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Chamber celebrates Leadership Walker County graduates

Eighteen of the Leadership Walker County class are shown graduating, along with two Chamber sponsors: Chairman Susan Tankersley, left, and Walker County Chamber of Commerce Director of Programs and Events Glenda Jones, second from right. A few of the graduates were unable to attend the ceremony. Eighteen of the Leadership Walker County class are shown graduating, along with two Chamber sponsors: Chairman Susan Tankersley, left, and Walker County Chamber of Commerce Director of Programs and Events Glenda Jones, second from right. A few of the graduates were unable to attend the ceremony.

By Katie Ward June 1, 2016 1 min read

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Chamber celebrates Leadership Walker County graduates

Walker County Chamber of Commerce President Lacey Wilson introduces guest speaker Jay Neal, Criminal Justice Liaison for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. "I credit my family for who I am," said Neal. "My parents believed in working hard and living right. My grandfather worked on the railroad, farmed, worked on cars and built homes too. I worked for a dollar an hour building houses with him. I learned from him that a job worth doing is worth doing well. I learned the importance of hard work."

Criminal Justice Liaison for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Jay Neal speaks to Walker County Chamber of Commerce members about leadership. He said oftentimes, people don't care how much someone knows until they know how much someone cares.

Rob Stiles, left, and his brother Wil Stiles present the Bob Stiles Memorial Scholarship to Carmen McFarland. Bob Stiles was the owner of Flegal Insurance, which his sons now run, and an active member of the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, so a scholarship in his memory will be awarded annually to a Leadership Walker County class member.

From left are Walker County Chamber of Commerce Director of Programs and Events Glenda Jones, Criminal Justice Liaison for the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Jay Neal, who was the guest speaker at the event, Walker County Chamber of Commerce President Lacey Wilson and Leadership Walker County class Chair Susan Tankersley.

Rustic Key Boutique, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Camp New Dawn, Mountain View Engraving and the Walker County Chamber of Commerce all set up booths for members to check out prior to the graduation ceremony. Pictured here are Rustic Key Boutique owners Emily Branam, left, and Whitney Yarber. The store is new to Fieldstone Farms in Rock Spring.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's Pat Gartland, left, talks to Rob and Kelly Looney, of Chickamauga, about how he is trying to find local people who have photos of Vietnam veterans who passed away in Vietnam. Gartland said more than 58,000 American soldiers were killed in Vietnam, over 1,500 of them from Georgia. The photos will be used in conjunction with the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C.

Chickamauga City Councilman Evitte Parrish, left, talks to Camp New Dawn owners Alan Chandler and Carrie Chandler about their children's camps coming up. Camp New Dawn is hosting six weeks of summer camps — All Kids Camp, Middle School Adventure, Mini-Camp, Cove Adventure, Multi-Sports Camp and Civil War Camp — June 12 through July 22. To learn more, visit campnewdawnga.org.

Mountain View Engraving owner Ben Rosenstein showcases examples of his work to attendees at the graduation ceremony.

Walker County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Committee Co-Chair Gretchen Neal, Chamber Chairman PR Cook and Ambassadors Committee Co-Chair Cindy Scoggins, from left, talk about upcoming Chamber events.

The Leadership Walker County program held a graduation ceremony for its most recent class of nearly 20 participants.

“We are pleased to see such a large graduating class this year,” said Lacey Wilson, president of the Walker County Chamber of Commerce which hosts the class. “I think it speaks volumes about people wanting to learn more about their community.”