with faith and community. David Miles of the Chattahoochee Nature Center discusses how the center’s environmental education, volunteer-driven gardens, and legacy partnerships serve over 150,000 visitors each year—fostering stewardship for the Chattahoochee River and beyond.

Whether you’re passionate about workforce development, environmental education, or volunteerism, this episode celebrates the power of nonprofit leadership to create lasting change.

The GNFCC 400 Insider is presented by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce and produced by John Ray and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Key Takeaways from this Episode

Helping People Find Work is Helping Them Find Themselves – RUMC’s job networking ministry has supported over 90,000 individuals, helping restore identity, confidence, and community.

Nature and Nourishment Go Hand in Hand – CNC’s Unity Garden delivers 10,000 pounds of fresh produce annually to North Fulton Community Charities—all maintained by volunteers.

Legacy Built on Generosity and Longevity – With nearly 50 years of service, both nonprofits continue to innovate and expand—through tech tools like AI at RUMC Job Networking and major capital investment at CNC.

Volunteers Make the Mission Possible – Both organizations thrive because of their dedicated volunteers, many of whom are former beneficiaries of their services.

Education is Everywhere – CNC impacts 52,000+ students annually and offers immersive learning—from canoeing to conservation—on-site and in schools.

The River Connects Us All – The Chattahoochee River, source of 70% of Atlanta’s drinking water, is a vital thread in CNC’s mission to educate, protect, and connect.

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction to GNFCC 400 Insider
00:55 Meet the Nonprofit Award Winners
01:30 RUMC Job Networking Overview
03:53 Chattahoochee Nature Center Insights
05:15 Impact and Community Involvement
07:25 Volunteer Contributions and Sustainability
16:02 Getting Involved with Roswell UMC Job Networking
17:27 Navigating the Job Networking Ministry
18:08 Employer Engagement and Job Fairs
19:15 Volunteer Opportunities at the Nature Center
21:37 Success Stories from Job Networking
24:25 Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Achievements
27:48 Future Plans and AI Integration
31:39 The Importance of the Chattahoochee River
33:58 Getting Involved and Final Thoughts

The Chattahoochee Nature Center

**David Mills, Senior Director of Resource Development**

The Chattahoochee Nature Center is a private, non-profit environmental education facility located on 127 acres of forest, wetland, and river habitat adjacent to the Chattahoochee River in Roswell, Georgia. Its mission is to connect people with nature through immersive experiences, educational programs, and hands-on exhibits focused on the local ecosystem and the Chattahoochee River watershed.

Visitors can explore well-marked walking trails, a river boardwalk, beautiful butterfly gardens, and native plant displays, while observing rehabilitated birds of prey and other wildlife up close. The center features a Discovery Center with interactive exhibits, a high-definition theater, and a Nature Exchange for educational trading. Additional highlights include a wildlife rehabilitation clinic, sustainable community gardening in the Unity Garden, and popular seasonal camps for children. The Chattahoochee Nature Center is a destination for families, nature enthusiasts, and anyone interested in learning about Georgia’s native plants, animals, and conservation efforts

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

RUMC Job Networking

RUMC Job Networking is a volunteer ministry at Roswell United Methodist Church in Roswell, Georgia, offering support to individuals navigating job transitions or seeking employment. Established over 35 years ago, the ministry brings together job seekers, industry professionals, and volunteers for regular meetings on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, excluding major holidays. Participants benefit from workshops on resume writing, interviewing, LinkedIn optimization, and other job search strategies, as well as one-on-one resume reviews with experienced recruiters and HR professionals.

The program is known for its welcoming and collaborative environment, providing both practical resources and emotional encouragement. Through initiatives like the Industry Guides, job seekers can connect with volunteers from various fields for targeted networking. Supported by a large network of volunteers and community sponsors, RUMC Job Networking also maintains an active online presence for sharing job leads and networking opportunities, helping participants stay motivated and connected throughout their job search journey.

Website

About GNFCC and The GNFCC 400 Insider podcast

Kali Boatright, President and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC) — **Kali Boatright, President and CEO of the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce**

The GNFCC 400 Insider is sponsored by the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce (GNFCC), and the host of the show is Kali Boatright, President and CEO of GNFCC.

The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit, member-driven organization comprised of over 1,400 business enterprises, civic organizations, educational institutions, and individuals. Their service area includes Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell, and Sandy Springs. GNFCC is the leading voice on economic development, business growth, and quality of life issues in North Fulton County.

As a five-star accredited chamber, GNFCC’s vision is to be the premier organization driving member and community success across the region, and they are dedicated to pursuing this vision based on the guiding principles of advocacy, inclusivity, and operational excellence.

GNFCC promotes the interests of their members by assuming a leadership role in making North Fulton an excellent place to work, live, play, and stay. They provide one voice for all local businesses to influence decision-makers, recommend legislation, and protect the valuable resources that make North Fulton a popular place to live.

For more information on GNFCC and its North Fulton County service area, follow this link or call (770) 993-8806. For more information on other GNFCC events, follow this link.

Enhancing Talent Acquisition, with Brooke Wheeler, Restoration Talent Solutions

February 25, 2025 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Enhancing Talent Acquisition, with Brooke Wheeler, Restoration Talent Solutions

00:00 /

Enhancing Talent Acquisition, with Brooke Wheeler, Restoration Talent Solutions (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 846)

In this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, host John Ray interviews Brooke Wheeler, founder of Restoration Talent Solutions. Brooke discusses her journey from corporate talent acquisition to starting her own fractional recruitment company, emphasizing the importance of authentic culture, effective use of recruitment tools, and networking for both employers and job seekers. She shares insights on the benefits of fractional talent acquisition for small and medium-sized businesses, strategies for improving recruitment processes, and tips for job seekers navigating a challenging job market. Additionally, Brooke highlights her company’s success in helping businesses build internal recruiting functions and improve hiring efficiency.

