It is time for you to pay your dues for 2018. You can also prepay your meals with our Prepaid Meal Plan for $300.00 when you pay your dues, if you chose that option. While you are paying your dues please take a moment to update your profile information as we can only know of changes in your information if you tell us. If you don't pay your dues by March 31st your membership will be terminated.
You can pay your dues, prepay your meals and update your profile by going to www.geda.org and logging into the website. You will then follow the prompts to renew your dues. If you have any questions, please call 404-955-4840 or 404-962-4110, or you can email your questions to kmclendon@georgia.org.
Georgia Small Business Rock Stars 5th Annual Awards Luncheon
Register today for the GEDA March luncheon featuring the Small Business Rock Star Awards. The meeting will be held in the Fox Theater Egyptian Ballroom on Peachtree Street.
We’d like to thank our sponsor for this event, Georgia CEO
GEDA April Lucnehon
Register for the GEDA April luncheon at the Yanmar Evo Center in Acworth/Cherokee County.
2018 Spring Workshop
Register for the 2018 GEDA Spring Workshop, “GEDA – The Real World of Economic Development – Jekyll Island,” from May 9-11. Make your reservations at our headquarters hotel, The Westin Jekyll Island. We’ll have events at the Westin and the Jekyll Island Convention Center.
GEDA February Luncheon
We had a great February monthly luncheon featuring Lindsey Canon, McCallum Sweeney, “The View from the Site Selectors Side of the Table” on Monday, February 19th at the Georgia Tech Hotel in Midtown Atlanta.
We’d like to thank our sponsor for this event, Develop Thomasville & Thomas County, GA
Click HERE for photographs. Click HERE for a list of attendees. Click HERE for a copy of Lindsey Cannon’s presentation.
GEDA News
All Small Businesses are Rock Stars
Small business should be encouraged, fostered and recognized for their efforts to create jobs, investment and improve the lifestyles of our citizens. We plan to do exactly that at the GEDA Small Business Rock Star Awards on Monday, March 19th at noon at the Fox Theatre Egyptian Ballroom. Many of you have already made plans to join us, but if you haven’t yet done so, please register today! We are privileged to have MailChimp’s award-winning Co-Founder and CEO, Ben Chestnut, as our keynote speaker.
Having received Inc. Magazine’s 2017 Company of the Year, MailChimp is no longer considered a small business by our federal government’s Small Business Administration definition, that of less than 500 employees for manufacturing businesses and less than $7.5 million in annual receipts for most non-manufacturing businesses. However, Ben Chestnut, his Co-Founder, Chief Customer Officer Dan Kurzius, and their 700+ employee-team have certainly “been there and done that” since its founding in 2001!
Odessa Archibald, after fourteen years in Community and Economic Development at Georgia Power, is the new Area Manager for Douglas and Paulding Counties and the South Cobb area.
Daniel Dobbins, formerly Economic Development Specialist with the City of Hawkinsville, is the Georgia Department of Economic Development - Global Commerce’s new Existing Industry and Regional Recruitment Project Manager for Region 5 in Athens.
Kara Keene Cooper, formerly Project Manager, Decide DeKalb Development Authority, has moved to the Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
Congratulations to the Georgia Tech Basic Economic Development Course (BEDC) graduates, who received GEDA Professional Development BEDC scholarships: Kim David, Vice President of Economic Development, Oconee Fall Line Technical College Taylor Edwards, Economic Development Coordinator, Development Authority of Columbia County Elizabeth Jones, Administrative Assistant, Stephens County Development Authority Taylor Kielty, Economic Development Coordinator, Catoosa County Development Authority
Other Georgia BEDC graduates include: Jacqueline Bellwoar, Business Development Specialist, Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Department Ricky L. Clark, Jr., City Manager, City of Jonesboro Molly Giddens, Regional Manager for the Chamber’s Center for Rural Prosperity Georgia Chamber of Commerce Jayson Johnston, Executive Director, Development Authority of Washington County Michelle Nguyen, Business Development Specialist, Athens-Clarke County Economic Development Department
GEDA New Members
Laura Garrett, Albion Kevin Herrit, City of Dahlonega Angie Luna, Fort Valley Utility Commission Stephen McMillan, Reeves Young Rodney Robinson, Batson-Cook Company Stephen Shimp, Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter Adam Smith, Douglas Coffee County EDA Angela Stegmayer, Buckhead Roots William Jason Tinsley, Marion County Keith Dobson, Fulton County Government Jim Tinsley, Alpharesults Keaton Walker, Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter
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.
