The Madison-Morgan Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting at Empire Mills on Sept. 11.
During the occasion, the Chamber acknowledged multiple highlights from the past year and announced the 2024-25 Business and Community awards of the year. The Chamber additionally honored retiring members of the Board of Directors and elected new members to fill the positions.
“This past year has been exciting for the chamber,” said Nelson Hale, a past chair for the chamber’s board of directors. “We’ve done a number of things this past year: we launched our first annual student-sponsored program, grew to 26 new members, hosted five Business After-Hours events, and four women’s business lunches.”
Georgia Pacific Madison Plywood won the Business of the Year award for multiple contributions they have made over the past year, including donations and sponsorships.
Shey Daniel, president of the Madison Morgan Chamber of Commerce, presented the award to the business and thanked them for their efforts for the community.
“[Georgia Pacific] awarded a Morgan County High School senior a $1,500 scholarship at Scholarship Night in May 2025 and plans to give three scholarships in 2026,” Daniel said. “Employees volunteered at the Madison-Morgan Community Food Pantry in December 2024 and donated food items in January 2025. The meal will sponsor a Thanksgiving distribution in November 2025 with a $4,000 donation.”
Georgia Pacific Madison Plywood participated as an elite sponsor for Morgan County High School’s athletics program. The business also provided financial support for the school’s forestry, agriculture, mechanics, engineering, and culinary programs.”
The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center was named the 2024-25 Community Organization of the Year and was recognized for various art-related and educational events organized over several years.
“Over the years, the cultural center has continued its long-established programs, including free student and children’s events, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert, the Madison Music Festival, Storytelling Festival, and the annual Independence Day Celebration,” Hale said. “Thanks to the continued diligence of the board of trustees, dedicated volunteers, and funding from numerous donors dedicated to this mission, the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center can continue serving the residents of Morgan County and visitors from around the state and nation for another 50 years.”
During her acceptance remarks, Chris Hodges, chairman of the Cultural Center’s board of trustees, thanked several of the event attendees for their contributions.
“We are a non-profit, and we appreciate people like the Bank of Madison and the City of Madison that fully support us, and all of you here that come to our events,” Hodges said. “We’re going to be great this year and for the next 50 years, so we appreciate all of your support, and thank you to the Chamber.”
Following the awards ceremony, the Chamber of Commerce appointed Dr. Miki Edwards from The Madison Wheelhouse and Alisha Ellis from the Bank of Madison as new members of the board of directors.
In the conclusion of the meeting, the Madison-Morgan Chamber of Commerce appointed Merritt Ainslie from The Bank of Madison as its new chairman. Ainslie will represent Morgan County High School in his role with the Board of Directors.
“As I step into this role, I’m excited about what lies ahead. We’re building on strong momentum, and we have a full calendar of opportunities designed to strengthen our membership community,” Ainslie said. “It’s a truly exciting time to be a member of the Madison-Morgan Chamber of Commerce, and I look forward to working alongside each of you as we build on our legacy, strengthen our membership, and create new growth opportunities.”