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  At the Big “O” New Member Orientation, a new member wins the opportunity to be featured as the “New Member Spotlight” in the Chamber newsletter and on the website. Below are the new members we’ve welcomed this past year who had their names drawn as Spotlight winners. 
Creating residential development while preserving a bit of Coweta’s history is a challenge, but Nick Garrison and Nick of Time Homes are doing just that, and creating affordable housing for Coweta residents at the same time. Nick of Time Homes buys and renovates distressed properties and turns them into quality rental and resale homes. Currently, Nick of Time Homes is focusing on revitalizing several properties in the historic Arnco Mills community just outside of Newnan.
“It’s important to us to keep the historic charm of Coweta, but we also want to provide quality places for low and middle-income workers to live in our community,” says Garrison. “We’re working with area businesses and the Atlanta Community Housing Resource Center to develop homes that are comfortable, safe and affordable.”
A native of Illinois, Garrison has called Coweta County home for the past 10 years. “There is a lot of opportunity for growth here,” he says. “I think it’s important to extend that opportunity to the lower-paid workers who are responsible for many of the services we enjoy.”  Pests of any kind are no problem for James Nelson and the team at Northwest Exterminating. And thanks to their organic pest control methods, there are no environmental problems for homeowners or businesses, either.
"Our services include pest management, termite warranties, mosquito, fire ant, eradication and wildlife exclusion," explains Nelson. "We're the only company in Georgia that's doing organic pest control. All of the products we use are derived from the earth, and we can apply them to more places than typical pest control chemicals.
Nelson has been with Northwest Exterminating, an Atlanta-based family owned company, since 2002. He transferred to Newnan in July 2007. Newnan is closer to home for Nelson, and offers an amazing opportunity in a exploding market.
"We knew that Newnan would be a fantastic opportunity for us because of its growth," says Nelson. "As we expected, we've seen a big demand for our organic approach, especially in homes with children or pets. Plus, people here appreciate the fact that it's better for the environment, and that we are stewards within the industry. Our business has really grown in the short amount of time in Newnan." 
Darrell Griggs always dreamed of owning his own business. Fourteen months ago, his dream came true when he opened D&M Cleaning Services in Newnan. Together with his wife, Mary (the “M” in D&M), Darrell now has made it past that all-important first-year milestone and has seven employees and several regular contracts. The firm offers commercial and residential cleaning and specializes in floor stripping and waxing and in pressure washing.
“Everything is going great,” says Darrell. “It’s much harder than I thought it would be, and we’ve had our ups and downs, but I’m determined to make this work. I’ve learned a great deal so far.”
Like many other entrepreneurs, Darrell, a LaGrange native, chose Coweta County as his home back in 1989 and recognized the potential for owning a business here. “The growth means there’s a lot of opportunity to succeed,” he says. “And we’ve found our Chamber membership to be a great asset. Everyone there is extra nice, and the advice I’ve gotten has been instrumental in my success.” It takes a special kind of person to help others through the end of life, but Nathalie White-Faulkner and her colleagues at Countryside Hospice Care do just that — with compassion and professionalism. Countryside provides hospice care in rural homes, assisted living facilities and nursing homes.
“It’s great to be part of a smaller company that has a truly personal touch,” says White-Faulkner. “It’s an honor to be with these families during end-of-life care. We not only help our patients avoid loneliness and pain, but also educate the families about the process and continue to work with them for a year after their loved ones are gone.”
Countryside Hospice Care started in rural Alabama in 1999 and opened its Newnan office in 1999. “Although Newnan is our most urban location, we still concentrate on serving 13 rural counties in this area,” says White-Faulkner. “Our goal is to maintain our personal focus and remain readily accessible when people need us most.” Neal DuPré is full of information about Coweta County. As a contract sales person for Print Graphic Services and a freelance graphic designer, Neal has spent the past 20 years on the team that publishes the Guide to Coweta and Fayette Counties.
“The Guide is the longest-lived publication in the area at 21 years old,” she says, “and it’s the largest in the area, too, with a distribution of 90,000 each year.”
In addition to the Guide, Print Graphic Services also publishes the monthly Community Health Focus magazine and the quarterly Atlanta Airport Area Guide, among others.
Neal appreciates working with publisher Charlie Nelson and his family owned and operated business. “Print Graphic Services is known for the useful information we provide, and for our highly ethical approach to business,” she says. “Plus, I’m having fun doing this work!” 
Walter Thompson has only lived in Newnan a few years, but he’s already a big fan of the community. As an accounting and tax consultant, Thompson provides assistance to the firm of Jordan, Kinsey & Jordan, where he specializes in church audits and provides extra help during tax season.
With 32 years of experience under his belt at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Thompson knows a thing or two about the way things add up — and it didn’t take much for him to see all that Newnan had to offer. “My wife and I moved here in 2004 because we like the small-town feel and wanted to be closer to a good friend,” he says.
In addition to his consulting practice, Thompson is very engaged in the Newnan community, serving on the United Way board of directors, as president of his Sunday school class, and as a mentor for a local sixth grader. “I really like being involved in Newnan professionally and personally,” he says. “There’s so much more happening here than I would have anticipated!” 
With nearly 40 years of marketing experience at Coca-Cola, George Wray knows how to get product and services into customers’ hands. Now the principal of Wray Marketing in Newnan, Wray and his team offer marketing consulting, planning and hands-on implementation for small and medium-sized businesses.
“As a full service firm, we can do the full spectrum of planning and execution,” says Wray. “We offer market research, creative work, media placement and special event work.” One of the best-known events that Wray Marketing handles is the annual WKHX-radio Golf Jam, which benefits Angel’s House in Newnan. The firm coordinates all sales and sponsorships and will draw around 1,000 people this year to enjoy golf, dinner and a concert featuring Eric Church, Steve Azar and Jake Owen.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Wray attended Georgia State University and has lived in Sharpsburg for 35 years. His clients cover a broad range, from county governments to local retailers. “Every time I do a project, I learn as much as the people I’m working for,” says Wray. “It’s great to be able to continually learn about this community and the businesses here.”
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