News

December SuperStar Teacher: Celebrating Christy Bennich at Crestline Elementary School in Hartselle Christy Bennich, a reading specialist at Crestline Elementary School in Hartselle, has been named the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce’s SuperStar Teacher for December. Our presenting sponsor, Hubbard & Drake General – Mechanical Contractors, Inc., represented by Brian Beidleman, along with John Holley, Chairman…

Mary Ila Ward Honored with 2024 ATHENA Leadership Award On December 11, Mary Ila Ward was honored with the ATHENA Leadership Award at the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce’s 15th annual Women in Business Celebration at the DoubleTree by Hilton Decatur Riverfront. Named for the Greek goddess of wisdom, as well as the champion of…

Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks Start of Crisis Residential Unit in Decatur On December 10, The Mental Health Center of North Central Alabama broke ground on a new 16-bed crisis residential unit at 4110 Highway 31 South in Decatur. This in-patient psychiatric facility will serve 18 counties in Region 1, providing critical care for individuals committed to…

Chamber Begins Search for Director of Investor and Leadership Development Our Director of Member and Investor Relations, Judy Brown, who has been an invaluable part of our team for the past six years, will be transitioning out of her role with the Chamber effective Friday, December 13. Judy has accepted a new opportunity with Calhoun…

Brent Gosnell Named Commodore of the Month for December   At our monthly Commodore meeting on December 6, our Commodores were able to enjoy lunch, Christmas trivia and an ugly sweater contest. Congratulations to Brent Gosnell with Edward Jones for being named the Greater Morgan County Builders Association Commodore of the Month for December. This group of…

Chamber’s Industry Day for Teachers Connects Education and Manufacturing In November, seven local teachers participated in the second annual Industry Day for Teachers hosted by the Chamber. These educators spent the day at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, U.S.A., Inc. The day included orientation, safety training and shadowing opportunities for teachers to gain insights to help guide…

Unlocking AI’s Potential at Emerging Leaders Event At our Emerging Leaders event on December 4, more than 30 attendees heard from Dr. Katia Maxwell, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Athens State University. She explained practical ways to integrate AI tools like ChatGPT into small business operations, from enhancing customer service to streamlining sales, finance,…

Hiring Event Connects Job Seekers with Local Employers On December 4, the Chamber, in partnership with AIDT, Career Connect, and the Morgan County Economic Development Association (MCEDA), hosted a successful Hiring Event at the Fort Decatur Recreation Center. With approximately 200 job seekers connecting with 19 local employers, the event offered a range of job…

Shop Local and Win Big this Holiday Season with the Chamber’s Gift Card Giveaway UPDATE: Our Shop Small, Shop Local Giveaway for this holiday season ended on Monday, December 9. Lucky winners were chosen to receive a $100 gift card from a Chamber member business of their choice. Winners chose gift cards from 609 Social…

Find Your Next Career Opportunity at the Decatur-Morgan County Hiring Event The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with AIDT, Career Connect, and the Morgan County Economic Development Association (MCEDA), is excited to host a Hiring Event designed to connect job seekers with leading local employers. The event will take place on Wednesday, December…