October 2012 Newsletter

Featured Articles Annual Conference Wrap Economic Outlook Series IMPORTANT - Public Policy IEDC Salary Survey Can You Crack the Code? App of the Month Upcoming Events   IMPORTANT!!  From the Public Policy Committee Proposed Rules & Regulations The Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) has released the proposed rules and regulations for the sales and use tax exemption on energy used in manufacturing.  This is only a proposed draft.  DOR will hold a public hearing on November 14 at 10am in Suite 15210 at their headquarters (1800 Century Blvd, NE; Atlanta, GA 30345.)  All comments must be received by 10am on November 14th. Comments can be emailed or faxed to 404-417-2293.  Please reference "Notice Number SUT 2012-010" on all comments. IEDC Salary Survey Bi-Annual Survey Going Out Soon The International Economic Development Council will soon be soliciting data for the 2012 Salary Survey. GEDA is partnering with IEDC on this survey, so that we can provide you with current and relevant data.  Once the data has been compiled and all analysis completed, GEDA will provide you access to the Georgia-specific results.  The report should be available in the first part of 2013. The report will be organized into several sections.  The Salary Tables section presents data on base annual salary and total compensation by personal, career-related, and  organizational characteristics.   Be on the lookout for an email from IEDC/Readex - the company hired to perform the survey.   Can You Crack the Code? Maybe you've already heard, but GEDA is celebrating 50 years in 2013!!  One of the most exciting parts of this will be the unveiling and opening of a time capsule created at our 25th Anniversary in 1988.  Can you guess the code?  Email your guess.  The first email that comes in with the correct code will win a special prize (although I don't know what yet).  It's fun, it's free-why not?

Annual Conference Wrap ... and what a great conference it was!!  Survey results are in (thank you for responding!) and you confirmed what we knew - you loved it!  Thank you and congratulations to Angie Gheesling and her team for another great conference!  Here are some of the highlights: GEDA Awards Ceremony GEDA was able to recognize our best and brightest at the Wednesday evening ceremony, emceed by Timothy Wang.  Deal of the Year awards were presented to Dublin-Laurens County (Dinex Emissions), Rome-Floyd County (Lowe's Distribution), Augusta-Richmond County (Starbucks), Athens-Clarke and Oconee Counties (Caterpillar), and the Joint Development Authority of Jasper, Morgan, Newton and Walton Counties (Baxter.)   Individual awards went to Morris Jordan with the Development Authority of Walton County as Volunteer of the Year and Al Hodge with the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce as our 2012 Rip Wiley Award for Professional Excellence recipient. Congratulations to all of our winners! Officer/Director Elections  Here are your new Officers and Directors for 2013! Officers Chair - JoAnne Lewis; 1st Vice Chair - Angie Gheesling; 2nd Vice Chair - Tim Evans; Secretary-Treasurer - Greg Wright; Immediate Past Chair - Misti Martin. Directors 2011-2013: Anna Chafin, Nancy Cobb, Missy Kendrick, Saralyn Stafford 2012-2014: Elyse Cochran, Gretchen Corbin, Ricky McGee, Andrea Schruijer 2013-2015: Mary Ellen McClanahan, Sen. Jeff Mullis, Charles Stallworth, Greg Torre Congratulations to the entire new leadership team!   And don't forget ... you can still see speaker presentations, photos from the event (thank you Matt Forshee) and thank our conference sponsors!    Economic Outlook Series 11 Locations from Now through January The Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia will once again host Georgia Economic Outlook luncheons across the state over the next few months.  GEDA is very pleased to be a sponsor of the series again this year.  From their website, "The Georgia Economic Outlook series annually draws several thousand influentialbusiness and governmental leaders to luncheons around the state. Directed by the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, this popular program has become the most comprehensive and detailed look at the future economy in Georgia." Georgia Economic Outlook Luncheons this year will be held: November 29, Atlanta December 3, Columbus December 4, Albany December 10, Augusta December 11, Macon January 9, Swainsboro January 17, Savannah January 18, Jekyll Island January 23, Athens January 29, Dalton  For more information, visit the Terry College website.

2012 Events Calendar October 15.  Consultants Panel at the Georgia Tech Hotel. November 19.  November luncheon at the Delta Heritage Museum! December.  NO MEETING.  Happy Holidays! New Members in September! Shaun Adams, ACCG Reed Benson, National Community Development Services Susan Contreras, Georgia Dept. of Economic Development Juli Golemi, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute Brynn Grant, Savannah Economic Development Authority Keith McNeely, Athens-Clarke Human & Economic Development Nick Mulkey, Student Jon Pannell, Gray, Pannell & Woodward LLP Gina Webb, Terrell County Chamber of Commerce Grant Whitworth, Whitworth Land Corp. Jim Woodward, Gray, Pannell & Woodward LLP App of the Month This month's app provides a fun, safe, effective way to communicate with your contacts.  VOXER is part walkie-talkie, part social media tool, part mobile communications genius.  It is very simple - once you have connected through Voxer to a contact, you can send instant voice messages to each other, a lot like a walkie-talkie.  It's very fun to use and extremely easy to get set up.  You can even have multiple people in one "conversation" and turn it into a group chat or discussion!  FREE on both iPhones and Droid phones.  Visit Voxer online or download it today.  (And look for me in your contacts!) Have an app to recommend to us?   Fill out this simple form.    Upcoming Events 35th World Energy Engineering Conference. October 31-November 2 at the World Congress Center. Select "Member/Government/Non-Profit" and enter 'WEECGA' as an e-special code to get a discounted registration. Energy Solutions for the Southeast. November 28-30 at the UGA-Tifton Campus Conference Center. Energy Sources, Energy Production, Energy Efficiency, Energy Savings ...

