Wallace Rogers agency changes its affiliation
The Wallace Rogers Insurance Agency is now doing business as Southeastern Insurance Group.
The agency severed its relationship with Cotton States insurance to become an independent agency.

"Cotton States is taking the company in a direction that we feel is not in the best interest of our clients," said Lee Rogers, president of Southeastern Insurance Group. "In light of recent and upcoming rate and policy changes, we felt that now was the best time to make this move."

Southeastern Insurance Group will represent many national carriers, such as Auto Owners, Hanover, Farmers, Encompass, Donegal Group, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Progressive.

The agency will offer a variety of insurance products, including auto, home, life, disability, long term care, business and health insurance.

Lee Rogers began his insurance career in 1998 and joined Jimmy Wallace in 2005, forming the Wallace Rogers Agency.

A lifelong resident of Hall County, Rogers graduated from Gainesville High School and the University of Georgia Terry School of Business. Wallace was born and raised in Hall County. After 36 years of running his own agency, he handed off day-to-day operations of the agency to Rogers in 2005, while maintaining an active role in sales and customer service.

Guerra named hotel manager of quarter
Rosa Guerra, general manager of Hotel Equities' Hampton Inn-Mall of Georgia, has been named the company's general manager of the quarter.

Recognized for her performance during the third quarter of 2008, Guerra consistently met sales goals, and her hotel posted top ratings with guests and associates.

She was selected from among 24 general managers. She joined Hotel Equities more than eight years ago as a breakfast hostess and has earned steady promotions including front desk agent to operations manager to general manager.

"Rosa has achieved consistent success across all areas of responsibility with the hotel," said Fred Cerrone, the company president. "She develops her staff, trains them to exceed guest expectations and inspires them to strive towards excellence. She is a winner because she also continues to raise the bar for herself."

A graduate of the University of Nayarit, Mexico, with a degree in tourism, Guerra and her husband live in Hall County with their young son.

Southern States employees selected for training
Two employees of Southern States Cooperative have competed training to become a "Certified GrowMaster Specialist."

Danny Guess and Tim Todd attended a comprehensive three-day training program tied to the Southern States' GrowMaster program and is designed to augment the existing knowledge base of employees involved in advising the co-op's customers on issues related to crop production. The program provides new and updated information and qualifies for continuing education units by the American Society of Agronomy, a national organization that certifies crop advisors and agronomists through examination.