The Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority and the Macon Economic Development Commission announce that the two groups have signed an agreement to restructure the Economic Development Team for Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, that will be effective January 1, 2017. 

During that month, the two groups will transition the MBCIA into the role as the single point of contact for industrial recruitment in Macon-Bibb County. In this new role, the MBCIA will be responsible for marketing Macon-Bibb County to new businesses and industries, and will be responsible for Authority Resources (land, incentives, etc.) involved in the recruitment process. The MEDC will continue to focus on Talent Recruitment/Retention, Workforce Development, Existing Industry/Retention and Growth, and Entrepreneurship/Small Business Development for Macon-Bibb.
 
"This new agreement will strengthen Macon-Bibb's economic development team, a team that has been recognized for excellence across the state and the South," says MEDC Chair Starr Purdue. "The team will now be able to focus our resources into the three areas in which we see tremendous growth opportunities, and this new agreement with the Industrial Authority will make our already strong team even stronger."

"The Industrial Authority appreciates our long partnership with MEDC, as well as, our combined ability to adapt to an ever-changing business landscape," says Cliffard Whitby, Chairman of the MBCIA Board. "The Industrial Authority remains committed to improving our model whenever necessary to achieve the mission entrusted to us as the lead economic development body for this community." "MEDC, along with our partners at the Industrial Authority, has established a stellar record in the state of job growth in new and existing companies," says George Greer, Chairman of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce.  "This new public/private partnership agreement will allow MEDC to focus its efforts on three critical and growing segments of our community: workforce, existing companies, and entrepreneurship and small businesses.

"In the past several years, we have seen a renewed interest by new and existing businesses to increase their investment in Macon-Bibb County, and part of that has been due to having single points of contact and clear lines of responsibility," says Macon-Bibb County Mayor Robert Reichert. "I applaud MEDC and the Industrial Authority for working together to make it easier for businesses and industry to make an investment in our community and improve all of our quality of life." Dan Slagle will assume the Chairmanship of MEDC in 2017. Robbo Hatcher will continue to lead the Workforce Committee as Vice Chair, leading the Talent Recruitment/Retention efforts and addressing our changing workforce needs. Rob Betzel will continue as Vice Chair of the Existing Industry Committee, focusing on the development of our existing companies, while Bruce Freeman will serve as Vice Chair of the Entrepreneurship/Small Business Committee.