September 2012 Newsletter

Featured Articles Annual Conference Wrap Economic Outlook Series IMPORTANT - Public Policy IEDC Salary Survey Can You Crack the Code? App of the Month Upcoming Events   IMPORTANT!!  From the Public Policy Committee Proposed Rules & Regulations The Georgia Department of Revenue (DOR) has released the proposed rules and regulations for the sales and use tax exemption on energy used in manufacturing.  This is only a proposed draft.  DOR will hold a public hearing on November 14 at 10am in Suite 15210 at their headquarters (1800 Century Blvd, NE; Atlanta, GA 30345.)  All comments must be received by 10am on November 14th. Comments can be emailed or faxed to 404-417-2293.  Please reference "Notice Number SUT 2012-010" on all comments. IEDC Salary Survey Bi-Annual Survey Going Out Soon The International Economic Development Council will soon be soliciting data for the 2012 Salary Survey. GEDA is partnering with IEDC on this survey, so that we can provide you with current and relevant data.  Once the data has been compiled and all analysis completed, GEDA will provide you access to the Georgia-specific results.  The report should be available in the first part of 2013. The report will be organized into several sections.  The Salary Tables section presents data on base annual salary and total compensation by personal, career-related, and  organizational characteristics.   Be on the lookout for an email from IEDC/Readex - the company hired to perform the survey.   Can You Crack the Code? Maybe you've already heard, but GEDA is celebrating 50 years in 2013!!  One of the most exciting parts of this will be the unveiling and opening of a time capsule created at our 25th Anniversary in 1988.  Can you guess the code?  Email your guess.  The first email that comes in with the correct code will win a special prize (although I don't know what yet).  It's fun, it's free-why not?

October/November Luncheons Annual Conference may be next week, but that does not mean we haven't been hard at work getting ready for the October and November luncheons, too! The October 15th Luncheon will be our Annual Consultants Panel!  This is one of those programs you beg us to bring back every year.  We have not yet confirmed all of the panelists, but I can tell you that McCallum Sweeney will be one of them.  Watch for the final list of consultants and registration information to be available as soon as we get home from Savannah. And GEDA is very excited to announce the date and location for our November luncheon!  We will meet on Monday, November 19th at the Delta Heritage Museum!  Thank you to Timothy Wang for helping us secure this incredibly cool lunch venue!  Not only will we have yet another fabulous GEDA program, but we'll be sitting in a hangar with historic aircraft sharing the room with us.  Mark your calendars now and get ready for the great event.  (Hint: there is a rumor that we will be able to have some fun with the menu, too!  That alone should be worth the trip to the event!)    Economic Outlook Series 11 Locations from Now through January The Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia will once again host Georgia Economic Outlook luncheons across the state over the next few months.  GEDA is very pleased to be a sponsor of the series again this year.  From their website, "The Georgia Economic Outlook series annually draws several thousand influential business and governmental leaders to luncheons around the state. Directed by the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia, this popular program has become the most comprehensive and detailed look at the future economy in Georgia." Georgia Economic Outlook Luncheons this year will be held: November 29, Atlanta December 3, Columbus December 4, Albany December 10, Augusta December 11, Macon January 9, Swainsboro January 17, Savannah January 18, Jekyll Island January 23, Athens January 29, Dalton  For more information, visit the Terry College website  HERE'S TO A GREAT FALL!

2012 Events Calendar October 15.  Consultants Panel at the Georgia Tech Hotel. November 19.  November luncheon at the Delta Heritage Museum! December.  NO MEETING.  Happy Holidays! New Members in September! Shaun Adams, ACCG Reed Benson, National Community Development Services Susan Contreras, Georgia Dept. of Economic Development Juli Golemi, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute Brynn Grant, Savannah Economic Development Authority Keith McNeely, Athens-Clarke Human & Economic Development Nick Mulkey, Student Jon Pannell, Gray, Pannell & Woodward LLP Gina Webb, Terrell County Chamber of Commerce Grant Whitworth, Whitworth Land Corp. Jim Woodward, Gray, Pannell & Woodward LLP App of the Month This month's app provides a fun, safe, effective way to communicate with your contacts.  VOXER is part walkie-talkie, part social media tool, part mobile communications genius.  It is very simple - once you have connected through Voxer to a contact, you can send instant voice messages to each other, a lot like a walkie-talkie.  It's very fun to use and extremely easy to get set up.  You can even have multiple people in one "conversation" and turn it into a group chat or discussion!  FREE on both iPhones and Droid phones.  Visit Voxer online or download it today.  (And look for me in your contacts!) Have an app to recommend to us?   Fill out this simple form.    Upcoming Events 35th World Energy Engineering Conference. October 31-November 2 at the World Congress Center. Select "Member/Government/Non-Profit" and enter 'WEECGA' as an e-special code to get a discounted registration. Energy Solutions for the Southeast. November 28-30 at the UGA-Tifton Campus Conference Center. Energy Sources, Energy Production, Energy Efficiency, Energy Savings ...

