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GEDA August Monthly Meeting
GEDA will meet at the Mill on Etowah in Canton/Cherokee County on Monday, August 9th for a lunch meeting. The Mill on Etowah was a deal of the year award-winner in 2019. Plans are to have lunch in the Mill at 12:00 Noon, with registration and networking beginning at 11:00 AM. Plans are still being finalized, and Misti Martin, President of the Cherokee Office of Economic Development, is working with GEDA staff to provide an informative and fun day. There will most probably be a tour offered of the Mill after lunch. It is also likely that there will be an opportunity to float down the Etowah River on tubes. Another option may be to have a beer and / or tequila-tasting on site. For those who would like to stay overnight, the Hampton Inn in Canton is close by and offers quality accommodations. |
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GEDA 2021 Spring Workshop – GEDA Family Reunion
We have already told you about the fantastic 2021 Spring Workshop (SW21), held on May 19-21 at the beautiful Legacy Lodge at Lanier Islands! This month, we want to report about some of the winners at the SW21. Not all of you saw the Identify the Baby game, but here it is. The winner was Anna Chafin, GEDA Past Chair (2017) and Chief Executive Officer of the Development Authority of Bryan County! Anna identified ALL the babies correctly with their current personas. Here is the link to the correct choices. Way to go, Anna! Also, Alfie Meek, Director, Center for Economic Development Research of the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute, was the winner of the Sponsor Bingo-Card and won a $500 Visa gift card, sponsored by Megan Baker, President, and the Fayette County Development Authority. Congrats, Alfie! Then, there are the golf awards. Thank you, Stan Crance, Director of Business Recruitment & Existing Industry, Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority, for coordinating the golf pairings! The winners are...
First Place Wade Johnson Score -9 (63)
Dell Keith
Ryan Moore
BJ Walker
Second Place Richard Blackwell Score -8 (64)
Stan Crance
Rebecca Jordan
Scott Poag
Third Place Brad Campbell Score -8 (64)
Zach Norris
Lynn Patterson
Heath Slapikas
Contest Hole # Winner
Contests Women Closest to the Pin 5 Lynn Patterson Prize
Women Longest Drive 9 Lynn Patterson
Men Closest to the Pin 2 Stan Crance
Men Closest to the Pin 15 Mill Graves
Men Longest Drive 18 Jay Flesher
Straightest Drive 11 Richard Blackwell
Thanks to our two hole-sponsors: Allen-Smith Consulting and MAU Workforce Solutions!
Thank you AGAIN to our Presenting Sponsor, Georgia Realtors and to all of the SW21 sponsors! We couldn’t have done it without you. Your support enabled us to have such a great event! Lastly, here is a link to the presentations and photos at the SW21. Enjoy! |
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July 2021 Chair's Column
I hope that you are enjoying a good summer with family and friends. We just concluded our nation’s Independence Day celebration on July 4th. It was refreshing and exciting to see so many people out and enjoying themselves in-person. While we are planning to meet in-person for most of our meetings for the remainder of this year, we still have several webinars that will be held virtually. These offerings were discussed and conceived at the GEDA Board Retreat last November in Savannah. We wanted to provide additional educational events and below are some of these examples.
Jason Dunn, Chair of the GEDA Professional Development Committee, and Executive Director, Fitzgerald-Ben Hill County Development Authority, has had two webinars already and a third is scheduled for Thursday, July 29th from 10 to 11 AM. This program will feature Alfie Meek, Director, Center for Economic Development Research, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute, speaking on Real Numbers that Really Help. Locate South Georgia is sponsoring the event. Click here to register.
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Senior International Trade Manager Shehzin Tietjen has left GDEcD. Please join us in wishing her well in her future endeavors!
  Knali Price joined GDEcD as Trade Research Analyst, and Alex Hinton joined GDEcD as Associate International Trade Manager. Please join us in welcoming Knali and Alex to the Trade team!
