Submitted photo:  Battalion Chief Franklin McMillan named Employee of the month. 

Chief McMillan named Employee of the Month

VALDOSTA – Valdosta Mayor John Gayle, Valdosta Fire Chief Freddie Broome and Assistant Fire Chief Brian Boutwell honored Battalion Chief Franklin McMillan as the October 2017 Employee of the Month during a Valdosta City Council meeting. 

McMillan received a framed certificate and a check for $200, and his name appears on a plaque displayed in City Hall.

McMillan has been employed with the VFD for 32 years, according to a city press release. As the operation battalion chief, he is responsible for supervising 30 employees, responding to emergency incidents and assuming the role of the incident commander.

Earlier in the year, Boutwell was approached by a Valdosta resident whose vehicle would not start. Boutwell immediately called McMillan, who quickly reported to the location, crawled under the vehicle, and diagnosed the mechanical problem.

“Our profession has taught us that it is usually what others consider ‘the smaller things in life’ that leave the greatest impact on others,” Broome said. “Chief McMillian is a great example of a public servant for the ways he is willing to quickly offer aid at any time for any reason — from responding to house fires to fixing broken vehicles. Because, in the end, it’s all about serving others.” 

 

Waller named Leading Business

VALDOSTA – The Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors honored Waller Heating & Air Conditioning Co. as Leading Business of the Week.

In 1963, Waller Heating & Air Conditioning Company began with only four employees and has grown to employ approximately 50 employees today.

Waller Heating & Air Conditioning Co. has been recognized by the Trane Co. as a recipient for the Top 10 Dealer in the Southeast and it works hard to provide the highest level of customer service to customers by keeping up with the latest technology and energy-efficient products that its vendors offer, according to a chamber press release. Services are not limited to either residential or commercial, but instead work to service both.

“Every day is a new and exciting day,” said Bill Slaughter, CEO and co-owner of Waller Heating & Air Conditioning Co. “It’s a unique blend of family and friends that plays a huge part in our success.” 

Slaughter also mentioned during the Leading Business presentation that the company is currently a second-generation business and will soon extend to the third generation.

“The chamber is the catalyst that holds our community’s business leaders together and keeps everyone focused on current and important issues,” he said.

Slaughter is also the Lowndes County Commission chairman.

For more information about Waller Heating & Air Conditioning Co. or to set up an appointment, call  (229) 244-1200.

The Leading Business of the Week program is designed to recognize members who have partnered with the Chamber for at least five years. The 2016 Leading Business of the Week program is proudly sponsored by Ashley’s Business Solutions. For more information, visit www.ValdostaChamber.com/Leading-Business-of-the-Week.

Patrick earns counselor designation 

VALDOSTA — The College for Financial Planning, located in Centennial, Colo., announced that Kent Patrick of Valdosta successfully completed the chartered retirement planning counselor professional designation program. 

Individuals who complete the program, pass a final exam, and sign a code of ethics and disclosure form can earn the right to use the CRPC mark.

Graduates of the CRPC program must complete a specialized study course that provides a general foundation for giving retirement planning advice to clients, according to an organizational press release. 

The course covers key issues that occur throughout all phases of retirement planning. The designation is awarded to students after they successfully complete the course, pass a proctored final examination and sign a code of ethics commitment and declaration form.

The CRPC program prepares individuals for the changing demands of the retirement planning profession, according to the press release. The CRPC curriculum emphasizes the importance of understanding each client’s individual financial situation, and then analyzing his or her related needs and identifying investment opportunities that will best meet those needs.

 

Parker named charter member 

VALDOSTA – Renee Parker of Valdosta has been named as a charter member of the LifeVantage Asia Pacific Advisory Board. 

Only an existing distributor of LifeVantage Corporation who has “demonstrated integrity and excellence in knowledge of the company’s business, policies and products may be appointed to become a member of the board,” according to an organizational press release.

 As a board member, Parker will provide views and comments on the events, functions, products and/or materials of the company in relation to business in the Asia Pacific region. She will also provide training to promote and develop the company’s business in the Asia Pacific region. 

Parker has been affiliated with LifeVantage for four years and is in the top 1 percent of the company’s income earners. 

LifeVantage Corporation is the world leader in nutrigenomic products and is currently doing business in 11 international markets as well as the United States. LifeVantage is proud to welcome Parker as a charter member of the prestigious Asia Pacific Advisory Board.