August 2012 Newsletter

Featured Articles The GEDA Games Time For August Luncheon The NEW GEDA.org! Say Cheese! Welcome Rebecca McGee In Memoriam - Linda Williams App of the Month US Dept of Energy   Say Cheese! Head Shots Taken at Annual Conference GEDA is very excited to announce a fun opportunity at Annual Conference.  Our own Matt Forshee (photographer extraordinaire) will be on hand and prepared to take a professional photograph of YOU!  For a very small fee ($30 vs. over $100 charged by most professionals) Matt will schedule time with you at Annual Conference to take a high-quality head shot of you for your use at work.  And, as an added bonus, GEDA can use these files and automatically update your profile page on our site!  Say Cheese!  (Scheduling and payment handled directly with Matt Forshee.) Welcome Rebecca McGee! GEDA Intern GEDA is pleased to announce the hiring of Rebecca McGee as our new Intern!  Rebecca comes to GEDA from The University of Georgia where she recently received her degree in Journalism.  Her work and volunteer experience are right in line with what our needs going forward.  We know that Rebecca will be a great addition to the GEDA Team!  Make sure to say hello when you see her at the August luncheon. In Memoriam Rest in Peace, Linda Williams GEDA is very sad to announce the loss of  our member, Dawson County Chamber President Linda Williams.  Linda served as President of the Chamber for 16 years and made countless contributions to Dawson County and North Georgia.  She had retired just one month ago. Surviving are her husband of 45 years, Marty Williams, Dawsonville; daughter, Angela Lackey, Brooks, GA; a number of other relatives and friends.  Memorial services will be held Thursday August 16, 2012 at 11 o’clock at Bearden Funeral Home Chapel (Dawsonville). In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Dawson County Mentoring Program, P. O. Box 872, Dawsonville, GA 30534 or Dawson County Family Connection, P. O. Box 872, Dawsonville, GA 30534.

Join Us For the GEDA Games:  We Hunger for Growth We are just over a month away from GEDA's 49th Annual Conference!  Are you registered?? For a registration fee of only $290, you get all this: Public Relations 101 from the experts An in-depth look at bringing Baxter to Georgia Possible Elton John sightings GEDA Awards Ceremony (Who is the next Rip Wiley?  What projects won Deal of the Year?) Perhaps the most exciting speaker we've ever seen at GEDA.  We promise, you will be amazed! Plus, all of the Thursday afternoon fun, including an exclusive tour of the Georgia Ports authority facilities in Savannah! SO MUCH MORE!! If you haven't registered yet, the time is now.  Early bird pricing ends August 31.  Book your room for Wednesday and Thursday nights at the host hotel, the Hyatt Regency Savannah.  We'll see you there!  (If you need extra incentive, we will have LOTS of cash and prizes to give away during the Conference.  Must be present AND seated to win!)     August Luncheon Is Around the Corner GEDA Welcomes Chancellor Hank Huckaby Today is the Early Bird registration deadline for the August luncheon!  We haven’t seen you since June and we know you miss us so register today.  USG Chancellor Huckaby will be speaking to us on the impact of education, provided by the University System, which supports Georgia’s future workforce.  A recently released report states that the combined economic impact of the University System of Georgia reached $13.2 billion in 2012. The study found that Georgia’s public university system generated nearly 132,000 jobs, or more than 3 percent of all the nonfarm jobs that exist in Georgia. The bottom line is that one job out of every 29 jobs in the State of Georgia is due to the state’s public University System. Join us for lunch on August 20th at the Renaissance Midtown (adjacent to the Centergy Building).  Huge thanks to this month’s sponsor City of Fairburn.   The NEW www.geda.org! GEDA Set to Unveil New Homepage Most website 'experts' recommend an updated look for a website's home page every 2-3 years.  It has been about 2-3 years since GEDA undertook a full overhaul of our home page.  We have received some feedback from folks about what you'd like to see at GEDA.org.  And now we are counting the minutes until we can unveil the new look.  We have tested it with a small number of people so far and have received rave reviews!  Here is a sneak peak of the new site ... New features include: Clean look with a new color scheme, Rotating banner in the middle (allows us to keep content super fresh) Dedicated login area.  You will not need to click anywhere to log in anymore - the fields are always ready for you! Six content areas.  Current site only has four areas - this gives us more freedom to provide you with maximum content on our home page.  That means less clicking for you!  Expanded footer.  We're going to put all kinds of fun stuff at the bottom - we just don't know what yet!

2012 Events Calendar August 20.  Monthly Luncheon featuring Chancellor Huckaby at the Marriott Renaissance Midtown.  September 12-14.  Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency Savannah.  (Reserve your room at the Hyatt.) Welcome New Members! John Cheek, City of McDonough Kenneth Dobson, Fulton County Jay Flesher, Flint Energies Lilyn Hester, Google Joey Maxwell, Maxwell-Reddick & Assoc. Bruce Nicely, Southern States Regional Center Peter Tokar III, City of Alpharetta App of the Month Thank you to Nicole Ward with the Dublin-Laurens County Development Authority for this month's submission. CardMunch is a free iPhone app that can turn business cards into contacts.  It's extremely easy to use.  Once you  have the app on your iPhone or iPad, use it to take a picture of a business card.  That card will then come back to you as an electronic contact.  What a great time saver!  Thank you, Nicole!  (I use this one too, and love it.)  This one is for iPhones only, right now. Have an app to recommend to us?   Fill out this simple form.    US Department of Energy We have an exciting opportunity!  Ecotality North America is bringing the largest electric vehicle deployment project in history to metro Atlanta!   Atlanta  has been selected as the next city to receive mass deployment of EV stations under a large scale grant from The US Department of Energy, however, many more cities and regions in Georgia could qualify, if there is enough interest.  ECOtality, the Department of Energy and the EV Project are offering a chance to be a part of a national and historic undertaking in the electric vehicle conversation. Utilizing both government grants and private funding, the EV Project is offering FREE electric vehicle chargers, installation funding and establishing, within the Greater Atlanta Area, a comprehensive electric vehicle charging infrastructure.  Read the full article. Register for this event online; or to find out more, contact Stephanie Cox at 615.504.4928 / scox@ecotality.com or Jeremy Covert at 615.476.2814 / jcovert@ecotality.com.

