The Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce held its 113th annual meeting on Thursday night at the Marriott Convention Center downtown, hosting an ample crowd with dinner, a year-end review and a program highlighting an optimistic approach to doing business in Richmond County.
“A goal is the fastest path to where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow,” said the evening’s keynote presenter, author and leadership speaker Jon Acuff. “But the problem is most people don’t finish their goals.”
The theme of the night was “Turning the Page: The Power of Aspirational Thinking,” and Acuff complemented the subject with a 25-minute presentation on overthinking as a barrier to innovation and creativity. He talked about “soundtracks,” or repetitive thinking, and how it can positively or negatively affect a person’s, family’s, team’s or company’s pursuit of goals.
“You and I have the benefit of being brought up in the age of neuroplasticity,” Acuff said. Neuroplasticity is fairly recent science that says you can change the physical shape of your brain by changing your thoughts. That’s all powerful. Your thoughts can work for you, and all it takes is a soundtrack.”
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The event, which had more than 500 attendees, was the organization’s first since 2020, which occurred just before the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted the cancellation of the 2021 meeting. The yearly banquet is generally dedicated to celebrating the Chamber’s successes, networking, highlighting future projects, and motivating members.
Part of the festivities was a “passing the gavel” ceremony, in which the Chamber chairperson for the previous year inducts the incoming chair. In 2020 this was observed virtually, with a video of former chairman, and president and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare Augusta, Jim Davis passing the gavel to 2021 chair, and president of Blanchard & Calhoun, Tom Blanchard.
This year, Blanchard passed the gavel to incoming chairman Garnett Johnson, president of Augusta Office Solutions and Augusta mayoral candidate.
“Being an entrepreneur, in having the voice to be the advocacy for 1200 members at the Augusta chamber, it’s unbelievable,” said Johnson. “To be the voice for the business community, to get things done. I’m privileged to have that opportunity.”
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Johnson notes that his experience as a small business owner provides him with a unique perspective on the struggles and needs of local entrepreneurs. He puts special emphasis on the Chamber’s engagement initiatives, such as the Business Education Advisory Committee and the Women in Business forums.
“I understand that in order to move this economy forward, we need small business participation throughout our community, not only large businesses,” he said. “If you notice, a lot of chairmen tend to be larger business owners. But I have a special lens. I’m passionate about this community.”
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering education in Columbia County and business-related topics for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
