Dear Editor:

One of the joys of being the chief executive of the LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce over the years has been to work with a variety of people on the staff and each becomes a member of my family.

Tiffany Ross Payne came to work for me on September 13, 1993. She will be departing on December 31 of this year to pursue a career as an educator. The school system’s gain is the chamber’s loss, but our friendship will remain a fond reminder of our 15 years together.

“Tip” was young and inexperienced in 1993. She was getting married in just a few weeks. We shared that fun time with her and then the joy of the birth of her two sons and the sadness in her loss of her dear father. We hope her chamber experience has given her valuable tools for life.

From membership to small business to Leadership Troup and more, she’s learned things that she can share with her students. We even had her shoveling sand one year for a festival and that may come in very handy during recess at the school.

The chamber of commerce salutes Tip and wishes her the very best in her new career path.