John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is recorded and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Brooke Wheeler, Talent Restoration Solutions

With over 25 years in corporate recruiting, Brooke has had the privilege of recruiting and advising across diverse industries like fintech, data analytics, and engineering. Her passion lies in crafting and refining talent acquisition strategies that not only attract top talent but also cultivate a positive organizational culture. She’s successfully placed thousands of high-caliber candidates in roles that fuel innovation and drive business success.

Now she’s built her company, Restoration Talent Solutions, to do the same for growing businesses that want to create a recruiting function in order to attract and hire the best talent for their team, without the overhead of a full-time talent acquisition executive. Fractional talent acquisition means she provides expert recruitment services on a part-time, flexible basis.

If you want to start making smarter hires, Brooke is here to help.

Website | LinkedIn | Instagram

Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction and Welcome to North Fulton Business Radio
00:29 Guest Introduction: Brooke Wheeler
02:04 Brooke’s Background and Career Journey
06:08 The Value of Fractional Talent Acquisition
09:19 Importance of Company Culture
12:04 Challenges in Talent Acquisition
15:02 Advice for Job Seekers
19:58 Ideal Clients and Success Stories
26:07 Conclusion and Contact Information
26:56 Host’s Final Remarks

Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $17 billion in assets and more than 180 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from each banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way to better understand the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray

With over 800 shows and having featured over 1,200 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!

The show invites a diverse range of business, non-profit, and community leaders to share their significant contributions to their market, community, and profession. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates business by sharing positive business stories that traditional media ignore. Some media lean left. Some media lean right. We lean business.

John Ray, Business RadioX - North Fulton, and Owner, Ray Business Advisors — **John Ray, Business RadioX – North Fulton, and Owner, Ray Business Advisors**

John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is recorded and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.

The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

John is the national bestselling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

Susan Bonds-McCulloch, Dress For Success Atlanta

February 17, 2022 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Susan Bonds-McCulloch, Dress For Success Atlanta

00:00 /

Susan Bonds-McCulloch, Dress For Success Atlanta (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 434)

Much more than a clothes closet, Dress For Success Atlanta works to meet the deeper needs of the women they serve. Executive Director Susan Bonds-McCulloch joined host John Ray to detail the various programs they have and offer some of their success stories. Susan discussed Dressed For Success’s professional training, encouragement, Career Center, the annual Gala that helps keep the work going, and much more. North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Dress For Success Atlanta

The mission of Dress for Success Atlanta is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, career development tools, and professional attire to help women thrive in work and in life.

DFSA is not just a clothing closet, but also boasts a Career Center that is staffed with volunteer companies within our community. These professionals work with Dress for Success-Atlanta’s clients reviewing resumes, conducting mock interviews, helping with LinkedIn and other social media. The goal was for the business community to connect with the clients that Dress for Success serves in a meaningful way. There has been an overwhelming response to this corporate volunteer opportunity and the clients that Dress for Success serves continue to say how unexpected it is to work directly with a volunteer who has taken time out of their workday to help them achieve their goals!

Some of the companies that now work with Dress for Success-Atlanta include Delta Airlines, UPS, Masco, State Farm, Capital One, and many others. Dress for Success and its clients are truly overwhelmed by the desire of others in our community to help them succeed.

DFSA hosts several networking and educational programs such as Career KickStart, Inspire Success, Tools for Success, and Professional Workshops that are invaluable to the women they serve and the Atlanta Community as a whole.

The long-term goals for DFSA include a mobile unit and another Dress for Success location. DFSA’s desire is to help stem the cycle of poverty and to have a generational impact!

Company website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

Susan Bonds-McCulloch, President/Executive Director, Dress For Success Atlanta

Because of her passion to give back and help women, Susan Bonds-McCulloch joined Dress for Success-Atlanta (DFSA) as their Executive Director in October 2018. Prior to this Susan had a 20+ year career in the insurance industry as an Employee Benefit Broker working with companies to help them plan, design, and implement their benefit programs. Susan found that her passion was helping others when they needed it most…when they or a loved one needed care.

Since joining Dress for Success-Atlanta, Susan has implemented many changes with the goal to empower more women in our community. DFSA relocated and now boasts a bright welcoming location for the women they serve. DFSA held their very first Gala in November of 2019 and pivoted during 2020 to hold a virtual gala!! The 3rd annual event will be held on September 17th at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead. Without these signature events, DFSA could not continue to serve its community.

Susan loves to meet others who wish to be a part of and help with the mission of helping women in our community. This includes businesses that may wish to partner with DFSA along with individuals who may wish to work with DFSA on committees, through volunteerism, or by giving back monetarily.

In addition, Susan is a founding member of a women’s group the Women’s Introduction Group (WIG). WIG is a group designed by women for women to help them navigate their careers, network, and give back to our community. The goal is to always help another woman grow their career path.

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

Tell me about Dress for Success Atlanta? Who you are and the population you serve?
Have you always worked in a non-profit? What led you to Dress for Success?
It sounds like you do more than just dress women, can you tell me a bit more about the programs that you offer?
Can you tell me how the annual Gala event helps the women that Dress for Success Atlanta serves?
What is your 3 – 5 year plan for Dress for Success Atlanta?
What are some of your most urgent needs?

North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Special thanks to A&S Culinary Concepts for their support of this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. A&S Culinary Concepts, based in Johns Creek, is an award-winning culinary studio, celebrated for corporate catering, corporate team building, Big Green Egg Boot Camps, and private group events. They also provide oven-ready, cooked from scratch meals to go they call “Let Us Cook for You.” To see their menus and events, go to their website or call 678-336-9196.