For our “Focus on Film” we’ll be at Pinewood Atlanta Production Centre in Fayette County to hear from a panel about opportunities for new graduates of the Georgia Film Academy, how the film business has spun off jobs in other areas and more. Thanks to our sponsor, Fayette County Development Authority!
Thank you to all who attended the March Small Business Rock Star Awards Luncheon on Monday, March 13th at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta-Midtown Hotel. This event is sponsored by GEDA and the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Congratulations to all of the Rock Stars! Following are the winners of the Small Business Rock Star Awards: Atlanta Movie Tours in Fulton County, Atlas Turf International in Troup County, Ecolink Inc. in DeKalb County and Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomas County.
Thank you to our sponsor, Matt Reed, President & CEO of Georgia CEO!
Congratulations to all the recent winners of the Rock Star Awards! Thanks so much to Mary Ellen McClanahan, GEDA Board Member and Director of Entrepreneur and Small Business/Metro Project Manager for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, for planning and implementing another fantastic Rock Stars program. You truly are our Rock Star!
Shirlynn Brownell, former Project Manager, GDEcD, was named as the City of Brookhaven’s first economic developer and started her duties on April 3rd. Read more…
Grant Cagle, formerly with DCA, recently joined Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) as a Business Development Representative.
Matt Colvin, formerly with ECG, has joined the Workforce Division of GDEcD as State Initiatives Director.
University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley has named Dr. Jennifer Frum Interim President of Armstrong State University in Savannah, Georgia. Frum currently serves as the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens. She will assume her post at Armstrong State on July 1, 2017 upon the retirement of President Linda Bleicken. Rhonda Geiger-Garriga, formerly Senior Project Manager, Region 10, Existing Industry & Regional Recruitment Team, GDEcD, has accepted a position with the Southern Regional Technical College in Thomasville.
Commissioner Camila Knowles announced that Rusty Haygood is the new Deputy Commissioner, Community Development & Finance, Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Read more...
Jim Lenahan, formerly with Williams & Associates, is Principal with Lenahan.biz.
Governor Deal announced the appointment of Christopher Nunn as the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) effective April 1st. Read more…
Congratulations to Joshua Stephens, Project Manager, GDEcD, Global Commerce Division, who was selected for the Young Professional Spotlight for the month of March.
Amy (Lopp) Stone, formerly with Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Office of Economic Development, is the new Economic Development Director for Oglethorpe County Economic Development.
Abby Turano has been promoted from Chief of Protocol for the State of Georgia to Deputy Commissioner, International Relations, GDEcD.
Ember Bishop Bentley, former Deputy Commissioner, International Relations, GDEcD, has accepted the position of the first Executive Director of the Georgia Forestry Foundation.
Garrett Wiley, formerly Project Manager with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, is now a Commercial & Industrial Marketing Representative with Jackson EMC.
Saralyn Stafford, Division Director, Community Services, DCA, is taking on the duties of Division Director for Community Development – Planning/Research/GIS & Mapping/Building Codes/Volunteerism – and will continue to lead the Community Services team of Regional Representatives. 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.
GEDA February New Members
Approved at the March Board Meeting
Lori Dowdy, Operations Manager, Cartersville-Bartow County Department of Economic Development
BJ Walker, Executive Director, Development Authority of Peach County
Lauren Price, Project Manager, Georgia EMC
Samuel Stiteler, Director, McCarthy Building Compnaies, Inc.
Paul Warfel, Director, Government and Corporate Affairs, MEAG Power
Douglas Holmberg, Business Development Manager, Martin Concrete Construction
Tim Lee, Executive Director, Habersham Partnership for Growth/EDC
Jessie Owensby, Community Development Director, City of Cornelia
Laequica Gaskins, Economic Development Director, Downtown Development Authority of the City of Tifton
Project Announcements
Corrections & Additions: Our apologies to the communities of Sylvania / Screven and Columbus / Muscogee and all those involved in their projects. They occurred in February and should have been included in the GEDA March 2017 newsletter, but were left out by mistake.
Pratt & Whitney to Create More Than 500 Jobs in Muscogee County - Aircraft engine manufacturer to invest $386 million in Columbus facility expansion
February 17, 2017 - Governor Nathan Deal announced that Pratt & Whitney, a designer and manufacturer of service aircraft engines and auxiliary power units, will create more than 500 jobs and invest $386 million to expand its Columbus facility over the next five years.
Congrats to Bill Murphy, Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce and the Columbus Development Authority; Lindsay Martin, Director of Existing Industry & Regional Recruitment, and Candice Scott, Senior Project Manager, Existing Industry & Regional Recruitment, Global Commerce Division, Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD); Gretchen Corbin, Commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG); and Jackie Rohosky, Assistant Commissioner, Georgia Quick Start. Read more…
Elk Group International to Create More Than 100 Jobs, Invest $2 Millon in Sylvania
February 13, 2017 –The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that ELK Group International (ELK), a premier designer and importer of indoor and outdoor, residential and commercial lighting fixtures and home decor, will create more than 100 jobs and invest $2 million in a distribution center in Screven County.
Kudos to Dorie Bacon, Executive Director, Screven County Development Authority; the City of Sylvania; and Alyce Thornhill, Regional Project Manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD),Global Commerce Division. Read more…
Star Snacks to create 115 jobs, invest $18 million in Macon-Bibb County
April 3, 2017 - The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that Star Snacks, Co. LLC, a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-quality branded nuts, trail mixes and dried fruits, will create 115 jobs and invest more than $18 million in a peanut roasting and packaging facility in Macon-Bibb County.
