Success stories
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2026 Exporter of the Year – Winton Machine Company Lisa & George Winton
Suwanee, GA Lisa and George Winton started the Winton Machine Company 30 years ago as a first-generation manufacturer. Today the company has 38 employees and builds more than 100 different machines...
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Eric Williams - Prince Manufacturing
How SBA Support Helped Build a Manufacturing Success Story in Middle Georgia When Eric Williams founded Unified Defense in 2016, he had a clear vision: build a manufacturing company capable of...
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2026 Veteran-Owned Business of the Year - American Eagle LLC Shalana McNamee CEO/Owner
Cartersville, GA McNamee started this company four years ago with a mission to serve. Her military and strong leadership skills have propelled the company from 1 customer and 1 employee to 20...
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2026 Small Business Person of the Year (SBPOTY) – WINNER: Collins Manufacturing Company Gwen & Larry Collins President & Vice President
Macon, GA Gwen and Larry Collins purchased Greene Machine and Manufacturing, Inc. in January of 2006 and have been operating it for 20 years. Her experience as an electrical engineer and his...
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2026 Blue Collar Business of the Year Neely Electrical Services LLC Ronald Leonard Neely III Owner
Savannah, GA Neely purchased, now known as Neely Electrical, in early 2023. His over 20 years of electrical experience in combination with his long-term growth strategies and his work ethic has...
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2026 Young Entrepreneur of the Year - Top Line Landscapes Griffin Thomas President
Carrollton, GA Griffin Thomas started Top Line Landscaping at the young age of 15. His entrepreneurial mindset from a young age has pushed his business to grow and expand since 2015. Today the...
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2026 Manufacturer of the Year - The Fishing Factory Brooks Woodward President
Brooks Woodward, since taking over the Fishing Factory, has used his employee-first mentality to help accelerate the growth of the Fishing Factory. His dedication to the growth of his company and his...
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Higher Education Accreditation Consulting
Renee Pellom knows about the overall investment, dedication, and “chutzpah” it takes to be an entrepreneur. She’s owned a few businesses over the past 30 years while simultaneously maintaining a full...