   Alex Millard began work at GDEcD as the Regional Project Manager for Region 8, and Andrea Taylor began as the Regional Project Manager for Region 9 in Global Commerce. Also, Elizabeth McLean moved to GDEcD Region 11. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome as well!
 GDEcD Regional Project Manager Emily Poole in the Global Commerce division has left GDEcD employment and joined McGuire Sponsel as a C&I Consultant. Please join us in wishing Emily well in her new endeavor! |
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 Kevin Hanna is now the President and CEO of the Conyers Rockdale Economic Development Council.
 Cameron Barnhill has joined the Henry County Development Authority as a project manager.
 Karen Handel is now the President and CEO of Carroll Tomorrow and Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. |
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Award Nominations Accepted
GEDA is ready to receive Award Nominations for Deal of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.
Deal of the Year
The Deal of the Year Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the location or expansion of new businesses in the state of Georgia that meet community economic development goals and involve significant community program support, such as financial or permitting assistance, workforce development, state financial support, etc.
Nominate a Deal for the 2021 Deal of the Year by clicking here.
Volunteer of the Year Award
The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an individual economic development volunteer for outstanding service to an economic development organization or community. Nominations are solicited from all GEDA members. One statewide recipient is selected by the Board of Directors annually.
Nominate a Volunteer of the Year for 2021 by clicking here
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| ** Names highlighted in orange below are GEDA members with hyperlinks to their email addresses.** |
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Gov. Kemp Announces Expansion of Woodgrain Manufacturing Operations in Lee County, Creates 150 Jobs
Atlanta, June 30, 2021 –Today, Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Woodgrain, the largest industrial employer in Lee County, Georgia, will invest $10 million in expanding their Woodgrain Millwork manufacturing operations. This expansion in Leesburg will create 150 additional jobs in southwest Georgia.
Commendations to Lisa Davis, Executive Director, Lee County Development Authority; Christi Dockery of the Lee County Board of Commissioners; Tina Herring, Region 10 Senior Project Manager, Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment Team, Commerce Division, Georgia Department of Economic Development; and Scott Purvis, Community Development Director, Georgia Power; for their work on this project! Read more… |
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Gov. Kemp Announces Freshly Inc. to More than Double Workforce in Georgia, Creating 665 Jobs
June 22, 2021 – Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that fresh-prepared meal delivery service Freshly Inc. is more than doubling their planned workforce in Georgia and investing $52 million in expanding to Clayton County. The new distribution facility will create 665 jobs in Ellenwood, Georgia.
Congratulations to Erica Rocker-Wills, Economic Development Officer, Clayton County Office of Economic Development; Hank Evans, Director, Automotive, Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing Team, Global Commerce Division, Georgia Department of Economic Development; Rebecca Jordan, Senior Project Manager, Metro Atlanta Chamber; Grant Cagle, Manager, Industrial Project Management, Electric Cities of Georgia; and Georgia Quick Start; for their work on this project! Read more… |
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Gov. Kemp Announces Opening of Semperit Industrial Products Americas Headquarters, Manufacturing Facility in Coweta County
June 15, 2021 – Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Semperit Industrial Products, an international provider of highly specialized rubber products for customers within the industrial and medical sectors, will expand its presence in Georgia. With the opening of the company’s new Americas headquarters and manufacturing facility in Coweta County, Semperit will have the ability to better serve its customers across both North and South America. The investment volume totals $9 million, and the company plans to create 70 jobs in Newnan, Georgia.
Kudos to the following list of team members: Trae Westmoreland, President, and Molly Giddens, Project Manager, Coweta County Development Authority; Barton Lowrey, Project Manager, and Kristi Brigman, Director, Corporate Solutions and Cyber Security Team, Global Commerce Division, Georgia Department of Economic Development; Rebecca Jordan; Senior Project Manager, Metro Atlanta Chamber; Grant Cagle, Manager, Industrial Project Management, Electric Cities of Georgia; and Rodger Brown, Director of Strategic Communications, Georgia Quick Start; who worked collaboratively on this expansion and headquarters project! Read more… |
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Gov. Kemp Announces Plug Power Opening Green Manufacturing Plant in Camden County
June 10, 2021 – Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Plug Power, a leading global provider of hydrogen solutions, will invest $84 million in opening a green hydrogen fuel production plant in Camden County. Plug Power has deployed more than 40,000 fuel cell systems for e-mobility, delivering efficiency gains, fast fueling, and lower operational costs to their customers, and delivers 40 tons per day of hydrogen fuel to those customers.
