Telfair County Receives Award For Small Community Deal Of The Year

The Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA) recognized the Development Authority of Telfair County and Telfair County Chamber of Commerce for an “outstanding achievement in the location of business in Georgia” at its Annual Awards luncheon on Monday. Telfair County was recognized because of the Guidoni USA project, which announced in November of 2019. Bert Brantley, Deputy Chief of Staff for Governmental Affairs at the Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp, presented the award to Paula Rogers, President of the Telfair County Chamber of Commerce, Daniel Sa of Guidoni USA and other community and state leaders. Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan also addressed event attendees and congratulated all the winners. Nearly 100 economic developers from around the state attended the ceremony in-person and about thirty attended virtually.

The project will create 455 jobs and invest more than $96 million to establish a manufacturing plant Telfair. Guidoni USA is a manufacturer of ornamental rocks that plans to import raw product from Brazil through the Port of Savannah. This project located in an existing building that was vacant for only six months. This international company will have a significant impact on the region and plans to support numerous satellite industries. Community leaders worked together seamlessly to present a dynamic and aggressive incentives package that showcased Telfair County as the top location for Guidoni USA’s new facility.

About the Award

This is now the fourteenth year that GEDA has recognized the major projects from the previous year. In what has become a major portion of the Annual Awards Ceremony – GEDA recognizes recipients in three categories:

· SMALL – a county with population under 25,000,

· MID-SIZE – a county with population 25,00 – 100,000,

· LARGE – a county with population over 100,000,

The Deal of the Year Awards recognize outstanding achievement in the location or expansion of 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.