Latest news with #AlbanyAreaChamber
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Outgoing chamber president bids community farewell
ALBANY — Nearly 23 years ago, I made the decision to call Albany home — a choice I couldn't have known then would become one of the best of my life. Serving this incredible community through the Albany Area Chamber for nearly a decade has been an honor beyond words. As I step down from my role as CEO, I want to express my deepest gratitude to each of you. Thank you for trusting me to lead us, and for being my partner and supporter along the way. Together, we've navigated historic challenges, embraced innovation and achieved more than anyone could have imagined. This chamber is a testament to boldness, resilience, leadership and vision. To the power of diversity. To the amplified power of speaking with a united voice. My parting charge to you is this: Stay vigilant, stay engaged and continue building the best version of Albany. This responsibility doesn't rest solely with the chamber nor our government partners — it belongs to every citizen of Albany. When we believe in Albany, others follow suit. Stay connected, too, to the Albany Area Chamber and continue connecting, building, influencing and thriving. As I take on my new role as commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor, I will carry Albany with me. I will remain its champion, representing our great city in the halls of government and at every table where decisions are made. We are activators and accelerators. We are champions and advocates. We are impact. We are Only One Albany. Be well, and onward! Barbara Rivera Holmes
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Albany Area Chamber President/CEO Barbara Rivera Holmes named state Labor commissioner by Gov. Brian Kemp
ALBANY – Albany's Barbara Rivera Holmes is taking her economic development skills to the state level, after announcing Monday that she will be leaving the position she has held at the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce for 10 years. On Tuesday, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Holmes' appointment as state Labor commissioner. Holmes will complete the unexpired term of late Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson, who died in November. Holmes has served as president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce since 2015, and her resignation from that position, effective March 28, was announced on Monday. 'I'm excited to continue serving Georgia, ready to continue building on a legacy and ready to be part of team Georgia,' she said. 'Serving the Albany Area Chamber, our members and our community has been an incredible honor and responsibility. 'I am grateful for the trust the board has placed in me to deliver results that advance our mission and build a stronger Albany. The Albany Area Chamber will continue to thrive under the leadership of its dedicated staff and board members.' During her term with the chamber, Holmes has led that organization's efforts to foster a prosperous economy by investing in programs that support businesses in connecting, building, influencing and leading, the chamber said in a news release. In addition to her role at the chamber, Holmes has served as CEO of the Albany Area Chamber Foundation, which spearheads talent, economic, entrepreneurial and innovation initiatives that extend beyond the business community's usual reach. Among the accomplishments the chamber noted during her tenure are organizational excellence in transforming the 115-year-old organization into a future-focused chamber, advocacy and policy through successfully leading referendum campaigns and maintaining Albany's metropolitan statistical area status and redesign of the Chamber Foundation to focus on innovation, talent and entrepreneurial initiatives. 'We are deeply grateful for Barbara's visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to the Albany Area Chamber and the community,' Smith Wilson, 2025 chair of the Chamber's Board of Directors and a partner at Gardner Willis Plaire & Wilson law firm. 'Her contributions have been instrumental in shaping the future of the chamber and Albany. We are confident she will continue to make an impact and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.' Holmes also oversaw a digital transformation by implementing digital tools and strategies and enhanced online presence through a new website. Other significant milestones included providing support and resources for disaster recovery in the wake of tornadoes, hurricanes and COVID-19, and the elevation of Albany as an ideal community for national defense, active-duty personnel, veterans and military families. Work force development was also a large component of her work at the Chamber, which called for collaborating with strategic partners and employers. 'It is bittersweet,' Holmes said of her departure from her current position. 'It's not a decision I've made lightly, but is one I'm confident is the right next step. 'I have throughout my career believed in Albany, and the chamber is the focus for that throughout our region and throughout the state.' The term of office that Holmes will fill expires at the end of 2026. Holmes will be sworn into office on April 4, and she said she will continue to live in Albany. 'Marty (Kemp) and I are proud to make this historic announcement and to congratulate Barbara Rivera Holmes on her new leadership role that will benefit our entire state,' the governor said. 'As someone who has a proven track record of success in economic development and education, I know she will bring the same level of dedication to this position that she has to the people of Dougherty County and the surrounding area. I wish her continued success, both for her career and office, but especially on behalf of the hard-working people of Georgia.'