July 2012 Newsletter

Featured Articles GEDA Unveils New Logo Spring Workshop Wrap Deal of the Year Awards! 50% of Something Annual Conference Hotels Silver Shovel Awards WEEC In Atlanta App of the Month International Corner   Annual Meeting Hotels Call NOW to Reserve Your Room Spring Workshop is behind us which means it is time to start thinking about Annual Conference.  We return to the Hyatt Regency for 2012!  (Reminder - Annual Conference dates are September 12-14 this year.)  The Hyatt has created a custom link for us - click on that to be directed to GEDA's own hotel registration page!  This will automatically put you into our room block.  (Note - Tuesday night rooms may be sold out already - so search for Wednesday/Thursday night stays for the best options.)  If this does not work for you, you can always call 888-421-1442 - make sure to tell them you're with GEDA! Silver Shovel Award Fifth Win in Seven Years! Area Development Magazine recently awarded Georgia with a Silver Shovel Award for its efforts in economic development.  Georgia is one of 14 states nationwide to receive this recognition.   The awards recognize significant economic development projects announced and initiated within the 2011 calendar year. Georgia was recognized for 10 projects that combined created nearly 4,000 jobs and more than $800 million in investment for Georgia. Bed, Bath & Beyond’s Jackson County fulfillment center, The Home Depot’s Cobb County customer service call center, and Lowe’s Floyd County distribution center were among those economic development projects Georgia submitted for Shovel Awards consideration. WEEC in Atlanta! World Energy Engineering Conference Georgia welcomes the 2012 World Energy Engineering Conference to the Georgia World Congress Center October 31 - November 2.  The WEEC brings together top business leaders from both the public and private sectors to see firsthand new developments in the ever growing energy efficient, green economy, to discuss real-world strategies for implementing energy savings game plans, and to meet face-to-fact to forge innovative business development & project development. As a GEDA member you can: Attend the Expo for free ($40 value) Receive a $300 discount off the regular conference attendee rate. For more information, you can read this flyer or visit the show's web page.  (Enter WEECGA at checkout for the discount.)

GEDA Unveils New Logo GEDA will soon celebrate its 50th year!  In 2013 we will take a year to celebrate our productive past and recharge for the future... the Great Recession starting in 2008 has helped us know we cannot rest on past successes but we can learn from them! What we need from YOU --- between now and our September Annual Meeting--- is your help finding archival information on the 5 decades defining how and why GEDA's people and programs generated prosperity and good jobs for Georgians. Any documents can be sent to GEDA Offices at 75 5th Street, NW, Suite 1200, Atlanta, GA 30308.  Any electronic information or offers to help can be emailed to deb@geda.org or call Deb at 404-405-5904. Thank you in advance for helping us to create the best 50th Anniversary celebration possible!    2012 Spring Workshop Wrap Great Event Held at Brasstown Valley Resort What a great event!  Hats off to Tim Evans and his committee for the 2012 Spring Workshop.  Reviews are back in and it's obvious that you loved it.  The weather was perfect, the setting was beautiful, the topics were on point, and of course the networking was the finest in the state! If you want to relive some of the fun, we brought back some souvenirs from the mountains! Copies of PowerPoint presentations can be found here, Photos of the event (and all of our events) can be found at this handy link. Extra special thanks to Tim Martin for leading the IGNITE! Session on Thursday afternoon.  That was very well-received and I'm certain that you'll see it again!   We'll see you again at Annual Conference - September 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency Savannah!   Deal of the Year Awards! It's Time to Recognize Our Award-Winning Deals! It's time once again to request applications for our 5th Annual Deal of the Year Awards.  As you know, the DOY is awarded to outstanding achievements in the location or expansion of Georgia companies.  We have four award categories: Large community (over 100,000), Medium (50,001 - 100,000), small (50,000 or less) and regional.  Any EDO with a current GEDA member is eligible to submit a nomination - as long as the deal was announced after July 1, 2011. Forms can be found here.  For more information, contact Timothy Wang, Chair of the GEDA Special Service Awards Committee.    50% of Something > 100% of Nothing Article in the Atlanta Business Chronicle by Development Authority of Fulton County Chair Bob Shaw Have you ever needed a handy and fact-filled piece explaining that the benefits of new jobs and large capital investments FAR outweigh the perceived cost of the incentives offered to win these projects?  Well now you have it! Please take a moment to read this fabulous opinion piece from the June 8-14, 2012 Atlanta Business Chronicle.   In it, GEDA's own Robert Shaw (Chairman of the Development Authority of Fulton County) trumpets the huge announcements of Baxter and Caterpillar, noting that tax incentives are "phantom revenues" - the property taxes, etc. would not exist unless the company located in the first place!  The central point of the piece is summed up at the very end.  Mr Shaw states that other global centers are more than happy to compete for these large projects.  If Georgia fails to do so, "the critics who see business incentives as lost revenue will quickly understand what true lost revenue really is." THIS IS A MUST READ!!

