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Southwest Gwinnett Chamber marches into its 10th year

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Southwest Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Chairpersons: Bottom Row Left to Right- Dorothy Jarrett, Bill Brown, Margie Asef (current Chair 2021-2022) Top Row Left to Right: Steve Dorough, Dave Jones, Chuck Paul, Barry Adams, Weare Gratwick

Accompanied by the Norcross High School Marching Band’s drumline, past and current chairs kicked off its anniversary month with high spirits.

The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber literally decided to “March Forth” to commemorate its ten-year anniversary. The Chamber kicked off the month celebrations with The Southwest Gwinnett Chamber quite literally decided to “March Forth” in commemorating its ten-year anniversary. The Chamber kicked off the month celebrations with remarks from past chairpersons, founding chair Steve Dorough (2012-2013), Chuck Paul (2014), Bill Brown (2015), Dave Jones (2016), Dorothy Jarrett (2017), Barry Adams (2018), Weare Gratwick (2019-2020) as well as present Chair Margie Asef. But, in order to march in properly, a drumline from Norcross High School’s Marching Band helped spark excitement. Under the leadership of Corer Fair, associate director of bands at Norcross High, the students helped the chamber keep the pep in their step as they proceeded to the stage. 

Past Chairs on stage

“These mature and hard-working students who we enjoyed having with us and sharing our breakfast with … were a pleasure to have as our guests,” said Beth Coffey, director of Membership Sales & Service for the Chamber.

“First Friday Breakfast was full of history as well as looking forward and we’ll do that at our 10th Anniversary Celebration in downtown Norcross on March 24,” added Coffey.

City Councilmembers Joe Sawyer, Eric Christ, Weare Gratwick and Phil Sadd flank current Chamber Chair Margie Asef

The service project for this month is a fundraiser for USB charger stations for patients at Northside Hospital Duluth. Many Emergency Room patients have cell phones with them, but not chargers, and visitors are likely there unexpectedly and haven’t prepared to spend long hours waiting or are unaware of COVID protocols that may limit or not allow visitation of loved ones. Low mobile device batteries only add to the stressful emotions of a hospital visit, but this could be remedied by using portable device chargers strategically located at nursing stations, explained Asef during the breakfast meeting. To allow them to keep in contact with friends and loved ones and helping to ease some stress during their hospital stay the Chamber has a goal to raise $750 and provide at least six charging stations.

Those willing to donate and assist hospital nursing staff in helping patients and families connect and engage with those they love with fully- charged mobile devices may do so through this link: business.southwestgwinnettchamber.com/events/details/chargers-for-patient-devices-northside-hospital-donation-3200 

Donations are being accepted through April 1.

Upcoming Southwest Gwinnett Chamber events:  

March 11 and 18 Coffee Connections  (no registration or cost)

March 18  SWGC Nonprofit Roundtable immediately following Coffee Connections

March 24  SWGC’s 10-Year Anniversary Celebration from 5:30 – 8:30 in downtown Norcross at The Brunswick.  Don’t miss this fun evening of great food, live music, a word from our mayors, and prizes, all in this fabulous new space.  Register by March 18.

April 1 First Friday Breakfast:  Step into our next decade with a practical and invigorating message from Dr. Randy Ross, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and craftsman of culture and hope.

Information: southwestgwinnettchamber.com

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Business

Atlas Behavioral Health Celebrates Opening in Peachtree Corners

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City leaders, Peachtree Corners Business Association (PCBA), healthcare professionals and well-wishers joined Atlas Behavioral Health Co-Founders CEO Daniel C. Martinez, CFO Jason Price and staff in celebrating the opening of its new Peachtree Corners facility with a business reception and ribbon-cutting event.

