South Georgia Travel honored as Leading Business of the Week.

The Gardens named Leading Business 

VALDOSTA – The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Chamber Ambassadors honored The Gardens as a Leading Business of the Week.

Built in 2007, The Gardens is a gated community, according to a chamber press release. It offers beautiful landscaping, high-end appliances, attached garages, extensive soundproofing and many more amenities. It welcomes families and individuals to join its safe, friendly, luxurious community.

The Gardens consists of 62 units that are currently almost full, according to the chamber. 

“I love the relationships I have made with my residents, they make my job fun and exciting,” said Brooke Peterman of The Garden. Peterman described Investors Management Company, which is over the Gardens, as a “Great company to work for.” 

For more information about The Gardens, call (229) 242-9372 or visit 3531 Club Villas Drive.

Best Western recognized by TripAdvisor 

VALDOSTA – Best Western Hotels & Resorts recently announced that an impressive 1,956 Best Western branded hotels globally received the 2017 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence recognition, yielding the brand’s highest level of guest satisfaction to date. Now in its seventh year, the prestigious Certificate of Excellence designation recognizes establishments that consistently earn great TripAdvisor reviews from travelers, according to an organizational press release.

The number of Best Western branded hotels that have received the recognition has increased by 46 percent since 2013. Of the 1,956 hotels globally that have received this Certificate of Excellence, 1,288 are in North America, which includes 1,148 in the U.S. and 140 in Canada. Overall, 64 percent of the brand’s North American hotels have received this honor and over 40 percent of this year’s recipients have achieved the recognition three years consecutively.

TripAdvisor honors Hampton Inn

Valdosta — Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Valdosta/Conference Center has received a 2017 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award. 

Now in its seventh year, the achievement celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year, according to an organizational press release. 

To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

“It is an honor to be recognized with a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award,” said Lavina Sadarangani, general manager of Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Valdosta/Conference Center. “We are proud of our team and we are thankful for the guests who have taken the time to review our property with excellent ratings.” 

Located at 2 Meeting Place Drive, Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Valdosta/Conference Center offers amenities including free, hot breakfast each morning and Hampton’s On the Run Breakfast Bags, available Monday through Friday. Additionally, it provides free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour business center with complimentary printing and a fitness center.

To make reservations, visit www.hampton.com and to read more about Hampton by Hilton, visit www.news.hampton.com.

Fusion assists VSU marketing 

VALDOSTA – Fusion Creative Marketing and CA Marketing Group have been contracted by Valdosta State University, to collaborate on marketing strategy and media planning. The goal is to increase student enrollment and create brand recognition across the region.

Steven Heddon creative director of Fusion, in collaboration with Caila Anderson marketing consultant of CA Marketing Group, will assist VSU in executing a strategic media and marketing plan, according to an organizational press release. 

Together, they will determine placement and effective messaging across multiple media channels throughout Georgia, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina. The plan will integrate marketing efforts and increase brand awareness of VSU and its programs, highlight VSU as a top university, and demonstrate the importance of VSU and its students in South Georgia.

“We are excited to partner with a local agency that combines both the creative and branding services of Mr. Heddon and the strategic planning and marketing expertise of Ms. Anderson,” said Keith Warburg executive director of communications and marketing, Valdosta State University. “We are committed to South Georgia, and the ability to partner with an agency that both knows the regional market and provides expertise in managing an effective marketing strategy is essential to the growth of VSU.”

South Georgia Travel named Leading Business 

VALDOSTA – The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors honored South Georgia Travel as a Leading Business of the Week.

Established in 1964, South Georgia Travel is a full-service travel agency assisting with individual and group travel, according to a chamber press release. Its mission is to provide clients with dream vacations while delivering excellent customer service.

South Georgia Travel does much more than planning vacations. It puts emphasis on the entire travel experience, which starts with customer service. The staff of South Georgia Travel are professionals with more than 35 years of experience. The business knows exactly how to build relationships and meet the needs of each individual client. 

“As a service-oriented business, we strive to always make our clients feel welcome,” Jane Shelton said. “Nothing is more rewarding than assisting others.”

Aside from travel assistance, South Georgia Travel isn involved in the community. It credits the chamber and the SEEDS Business Resource Center with much of its achievements, including being named Small Business of the Year in 2006. The business also gives back to the community, according to the chamber. The agency’s recent Lipsync Battle for operation WARMHEART raising $3,500 was so successful and it plans to make it an annual event.

For more information about South Georgia Travel, call (229) 244-2324 or visit 1300 Baytree Road in Valdosta.

GeoTex announces new ownership

ENIGMA — GeoTex, 452 Main St., has a new name and new owner. 

Main Street Poly Fabrics, formally GeoTex, manufacturers silt fence, a construction fabric that is used in a variety of applications, according to a business press release. Its product is sold across the United States. 

New owner Wayne Chin has more than 25 years experience in the industry. Chin also serves as the chief of the Enigma Fire Department.

“I am excited to be a new business owner in Enigma,” Chin said. “I want to thank the Berrien County Development Authority for referring me to the Small Business Development Center. I have been working with the SBDC for the past year. They helped me prepare a business plan and assisted with options on securing capitol and the best part is their service is free.”

Main Street Poly Fabrics has plans of adding 25 employees this year. Main Street Poly Fabrics has immediate openings for weaving loom fixers, extrusion operators and doffers. Applicants should apply in person at the Enigma plant.

Synovus ranked ‘most reputable’ 

COLUMBUS — Synovus has been named “most reputable bank” in the U.S. in the annual Survey of Bank Reputations conducted by Reputation Institute and published by American Banker. 

Of 42 banks included in the survey, Synovus ranked first overall, first among non-customers and in the top ten among customers, according to a bank press release. Synovus ranked second overall in 2016.

“We are proud to be named as the country’s most reputable bank, and I am deeply grateful to the entire Synovus team for making this recognition possible,” said Kessel D. Stelling, chairman and CEO of Synovus. “This year’s ranking demonstrates that who we are, what we stand for, and how we do business resonate strongly with customers and non-customers. It also validates the strength of Synovus’ service-focused culture as we transition to a single brand in 2018.”

The annual Survey of Bank Reputations, which began in 2010, provides a detailed analysis of the components that together formulate corporate reputations, and how different banks rate on those measures. Synovus’ overall score of 80.7 was the highest overall score in survey history and nearly 10 points above the 2017 industry average of 70.8, according to the press release.