**In order to read many of the GEDA articles linked to in this newsletter you must be logged into the GEDA website using the instructions above.**
Just a note to let you know, if you are using the P.O. Box 1776 address to send us mail, please discontinue using that box. That P.O. Box has been closed and we can no longer use that address. Please use 75 5th Street, NW, Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30308.
Upcoming Event
GEDA Day at the State Capitol is scheduled for Tuesday, January 28th from 7:30-11:00. We will host a breakfast for our State Legislators from 7:30-9:00 in CAP 216, then have State political leaders come and talk with GEDA members in CAP 450; afterwards, we will have a photograph with Governor Brian Kemp on the second floor, north-wing steps of the capitol. To register click here.
Recent Event
Thank you to all those who attended the GEDA Annual Awards Luncheon on November 18th at the Georgia Tech Hotel. Congratulations to all of the winners of Awards, including four Deal of the Year Awards:
Small Community – Thomasville Payroll Development Authority (Thomas County) & the Check-Mate Industries project
Mid-Size Community – Jackson County Area Chamber Commerce & the SK Battery America project
Large Community – Cherokee Office of Economic Development (Cherokee County) & the Mill on Etowah redevelopment project
Regional Award – Moultrie-Colquitt County Development Authority & the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) project
The Volunteer of the Year Award – Grant Gainer, Chairman, Joint Development Authority of Hazlehurst, Jeff Davis County and Denton
The Rip Wiley Award for Professional Excellence – John Gornall, Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory
The Governor Zell Miller Public Policy Leadership Award – U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson
GEDA Honorary Life Member – Bob Shaw, Chairman, Development Authority of Fulton County
Committee Chair of the Year – Justin Farquhar, GEDA Sponsorship Committee Chair; & Project Manager, Development Authority of Bryan County
Committee Member of the Year, Meghan Duke, EDFP, GEDA Annual Conference Committee; & Economic Development Director, West Point Development Authority
We also witnessed the passing of the gavel from Chair Pat Merritt to Chair-Elect Chris Pumphrey. Past Leaders, including Past Chairs, Honorary Life Members, Rip Wiley Award recipients and Governor Zell Miller Public Policy Leadership Award recipients were also recognized. Thank you to our sponsor, Stephen Adams and the Macon-Bibb Industrial Development Authority. Click here to see the attendees. Also, click here to see the photographs from the luncheon.
GEDA/GDEcD News
New Board Member
Tom Croteau, Senior Managing Director, Project Management & Client Services, Maxis Advisors, has resigned his GEDA board position; and Grant Buckley, Executive Director, Cordele-Crisp County IDC, will fill Tom’s one-year unexpired term on the board.
Chair's Column
Drawing to a Close
When you look back on 2019, what will you remember the most about the year? I am willing to bet that you won’t remember the long hours you put in at work, nor will you remember the meetings that filled your days. The arguments will vanish, the disagreements forgotten. Instead, you’ll remember the groundbreakings and the ribbon cuttings, the celebrations of investment earned and jobs created.
For me, I will look back on my time as your GEDA Chair fondly. After a false start in January with a “snow-day,” we kicked off the year with our February meeting on Workforce in Action, and we continued strong through the Spring Workshop at Callaway Gardens. Summer was spent with our different regional partners, and the Annual Conference was a tremendous success thanks to our sponsors and planners. True, there were many long days and countless hours spent in planning… but when I look back on the year, I honestly say, “Where did the time go?”
Kerry Barnett, currently International Trade Manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), has accepted a position with the U.S. Commercial Service in Atlanta where she will be covering the life sciences sector. Kerry’s last day at GDEcD is Friday, December 6th.
Jamal Lewis, Project Manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development Global Commerce Division, will join the Henry County Development Authority as Project Manager, Business Development as of December 17th.
Hannah Mullins, formerly with the Banks County Development Authority has returned to Metter to be the Executive Director of the Candler County Industrial Authority.
If you are moving, changing jobs or getting a promotion or have other news to share, please email us at kshea@georgia.org, and we’ll publicize your news in the GEDA newsletter.
Project Announcements
** Names highlighted in green below are GEDA members with hyperlinks to their email addresses.**
Guidoni Group to Locate New Facility, Create 455 Jobs in Telfair Co.
November 26, 2019 — Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Guidoni Group - one of the leading producers and exporters of ornamental stones in the world - will locate a manufacturing facility in McRae-Helena, creating 455 jobs and investing $96 million in the project.
Congratulations to the following team members who worked to locate this project: Paula Elaine Anderson, President, and Mrs. Debbie Bullard, Telfair Economic Development Authority; Fernanda Kirchner, Project Manager, International Investment Team, Georgia Department of Economic Development Global Commerce Division; Mickey Daniell, Community Development Manager, and Doug Coffey, Business Recruitment Director, Georgia Power; Mr. Stacy Watson, General Manager, Economic & Industrial Development, and the leadership team from the Georgia Ports Authority; and Rodger Brown, Director of Strategic Communications, Georgia Quick Start! Read more…
Collibra to Create 200+ Jobs in Fulton County
November 21, 2019 —Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Collibra, the data intelligence company, will create more than 200 jobs at a new office in Atlanta.