Project Announcements
Georgia Pacific Announces New $135 Million Lumber Plant In Warrenton
February 21, 2018 - Georgia‐Pacific announced it will build a new softwood lumber production facility in Warren County, Georgia, on property adjacent to its existing lumber mill. Construction of the $135 million, 340,000‐square foot, technologically advanced plant is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2018 with an anticipated startup in spring 2019. Georgia‐Pacific’s existing lumber plant in Warren County will continue full operations until the new facility is completed. After startup of the new plant, Georgia‐Pacific estimates hiring an additional 30 to 40 employees, bringing its workforce in Warren County to approximately 150 people.
Congratulations to OB McCorkle, Executive Director, Development Authority of Warren County and her team on this very welcome announcement! Read more…
Corvaglia Group to invest in Coweta County with U.S. expansion
February 9, 2018 – The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that Corvaglia Group, a Switzerland based supplier to the beverage industry, will build a new manufacturing facility in Newnan. The new operation will create a variety of advanced manufacturing jobs and bring an investment of $25 million to Coweta County.
Congratulations to the following team members for their great work on this project: Amanda Fields, Director, Existing Industries & Workforce Development, Coweta County Development Authority; Michael Fouts, County Administrator, Coweta County; Nikki Yu, Project Manager, GDEcD Global Commerce Division; GDEcD’s European Office; Brett Lacy, Programs Director, GDEcD Workforce Division; Emily Butler, Industry Coordinator, GDEcD Center of Innovation for Logistics; Centers of Innovation for Logistics; Bradley Harris, Manager, Economic Development, Georgia EMC; Jim Blair, MBA, Managing Director, Navigator Consulting; and Ben Stafford, Vice President, Pattillo Industrial Real Estate. Read more…
OFS to create 200 jobs, invest $138.9 million in Gwinnett and Carroll Counties
February 6, 2018 – The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that OFS Fitel, LLC (OFS), manufacturer of optical fiber products, will create 200 jobs and invest $138.9 million in the expansion of both their Norcross and Carrollton facilities.
Congratulations to Daniel Jackson, President, Carroll Tomorrow; Andrew Carnes, Senior Director of Economic Development, Partnership Gwinnett; Lindsay Martin, Director of Existing Industry & Regional Recruitment, GDEcD Global Commerce Division; Lauren Lambiase, Senior Project Manager, Georgia Power and Jay Gill, Communications Manager, Carroll EMC. Read more…
RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR GEORGIA’S INTERNATIONAL TRADE
February 19, 2018 – The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) released Georgia’s 2017 international trade numbers, which indicate another record breaking year. In 2017, total trade between Georgia and the world reached 225 unique countries and territories, exceeding $128.6 billion. Read more…
Don’t let this “FREE MONEY” go to waste! Apply today for a GEDA Professional Development grant in 2018. You can attend the GEDA Spring Workshop, the Annual Confrence, one of the University of Georgia’s Certified Economic Developer courses or one of the courses sponsored by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC)! Check out the Professional Development Committee on the GEDA website, or contact Saralyn Stafford, GEDA Chair, Professional Development; & Division Director, Community Development, Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
Entrepreneurship SIG
The Entrepreneurship SIG would appreciate hearing from you! Please complete this survey as we develop a Spring Workshop session devoted to Entrepreneur/Small Business cultures in our communities.
If you have any questions about this survey please contact Donna Lackey, Chair of the GEDA Entrepreneurship SIG at donna@carroll-ga.org.
Your contribution to this survey is important to us.
Young Professionals Committee
Do you know an outstanding young professional in economic development? If so, nominate them for the GEDA Young Professional of the Month award. The GEDA YP Committee will begin its Young Professional of the Month awards again in April and need your help in nominating outstanding young professionals. The nomination committee will review nominations and the award will be announced in the April 2018 newsletter and via social media. You may nominate a young professional via the link HERE. We look forward to receiving your nominations!
Get involved in GEDA's Committees and SIGs to learn about projects and meet fellow members - visit your profile on GEDA.org to join. View the Committee and SIG 2018 Action Plans
Upcoming Events
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