Cherokee Tribune
Ashley Fuller
January 22, 2010

This year’s meeting is switching from a dinner to a lunch format, but will include the usual festivities: the gavel pass, recognition of outgoing and incoming board members, and the presentation of First Citizen, Volunteer of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year awards.

The chamber has sold 286 of the 300 available tickets.

“By moving to a lunch meeting, we give more of our members the opportunity to attend,” chamber President Pam Carnes said of the format change.

Goddard said he is “encouraged and excited” about the opportunity to lead the chamber in 2010.

“I was learning under Nathan, who led us through a great year,” said Goddard, 36, who lives in Canton and has been involved with the chamber for 10 years. “It gave me great experience, and I’m looking forward to a great year.”

A commercial and industrial account manager for Cobb EMC, Goddard graduated from Kennesaw State University with degrees in marketing and professional sales.

In addition to volunteering with the chamber, he is also a member of the WellStar Foundation Board of Trustees and the Marietta Metro Rotary Club and is a graduate of Leadership Cherokee.

He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children and attend Bascomb United Methodist Church in Woodstock.

Goddard said one priority of the chamber this year is to form a full-fledged Going Green committee. The chamber created a task force last year in preparation for this expansion.

The committee will encourage and recognize local companies for accomplishments in conservation.

“It is a good image that you are doing things less wasteful,” he said. “It is attractive to new customers. It is good financially and for goodwill.”

Goddard said he also plans to increase the marketing for the chamber’s Resource Services from Valuable Professionals program, which offers free consultations for small business owners.

“It is a valuable resource for people who want to start a business and also want to grow their business,” he said.

During his tenure as chairman, Brandon said he was pleased the chamber exceeded its goal of adding 175 new members by recruiting 178. The chamber added 227 new members in 2008.

“I’m most excited about the new business starts,” he said. The chamber conducted 73 ribbon-cuttings in 2009, up from 63 in 2008.

Brandon said he and the chamber board entered 2009 with “a little anxiety” because of the uncertainties of the economy, but were happy to help so many new businesses open.

“There is a general momentum that the chamber had built up that was conducive to people starting a new business,” said Brandon, who lives in Canton and will remain active with the chamber as the chairman of the finance committee.