Southwest Georgia Network

R.R. Street & Co, Inc. (ADCO) President and CEO Marc Beard (photo by Walter L. Johnson II)

Press Release courtesy of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission (http://choosealbany.com)

Albany, Ga. – The Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission today continued the 2016-2017 “#MadeInAlbanyGA” campaign featuring Adco Professional Products, a brand of parent company R.R. Street & Co. Inc. (Street).

In conjunction with its parent company, Adco is the North American leader in the manufacturing and marketing of dry cleaning process additives, stain removal agents and filtration products for the professional dry cleaning industry.

“Adco’s location in Albany is a testament to the benefits of doing business in Georgia, and specifically in Albany-Dougherty County,” said ADEDC President Justin Strickland. “By reducing the costs of doing business and offering strong support and advocacy to our industries, we are able to locate and secure internationally renowned industries such as Adco by making our community its most advantageous option in terms of the bottom line.”

Over 140 individual products ranging from dry cleaning solvents, to detergents, stain removal agents, laundry detergents and filtration products are produced, packaged and distributed at Albany’s Adco location.

In addition to the Albany production facility, Street has four locations in the Chicago area, where the company is headquartered.

“Rather than move operations to Chicago, when Street acquired Adco in 2014, the company was impressed by Albany and how it understands the needs of manufacturing businesses,” said Street President & CEO Marc Beard. “So much so, that Street is continuing to transition more distribution, production, research and technical support to Albany.”

Most recently, the company has invested in a state of the art technical training and research center at Albany’s Adco production facility, which will help bolster Adco’s position in the Street company network.

The #MadeInAlbanyGA campaign, which features an existing industry each month, is an expansion on the award-winning video of the same title, produced by the ADEDC in 2014. The expanded 2016-2017 campaign includes both print and digital components, which can be seen on the ADEDC’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages, and on its Web site, choosealbany.com.

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By Walter L. Johnson II

Diagnosing-as well as controlling, diabetes-has always been a challenging task over the years, regardless of where patients reside in the United States.

But in Southwest Georgia, dealing with this deadly disease can have a special sense of urgency.

That’s where the Diabetes Coalition of Southwest Georgia-led by family medicine physician Derek Heard, M.D., and Tracy Suber, director of the Diabetes Resource Center at Phoebe Putney Health System of Albany-comes in.

Socio-economics plays a major role in diabetes awareness-or lack thereof-according to Heard.

“Part of the problem, I think, is that we’re dealing with a socioeconomic problem,” Heard said. “When (patients have been) diagnosed with (diabetes), it’s been difficult for them to either afford the medications that treat diabetes, or they’re not able to go to a diabetes education center that teaches them about the disease process in of itself.

“But I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that we’re in a region that is disproportionately underserved from a standpoint of resources.”

Despite having all of the information that patients can have access to, diabetes can still be a difficult disease to diagnose and treat, added Heard.

“Even if you have all of the resources available, it’s still difficult to treat. If you don’t have some of those resources, whether it’s insurance to pay for doctor’s visits, or insurance to pay for medication, then (diabetes) becomes even more difficult to treat, and that’s what we’re seeing in Southwest Georgia.

As director of the Diabetes Resources Center, Suber plays a significant role in helping diabetics better understand the disease they’re doing battle with.

“We see patients that come into the office, and we complete an assessment on them, and determine what their needs are, and then we try to meet where they might need assistance, whether it be education on their disease, whether they’re a pre-diabetic, or someone who is actively fighting diabetes, or it could be an individual who’s pregnant with diabetes,” Suber said.

Suber added: “We help provide that education about their disease process, and also about their medication (s), if they’re on medications, about their diet. Some people might need (just) a little bit of education, (while) some people might need a lot.

“We try to figure out where (diabetics) are (in the treatment process), and help them on their pathway.”

With anywhere between 15 to 25 percent of diabetes patients being functionally illiterate, the need to address gaps is even more critical, said Suber.

“What we hope to do in our efforts with the Southwest Georgia Diabetes Coalition is to brainstorm about how we can better educate those individuals,” Suber explained. “It could be that some of the resources that we’re giving them may not be on the educational level they need to be.

“It will be trying to determine what the barriers are, and break through those barriers.”

Any successful treatment of diabetes requires constant activity, as well as awareness, and asking as many questions as possible,” says Heard.

“If you have access to your doctor, be proactive,” Heard explained. “Am I at risk for diabetes, am I at risk for prediabetes? What does that mean?

“If I am prediabetic, is there anything I can do to prevent progression to diabetes?  If I am a diabetic, what can I do to keep my diabetes under better control, so I don’t get the long-term effects of diabetes?

“Be proactive, you are your best advocate. Talk to your doctor, don’t be afraid to have that conversation, don’t be afraid to talk, because sometimes ignorance is not bliss. Out of sight does not mean out of mind.

“Talk with your doctor, talk to family members, and be proactive in your own medical treatment.”

On The Web:

Phoebe Diabetes Resource Center: http://www.phoebehealth.com/services/diabetes-center/diabetes-center-home-diabetes-care

By Walter L. Johnson II

The Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission announced its 2017 award winners at its annual “Rise N’ Shine Breakfast presented by the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce at the Hilton Garden Inn Wednesday morning. The winners of each award are as follows:

Global Commerce: Thrush Aircraft
Excellence In Innovation: Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany-Marine Depot Maintenance Command
Economic Impact: Miller Coors
Only One Albany: Procter & Gamble

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In this latest installment of the HSFR Podcast, a mid-season update of local teams in our coverage area, and much more.

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Editor’s Note: The 15-Minute Drill Podcast is a quick 15-minute wrap-up of all of the Friday night high school football action in Southwest Georgia and beyond, as the name above implies. So, without further ado, here goes.

Click the arrow below to listen to the debut episode, in case you missed it.

And here’s Episode #2 listed below:

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Show Highlights:

*-Lee County/Bainbridge Preview.

*-Worth County/Turner County Preview.

*-Westover/Monroe Preview.

*-Colquitt County looks to bounce back.

*-PLUS: A quick look at other games in Southwest Georgia and beyond.

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Show Highlights:

*-Colquitt County’s 30-game winning streak ends.

*-Lee County beats Jones County at Corky Kell Classic.

*-Valdosta gets win #900.

*-Plus some quick observations from “Zero Week”.

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It’s finally here, the start of yet another high school football season in Southwest Georgia! Listen as you’ll hear a brief preview of this week’s top games, including Lee County vs. Jones County, as well as Colquitt County vs. Mill Creek, at the Corky Kell Kickoff Classic!

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1. Quick GISA Recap.

2. GHSA Classes AA and A Previews.

3. Even quicker previews of Lee County-Jones County, Lowndes-Valdosta, and Colquitt County-Mill Creek.

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If you missed the last episode of High School Football Round-Up, here’s what you did miss: a quick preview of GHSA Regions 1-AAAAA, 1-AAAA, and 1-AAA.

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