The Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce honored its Woman of the Year, Shannon Bell, left, and Man of the Year, Jim Matney, right, during its annual meeting Tuesday.

MOULTRIE — The Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce honored its Man of the Year and Woman of the Year during the organization’s annual meeting Tuesday night at the Colquitt County Arts Center.

Both awards went to relative newcomers to the community.

Man of the Year Jim Matney moved to Moultrie four years ago to become CEO and president of Colquitt Regional Medical Center. Woman of the Year Shannon Bell, who now serves as director of Hero House, the county’s child advocacy center, arrived seven years ago.

The chamber has traditionally also honored an Agri-Business Person of the Year, but that award was not presented this year.

Man of the Year Jim Matney

2015 was a banner year for Jim Matney.

It was kind of hard to follow 2014, when Colquitt Regional Medical Center opened a $30 million expansion in December. Matney was a guiding light for the expansion and a driving force in the fundraising that paid for it, according to nomination letters for the Man of the Year award.

Matney’s landmark in 2015 was also about fundraising — for the United Way of Colquitt County, though, rather than the hospital. As campaign chairman, Matney led the local charity to raise $500,000 for its member organizations, a record and $25,000 over its goal.

Matney will serve as United Way president this year.

Eighteen letters of support were included in the packet nominating him for the Man of the Year award. Among them were local medical professionals, members of the Hospital Authority and officials of the United Way and the YMCA.

Some letters praised him for his work in the medical community, which — in addition to the expansion — includes:

• Creation of a sports medicine program at the Vereen Rehabilitation Center.

• His leadership in restoring mental health services as part of a partnership between Colquitt Regional, Turning Point Hospital and the Georgia Pines mental health agency.

• Physician recruitment that expanded the hospital’s staff to 65 doctors in more than 20 specialties.

• Expansion of the non-physician staff of the hospital from 884 to 1,127 over his four years as president.

• National praise for the hospital’s patient safety work from The Leapfrog Group, which named Colquitt Regional its only Top Rural Hospital in Georgia in December 2014.

• Establishment of a policy that lets hospital employees volunteer an hour a week during work time. One letter writer linked this to an increase in hospital employees mentoring students and coaching youth sports.

More than one letter noted Matney’s “buy local” philosophy during the hospital expansion, which used local labor and materials as much as possible.

Other letters highlighted his support for the United Way, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, and Georgia Sheriffs Boys Ranch.

Woman of the Year Shannon Bell

“It is rare to encounter a person whose entire life seems dedicated to joyfully serving others,” wrote a nominator. “Shannon Bell is such a person.”

Those words of high praise for the 2016 Woman of the Year came from one of her predecessors — 2014 Woman of the Year Lynn Wilson.

Bell serves on the board of directors for the National Alliance on Mental Illness’s Moultrie chapter, which Wilson helped found.

“Shannon actively combats the stigma and lack of education that are significant barriers for those who live with a mental health diagnosis,” Wilson wrote. “Opportunities to share the benefits of NAMI with others who are in need do not escape her attention.”

Bell has served as director of Hero House, Colquitt County’s child advocacy center, since 2011. She also serves on the board of the South Georgia chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She’s chairman of the board of the county’s Family Connection and filled in as interim director of Family Connection for almost a year until a new director was hired.

“Shannon’s a wife and mother of two teenage boys,” wrote another nominator, Renee Truett. “She’s a part-time employee that exceeds full-time hours. She’s very passionate about her job and serving Colquitt County.”

In addition to her work with Hero House and her advocacy for mental health issues, Bell is a registered car seat technician and has partnered with the Moultrie Junior Woman’s Club and Hope House for a car seat installation class, Truett said.

Truett said Bell will soon be starting with a position at Serenity House, the county’s domestic violence shelter, as well.