The mission of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce is to serve its members by developing an environment conducive to business. Since 1904, we have served our members and the community by fostering relationships and strengthening the ties that have secured Athens’ position as the hub of northeast Georgia. Chamber members are active participants in the community; providing leadership on non-profit boards, sponsoring events and allowing their employees time to volunteer. Future and present leaders of the community benefit from the Chamber’s LEAD Athens program, formerly Leadership Athens. Founded in 1982, LEAD Athens stands for: Leadership, Education, Awareness and Development. Education is a strong focus of the Chamber. The Clarke County Mentor Program, which began in March 1991 as a joint initiative of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and the Clarke County School District, is still housed within the Chamber. In 2014 the Chamber revived its Education Committee which serves as the link between local businesses and the community to actively support quality education in order to provide a well-trained workforce in the Athens Area. The Chamber partners with the Clarke County School District to present the Educator of Excellence award at the Annual Meeting each year. From luncheons to small business seminars, there are countless ways to get involved with the Chamber. Members take advantage of effective networking at monthly networking functions including NetWORK Lunch, Business After Hours, the Women in Business Committee, the Young Professionals Network, and the Small Business Committee.