July 2011 Newsletter

Featured Articles Annual Conference Registration August Luncheon Registration Interactive Census Map CNBC Ranking 2011 Events Calendar New Members Awards Deadline Extended Interactive Census Map See Gains and Losses by County The New York Times has released a new online, interactive map that shows results from the 2010 Census.   You can zoom in and see numbers for individual counties and even down to the census tracts!  On the far left, you'll see "View More Maps" where you can select from one of a dozen different maps.  Below that, you'll see a blue bar that says "Zoom to a State".  Click on that and you can go straight to Georgia.  You can see population growth and decline, changes in racial and ethnic concentrations and patterns of housing development. Click here to go to the site and have all kinds of fun!    CNBC Ranking Georgia at #4 CNBC Ranks Georgia as the #4 state in the nation for doing business.  Georgia was ranked #10 last year and vaulted 6 spots, due to large gains in education, economy, cost of doing business and business friendliness.  Click here to see the video report!  What we do as economic developers makes a difference!  Keep up the good work, Georgia!!

Annual Conference Registration!! It is time to register for GEDA's 48th Annual Conference!  After our theme of "Survivor" in Spring - the natural next step is "Stayin' Alive!!"  Put on your dancing shoes and get ready for Savannah - GEDA style. JoAnne Lewis and her team have a great program put together for Annual Conference.  This Conference is all about continuous improvement.  There is no time better than now to improve ... your sales skills; your community relations; your community infrastructure; your relationships with statewide developers.  Developing and honing these skills are what can take you from "Surviving" to "Stayin' Alive" to "Thriving." If you need something to get you in the mood for the Conference - watch this!! We have some new features available for registration this year.  For the first time ever, we have one-day only registrations!  You can register for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or the entire Conference!  Also, if you are bringing a guest for one day (like a Board Member), you can use a separate form to add them at the member rate!  As always, we welcome your participation at the Conference as an Annual Conference Sponsor.  We have a lot of great options available for you! We look forward to seeing you in Savannah!! August Luncheon Registration Featuring Shan Cooper of Lockheed Martin Enough with the summer break ... it's time for the next GEDA Luncheon!  We gave you a brief respite with a month off in July, but we're back into the swing of things in August.  We will return to the Marriott Renaissance Midtown (the Artist formerly known as Hotel Palomar.)  This month's presenter is Shan Cooper with Lockheed Martin in Marietta.  She is the vice president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and the general manager of the facility in Marietta. As a former HR director and someone who has seen the company operate in many states, Cooper has a very unique and first-hand view into the business atmosphere and workforce climate in Georgia, especially in comparison to some of our competing states. Make sure to register early!  GEDA has sold out of all four luncheons this year.  We hate turning people away but have had to do so at every event this year - space is limited!!  Major thank you to the Fairburn Development Authority and the City of Fairburn for sponsoring the August luncheon!!

2011 Events Calendar August 15.  Luncheon program featuring Shan Cooper of Lockheed Martin.  Marriott Renaissance Midtown (formerly the Hotel Palomar.) September 21-23.  Annual Conference.  Savannah Riverfront Marriott.  Click HERE to reserve your room at the Marriott.  Click HERE to register for the Conference. Welcome New Members Kathryn Lookofsky, Athens Downtown Development Authority Charlie Wilson, Hogan Construction Sara Singleton, University of Georgia    Awards Deadline Extended Submit Applications for Promotional Marketing Innovation Awards by July 31 GEDA's Special Service Awards Committee has extended the deadline to receive applications for our inaugural Promotional & Marketing Innovation Awards until July 31! Please submit your applications for the following three categories: General Purpose Brochure General Purpose Promotion Website Winners will be selected in each of the following categories: Population Category: Large (County of over 100,000) Medium (County of 50,001 - 100,000) Small (County of 50,000 or less) Regional - Any multi-county initiative GEDA is also still accepting nominations for the Zell Miller Public Policy Award.