News

The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce will host the annual Legislative Update forum, providing an opportunity for Chamber members to hear about the most recently completed legislative session and plans for the future of state government. The event will feature moderator Michelle Stark of Red Sage Communications facilitating a discussion about topics germane to the business community, including workforce and education, infrastructure, healthcare, economic development, and Covid-19 relief and recover.

On Thursday, three area professionals were honored by the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce at the annual Small Business Awards Celebration for their leadership, creativity and commitment to our business community. Kent Lawrence, founder and owner of TVW Electrical Supply in Decatur, was named the Raymon Baker - John Cook - Ralph Jones Small Business Person of the Year; Miracle Osborne, human resources manager for ITW Sexton in Decatur, was named the Arthur Orr Young Professional of the Year; and Tricia Pruitt, Decatur Area Regional Vice President for the Better Business Bureau of North Alabama, was named the Lynn C. Fowler Non-Profit Professional of the Year.

The Chamber’s annual Small Business Awards Celebration event recognizes the contributions of small business to the local and national economies and honors business leaders in our community. Approximately two of every three new jobs are created small businesses, nearly 60 million Americans work for a small business, and nearly 80 percent of the Chamber’s members fall into that category.

After 30 years of service to our community, John Seymour will be retiring as president and chief executive officer of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, effective July 1, 2021.

On Thursday, healthcare workers from the largest employer in Morgan County and a Decatur-born pulmonologist who continues to serve as a community leader during the pandemic were recognized for their dedication and compassion over the past year with the Miss Athelyne C. Banks Citizen of the Year awards at the 89th Annual Meeting of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce.

Two members of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce were recently recognized by our state business associations as two of the top small businesses in Alabama for their impact on their surrounding community. Elite FlooringAmerica of Decatur and Valley Rubber, LLC of Falkville were finalists in their respective categories for the 2020 Small Business of the Year Awards, presented annually by the Business Council of Alabama (BCA) and the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama (CCAA).

The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce today announced the hiring of Denice Marco of Decatur as chief financial officer.

The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce today announced a partnership with Ascend Performance Materials in Decatur for the donation and distribution of Ascend’s newly designed face masks to Morgan County small businesses as they prepare for Small Business Saturday Nov. 28 and the holiday shopping season.

On Monday, the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama (CCAA) named Crystal Brown, vice president of development for the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber Professional of the Year – recognizing her exemplary performance, leadership of an Alabama chamber, and her professional career achievements. The award was presented at the CCAA Summer Conference held in Point Clear, Ala., and is the first time the award was given to someone who is not a Chamber president, CEO or executive director.

On Thursday, “Revive Alabama” – Governor Kay Ivey's small business grant program – will launch, providing support for Alabama small businesses impacted by Covid-19 and reimburse for expenses they have incurred due to operational interruptions and closures.

In the interest of public health and public safety, the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce in coordination with the City of Decatur will postpone until later this spring the annual State of the City Address featuring Mayor Tab Bowling, which was scheduled for Tuesday, March 24 at Ingalls Harbor Pavilion.

Each year, the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce partners with the Morgan County Commission on a variety of initiatives, including the annual State of the County Address. The breakfast provides the Commission Chairman the opportunity to highlight the county’s progress in economic and commercial development, financial sustainability and present an “annual report” to the Chamber membership regarding the accomplishments of the past 12 months. 

The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce annual State of Healthcare Forum will provide an opportunity for business and community leaders to hear directly from area healthcare professionals about the impact our hospital and medical community plays on our workforce and how they shape our quality of life.

In accordance with the bylaws of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, the following nominees were published to the membership on Dec. 18, 2019, and were elected at the monthly Board of Directors meeting Jan. 15. They will begin their terms of office on April 1.