Dick James Small Business of the Year Award

Dick James was the former President of the Newton County Chamber of Commerce. He moved to Covington in 1987 and retired from the Chamber in 1994. He was well respected within the Chamber industry, as well as within each and every community he served. He began his career in Chamber work in 1957 and from that point, worked for ten chambers, seven of which he served as President. He dedicated his life to supporting businesses and bettering the community. He was often the motivation behind many businesses moving to Newton County. For those ofus that knew Dick, we remember that he never met a stranger and was loved by all.

Dick was a mentor to many in the Chamber business and was held in the highest honor by the Georgia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in 1994, winning the Kent Lawrence Presidential Award. He served as president of that organization from 1970-1971 and received the designation as a Certified Chamber Executive from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives in 1972. DeKalb Tech also honored him locally in 1995, as being instrumental in their decision to establish a campus in Newton County. It is with great pride that we dedicate the Small Business of the Year in his honor.