Suzanna Martinez PCBA Board; Phil Sadd Council City of Peachtree Corners, India Martinez, Social Media Influencer, Daniel Martinez CEO Atlas Behavioral Health; Mike Mason Mayor City of Peachtree Corners; Jason Price CFO Atlas Behavioral Health; Lisa Proctor PCBA Board; Julie River MS, LAPC, NCC Lead therapist Atlas Behavioral Health; Monte McDowell PCBA Community Outreach; Toby Anderson PCBA Board; Dr. Walter Brooks PHD, LPC, CPCS, NCACII, CCS Clinical Director Atlas Behavioral Health


Martinez shared how Atlas provides a map to wellness and provided a tour that demonstrated the level of thought and planning that went into every room and decision at the facility.

“At Atlas Behavioral Health, we value everyone as a dynamic individual and leverage the power of a group setting to build strength, connection and, ultimately, recovery,” stated Martinez. 
 
Price shared the Atlas mission to “provide exceptional, client-centered treatment that empowers our clients to live a life of purpose and meaning. We are committed to removing barriers to care by offering affordable, accessible and evidence-based treatment options that meet the diverse needs of our community,” he said.

 
Mayor Mike Mason and Councilmember Phil Sadd were on hand for the celebration along with PCBA Board Members Lisa Proctor, Toby Anderson, Suzanna Martinez, PCBA Community Outreach members Monte McDowell and Audrey Boyce and business supporters.

Mayor Mike Mason shared, “The city council and I are delighted that you have chosen Peachtree Corners for your business location. We are pleased to have this critical resource available as part of our business-friendly city.”

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Insight Sourcing Group Adds Kane Kiester as VP of Energy Procurement and Management

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Insight Sourcing Group, a leading consulting firm focused on procurement optimization and clean energy, has announced the addition of Kane Kiester as the new Vice President of Energy Procurement and Management at Insight Energy, Insight Sourcing Group’s sustainable energy business.

Bringing more than 20 years of experience as an energy executive and sales leader, Kiester has focused his career on advancing innovative energy solutions for commercial and industrial customers. He comes to Insight Sourcing from NRG Energy, where he was the Vice President and General Manager of the East Region since 2021.

Kane Kiester

“Insight Energy’s mission to guide organizations towards more efficient energy procurement and consumption aligns with my personal commitment to provide clients long-term impact,” said Kiester. “Our team prioritizes the customer experience and is uniquely positioned to deliver full-lifecycle energy management due to our deep procurement and sustainability expertise.”

At Insight Energy, Mr. Kiester leads a team that is currently managing more than $8 billion in client spend and has a 97% client retention rate. Insight Energy’s team provides strategic procurement services to focus on clients’ needs to reduce energy spend.              

“Kane brings a proven track record of optimizing energy procurement for customers, and successfully producing sustainable solutions that reduce cost and manage risk,” said Tom Beaty, Founder and CEO of Insight Sourcing Group. “We are thrilled to welcome him to the team and anticipate that he will guide the continued expansion of our energy practice.”

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Consulting Firm Focuses on Procurement Cost Optimization 

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left, Tom Beatty, Brian Houpt and Brent Eiland, taken at ISG’s 20th anniversary party at The Sanctuary Hotel at Kiawah Island in South Carolina (Photos Courtesy of Insight Sourcing Group)

Insight Sourcing Group celebrates 20 years of serving clients and preserving history.

Unless they are part of a company looking to trim operating costs, most people probably don’t quite know what a business focused on strategic sourcing, cost optimization and procurement operational transformation does. That’s what Insight Sourcing Group has done for more than 20 years from its headquarters in Peachtree Corners.

“We go into companies and look at what they spend money on other than payroll, and we determine ways to take out the cost, often through supplier negotiations,” said Tom Beaty, Insight Sourcing Group founder and CEO.

“We have a couple of different businesses, but the main one is a consulting firm, and we’re the largest consulting firm of this kind of specialized procurement,” he explained. “Strategic sourcing is that process where we get bids from suppliers and negotiate and establish contracts for customers. …We did over 1,000 projects last year.”