2012 Events Calendar NO JULY MEETING.  Enjoy your summer! August 20.  Monthly Luncheon at the Marriott Renaissance Midtown.  September 12-14.  Annual Conference at the Hyatt Regency Savannah. Welcome New Members! Ani Agnihotri, USIBRC, LLC Brad Campbell, JM WIlliams Chris Daniel, Fayette County Development Authority Jennifer Frum, University of Georgia Sen. Steve Gooch,  Development Authority of Lumpkin County Hans Morgan, Gaia Tech Ashley Morris, Student App of the Month Do you send Outlook meeting requests to family and friends  to let them know when you're travelling or when you're meeting people out for dinner?  Are you constantly juggling different calendars, to-do lists, shopping lists, meal planning?  Do you wish it was all in one place?  COZI!!  Cozi is a free online organizer and mobile app that helps coordinate that chaos into one convenient place.  Check it out!! Have an app to recommend to us?   Fill out this simple form.    International Corner GDEcD International Trade Division has rolled out a new online directory of state's exporters.  Georgia exporters now have an easy way to increase their presence in the global marketplace and find trade partners throughout the world. By listing their companies and products or services in the online Georgia Export Directory, companies in the state can heighten their global visibility and attract potential customers, buyers and/or representatives.  The directory is a tool not only for small business, but for medium- and large-sized ones as well. Qualified Georgia companies of all sizes are invited to apply online at www.georgiaexportdirectory.com, in order to register their products or services for free or to upgrade, for a fee, with CCG for a more in-depth listing in order to make a bigger impact. There are 544 companies registered on the site to date.  AND ...  3rd annual USA India Business Summit (UIBS) UIBS 2012 and the 18th Annual Georgia Tech Global Business Forum are being organized at Georgia Tech in Atlanta on June 21 and 22. UIBS has distinguished history of being largest conference in the Southeast USA that promotes business relations between the USA and India. Key sectors of interest this year are - Science & Technology, Life Sciences, IT, Investment, and more. Organizers are expecting participation of about 350 delegates from seven Southeastern U.S. states and from India. For registration & program details: www.usaindiabusinesssummit.com.

May 2012 Newsletter

Featured Articles Go For the Gold! 2012 Legislative Session NBC Education Nation Invitation Mobile App of the Month Georgia Chamber Exchange GROW Georgia Program STEM Awards Nominations   Mobile App of the Month New Gazette Feature! Since GEDA is so hip and fun, we are launching a new series today.  In each month's Gazette, we will feature the newest, coolest mobile app.  We'll start this with some shameless self-promotion by featuring the GEDA Spring Workshop app!  Available on iPhones, Droids and Blackberries, this app has EVERYTHING you need to know about the conference at your fingertips.  Easy, free and convenient ... what else could you want? Want to suggest an app for a future issue?  Fill out this simple form. Georgia Chamber Exchange New Member-to-Member Marketplace The Georgia Chamber of Commerce has just announced the creation and release of the "Georgia Chamber Exchange", an exclusive marketplace for Georgia Chamber members.  For all Georgia Chamber members, you can log into the Georgia Chamber Exchange site, create your company profile and then get to work!  You can add deals or services by filling out the simple web forms.  Check it out! For more information, view the marketing flyer or contact Rebecca Jones at 404-223-2473.   G.R.O.W. Georgia Program Help Local Companies Export As you may have heard, GDEcD’s trade team was recently awarded a grant from the Small Business Administration to enhance export promotion efforts for Georgia companies.  As a result of this grant, GDEcD is bringing a series of qualified international buyers and country experts into the state to meet with Georgia suppliers.  This program is free of charge to all exporters (and potential exporters) in Georgia and a great way for companies to make new international connections.  From May 14-18, the GROW program will be held in Athens and Dublin.  In each location, there will be a seminar on business opportunities in Canada and South Korea, as well as an opportunity for one-on-one appointments with buyers.  For more information, view the attached flyer.

Go For the Gold Plans have been finalized, menus have been arranged, bars have been stocked.  Brasstown Valley is ready for us ... are you ready for Brasstown Valley???   THIS IS THE FINAL WEEK TO RECEIVE REGULAR PRICING FOR THE CONFERENCE!!  Please verify that you have registered for the conference.  The easiest way to check is by going to your Member Portal page.  If the link next to Spring Workshop says, "You are registered", guess what?  You are registered!  If not, you'll have a link asking you to go in and register.  It's a giant cost-savings for you if you can get that registration in by Friday, May 4. We have an all-star lineup of programming for you.  It will be three days of non-stop knowledge and fun!  (Wait ... wasn't that the introduction for Tic Tac Dough with Wink Martindale?)  Unique approaches to incentives, how to be ready for the burgeoning film & entrepreneurial industries growing in Georgia, and that's just Wednesday.  Great food, great entertainment, great programs, phenomenal location ... Tim Evans and his committee truly deserve a gold medal for creating our "Go For the Gold" program!  Register now to get in on the lower pricing!   2012 Legislative Session One of the Most Successful Sessions in Memory! If you see a member of the Georgia General Assembly, give 'em a hug or a high five.  The 2012 Georgia General Assembly produced one of the best legislative sessions we have seen.  While there are still a few bills to be signed by the Governor (including the FY 2013 budget), there is a long list of bills and resolutions to be excited about. GEDA worked hard this year to bring you the best and most up-to-date reports from the Capitol each week.  We relied very heavily on three sources and we must take this opportunity to thank them.  In no particular order, GEDA extends deep and sincere thanks to Elmer Stancil and the GEDA Public Policy Committee, Jim Finch (GEDA's legislative monitor) and the entire team at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, led by President & CEO Chris Clark.  We were able to receive guidance and constant feedback from all three parties and send that on to you so that you had the best information possible.  We hope to continue these partnerships as we move forward. On to the exciting legislation!  HB 742, HB 386, HB 48, HB 397, HB 868, HB 1027 and SB 402 all will or can have major positive implications for economic developers in Georgia.  To read the full report from Elmer Stancil on these bills and what they really mean, click here.  And please join me in thanking and congratulating all of our Senators and Representatives! NBC Education Nation Special Invitation - Click below to RSVP

