Debbie Harper: The Business of Newton County—A 2026 Chamber Playbook –Episode 74
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The Chamber Isn’t Government… and That Matters
Debbie Harper comes back into the studio for her second appearance on The Town Square Podcast, and right out of the gate she re-anchors something people still confuse: the Chamber of Commerce is not government. The Chamber is a member-driven organization—which means it works “at the pleasure of the members,” advocating for the business community from the largest industries all the way down to the smallest mom-and-pop operation.
That distinction matters because the Chamber’s job isn’t to pass ordinances or levy taxes. Its job is influence, connection, advocacy, programming, and building the kind of civic/business ecosystem where Newton County can thrive long-term.
And in 2026, Debbie says the Chamber has momentum.
75 Years Strong and Growing Past 700 Members
One of the coolest headline moments in this conversation is the reminder that the Newton County Chamber is celebrating75 years—established in 1951, with roots tracing back to the Newton County Trade Association.
And the modern Chamber isn’t some tiny networking club. Debbie shares that the Chamber topped 700 members last year—representing roughly 25,000 to 28,000 employees connected to those businesses. That’s a huge “voice” in a county our size, and Debbie makes the point clearly: this many members means the Chamber carries real influence—not by flexing authority, but by convening people and pushing coordinated priorities.
Trey even laughs about it from the perspective of being a small LLC himself: The Town Square Podcast joined the Chamber at the end of last year and is now stepping into Chamber 101 (yes—Debbie had the date ready).
Who the Chamber Serves (Hint: It’s Not Just Small Business)
Debbie breaks down the range of membership in a way that makes the Chamber feel more “whole community” than many folks realize:
Small businesses (the majority—often defined as 120 employees or fewer)
Large industries and major employers
Nonprofits
Faith-based organizations/churches
Associate members (individuals)
And she notes a cultural trend that’s been growing: larger employers increasingly want to pour back into the communities where they operate—through grants, sponsorships, volunteer hours, nonprofit partnerships, and intentional local engagement. In the conversation, Meta gets mentioned as an example of major industry support showing up in tangible ways (like grants and community investments).
The underlying theme: you don’t get a healthy small business ecosystem without stable large employers—and large employers need a healthy local community to attract and keep talent. It’s cyclical.
Practical Benefits That Make Membership Worth It
Debbie highlights something a lot of business owners don’t know: Chamber membership isn’t just “events and networking.” There are practical programs that can have real financial impact.
Two examples she mentions:
Georgia Drug-Free Workplace Program (when certified, businesses may qualify for a state-mandated discount on workers’ comp—Debbie cites 7.5% off).
Healthcare options for small businesses, including a partnership pathway connected with the Georgia Chamber and Blue Cross Blue Shield for certain business sizes.
That’s the Chamber at its best: not just rah-rah speeches, but real support tools that help businesses survive and grow.
How the Chamber is Led (and Why Board Restructuring Matters)
Debbie explains the Chamber’s governance structure and mentions a board restructuring over the past year designed to make leadership more representative of Newton County’s diverse business landscape.
Key highlights:
A smaller executive committee structure
A broader at-large board to ensure big industry + small business + multiple sectors are represented
That’s a subtle but important leadership move: if your membership base is diverse, your leadership should reflect that diversity—otherwise you’ll unintentionally prioritize the loudest voices rather than the most representative voices.
Networking Isn’t “Extra”—It’s the Work
The Chamber calendar is packed, and Debbie acknowledges the strain: a small staff producing a full menu of events. But the strategy is intentional—different events serve different business types, schedules, and stages.
Lunch Links (monthly)
A structured networking lunch with either:
pure networking, or
a speaker/program (February features a motivational speaker focused on decision-making in business).
After Hours (quarterly, returning trend)
Debbie notes Newton County used to be more of a “bedroom community,” but that’s shifting. More people are working and staying local, so after-hours events are making sense again.