Company group shot at the 2021 Holiday Party at The Fox Theatre in Atlanta

Among the company’s clients are major corporations like Genuine Parts, Meta (formerly Facebook), Under Armour, Freddie Mac and Cox Media. Besides being the biggest company of its kind, Insight Sourcing Group is one of the best. It has garnered numerous accolades since its founding.

“We have … tons of customers and almost all of them would be name brands like lulemon and large manufacturers,” Beaty said. “Normally a big part of their revenue goes back out the doors to vendors — something they haven’t focused on in the past. When you’re growing a lot, it’s something you may neglect and then that growth is a little harder.”

Insight Sourcing Group announced 20% firmwide growth in 2022, with 84 new team members added, of whom 23 joined as part of an acquisition. The team drove more than $1.2 billion in contracted savings for the 243 clients served firmwide over the course of the year, completing 1,199 procurement and sourcing projects in 2022, according to information provided by the company.

Insight Sourcing Group has registered growth every year since its founding in 2002, resulting in recognition by Consulting Magazine, which included the firm as No. 24 on its list of Fastest-Growing Private Companies for 2022. Other notable awards for the year include Insight Sourcing Group’s seventh consecutive year on Forbes’s list of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms and its 15th consecutive year on Atlanta Business Chronicle’s list of Best Places to Work in Atlanta.

Good for environment, good for diversity

Perhaps the cherry on top is the Insight Energy initiative that delivers customized energy and sustainability solutions to reduce costs, manage risk and improve competitive position. It realized an $8 billion client energy spend under management for 245 energy and sustainability clients and an impressive 94% client retention rate.

The year also marked Insight Sourcing Group’s public commitment to a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2030.

“Through our energy management business …we go into companies and …help them actively manage gas and electricity, and then we have a green sustainability practice. We go in and we help convert carbon energy spend to green spend,” Beaty said. “A lot of our clients have [Environmental Social and Governance] goals that relate to green energy.”

Besides helping its clients become more ecologically friendly, Insight helps them work with more women-based and minority-based vendors. The company recently helped a large private equity firm that owns many other companies achieve $2 billion in diverse spending. And Insight was the engine that made the accomplishment possible. 

In 2022, the firm’s supplier diversity practice achieved an $18 billion spend prioritized for diversity impact, supported 78 corporate supplier diversity programs and increased each client’s supplier diversity investment by an average of 2.4 times.

Giving back through history

With all those major achievements that enhance businesses, Insight also works hard to give back to the community. Perhaps its greatest philanthropic achievement is the project that records oral history of combat veterans called the Witness to War Foundation.

A year before launching Insight Sourcing Group, Beaty discovered a group of 150 veterans called the Atlanta World War II Roundtable who met monthly to share their war experiences.

Growing up with a fascination for WWII, and later for combat in general, Beaty couldn’t believe that all this rich history wasn’t being preserved. He bought a video camera and launched the Witness to War Foundation in his spare time, despite having no video or audio expertise.

“In 2001, I started interviewing combat veterans …to capture their stories to preserve them for the history as well as for their families and for them,” said Beaty, who is not a veteran himself. “We have a website with over 1,000 war stories on it now.”

The footage will eventually be part of a collection in the Library of Congress. The organization also supplies footage for documentaries and museums as well as other projects. It’s the largest oral history preservation organization of its kind in this country, attending about 20 different military unit reunions a year.

“We’ve done over 3000 interviews, including Senator Bob Dole,” said Beaty. “But we mainly focus on everyday heroes, and we’ve done a bunch of Peachtree Corners veterans.”

Insight was also a major contributor the Peachtree Corners Veterans Memorial in Town Center. It sponsored one of the six statues in the structure.

“There’s a proverb …that says, “When an old person dies, a library burns.” Losing the stories of veterans is kind of the same thing,” said Beaty. “That’s why this is so important.”

Learn more about Insight Sourcing Group at insightsourcing.com.

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