Georgia
Economic Developers Association
GEDA
NEWSLETTER
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Join us for the GEDA Annual Site
Selection Consultants' Panel on October 15, 2018 from 11AM to 1:30PM at
the Marriott Marquis. To learn more and to register CLICK HERE.
Greg Burkart, Managing Director, Site
Selection and Incentives Advisory, Duff & Phelps; and DiDi
Caldwell, Global Location Strategies.
 
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We had a really good GEDA 2018 Annual
Conference (AC18), with the theme of Legacy of Excellence. Chris
Pumphrey, AC18 Conference Chair, & Executive
Director, Douglas County Economic Development Authority, and his AC18
Committee Members, put together a fantastic program. We heard
from both of our Gubernatorial candidates, Democrat Stacey
Abrams and Republican Brian Kemp.
Wednesday kicked off with Matt Munson, who Inspired
GEDA to Reach for More, with his talk on The
Unforgiving Minute. We had our own version of GEDA
“ED Talks.” Our speakers detailed why Georgia is the # 1 State
for Business and how we can continue to stay in first place. On
Thursday, we heard about the Changing Face of Economic Development,
from Jody Lentz, Facilitator,
heard about Regional Economic Development from some experts and had a
facilitated session to discover issues important to GEDA members.
All the while, we had grand door prizes, thanks to you, and dished out
by Mary Ellen McClanahan, Matt
Forshee and Scott Poag. This was Mary
Ellen’s last time as Door Prize Grand Poobah, and we surprised her with
a small gift for her extended time serving GEDA. Also, Meghan
Duke, Rachel Barnwell and crew
had a grand reception Wednesday evening, sponsored by our Platinum
Sponsor, Savannah Economic Development
Authority, with the Savannah State University Drumline,
sponsored by the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16
Corridor Joint Development Authority, and a fun cornhole
tournament, while people sported their Georgia team-colors, while
tailgating.
Thank you to all of our Sponsors who
made this such a wonderful event!
Click HERE for a
list of attendees. Click HERE to see
photos from Day 1. Click HERE to see
photos from day 2. Click HERE to see
photos from day 3.
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New Officers and Board Members were elected at the
GEDA Annual Conference in September. The new Board as of 2019
is as follows:
Officers
Chair
Pat Merritt
First Vice Chair
Chris Pumphrey
Second Vice Chair
Andrea
Schruijer
Immediate Past Chair
Missy
Kendrick
Secretary-Treasurer
Sean McMillan
Board of Directors:
Board Members CONTINUING for one more year (through
12/31/2019):
Lee Chapman
Andrea Taylor
Benjy Thompson Trip Tollison
Board Members CONTINUING for two more years (through
12/31/2020):
Tom Croteau
Meghan Duke
Kyle Fletcher
Darrell Moore
NEW Board Members Continuing for three more years: (through
12/31/2021)
Dorie Bacon Walt
Farrell Jessica
Hood
Al Nash
2019 Committee and SIG Chairs
Committees
- Business Recruitment
- Charlie Moseley, Business Recruitment Director, Georgia
Power
- Business Retention
& Expansion - Heather Seckman, Director, Economic
Development, Rome Floyd Chamber
- Development Authority
Executives - To be determined
- Marketing &
Communications - J R Charles, Vice President of Economic
Development, Carroll Tomorrow
- Membership Services -
Mitch Griggs, Executive Director, Union County Development
Authority
- Nominating Committee
- Anna Chafin, Chief Executive Officer, Development Authority of
Bryan County
- Professional
Development - Bethany Usry, Vice President of Economic &
Talent Development, Greater North Fulton Chamber of
Commerce
- Public Policy - Dan
McRae, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw
LLP
- Special Service
Awards - Illya Copeland, Executive Director, Murray County
Industrial Development Authority
- Sponsorship - Justin
Farquhar, Project Manager, Development Authority of Bryan
County
- Young Professionals -
David Denison, Project Manager, Georgia
EMC
SIGs
- Education/Workforce
Development - Dr. Barbara Wall, Administrator, CTAE Division,
Georgia Department of
Education
- Entrepreneurship -
Ryan Waldrep, Assistant Director, Entrepreneurship & Small
Business/Regional Project Manager,
GDEcD
- Non-traditional
Economic Development - Christie Arp, Executive Director, Fannin
County Development Authority
- Natural Resources
& Environment - Ralph Forbes, Vice President/Regional
Director, Thomas & Hutton Engineering
- Research - Tracey
Ussery, Research Analyst, Georgia
Power
- Rural Development -
Saralyn Stafford, Manager of Rural Development, Carl Vinson
Institute of Government, The University of Georgia
- Transportation
& Infrastructure - Stacy Watson, General Manager,
Economic & Industrial Development, Georgia Ports Authority
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You are
invited to the Georgia Production Partnership - South Georgia
Regional Meeting in Valdosta, GA
October 11,
1:30-2:30 PM
Members of the
public (including business owners, economic development
representatives, and students), should attend this event to learn more
about how Georgia communities (outside of Atlanta) are attracting film
productions to their cities.
