Last Thursday marked a time for commemoration, congregation and celebration as the Newton Chamber of Commerce hosted its 74th annual awards ceremony and dinner. 

Hundreds of public officials, business owners and chamber members alike packed the 17,500 square-foot OHCO District to honor the multitude of businesses that keep the local economy thriving in 2024. 

Many of those local business owners were honored as award-winners for their contributions to Newton County. Those award-winners include:

• Best New Business: Lavish Studios
• Minority Owned Business Award: Gents Grooming Lounge
• Legacy Business Award: Ginn Motors
• Community Impact Award: Georgia Piedmont Technical College
• Outstanding Non-Profit Award: Alcovy CASA
• Large Business Excellence Award: Piedmont Newton
• Small Business of the Year: Newton Community Magazine
• Deal of the Year: Foxfield Company
• Chairman’s Champion: Render Covington

Additionally, two prominent community members were given individual awards. Those included James Hamm of Town House Cafe receiving the R.O. Arnold Award and Tracey Clark of the Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority receiving the Spirit of Excellence.

While much of the night was dedicated to honoring those who are excelling in Newton County, the chamber also sought to get down to business.

Members of the Chamber unanimously passed the 2025 bylaws as well as approving this year’s Board of Directors. Those board members include:

• Greg Hering (Big House Payment Solutions); 1st Vice Chair
• Robert Lane (Main Street Land & Properties); Finance Chair
• Lindsey Petrini (Piedmont Newton); 2nd Vice Chair
• Jay Bailey (SCB Construction Group)
• Shaun Mock (Snapping Shoals EMC)
• Chuck Berry (Clarion Metals & Berry's Tree Farm)
• Dean Badia-Ahad (Oxford College)
• Dee Cook (Pinnacle Bank)
• Dr. Jamie Adams (Covington Family Chiropractic)
• Lane Keenan (Keenan Media)
• Lourn Evans (Michelin)
• Mike Hopkins (Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority)
• Ny Bennett (Vintage on 1st)
• Tarrence Houston (Sigma Logistics INC.)
• Dr. Duke Bradley III (Newton County Schools, Superintendent)
• Tracey Clark (Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority); Ambassador of the Year

Two other members of the Board of Directors include Ted Cummings and Lanier Sims, who exchanged the “passing of the gavel” during the event. 

Sims, founder of Dualdeko Marketing, served as 2024 chairman of the Newton Chamber. Cummings, of Onyx Media Services, will now step into the chairman role.

In his first words as chairman, Cummings challenged the audience to commit to being the best they can be.

“I’m asking you, let’s commit: Not just in words, but in actions,” Cummings said. “Let’s commit to act as we climb, let’s commit to leading through service. Let’s commit to ensure when people look at Newton, they don’t see a county of business, they see a community of leaders. Because a chamber that serves is a chamber that succeeds.”

The audience also heard from President and CEO of the Newton Chamber Debbie Harper, who began her speech with a bold declaration.

“This June marks five years since I took on the role of Chamber President, and I’m here to tell you tonight that your chamber has never been stronger,” Harper said.

Backing up her declaration, Harper provided data that highlighted the chamber’s growth. According to Harper, the chamber’s membership has grown by 35 percent, now consisting of 681 members and representing 22,000 employees across Newton County. This marks the highest membership in the chamber’s history.

The chamber also maintained a 90 percent retention rate, which exceeds the national average. This helped pave the way to re-certify the chamber as a four-star accredited chamber by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“We’re creating a thriving business community, a vibrant quality of life and a place where people and businesses want to be,” Harper said. “...We really are just getting started.”