Members in the News
St. Mary’s signs on as healthcare sponsor of The Classic Center and Akins Ford Arena
St. Mary’s Health Care System and The Classic Center Authority have reached a multi-year agreement designating St. Mary’s as the official health care provider of Akins Ford Arena and The Classic Center. “At St. Mary’s, we believe that health and well-being extend beyond hospital walls,” said Stonish Pierce, President and CEO of Trinity Health Georgia, which includes St. Mary’s. “Our partnership with Akins Ford Arena and The Classic Center reflects our deep commitment to creating inclusive, welcoming
Athens Chamber Celebrates Successful Completion of 2025 GeorgiaForward Young Gamechangers
The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate the successful conclusion of the 2025 GeorgiaForward Young Gamechangers Program, a statewide leadership and economic development initiative that brought an exceptional cohort of young professionals to Athens-Clarke County for months of collaborative research, innovation, and community problem-solving. As a dedicated partner and supporter of this year’s program, the Athens-Area Chamber applauds the creativity, commitment, and hard work demonstrated
Athens Beer Lovers Set To Cruise The Beermuda Triangle in Local Brewery Crawl!
Athenians are preparing to cruise The Beermuda Triangle, with a walking brewery crawl on Sunday, November 9th, featuring three beloved Athens local breweries! Athentic Brewing is teaming up with Creature Comforts and Normaltown Brewing, to host the first annual “Beermuda Triangle” brewery crawl. Participants can start the crawl at Creature Comforts, where sign ups open at 1pm. Then they’ll enjoy a drink as well as get the first of three specialty glasses. Participants are also encouraged to wear
Your Golden Ticket to Nonstop Entertainment
Enter for a chance to win 2 tickets to every event at Akins Ford Arena and The Classic Center Theatre! ATHENS, GA – November 3, 2025— Akins Ford Arena is marking its first anniversary with a golden opportunity: a chance to win an unforgettable year of entertainment. The grand prize winner will receive two tickets to every public event in Akins Ford Arena for an entire year. In addition to the two tickets to every event in Akins Ford Arena, the grand prize winner will also receive two passes to the
The Countdown is on: Athens On Ice returns to Athens, GA, in one month!
ATHENS, GA – November 5, 2025- Athens On Ice is back for another season of outdoor skating fun at the 440 Foundry Pavilion at The Classic Center, beginning Friday, December 5, 2025. As the only place to ice skate in the region, Athens On Ice is the perfect spot to make lasting memories with friends and family this holiday season! Enjoy special theme nights, cozy seasonal treats, and the return of the beloved Tinsel Trail, presented by AAA Sanitation, benefiting Women in Construction and The Classic
Raise Your Glass: The Annual Athens Wine Weekend Returns to The Classic Center
ATHENS, GA – November 4, 2025— The highly anticipated Athens Wine Weekend returns to The Classic Center this winter, February 6–8, 2026. Gather your friends, uncork the wine, and prepare for a weekend of unforgettable flavors, fine wines, and culinary experiences you won’t want to miss. Guests will enjoy wine tastings, gourmet food pairings, educational seminars, the signature Grand Tasting presented by Akins Ford, and a sparkling brunch, an experience overflowing with exquisite tastes and memorable
CCSD Wins Leadership Development Award from Charter System Foundation
The Clarke County School District has been named the winner of the Georgia Charter System Foundation’s 2025 Leadership Development Award for its work in building greater leadership capacity among its students. The award — announced and presented during the foundation’s annual Fall Conference and Awards Breakfast on Wednesday, Nov. 5, in Athens — recognizes a charter system that demonstrates outstanding leadership through instructional innovations and initiatives that impact their academic and community
A Beginner’s Field Guide to Basic Business Terms
TL;DR This article is your pocket translator for business language. You’ll learn the meaning behind terms like “cash flow,” “equity,” and “ROI” — not just their definitions, but how they work together to shape your day-to-day as a business owner or entrepreneur. You’ll also find a quick checklist, a sample table of key terms, and FAQs to help you go from confused to confident. Starting Out: Why Business Terms Matter When you first step into entrepreneurship, even simple meetings can sound like code.
St. Mary’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Center awarded on Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers 2025
Athens, Ga. – St. Mary’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Center has been awarded on Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers 2025. This award is presented by Newsweek and Statista Inc., the leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The award list can be viewed on Newsweek’s website. The America’s Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers 2025 ranking awards the leading physical rehabilitation facilities in the U.S. The 25 states with the most facilities according to the CMS
Dwight Yoakam Brings The Cosmic Roundup & Rodeo Tour to Athens, GA in Three Weeks
Two-time GRAMMY® award-winner Dwight Yoakam will be joined on stage by special guest Junior Brown as The Cosmic Roundup & Rodeo Tour makes its way to Akins Ford Arena on Thursday, November 13, at 7:00 p.m. Continuing momentum after the 2024 release of his latest record, Brighter Days, Dwight Yoakam’s tour date is the latest addition to Akins Ford Arena’s inaugural season of entertainment. Tickets are selling fast! Don’t miss your chance to see this legendary artist perform live in Athens, GA. Secure
Classic City Showcase Brings Top Regional Basketball Teams to Akins Ford Arena
ATHENS, GA – October 21, 2025— Get ready for a full day of hoops, energy, and hometown pride!Classic City Showcase is tipping off on Saturday, December 13, at Akins Ford Arena, bringingtogether some of North Georgia’s top basketball programs for an action-packed slate of games."I am thrilled that Akins Ford Arena will be hosting our local high schools in the Classic CityShowcase,” said Brad Akins, owner of Akins Ford dealership “Our family's vision for AkinsFord Arena is for it to be a gathering spot in our
The Countdown is on: Broadway Arrives in Just One Month!
ATHENS, GA – October 23, 2025— Downtown Athens is just one month away from shining even brighter as The Classic Center Theatre sets the stage for a season packed with show-stopping hits, starting with Clue, the first show of the highly anticipated 2025–2026 Broadway Entertainment Series, presented by Akins Ford. This Broadway season promises an unforgettable mix of beloved favorites and bold new storytelling that will captivate audiences of all ages. From laugh-out-loud comedies to awe- inspiring
ArrIVe Infusion Therapy Delivers a New Way of Providing Care
Bogart, Ga. – October 9, 2025 – St. Mary’s and the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting event on Thursday, Sept. 18, to celebrate the opening of ArrIVe Infusion Therapy on Malcom Bridge Road near Bogart. ArrIVe brings to the community a new and better way of providing patient-centered outpatient IV infusion care. The occasion marked more than the relocation and expansion of St. Mary’s Infusion Center from the Atlanta Highway near Athens. ArrIVe is a new, state-of-the-art facility that
From Day One: Smart Business Investments for Sustainable Growth
Launching your first business is a moment of transition: you’ve moved from planning to execution, and the choices you make now will shape how sustainable and profitable your company becomes. Beyond day-to-day costs, the smartest founders allocate resources to foundational investments that remove friction, build trust, and set the business up to scale. Below are key areas where early investments have an outsized payoff. 1. Professional Branding and Online Presence Your first impression often happens
From First Glance to Follow-Up: Digitally Amplifying Your Event Presence
Trade shows still work. But the game has changed — it's no longer just about who shows up or how polished your booth looks. It’s about how fluently you use digital tools to stretch your message across time, space, and channels. From pre-show buzz to post-show data loops, what used to be a three-day hustle is now a month-long choreography. Get that rhythm right, and your booth becomes more than a footprint — it becomes a force. The goal isn’t more tech. It’s smarter use of digital leverage to create
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