We have some very special panelists who will be part of our discussion:
* Mike Riley, Location Manager of the hit AMC series The Walking
Dead
* Craig Dominey, Manager of the Camera Ready Georgia program
* Jeffrey Stepakoff, Executive Director of The Georgia Film
Academy (GFA)
Click here to find out
more information.
Location:
Valdosta State University
Student Union Theatre
1500 N Patterson St
Valdosta, GA 31698
Space is Limited - Pre-Registration is Required
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
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Conference Time
What does this title mean to
you? Some of your thoughts immediately go to football season and
the SEC or the ACC, or even the Big 10 (why, I don’t know! 😊). Some of your minds go to IAMC
(Industrial Asset Management Council), the SIOR
(Society of Industrial and Office Realtors), the NAIOP
(National Association for Industrial and Office Parks), the IEDC
(International Economic Development Council), or one of many other fine
organizations. However, what I am focused on is the GEDA 2018
Annual Conference, Living or Leaving a Legacy of
Excellence. This is our flagship event and what a fantastic
one it was. Thank you, Chris Pumphrey, Dorie Bacon and all of
your committee! Thank you also to all of our sponsors,
who made this great conference possible! If you were able to make
it, I think that you’ll agree that it was excellent. For those of
you who didn’t make it, you missed something special.
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- William Atkinson, former Project
Manager, GDEcD International Division, Global Commerce, is now
with The Kessler Enterprise, Inc. in Savannah.
- Stephanie Aylworth, former Economic
Development, the City of Powder Springs, is now Downtown
Development Manager, Georgia Municipal Association.
- Congratulations to
Georgia’s newest Certified Economic Developers (CEcDs) Terry Schwindler,
Economic Development Director, Putnam Development Authority, and
Megan Baker,
Business Retention and Expansion/Project Manager, Fayette County
Development Authority. They passed the CEcD exam this
Sunday at the IEDC Annual Conference in Atlanta.
- Jessica Hood, former Executive
Director, Development Authority of Burke County, is now the
Director of Economic Development and Existing Industry,
Effingham County Industrial Development Authority.
- Kyle
Hood, former Economic & Workforce Development
Coordinator, Career, Technical and Agricultural Education,
Georgia Department of Education, is now the Division Director,
Community Development, Georgia Department of Community Affairs
- Brad Lofton has resigned as President, Dublin Laurens
County Development Authority to pursue other opportunities.
- Jonathan Lupo, former
International Project Manager, Louisiana Economic Development,
and GDEcD Trade Policy Coordinator, is now Director of Business
Recruitment, Douglas County Economic Development Authority
- Brooks Mathis, former Vice
President, Economic Development, Cobb Chamber of Commerce, is
now with the Pendleton Group.