A shout out to the following team members, who worked to locate this project: James Coughlin, Camden County Joint Development Authority; Alyce Thornhill, Assistant Director, Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment Team, Global Commerce Division, Georgia Department of Economic Development; Stacy Watson, Director, Economic & Industrial Development, Georgia Ports Authority; Charles Stallworth, Business Recruitment Director, Georgia Power; and Okefenokee EMC! Read more… |
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Health Care Staffing Company Soliant Expands Headquarters in Gwinnett County, Creates 200 Jobs
June 3, 2021 – Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Soliant, a leading provider of specialized health care and education staffing services to hospitals and schools around the U.S., will further expand their Gwinnett County operations, creating 200 new jobs in Peachtree Corners, Georgia.
Way to go, Emily Poole formerly Region 3 Project Manager, Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment Team with the Global Commerce Division, Georgia Department of Economic Development; in partnership with Partnership Gwinnett; the Metro Atlanta Chamber; and Georgia Power; for their work on this project! Read more… |
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Gov. Kemp: Explore Georgia Supports Tourism Industry Recovery with $2 Million in Marketing Grants and Co-op Funding
June 2, 2021 – Governor Brian P. Kemp in partnership with Explore Georgia, the state tourism office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), today announced the recipients of a special round of Tourism Recovery Marketing Grants. The Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant program supports marketing efforts to bolster the recovery of Georgia’s tourism industry from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-four destination marketing organizations in 27 counties will receive a combined total of nearly $1.5 million in recovery marketing funding as part of this one-time grant program. Read more… |
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| Committee & Shared Interest Group (SIG) News |
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To sign up for a Committee or Shared Interest Group (SIG) click here.
Professional Development - Scholarship - Grants
Apply today for scholarship grants from GEDA in 2021. Scholarships can deepen your job understanding and enhance your career! They can be used for many things, including attending the 2021 Annual Conference, Georgia Tech’s Basic Economic Development Course, the University of Georgia’s Certified Economic Developer (GCED) courses, as well as ones sponsored by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) or the OU Economic Development Institute. They can also be used for the Penn Worden Grant and the International Missions Grant. For additional information on the Professional Development scholarships, look on the GEDA website, or contact Kevin Shea, President, GEDA at 404-962-4109.
Professional Development Committee
The Committee has successfully held two virtual Professional Development webinars in the series. Looking forward, the next two webinars are scheduled in July and September. Alfie Meek, Director, Center for Economic Development Research, with the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute, will offer the next program on “Real Numbers that Really Help” on July 29th at 10 AM. Thank you to Locate South Georgia for sponsoring this webinar. Click here to register.
Research SIG Meeting
The GEDA Research SIG will be meeting virtually on Tuesday, July 27 from 9:30am – 10:30am via Zoom. All are welcome to hear about the latest and greatest in research and chat with your fav researchers. Please email Marion Phillips at mophilli@southernco.com if you would like to attend.
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ARCHWAY PROFESSIONAL (BURKE COUNTY) - UGA ARCHWAY PARTNERSHIP
Posted On: JUN 30
This position will be posted until August 1, 2021. Location: Waynesboro, Georgia Category: Community Development Position Type: Full...
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR - CITY OF ROSWELL
Posted On: JUN 29
This position will be removed on September 1, 2021. Location: Roswell, Georgia Category: Local Government Position Type: Full Time Education...
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR - CITY OF HAWKINSVILLE/PULASKI COUNTY
Posted On: JUN 28
This position will be removed on July 23, 2021 Location: Hawkinsville, Georgia Category: Local Government Position Type: Full Time Education...
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