The first after-hours of 2026 is at Render: Turner Lake (Feb. 19).
Signature Events (the big ones)
Debbie frames several major “anchors” on the Chamber calendar:
Pre-Legislative Breakfast (January)
Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet (the one everyone talks about)
Business Summit & Expo (March 26)
Chamber Golf Tournament (April 30)
Membership Appreciation (Fall)
Think and Thrive (Women’s event—consistently sells out)
The theme here is simple: the Chamber builds a rhythm of connection, celebration, training, and advocacy.
Business Summit & Expo: Why You Should Go
Trey gives a great personal testimonial here because he attended last year and came away genuinely impressed. He describes the “expo” feel with vendors (where you find businesses you didn’t know existed), but also the breakout sessions where business owners share real strategies and lessons—more like peer mentorship than a formal seminar.
Debbie previews 2026:
March 26
Hosted at Georgia Piedmont Technical College
Breakouts + keynote + practical sessions (including an AI class led by Meta)
Panel content leaning toward marketing and branding this year
And Trey’s endorsement lands: if you’re a business owner, you will walk out with things you can actually use.
Legislative Breakfast: Business Advocacy Without Partisan Politics
This part matters for The Town Square Podcast audience because it hits your “messy middle” mission: how do you engage policy without becoming partisan?
Debbie describes the legislative breakfast as more “fireside chat” than political rally. The Chamber does have legislative priorities, but the posture is practical: what helps Newton County remain a strong place to do business while maintaining quality of life?
A few key takeaways:
The Chamber partnered with the school system to share legislative priorities together.
Discussion included the current buzz around state income tax ideas, with Debbie pointing out the tension: taxes don’t disappear—they shift.
The Chamber has also been vocal on local issues like housing, and Debbie references work around the development ordinance updates (UDOs).
One of the best “real life” moments here is Debbie describing the Chamber helping a plumber with a local issue like parking his work vehicle at home. That’s not headline-grabbing politics—it’s practical advocacy that removes friction for small business.
Housing, Growth, and the “Tension to Be Managed”
This section turns into one of Trey’s best analogies in the episode: growth isn’t simply a problem to solve, it’s a tension to manage.
Debbie acknowledges:
Newton County needs updated ordinances (some dating back decades).
Moratoriums and slowdowns can create ripple effects—especially in construction trades and local contractors.
Housing conversations keep coming back to “missing middle” inventory and cost drivers (she references “location, land, and lumber” as big factors).
The point: everybody wants quality of life. But quality of life requires a healthy local economy, and a healthy economy requires managed growth—not zero growth or runaway growth.
The Highlight: Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet Recap
If you’ve never been, Trey makes the case: the Chamber’s Annual Meeting feels like a small-town version of a major awards show—high production value, a room full of leaders, and a genuine sense of community pride.
Debbie gives major credit to:
OHCO District for hosting
The behind-the-scenes AV/marketing pros (ONYX Media & Dualdeko) who make it feel “big league”
Student involvement (centerpieces, jazz band, etc.)
And then we get into the awards—this is where the episode becomes a “who’s who” snapshot of local impact.
Award Winners & Why They Matter (as discussed)
Minority Business Award: Ayanna Ford-Bogan (State Farm) — recognized for community involvement and leadership growth.
Legacy Business Award: The Covington News — for longevity and staying power (with mention of deep community roots).
Community Impact Award: APCU — for jumping into community sponsorships and a culture of employee volunteerism.
Nonprofit of the Year: Building Strong Futures — recognized for student support, college pathway guidance, and real-life impact (including nominations from students they’ve helped).
Ambassador of the Year: Sierra Curry (BizzyBee Exterminators) — highlighted for serving as an “extension” of Chamber staff and championing membership engagement.
Chairman’s Champion Award: Thomas & Hutton — the “silent partner” engineering firm behind many major projects and master plans.
Small Business Award: Keenan Media — deeply involved, highly visible, consistent Chamber supporters.
