Azalea Health Innovations Inc. Dreams Big

VALDOSTA -- Azalea Health Innovations, Inc. (AHI), a local business co-founded by three Valdosta State University alumni, was recently presented with the Blue Ribbon Small Business Award by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The company requests support from the campus and community as it now vies for the chamber’s Community Excellence Award. Voting for the Community Excellence Award is open to the public at https://dreambigaward.wufoo.com/forms/community-excellence-award-2012/ .

AHI was one of 75 companies nationwide to receive the Blue Ribbon Small Business Award. This award recognizes small businesses for innovative business practices and qualifies them to compete for the Community Excellence Award. The Community Excellence Award will highlight seven businesses that are true partners in their communities, and will also qualify them for the final round of the 2012 Dream Big Small Business Contest. The Dream Big Small Business Award, along with a $10,000 grand prize, will be presented during America’s Small Business Summit on May 22 in Washington, D.C.

AHI was nominated to participate in the 2012 Dream Big Small Business Contest by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce for displaying exemplary business practices and demonstrating model corporate citizenship.

“Every community dreams of growing a great small business that is destined to become a world-class large business,” said Myrna Ballard, president of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. “Azalea Health Innovations has all the necessary ingredients to become a leader in its field.”

AHI was co-founded in 2008 by VSU alumni Baha Zeidan, '02, Douglas Swords, '03, and Dan Henry, '02, after the trio won a small business plan competition sponsored by the Valdosta chamber and Guardian Bank. Zeidan is the company’s chief executive officer, while Swords serves as chief financial officer and Henry serves as chief information officer. The company specializes in providing health care companies with specialized products and services such as IT support and a cloud-based system for billing and electronic medical records.

In addition to providing health IT and client relations, the AHI partners remain active in the Lowndes County community. Zeidan is a member of the Valdosta Rotary Club and serves on the Valdosta chamber’s board of directors. Swords is a board member with the Greater Valdosta United Way and participates in the Valdosta chamber’s Network of Young Professionals. Henry is an active member of the Valdosta chamber’s IT Professionals Network and serves on the advisory board for Wiregrass Georgia Technical College’s healthcare IT program alongside Zeidan.

For more information about AHI, visit http://www.azaleahealth.com/ . For more information about the 2012 Dream Big Small Business Contest, visit http://www.uschambersummit.com/award .