Business Solutions Summit Set For Sept. 23
Two-Time Best Selling Author
Dee Ann Turner to Be Guest Speaker
Two-time bestselling author and acclaimed keynote speaker Dee Ann Turner will headline the Greater Vidalia Chamber of Commerce Business Solutions Summit on Thursday, September 23. The event is being held at First Baptist Church in downtown Vidalia from 8:15 a.m. until 2:15 p.m. and will focus on issues of particular interest to small businesses. “One of our major focuses this year is supporting and growing small businesses. The Business Solutions summit is geared toward providing guidance on several topics including how to recruit and train talent as well as customer service, said Debbie Evans, Executive Vice President of the Chamber.
The summit will also feature break-out sessions with experts offering insight on cyber security, social media marketing and health insurance. “Anyone can come to the summit. There will be takeaways for any size business,” Evans said. continued from page
Chamber Board Chairman Steve McComas added, “As outlined in our March 24, 2021, Greater Vidalia® Chamber Annual Meeting, your Chamber has been steadfast and focused on delivering real valuedadded programming for our business members such as Showcasing Greater Vidalia ®, Business Solutions Summit, Business Expo, ConnectHER, Workforce Labor Study, and leadership development for both adult and youth to name a few.”
He added, “The key is exposing our members to tools focused on people management, process improvements, and product development that they can bring back to their businesses and use. Through these efforts, our prayer is that each of our members take a few minutes daily away from day-to-day activities and evaluate how well they are doing in these key business areas.”
McComas said that paying attention to these three areas will be key for Chamber members’ profitability and success. “No matter how difficult business may seem given the historically challenging times, there is always something you can do, and succeed at.”
Turner is a 33-year veteran of Chick-fil-A, Inc. Prior to retirement in 2018, she was Vice President, Talent and Vice President, Sustainability for Chickfil- A, Inc. Selected as the company’s first female officer in 2001, she was instrumental in building and growing Chick-fil-A’s wellknown culture and talent systems. During her long career, she worked closely with Chick-fil-A’s founder, S. Truett Cathy, and other key leaders as an architect of their organizational culture. Turner was responsible for thousands of selections of Chick-fil-A Franchisees and corporate staff members.
Additionally, Turner led Talent Management, Staff Learning and Development, Diversity and Inclusion, Culture and Engagement. Most recently, she launched and led the sustainability function focusing on Chickfil- A’s strategy to implement sustainable practices at the then $10.5 billion company.
Today, she leads her own organization, Dee Ann Turner & Associates, LLC, writing books, speaking to over 50 audiences per year and consulting and coaching leaders globally. She is the author of the best sellers, It’s My Pleasure: The Impact of Extraordinary Talent and a Compelling Culture and Bet on Talent: How to Create a Remarkable Culture that Wins the Hearts of Customers. Her newest book, Crush Your Career: Ace the Interview, Land the Job and Launch Your Career released in March 2021 is topping the Amazon best seller lists. Additionally, she is the host of the Crush Your Career Podcast and serves as Executive in Residence at High Point University in North Carolina. Turner is a graduate of Clayton State University with a degree in Management. She also completed executive education courses at Emory University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Virginia’s Darden Business School. She is a 2009 alumna of the prestigious Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.
She has been married her husband Ashley for 37 years, and they are the parents of three grown sons. She has served numerous nonprofit boards in the past including The Kenya Project, Eagle Ranch and Proverbs 31 Ministries. She has also served on the board of advisors for Lubbock Christian University and First Care Clinics. Currently, she serves on the board of advisors for Unconventional Business Network Women, the advisory board for Turas Group, and the advisory board for the Pure Hope Foundation.
The conference fee is $149 and includes breakfast, lunch, a copy of Turner’s book, Bet on Talent, and breakout sessions on topics of interest to small businesses. The registration deadline is September 17. The event is being presented by Chick-fil-A Vidalia and sponsored by DBM Roofing, Taylor Insurance Services, Tar Land and Timber, Terry’s Flooring and Blinds, and Vyve Broadband.