2012 Events Calendar May 16-18.  Spring Workshop at Brasstown Valley Resort.  "Go For the Gold".  REGISTER TODAY! June 18.  3rd Annual "Meet the Brokers" event at the Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center.  Welcome New Members! Akai Baraka, Student Joanna Barnes, ADP Elise Barton, Student Deborah Bowie, Albany Area Chamber of Commerce Kyle Fletcher, Thomaston-Upson County IDA Mark Harris, Student Barbara Herskowitz, AHI Corporate Housing Dan McHugh, ECS SOutheast, LLC Jessica Melton, Student Allie O'Brien, City of Hapeville Chris Pettis, Wells Fargo Ryan Purvis, Student  S.T.E.M. Education Awards Call for Nominations!  The Technology Association of Georgia and the TAG Education Collaborative are excited to announce the S.T.E.M. Education Awards, an event that will recognize and honor individuals and organizations for their outstanding effort and achievement in advancement of STEM Education in Georgia. If you, your school, your company or organization would like to suggest a nominee or apply yourself, please send the following information to STEMnominations@TAGonline.org. Please include the following information: Your contact information Your relationship to the entity you are nominating (if other than self/your organization) The companies, schools, public-private partnerships, camps, after-school programs, or individual you recommend A short paragraph on why you are nominating them Their contact information Can we let them know who nominated them?  The inaugural S.T.E.M. Education Awards event will be held on September 14th at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center. For more information please contact Melanie Brandt at Melanie@TAGonline.org or (404) 920-2037, Michael Robertson MRobertson@tagonline.org or (404)920-2038, or Brady Cannon at Brady@tagonline.org or (912)713-7116.

April 2012 Newsletter

Featured Articles Go For the Gold Nominations Roads and Bridges and Rail ... Georgia @ Work Time Capsule Deal of the Year Awards NBIA Conference Georgia @ Work Updates from GDEcD GEDA is very excited to announce a new way to get you the latest news from the Georgia Department of Economic Development.  GDEcD has begun producing a piece called "Georgia @ Work."  Through our partnership, we will post these newsletters on our website as soon as we receive them.  It's very easy to find.  Hover over the "News" tab on the GEDA home page.  The menu that pops open has 4 options: the third option is "GDEcD News." Click on that and you'll be taken to this page that has the latest updates. (The March version is already there for you to see.) Check back every month for the latest updates! Time Capsule! So Much Better than Al Capone's Vault ...  As you know, GEDA is gearing up for the monumental occasion that is our 50th Anniversary celebration in 2013.  Our new content project manager, Deb Murphy, has been hard at work making contacts and digging through archival materials, and now she already has a signature find!  At the 25th Anniversary celebration for GIDA, we created a time capsule to be opened at the 50th Anniversary celebration.  It's been found!  We have the time capsule and will begin making preparations for the big unveiling next year! Now - it's your turn.  What do you have in your own vaults and time capsules at home?  Do you have pictures, articles, stories, programs ... anything that you think will be of value?  Send it to us and we will take special precautions to return it to you exactly as we receive it.  You can mail items to GEDA offices (75 5th Street, NW, Suite 1200, Atlanta 30308) or, when applicable, email them to us.  2013 will be here before you know it!

Go For the Gold Pollen is in the nine thousands; Chipper Jones is injured; azaleas are in full bloom ... that means that GEDA Spring Workshop is almost here!  In this Olympic year, we will "Go For the Gold" at Brasstown Valley - May 16-18, 2012. This will be a tremendous program with exciting opportunities every day!  Wednesday has breakout sessions on the film industry, creative incentives, how to be a high quality organization and small business.  That night we'll have a great dinner outside followed by a screening of a Georgia-filmed movie (trust me - you'll like it).  Thursday brings Chris Clark's update on the Competitiveness Initiative, famed author and speaker Gus Whalen and a special opportunity to hear from past GEDA members, now in other states, on their opinions of Georgia as a competitor.  Optional activities include a twist this year: based on your feedback - we're offering an exciting educational opportunity Thursday afternoon called IGNITE!  Fast-paced, educational and fun!  Friday morning will have a star-studded update from the Gold Dome followed by a detailed analysis of the recent Caterpillar decision.  It will be an incredible three days!! Our host hotel, Brasstown Valley, is completely booked solid for our three days.  If you have not yet booked a room, you can still call The Ridges Resort (less than three miles away) at 888-834-4409. And don't forget - we have a super-cool new mobile app for the conference!  Sponsored by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, this app is FREE to download and comes in all three formats - iPhone (iPad), Droid and Blackberry.  EVERYTHING you would ever want to know about the conference is there.  Check it out today!  Scan this code to the right for the free download.  Nominations! The 2012 GEDA Nominating Committee is charged with developing a slate of candidates to move into leadership roles in GEDA. The Committee is chaired by Pat Topping as our past-past Chair.  The Nominating Committee is looking for one person to serve as GEDA's newest officer, in the role of Secretary-Treasurer and four candidates to serve three-year terms on the Board of Directors.  To nominate an active member you can fill out this simple form online.  Please keep in mind that complete nominations give the committee the best information for making their decisions.  Click hear to see the full message from Pat Topping, as well as a list of our current board and the qualifications of the ideal candidate.  Thanks! Roads and Bridges and Rail ... Oh My! T SPLOST Vote is Coming Soon We all know the importance of transportation infrastructure to our state's economy.  Economic development is so often driven by connectivity ... to the ports, suppliers, other markets, other countries, etc.  We also know that funding for our state's Department of Transportation has been insufficient to cover the upkeep of our existing infrastructure and handle the growth created by our economic development successes.  Our chance to do something about that gap is coming on July 31.  The Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Transportation Alliance are teaming to run campaigns in 11 of Georgia's 12 regions - the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce is working on the Atlanta region.  GEDA's April luncheon will bring those three groups to us to tell us what is being done, what we can do and what to expect for the next four months leading up to the vote.  Chris Clark, Doug Callaway and Renay Blumenthal will be our guest speakers for the day.  This is an extremely important issue and I hope you will be able to join us at our April 16th luncheon at the Marriott Renaissance.  (Thank you to the Covington-Newton County Chamber of Commerce and Bridgestone Golf for sponsoring the luncheon.) And don't forget the super-special opportunity we will have during the luncheon.  GEDA's 50th Anniversary Committee is convening a meeting of the pillars that created and built GIDA/GEDA into what it is today.  We have already heard from many of these leaders that they will be able to join us for the luncheon!  This is a great opportunity for some of the newer GEDA members to meet and learn from these great individuals. And then after the luncheon, we have the iPad for Economic Development course led by our Young Professionals Committee.  REGISTER TODAY!