A shout out to team members, Kristi Brigman, Senior Project Manager, and Susan Contreras, Acting Director of Research, Georgia Department of Economic Development Global Commerce Division; Bob Kosek, Senior Project Manager, Business Attraction, Invest Atlanta; Samir Abdullahi, Deputy Director of Economic Development, Select Fulton; Gregg Simon, Vice President, Economic Development, the Metro Atlanta Chamber; Brenda Robbins, Business Recruitment Director, Georgia Power; and Matt Colvin, Executive Director of Economic Development, University System of Georgia; who were instrumental in locating this project! Read more…
Nippon Light Metal Georgia to Build Facility, Create 110 Jobs in Bartow Co.
November 20, 2019 — Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Nippon Light Metal Georgia (NLMGA), a company specializing in aluminum products for the automotive industry, will build a new manufacturing facility in Adairsville, creating 110 jobs and investing $50 million in the project.
Kudos to Melinda Lemmon, Executive Director, Cartersville-Bartow County Department of Economic Development; Joseph Huntemann, Project Manager, International Projects Team, Georgia Department of Economic Development Global Commerce; Grant Cagle, Project Manager, Electric Cities of Georgia; and Rodger Brown, Director of Strategic Communications, Georgia Quick Start; who worked together to locate this project! Read more…
AEV Establishes Headquarters for Atlanta Reign, Atlanta’s First Professional Esports Team
November 13, 2019 — Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that AEV (Atlanta Esports Ventures), a partnership between Cox Enterprises and Nevada-based Province, Inc., will locate the headquarters for Atlanta Reign, a professional esports team, in Atlanta. The facility in Midtown Atlanta will result in the creation of forty-five new jobs and an investment of $100,000,000 in the growing esports ecosystem in Atlanta.
Way to go Asante Bradford, Project Manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development Global Commerce Division; Grant Wainscott, Senior Director, Ecosystem Expansion, Metro Atlanta Chamber; Bob Kosek, Senior Project Manager, Business Attraction, Invest Atlanta; and MaryBeth Flournoy, Business Recruitment Manager, Georgia Power; the team members who worked this project! Read more…
Irving Tissue to Expand, Create 150+ Jobs in Macon
November 13, 2019 — Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Irving Tissue, one of North America’s leading manufacturers of household paper products, will expand its operations in Macon, creating more than 150 jobs and investing $400 million in a new manufacturing facility following the grand-opening of the company’s most recent plant in Macon.
Congratulations to the team members, who worked together to announce this expansion: Stephen Adams, Executive Director, Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority; Candice Scott, Project Manager, Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment Team, Georgia Department of Economic Development Global Commerce Division; and Mickey Daniell, Community Development Manager, Georgia Power! Read more…
Registration and details via WWW.TERRY.UGA.EDU/EO University of Georgia Terry College of Business
Georgia Receives Top Business Ranking for Record-Breaking Seventh Straight Year
November 6, 2019 — Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Georgia’s business climate has been named No. 1 in the nation by Site Selection Magazine, an internationally circulated business publication covering corporate real estate and economic development, for the seventh year in a row. Georgia is the only state that has received the distinction seven consecutive times in the history of Site Selection’s rankings. Governor Kemp made the historic announcement at the Georgia Cyber Center in Augusta, Georgia.
“We are thrilled that Georgia’s business climate has once again been named No. 1 by Site Selection,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Under Governor Kemp’s leadership, our partnership approach to economic development has enabled us to maintain a competitive edge in attracting new business and expanding our existing industries.
"Our world-class team at the Georgia Department of Economic Development is proud to work with our economic development partners throughout the state to make record-breaking achievements like this possible. We look forward to joining with Governor Kemp to continue spreading hope and creating opportunities for all Georgians in the years to come.” Read more…
Winners announced for 2019 Georgia Automotive Awards
November 18, 2019— The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced the winners of the fourth annual Georgia Automotive Awards. The Georgia Automotive Awards began in 2016 to honor the contributions of the automotive industry in Georgia and celebrate the outstanding suppliers and manufacturers who are building Georgia’s competitive edge in the automotive sector. Read more…
Georgia Council for the Arts Awards More than $570,000 in Grant Funding - New Cultural Facilities Grant aims to create facilities for art programs
ATLANTA, November 25, 2019 —The Georgia Department of Economic Development's Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) today announced the recipients of the Vibrant Communities Grant and the new Cultural Facilities Grant. Seventy-nine entities in 58 counties received more than $570,000 in funding. Click here to view the list of FY19 Vibrant Communities grant recipients. Read more…
