Chamber Unveils Impact 2030 at Breakfast

Vision 2020 has fostered many successful additions to the Effingham area economy and standard of living. As 2020 rapidly approaches, though, the thought of many local leaders is that it's time to once again do some "visioning" to see what needs to happen in the future.

That has led to "Impact 2030: Beyond the Vision", an effort to broaden the area's horizons in a variety of areas.

Those present for Friday's Chamber Celebration of Excellence Breakfast were asked to close their collective eyes and see where they see the business, their family and their lifestyle 15 years from now. They were then asked by organizers Joedy Hightower and Stephanie Westendorf to write down the vision they have for the future. Those forms were turned in at the end of the breakfast and will be used to help plot a course for the future.

The guest speaker for the breakfast was Heartland Dental founder Dr. Rick Workman. While Workman has lived in Florida since 2008, he is a periodic visitor to Effingham and chose to keep Heartland's corporate offices here. He said Heartland has over 10,000 nationwide and hopes to soon go over 800 dental practices managed.

Workman spoke about his past and his hopes for the future. He took time to speak to the Effingham CEO students in attendance. He challenged them to dream big and said, "You will have a better chance to do what you want without someone from 1,000 miles away (i.e. Washington) telling you what to do."

Workman encouraged the students to be good at problem solving and to develop technical skills while not neglecting personality and leadership skills. He encouraged those gathered to develop a culture of success in their businesses, saying "culture eats strategy for lunch."

The doctor also gave a shout-out to the Effingham community, saying the area is populated with people who are smart, blessed with common sense, and supportive.

Effingham Police Chief Jeff Fuesting served as Master of Ceremonies for Friday's breakfast event.