Gainesville, GA — Junior Achievement of Georgia (JA of Georgia) has named Mike Smith & Dixie Truelove and The Syfan Family, Jim, Greg, and Steve, as their 2026 JA Northeast Georgia Business Hall of Fame Laureates.
JA of Georgia is proud to host the 16th annual gala and continue the tradition of honoring titans of the Northeast Georgia business community. The elegant event will take place on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Lanier Technical College’s Ramsey Conference Center.
Mike Smith and Dixie Truelove are dedicated community and business leaders whose shared values of service, faith, and stewardship have made a lasting impact across North Georgia. Dixie, a Hall County native and UGA graduate, is a past Chair of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, past President of the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County, and current Co-Owner of Truelove Farm. She has served with WomenSource, the Quinlan Visual Arts Center, and Leadership Georgia, where she was also a Program Chair. She currently serves on the boards of the North Georgia Land Trust, Habitat for Humanity, the Lake Lanier Olympic Park Foundation, and Pay It Forward Scholarships. Mike is President and CEO of VitalSpace, formerly SteelCell, which has grown under his leadership from 30 employees to over 350. A graduate of North Georgia College, Mike chairs the Brenau University Board of Trustees and serves on the Corrections Industry Knowledge Council. Together, Mike and Dixie are active members of Bethel United Methodist Church and proud Leadership Georgia alumni. Mike says his greatest accomplishment is marrying Dixie Truelove.
The Syfan family, Jim, Greg, and Steve, are the driving force behind Syfan Logistics, a Gainesville, Georgia-based third-party logistics company built on faith, family, and integrity. Their journey began in 1984 when Jim and his sons founded Turbo Logistics, growing it to more than $100 million in annual sales before selling it in 2006. In 2011, they launched Syfan Logistics and Syfan Transport, which have since grown to over $400 million in annual sales and employ more than 450 team members. Jim Syfan, Chairman and CEO, has devoted his life to advancing the transportation industry and his community through leadership roles with the Transportation Intermediaries Association, American Trucking Associations, and numerous civic and educational boards. Greg Syfan, President, has guided Syfan Logistics’ continued growth, emphasizing people-first leadership and the core belief that if you care for your team and your customers, success will follow. Steve Syfan, Executive Vice President, is a respected industry leader who has served the State of Georgia through appointments by Governor Brian Kemp, including as Chairman of the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority. Together, the Syfans exemplify the best of family business—faith-driven leaders dedicated to service, innovation, and community.
In addition to the formal induction of the Trueloves and Syfan Family, the evening will also honor Mike & Ashley McGraw as the 2026 Rising Stars. The 16th JA Northeast Georgia Business Hall of Fame will welcome guests to a cocktail hour, a seated dinner, followed by a tribute to the ground-breaking programs JA of Georgia is bringing to the Greater North Georgia, and concluding with a champagne toast to the newest laureates.
“The tradition of honoring esteemed families and members of the business community is something I am truly proud to continue. We are delighted to be welcoming the Mike, Dixie and the Syfan Family into our established laureate society,” said Juli Hayes, Director of Donor Relations for JA of Georgia in Gainesville. “We’ve long admired both families’ contributions to our community, and we’re thrilled to celebrate their impact publicly on February 5th.”
To learn more about the JA Northeast Georgia Business Hall of Fame, sponsorship opportunities, our laureates, or to purchase a ticket, please visit Georgia.ja.org/gainesville-hall-of-fame. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the event, please email Juli Hayes at jhayes@georgia.ja.org.
About Junior Achievement of Georgia
Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia is a business- integrated education partner with expertise in experiential learning that successfully develops key mindsets and skills for students to lead meaningful and successful lives. JA’s high-impact programs drive long-term outcomes in areas of financial literacy, career readiness, and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit, and are delivered by corporate and community volunteers. JA of Georgia offers multiple programs, with a focus on middle and high school students, including JA BizTown, JA Finance Park, 3DE by Junior Achievement, and will soon be offering the JA Dream Accelerator. JA of Georgia has locations in Atlanta, Cumming, Dalton, Evans, Morrow, and Savannah. For more information, visit georgia.ja.org