Registration is now open for our:

2026 GACCE Staff Development Conference

for all chamber staff members

Monday – Wednesday, March 9 – 11, 2026

Hilton Garden Inn and Dalton Convention Center

Dalton, GA

Hosted by the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce

CLICK HERE for more information and to register!



Rural Day at the Capitol

February 12 | 8:00am

The Georgia Freight Depot - Blue Room

Atlanta, GA

Spots are extremely limited. Click here for more information and to register.

The Chamber is pleased to welcome Beth Chandler as their new Executive Director.

Summer Beal left her role as President/CEO of the Chamber at the end of January to accept a new role.

After months of discovery, stakeholder interviews, competitive research, and meaningful conversations with our business community, we are proud to unveil the new identity of the Chamber. This refreshed brand reflects the vibrance, leadership, and forward momentum of the Chamber we are today - and the future we are building together. Click here to visit the new Chamber website. Click here for the full press release, and click here for the brand story.

The Chamber is pleased to announce Heath Taylor, a native of Augusta, as the next President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization. The Executive Committee has voted unanimously to appoint Heath to the position, effective February 1. He most recently served as President and CEO of the Dublin-Laurens County Chamber, where he has provided strategic leadership for the past ten years, guiding the organization through sustained growth and increased community impact. 

The Chamber will be hosting several events in February:

• February 5 - Business Roundtable with Secretary Raffensperger
• February 10 - Young Professionals - Career Ready Headshots
• February 12 - Fayette County Economic Development Summit
• February 17 - Finding Your Market Fit - Why Customers Buy and Why They Don't
• February 18 - ENGAGE - PEACH Education Tax Credits
• February 24 - Membership Orientation

North Fulton's premier gala is back - Spring Soiree on April 23rd! Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring the signature Taste of North Fulton, open bar, live entertainment, and the largest gathering of business leaders all year long.

The Chamber will host its 78th Annual Dinner on February 6, 2026 at Gas South District. The event brings together Gwinnett County's executives, community leaders, and elected officials for an elegant evening to celebrate the year’s accomplishments, and recognize outgoing board members.

The Chamber is pleased to welcome Candice Holcomb as their new President.

The Chamber continues to invest in programming that meets members where they are, starting with the Henry Hub℠, our dedicated support system for solopreneurs. With more than 30,000 solopreneurs in our county, we recognized a growing need for targeted resources, intentional connection, and practical guidance. The Henry Hub℠ is designed to create a space where independent business owners can access tools, peer support, and programming built specifically for their stage of growth. Learn more about Henry Hub℠

We're also excited about our new Thriving Henry Leaders℠ program. This is a guided, in-person leadership development experience focused on real conversations and shared accountability. This interactive program moves beyond lectures to help leaders strengthen self-awareness, communication, decision-making, and emotional intelligence while growing alongside a diverse cohort of peers. Learn more about Thriving Henry Leaders℠

The Chamber recently launched its reimagined NextGen Alliance, evolving from the traditional Young Professionals model into a more relevant and inclusive framework for emerging leaders. The sold-out kickoff event at Line Creek Brewing Company welcomed more than 125 attendees, making it one of the Chamber’s strongest program launches. This Alliance, one of nine NCC Alliances, is a new initiative made possible through strategic investment during the Chamber’s recent record-breaking Total Resource Campaign.

The Chamber teamed up with Berry College to host the annual Business Outlook. Attendees heard from Roger Tutterow, Ph.D., Professor of Economics at Kennesaw State University, about the future of the economy in 2026, including what businesses can look forward to and what to be prepared for as the year progresses.

The Chamber’s Greater Rome Existing Industries Association (GREIA) held its Annual Meeting, presented by Dayco Systems, on Thursday, January 29, 2026, celebrating the accomplishments of the manufacturing industry in Rome and Floyd County and the success of the GREIA organization in 2025. GREIA is a program of the Rome Floyd Chamber made up of manufacturers located in Floyd County who collaborate to create a productive business environment, share best practices, promote workforce and education initiative and make a positive impact on the Rome and Floyd community.

Julie Paysen, IOM, has announced her resignation as the organization's President effective June 30, 2026. She will be working closely with the Board to insure a smooth transition of leadership. The Chamber is now accepting resumes for the position, and you can find out more at the GACCE Careers page.

Save the Date - #ACCE26 Annual Convention has been set for July 20-22, 2026 in New Orleans, LA. Click here for more information.

We are excited to announce that the scholarship application for 2026 Summer Sites Scholarship is open now! All students, both first-year and returning, are eligible to apply for Institute scholarship funds. If you plan to attend multiple summer sites in 2026 and wish to apply for scholarships at each site, please indicate this when prompted. All applicants will be notified of their application status before registration opens. The application will close at 11:45PM ET on February 8, 2026. Registration for each site will not open until February 25, 2026. CLICK HERE to apply!

IOM recently hosted a webinar featuring Hardy Smith on the topic of Success Tips for Working With Volunteers. CLICK HERE for the recording.