Congratulations to Stephen Adams, Economic Development Director, Macon-Bibb County Industrial Development Authority; Joshua Stephens, Project Manager, and Candice Scott, Project Manager, Existing Industry & Regional Recruitment Team, GDEcD Global Commerce Division; Charles Stallworth, Senior Project Manager, Georgia Power; and Rodger Brown, Director of Strategic Communications, Georgia Quick Start. Read more…
Polymer Logistics Celebrates Grand Opening of Dublin, GA Service Center - Fifth US facility expands customer service capabilities and supports company growth
March 31, 2017 - Polymer Logistics celebrated the Grand Opening of their Dublin, GA Service Center on Thursday, March 30. The facility will provide Reusable Plastic Container (RPC) pooling, sanitizing, and redistribution logistics to service Polymer Logistics customers.
Congratulations to Brad Lofton, President, Beatriz LLeras, Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator, Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority, their community leaders and the entire sales team. Read more…
Farmax Merchandise to invest $5 million in Crisp County - Peanut production and exporting company to create more than 20 jobs in Cordele
March 20, 2017 - Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Farmax Merchandise, a China-based peanut production and exporting company, will create more than 20 jobs and invest $5 million in a new peanut oil processing facility in Crisp County.
Way to go Grant Buckley, Executive Director, Cordele-Crisp Industrial Development Council and the Cordele-Crisp Industrial Development Authority; Nikki Yu, Project Manager, Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Global Commerce Division; John Ling, GDEcD Managing Director of Investment – China; Stella Xu, GDEcD Director for Greater China Region Initiatives; Roderick Gilbert, Senior Agribusiness Manager, Center of Innovation for Agribusiness, GDEcD; and Lonnie Smallwood, Senior Project Manager, Electric Cities of Georgia. Read more…
Aviagen to Invest $18 Million in Brooks County - Leading broiler breeding company to create 100 jobs in Quitman hatchery
March 9, 2017 — Governor Nathan Deal announced that Aviagen, a leading broiler breeding company, will create 100 jobs and invest approximately $18 million in a new parent stock hatchery in Quitman.
Congrats to Tiffany Holmes, Director, Brooks County Development Authority; Michelle Shaw, Assistant Director of Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment, Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Global Commerce Division, Mike Giles, President, the Georgia Poultry Federation; Lonnie Smallwood, Project Manager, Electric Cities of Georgia; and Jamon Williams, Regional Coordinator, Georgia Department of Labor. Read more…
The SEDC (Southern Economic Development Council) Educational Foundation annually awards professional development scholarships of up to $500 each. To be considered, this application must be filled by Wednesday, April 12, 2017. The scholarship is given on a reimbursement basis, after the grantee has completed their program of interest. Award winners will need to provide SEDC with proof of attendance/payment and will be reimbursed as soon as possible. Scholarship recipients will be announced mid-April. For criteria and to access the form, please visit the website today.
Interested in attending UGA / IEDC educational courses, the GEDA Spring Workshop or Annual Conference, training, trade missions, etc., then apply for a Professional Development grant. Contact Scott Poag, CEcD, Chair, Professional Development, & Director of Business Development, Williams & Associates, for information.
Young Professionals Committee
GEDA Young Professional Spotlight
Join GEDA in recognizing Young Professionals throughout 2017 by nominating a young emerging leader in the economic development profession for GEDA’s YP Spotlight. Nominations should provide a detailed application of significant career achievements to date and the impact of those achievements on their economic development organization and the community as a whole, and also explain how these achievements contribute to the advancement of economic development as a profession.
Nominations are open for the June, August, September, October and November GEDA YP Spotlight. Contact Meghan Duke, Chair, Young Professionals, & Economic Development Director, City of West Point, for additional details.
Shirlynn Brownell, former Project Manager, GDEcD, was named as the City of Brookhaven’s first economic developer and started her duties on April 3rd. 
Grant Cagle, formerly with DCA, recently joined Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) as a Business Development Representative.
Matt Colvin, formerly with ECG, has joined the Workforce Division of GDEcD as State Initiatives Director.
University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley has named Dr. Jennifer Frum Interim President of Armstrong State University in Savannah, Georgia. Frum currently serves as the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach at the University of Georgia (UGA) in Athens. She will assume her post at Armstrong State on July 1, 2017 upon the retirement of President Linda Bleicken.
Rhonda Geiger-Garriga, formerly Senior Project Manager, Region 10, Existing Industry & Regional Recruitment Team, GDEcD, has accepted a position with the Southern Regional Technical College in Thomasville.
Commissioner Camila Knowles announced that Rusty Haygood is the new Deputy Commissioner, Community Development & Finance, Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). 
Jim Lenahan, formerly with Williams & Associates, is Principal with Lenahan.biz.
Governor Deal announced the appointment of Christopher Nunn as the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) effective April 1st. 
Congratulations to Joshua Stephens, Project Manager, GDEcD, Global Commerce Division, who was selected for the Young Professional Spotlight for the month of March.
Amy (Lopp) Stone, formerly with Athens-Clarke County Unified Government Office of Economic Development, is the new Economic Development Director for Oglethorpe County Economic Development.
Abby Turano has been promoted from Chief of Protocol for the State of Georgia to Deputy Commissioner, International Relations, GDEcD. 
Ember Bishop Bentley, former Deputy Commissioner, International Relations, GDEcD, has accepted the position of the first Executive Director of the Georgia Forestry Foundation.
Garrett Wiley, formerly Project Manager with the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, is now a Commercial & Industrial Marketing Representative with Jackson EMC. 
Saralyn Stafford, Division Director, Community Services, DCA, is taking on the duties of Division Director for Community Development – Planning/Research/GIS & Mapping/Building Codes/Volunteerism – and will continue to lead the Community Services team of Regional Representatives.