2012 Events Calendar April 16  Luncheon at Marriott Renaissance Midtown on the T-SPLOST - vote is coming up very soon!! May 16-18  Spring Workshop at Brasstown Valley.   Going for the Gold!  Register today! Welcome New Members Joanna Barnes, ADP Elisabeth Fletcher, Thomaston-Upson County IDA Dan McHugh, ECS Limited Jessica Melton, Student Christopher Pettis, Wells Fargo Deal of the Year Awards Do You Have the Winner? Do you have a big announcement?  Do you have that special project that took tons of hard work but was so worth it once they located? GEDA is continuing one of our newest but most popular traditions by awarding our Deal of the Year honors at this year's annual conference.  It's almost time to submit those applications so be on the lookout for information coming from us. As an added bonus, we are now sending our Deal of the Year winners on to the SEDC competition for their CEDA Awards - no extra work for you! NBIA Conference 26th Annual Conference in Atlanta Go beyond best practices and explore the cutting edge of entrepreneur support at NBIA’s 26th International Conference on Business Incubation, scheduled for May 6-9, 2012, in Atlanta. NBIA’s conference is the premier event in the incubation industry, so you won’t want to miss this opportunity to share ideas with colleagues and gather tools and techniques to improve your program. With more than 60 educational sessions as well as incubator tours, keynote addresses and networking opportunities, the conference offers something for everyone. The Preconference Institute features six full-day workshops. Two of these workshops – Serving Client Companies and Facilities Management – fulfill requirements for the NBIA Incubator Management Certificate Program. The other four provide intensive training on other topics of interest for industry professionals, from those who are just exploring the idea of starting an incubator to seasoned managers who want to learn new strategies and skills.

March 2012 Newsletter

Featured Articles GEDA's 50th Anniversary Georgia Grown Program GDEcD International Trade Update Congrats, Scholarship Recipients! Membership Survey Results GEDA Ambassador Program Going for the Gold! IEDC Awards Congratulations, Scholarship Recipients! Second Round of Applications Due Next Month! GEDA's Professional Development Committee completed the first round of scholarship recommendations recently and the Board of Directors unanimously approved the names.  It was a very difficult selection process as GEDA received 12 applications for the three scholarships.  CONGRATULATIONS go to our three recipients of the Bob Cassell Scholarship for the Georgia Tech Basic Economic Development Course: Dawn Malin, Okefenokee Chamber of Commerce Laura Hale, Development Authority of Butts County Charles Lee, Development Authority of Washington County Also, the time is NOW to apply for our second round of scholarships.  All of the information and forms you will need can be found on the GEDA Professional Development Committee page. Scholarships available to be awarded in April include: IEDC Courses, CEcD Exam, GEDA Spring Workshop, Community Development Institute, Economic Development Institute and International Missions.  The Committee will be awarding as much as $8,000 in April.  APPLY TODAY!! Survey Results You Speak ... We Listen As you recall, GEDA's new Communications & Marketing Committee recently asked you to fill out a survey sharing your thoughts about GEDA - our programs, our communications - in order to best serve your wants and needs.  Here are the results of that survey.  We were very pleased with the number of responses (THANK YOU!) and with the data we received.   In summary, most people feel that GEDA programs (both luncheons and conferences) provide good value.   Networking and speaker quality were seen as equally important in terms of the quality of the program.  Location was a distant third. Most people are satisfied with the level of communication from GEDA. Email is still the clear favorite as a vehicle for us to send information.  Newsletter and website were the next two choices. You can see the full results here.   Thank you again for your responses!  We will working to address specific issues mentioned in the survey responses as best we can. GEDA Ambassadors Sign Up for this Exciting New Program GEDA recently sent an email enlisting your support of the newest program from our Membership Services Committee - the Ambassador Program.  However, the survey link in the email wasn't working properly.  We have received good response so far, but still need a few more volunteers.  If you are willing to serve GEDA by helping acclimate our newest members into the fold, please take a few seconds to complete this short (I mean, 5 questions short) survey.  Thanks! For any questions or comments, please feel free to contact Membership Services Committee Chair, Roger Harrison.