Deal of the Year: Process Equipment & Controls (PEC) / Ryan Loewe — a strong local expansion story and a reminder that “local wins” matter.
R.O. Arnold Award: Sam & Loucy Hay — described as legacy-level recipients who embody service, humility, and long-term community commitment.
This part of the episode isn’t just a celebration—it’s a lens into what the Chamber values: business excellence, community service, nonprofit impact, behind-the-scenes infrastructure work, and long-term leadership.
What’s Next: Vision Work + A Chamber Foundation
Debbie shares one of the biggest forward-looking updates: the Chamber is working on visionary planning and exploring the launch of a 501(c)(3) foundation connected to the Chamber.
Why?
Because some community issues need long-range effort and funding streams that aren’t always a fit for the Chamber’s traditional membership model.
One of the biggest focus areas she names:
Workforce development
Talent attraction + retention
Relocation and keeping more Newton County residents working in Newton County
Trey mentions a stat he’s heard before: tens of thousands of residents leave the county daily for work. Debbie ties that reality to a smart strategy: if you can connect local people to local jobs, you improve commutes, strengthen the tax base, and reduce pressure to build endlessly.
And then, of course, there’s the shadow on the horizon: Rivian and the ripple effects of major employment growth.
More Advocacy: Governmental Affairs + DC Fly-In
Debbie also previews a more formal structure for advocacy: establishing a governmental affairs committee and reviving a DC fly-in (timed with broader Georgia Chamber efforts) to keep local business priorities in front of state and federal leaders.
The point isn’t politics. The point is making sure Newton County’s economic development needs—and the policies that affect them—don’t drift off the radar.
Quick Hits: What’s Coming Up (Mark Your Calendar)
Debbie runs through the upcoming calendar highlights:
Business Summit & Expo: March 26
Chamber Golf Tournament: April 30 (Ashton Hills)
Think and Thrive: sells out consistently (plan early)
Membership Appreciation (Fall): theme-based, community-building event
These are the kinds of moments that pull the business community into the same room—and that’s often where partnerships, hiring, sponsorships, and nonprofit support start.
A Timely Push: Shop Local (Especially Right Now)
Near the end, Debbie drops a super practical message: recent weather weekends hurt restaurants, retailers, and service businesses—and January is already slow.
Her call to action:
Visit your favorite local spots
Buy gift cards (Valentine’s Day is an easy excuse)
Spend where your heart lives
She also mentions the Chamber’s discount initiative:
“Shop Local, Save Local” — a discount/coupon program promoted through the Chamber.
Business Buzz: Town Center, New Spaces, and What’s Moving
Debbie addresses a circulating Town Center graphic and clarifies what’s confirmed:
Target is confirmed
Other rumored names are still in negotiations (as of the conversation)
They also talk about:
A new event space opening on/near the square (name still being finalized in the conversation)
Billy’s Bites (sandwich/soup shoutout—red pepper gouda soup and grilled pimento cheese get the hype)
Fuel Films growing into new space and expanding concepts (including a taproom/biergarten vibe in the broader Ramsey building area)
It’s a fun “local intel” segment that reminds listeners: things are moving in Newton County.
Final Word: How to Keep Up With the Chamber
Debbie gives the simple answer: the best way to stay in the loop is the Chamber’s emails (Tuesday update + Friday “virtual water cooler”), plus the Chamber website and social channels.
And Trey ends where he started: if you own a business—or you care about Newton County’s quality of life—you should pay attention to the Chamber calendar, show up, and plug in.
Links Mentioned in the Episode (Show Notes)
Newton County Chamber of Commerce website (events, membership info, newsletter signup)
Chamber business directory / member listings
Shop Local, Save Local (discount program info + participating businesses)
Debbie Harper / Chamber Contact Info
Newton County Chamber of Commerce
2100 Washington St. SW, Covington, GA 30014 • (770) 786-7510
General email: info@newtonchamber.com
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