- Matthew
Poyner, former Executive Director, Development
Authority of the City of Milledgeville-Baldwin County, is now
Vice President of Business Development, Savannah Economic
Development Authority
- Laura Hale Sistrunk, former Executive
Director, Development
Authority of Butts County, is now Director of
Community Relations at Piedmont Healthcare at the Rockdale
County location.
- Ryan Thornton, former Economic
Development Manager, Development Authority of Rabun County, is
now Manufacturing and Industry Specialist, Athens-Clarke County
Economic Development.
- Bob White, former Director of
Business Development, ViziTech USA, is now the Interim Executive
Director, Development Authority of Butts County.
GEDA New
Members
Richard Blackwell, Agracel
Isabel Dennis, Tiernan & Patrylo, Inc.
Georgia Griffin, Nysa Capital LLC
Tony King, Springsted
Mercy Montgomery, City of Sugar Hill
Cliff Parham, Parrish Construction
Bob Pelmons, Northwest Georgia Joint
Development Authority
Khalfani Stephens, Development Authority of
Clayton County
James Woodward, Gray, Pannell & Woodward
LLP
Nneka Carter Young, Manchester Development
Authority
If you are moving, changing jobs or getting a
promotion, please let us know by emailing us at Info@GEDA.org,
and we’ll publicize this in the GEDA newsletter.
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Floor & Decor to create 500 jobs in Cobb County - Specialty
flooring retailer to relocate headquarters and expand in Atlanta
October 4, 2018 - Governor Nathan Deal announced that Floor &
Decor, a multichannel specialty retailer of hard surface flooring and
related accessories, will create 500 jobs over five years in the
expansion and relocation of its headquarters in Atlanta. New jobs will
include administrative and customer service positions.
Congratulations to Lindsay
Martin, Director of Existing Industry &
Regional Recruitment, Georgia Department of Economic Development
(GDEcD) Global Commerce Division; Amanda
Blanton, Economic Development Director,
Select Cobb/Cobb Chamber of Commerce; Gregg Simon, Vice
President, Economic Development, the Metro Atlanta Chamber; and Steve
Foster, Community Development Manager,
Georgia Power; who worked to bring this expansion and headquarters to
reality. Read
more…
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VINTECH INDUSTRIES to
create approximately 30 jobs in Coweta County
October 1 –
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that
VINTECH INDUSTRIES (VINTECH), a leading Tier Two Supplier to the Global
Automotive Industry, will make a significant investment in Newnan
following the purchase of a facility in the South Newnan Industrial
Park. Slated to begin production in the first quarter of 2019, the
project will initially create approximately 30 jobs.
A big shout out to the team members, who located this project,
including: Trae
Westmoreland, President, Coweta County
Development Authority; Mike
Grundmann, Director of Advanced
Manufacturing, GDEcD Global Commerce Division; and David Denison,
Project Manager, Georgia EMC, Georgia Quick Start. Read
more…
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BurningCastle LLC to create 50 jobs in Augusta
IT consulting company locates in Augusta to support U.S. Army
contract at Fort Gordon
September 27, 2018 - Governor Nathan Deal announced that BurningCastle
LLC, a professional information technology multiservice consulting
company, will create 50 jobs and invest in the development of skilled
IT staff in Augusta. New jobs include positions in IT and cybersecurity
instruction.
Congratulations to the team members, who worked on this project,
including, Cal Wray,
President, Augusta Economic Development Authority; Lisa
Palmer, Vice President, Economic
Development, Augusta Technical College, Rob Dennis,
Executive Director of Corporate Relations, Augusta University; the
Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce; Tom Clark,
Executive Director, Fort Gordon Alliance; the
Georgia Technology Authority, the Georgia Cyber Center; Randall
Toussaint, Senior Project Manager, and Adela
Kelly, Regional Senior Project Manager, and Dana
Brewer, Director of Research, Georgia
Department of Economic Global Commerce Division; Georgia Department of
Labor; Doug
Coffey, Business Recruitment Director,
Georgia Power,. Read
more…
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Archer Forest Products
to invest $15 million in Brantley County
September 25,
2018 – The Georgia Department of Economic
Development (GDEcD) today announced that Archer Forest Products, a
supplier of wood pellets to the European industrial market, will create
35 jobs and invest $15 million in Brantley County.