GEDA's 50th Anniversary GEDA is gearing up to celebrate our 50th year!  Formed in 1963, the Georgia Industrial Developers Association began as a small gathering of professionals interested in moving Georgia out of the nation’s economic cellar.  That team of rivals worked on important infrastructure investments and began getting good jobs for Georgians. Although our name evolved with the times, the Georgia Economic Developers Association is still today the big tent organization focused on helping professionals and civic leaders make Georgia a competitive contender for global economic development. GIDA/GEDA has had a significant impact on important policies, programs and initiatives throughout those 50 years; it’s time to take stock of why, what, how, when and where GIDA/GEDA and its members made a difference and helped Georgia grow great communities, good jobs and tax digest improving our quality of life.  We want to celebrate our successes, assess where we are today and focus on forging ahead for the next 50 years. Thanks to bold leadership, the February 2012 GEDA Board of Directors unanimously authorized the 50th Anniversary Committee to move full steam ahead on a tight timeline to find important content … documents, photos, audio visual archival treasures.  We are gearing up to capture living history perspectives from key leaders.  To that end, GEDA contracted with Deb Murphy, a content management professional, to help us gather, organize and capture historic nuggets.  With Deb’s professional help and a growing body of public and private sector support we are increasingly jazzed about the high potential possibilities and opportunities manifesting through our 50th Anniversary!!! Here are 3 ways you can help: Please provide your own archival treasures and memories directly to Deb Murphy.  Her email address is deb@geda.org.  Content may be delivered directly to GEDA’s offices 75 5th Street, NW Suite 1200 Atlanta, GA 30308 You can also bring content to GEDA Monthly Luncheons (Attn: Deb Murphy or Mike Pennington.)   GEDA’s 50th Anniversary Committee Co-Chairs, Annie Hunt Burriss and Jim Lenahan want your ideas and support.  Contacts: ahburriss@gmail.com (404-422-1442) and jim@lenahan.biz (404-803-2134). Stay tuned to the GEDA website as we’ll post regular updates on progress, needs and save the date events important to you going forward.  Georgia Grown Program The Georgia Department of Agriculture, under the leadership of new Commissioner Gary Black, recently launched a new economic development initiative for Georgia agribusinesses and the companies looking for local business resources. The Georgia Grown program will bring together an array of members from small artisans and niche farmers interested in growing their business to multinational corporations looking to increase trade opportunities and add jobs. It is open to anyone in the state interested in supporting the state’s No. 1 industry, which has a $68.9 billion output impact on Georgia’s economy each year. “The benefits of a successful program that reaches across the state and beyond will be wide-reaching,” said Commissioner Black of the program, which launched in Jan. 2012. “From economic and job growth to the environmental benefits from reduced crop applications, sourcing locally benefits everyone in the supply chain.” He added the program also will offer a better understanding of agriculture, its impact on everyday life and the opportunities it affords in terms of future employment and investment to businesses and the public. Businesses interested in having a listing on the program’s easy-to-search database can post business contact information for free. However, Georgia Grown subscription memberships, available at $100, $500 or $2,500 annual membership levels, offer specific additional benefits to help businesses grow and reach the next level of success. Those benefits range from professionally designed Georgia Grown marketing tools and templates to economic development help for businesses looking to become regional and even international suppliers. Additionally customized sponsorship packages also are available on request.  Go to www.georgiagrown.com for more information about the Georgia Grown program or to join. Businesses interested in learning more about Sponsor-level packages should call program director Branden Lisi at 678-447-2228.  International Trade in Georgia in 2011 Press Release from GDEcD Georgia’s international trade in 2011 continued its upward trajectory of the past several years, with both exports and imports growing in numbers and value, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics released last week. The state recorded its highest-ever total for the value of goods exported during a single year: $34.7 billion, up 20 percent from $28.9 billion in 2010. Imports jumped 11 percent, totaling $67 billion. “More and more companies in Georgia are discovering how trade can help them grow, and learning what the state can do to help them,” said Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Job growth created through global trade is helping economic recovery not only in Georgia, but around the country.” For the first time in Georgia’s history, Asia outpaced traditional leader the Americas and other world regions as the top destination for the state’s exporters, reflecting the region’s growing dominance in global commerce. The percentage of exports headed to Asia jumped to 39 percent in 2011 from 33 percent last year. The Americas once again captured 36 percent of Georgia’s exports, while 18 percent went to the European Union. Georgia continues to rank as the nation’s 12th leading U.S. state in dollar value of exports. Canada, China, and Mexico remained Georgia’s top three export destinations, while Singapore nudged aside Japan to claim the fourth spot. Canada alone accounted for 18 percent of Georgia’s exports. Rounding out the top 10 destinations were Germany, Brazil, the U.K., Hong Kong, and South Korea. Among Georgia’s top 10 export destinations, the largest increases were in exports to Singapore (87%), South Korea (43%) and China (33%).  Click here to read the full report.

2012 Events Calendar March 19  Luncheon at Kia Training Center in West Point.  5 Years Later - a Look Back at the Kia Deal.  (Optional tour of the plant available after the luncheon.  You must register if you'd like to participate!) April 16  Luncheon at Marriott Renaissance Midtown on the T-SPLOST - vote is coming up very soon!! May 16-18  Spring Workshop at Brasstown Valley (Call today to reserve your rooms!)  Going for the Gold!  Registration will open soon. Welcome New Members Ginger Carrington, Department of Labor Meghan Duke, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority Drew Fredrick, Panattoni Construction Greg Getry, ADP Jim Ivey, Rosser Charles Lee, Washington County Walter Mattox, Development Authority of Randolph County Pete Muthoga, Student Scott Ricks, Panattoni Construction Travis Stegall, Student Nadine Walley, Department of Labor Jamon Williams, Department of Labor Going for the Gold! Spring Workshop 2012 Brasstown Valley Many of you have been asking about 2012 Spring Workshop.  We have just a few final details on the registration page - we are trying to make sure everything is in order before we open it.  Rest assured ... you'll have plenty of time to register for this fantastic event!  With a Presidential election, the Olympics in London and on the heels of the Georgia Competitive Initiative, Tim Evans and his committee have created a theme of "Going for the Gold!"  It's all about being competitive in today's economic development market.  We have some super fun surprises in store, so keep watching your email for the big announcement! And, oh yeah, make sure to make your hotel reservations by calling Brasstown Valley.  We WILL sell out the property, so get your reservations in NOW before it's too late.  Call 1-800-201-3205. IEDC Awards 2012 Excellence in Economic Development Awards IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. These prestigious awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.  This is your time to shine! Send in that innovative program, promotion, or project and get the recognition you and your organization deserve. The International Economic Development Council’s 2012 Excellence in Economic Development Awards kicked off its Call for Entries on February 13th and will end on May 18th. Enter before April 13th to receive an early bird discount. Please visit http://www.iedconline.org to learn more and to download the entry packet.