Way to go, Michelle
Shaw, Assistant Director, Existing Industry
and Regional Recruitment Representative, GDEcD Global Commerce
Division; Chuck
Scragg, Consultant & Interim Executive
Director, Brantley County Development Authority and their Board of
Directors; and Kelly
Lane, Regional Representative, Georgia
Department of Community Affairs. Read
more…
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Global
Callcenter Solutions to create 600 jobs in Columbus
September 12,
2018 - Governor Nathan Deal announced that Global Callcenter Solutions
(GCS), a call center consulting company, will create 600 jobs and
invest $4.9 million in Muscogee County. New jobs will include positions
in customer service and operations.
Kudos to Brian
Anderson, President, and Brian
Sillitto, Executive Vice President, the
Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce and the Development Authority of
Columbus; Randall
Toussaint, Project Manager, and Susan
Contreras, Assistant Director of Research,
Georgia Department of Economic Development Global Commerce Division; and
MaryBeth
Flournoy, Business Recruitment Associate,
Georgia Power. Read
more…
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Georgia named top state
for business for fifth consecutive year by Area Development
- Corporate site selection publication
cites Georgia’s workforce development programs, cooperative and
responsive state government as best in the nation
September 20, 2018 - Governor Nathan Deal announced that Georgia has
been named the No. 1 state for business for the fifth year in a row by
Area Development, a leading corporate site selection and facility
planning publication. Deal was joined by Area Development Publisher
Dennis J. Shea to make the announcement at the 2018 State of the Ports
Address in Savannah. Read
more…
Area Development’s full report on the 2018 Top States for Doing
Business is available here.
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2018 Georgia Automotive
Award Winners Named
October 5, 2018 – The Georgia
Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced the winners of the
third annual Georgia Automotive Awards. The awards were designed to
recognize automotive leaders throughout the state, and to honor them
for the contributions they have made to build a robust automotive
ecosystem in Georgia. Winners were announced at a breakfast in
advance of the Southern Automotive Conference in Atlanta. Read
more…
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Professional
Development Committee
Scholarships
of $600 each were
awarded by by the GEDA board for the following, who attended the GEDA
2018 Annual Conference: Rachel
Barnwell, Manager of Economic Development
Programs, Development Authority of Bulloch County; Laura
Sistrunk, Executive Director, Development
Authority of Butts County; Nicole
Ward, President/CEO, Cochran-Bleckley
Industrial Development Authority; Donna
Gayden, City Administrator, City of
Fairburn; Andrea
Taylor, CEO, Hazlehurst-Jeff Davis Chamber
& Joint Development Authority; and Mandy
Underwood, Executive Director, Jenkins
County Development Authority.
Also approved for scholarships were: Christie Arp,
Executive Director, Fannin County Development Authority, for $600
from the Penn Worden Grant to attend an SEDC Young Professionals
“Meet the Consultants” program in Atlanta on September 26th;
and Dr. Ilka McConnell, CEcD,
Gwinnett County Government, for the IEDC Annual Conference in
Atlanta.
Apply today
for a GEDA Professional Development grant.
Also, you can attend one of the University of Georgia’s Certified
Economic Developer courses.
Check out the Professional Development Committee on the GEDA
website, or contact Saralyn
Stafford, GEDA Chair, Professional Development; &
Rural Development Manager, Carl Vinson Institute of Government,
University of Georgia.
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October
10, 2018
October
15, 2018
October
18, 2018
October
25, 2018
November
6, 2018
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October
3, 2018
September
26, 2018
Georgia
Department of Education Atlanta, Georgia | Learn More
September
24, 2018
Douglas-Coffee
Chamber of Commerce Douglas, Georgia | Learn More
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