August 2024 Features

  • Georgia Historical Society Names Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia Newest Honoree in Georgia Business History Initiative

    August 30, 2024

    On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the Georgia Historical Society unveiled a new historical marker in Columbus as part of the Georgia Business History Initiative. Dedicated in partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the marker shares the history of Anthem’s Georgia Plan and its significance to Georgia’s economic history.

  • Sigma Defense Dedicates New Production Facility in Perry

    August 29, 2024

    Sigma Defense Systems, a leader in defense technology, proudly announced the grand opening of its cutting-edge production facility in Perry, GA. This state-of-the-art, 13,400 square-foot facility will serve as the global hub for Sigma Defense's operations, focusing on the development and deployment of hardware and software solutions.

  • Georgia Executives Brace for Political Storm: How to Protect Workplace Culture

    August 29, 2024

    A new report by goBeyondProfit reveals a staggering 56% of executives and 45% of employees fear that politics will disrupt their company culture this year. As the political landscape in Georgia continues to heat up, so too does the potential for workplace disruption.

  • Georgia Job Creation & Momentum Remains Strong

    August 29, 2024

    Governor Brian Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, today announced another year of sustained momentum for business recruitment and expansions in Fiscal Year 2024. GDEcD’s Global Commerce team supported 429 facility expansions and new locations resulting in more than $20.3 billion in investment and the commitment of 26,900 new, private sector jobs statewide.

  • Blue Bird Delivers its 2,000th Electric School Bus

    August 28, 2024

    Blue Bird Corporation, the leader in electric and low-emission school buses, has delivered its 2,000th electric, zero-emission school bus marking an industry-leading milestone. Clark County School District in Nevada received Blue Bird’s 2,000th electric vehicle to help the nation’s fifth largest school district transition its school bus fleet to clean student transportation.

  • MacKenzie Scott Gives $10 Million to Georgia Nonprofit ACE | Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs

    August 27, 2024

    A $10 million gift from billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to ACE | Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs will have a dramatic impact on the nonprofit’s work to fuel the growth of Georgia businesses around the state, said Grace Fricks, ACE founder and CEO.

  • Meet Ashanti: Forging a Future in Welding

    August 27, 2024

    We are proud to introduce Ashanti, a driven second-semester student at South Georgia Technical College, where she is pursuing a career in welding. Her story exemplifies strength, determination, and the transformative power of support.

  • Technical College System of Georgia Achieves 9.3% Enrollment Growth

    August 27, 2024

    The Technical College System of Georgia announces a 9.3% increase in enrollment for the Academic Year 2024, bringing total enrollment to 148,746 students across the system. This is the highest number of students enrolled at TCSG since 2013.

  • Middle Georgia Regional Airport Receives $4M in Grants to Increase Air Traffic, Economic Development

    August 26, 2024

    The Middle Georgia Regional Airport is receiving $4,012,500 in grants from the Georgia Department of Transportation after an allocation by the General Assembly and advocacy work by Macon-Bibb County and the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority.

  • Chik-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame Puts Fans Directly into the Game with Its New AI Experience

    August 26, 2024

    Set, Hike! The College Football Hall of Fame is setting a new industry milestone with its new GAME ON! AI Experience. This deeply engaging, personalized storytelling experience inserts fans into the rich history of college football.

  • Houston Healthcare to Join Emory Healthcare

    August 23, 2024

    Houston Healthcare, a community-based, not-for-profit health system located in Warner Robins, and Emory Healthcare, a comprehensive academic health system located in Atlanta, announced they have signed a non-binding Letter of Intent for Houston Healthcare to join Emory Healthcare.

  • Business Generosity Yields Financial Rewards

    August 23, 2024

    Recent data tells us that 92% of executives plan to maintain or increase their current investments in generosity. 60% of executives plan to increase giving to employees, 46% to communities, and 45% in the way they operate their business. This is a significant jump from 2023, where only 33% planned to increase generosity investments.

  • Governor Kemp Hosts Small Business Roundtable

    August 23, 2024

    Along with other state leaders, Governor Brian P. Kemp hosted small business leaders for a roundtable discussion on civil litigation policies impacting the state's business climate and day-to-day affordability for hardworking Georgians.

  • Discover Georgia’s Booming Food Processing Industry

    August 22, 2024

    Georgia’s food processing industry is a powerhouse, contributing over $11 billion annually to the state's GDP. With nearly half of the top 100 food processing companies operating here, the industry is poised for sustained growth. The Georgia Department of Economic Development drives industry growth in multiple ways.

  • Survey: Consumers Expect to Spend More this Year on Back-to-School Shopping & This Fall on Discretionary Items

    August 21, 2024

    Anticipating higher prices for their shopping list than a year ago, consumers expect to spend 14% more on average on back-to-school shopping per child this year, according to a new KPMG survey conducted in July.

  • Georgia Power Uses Drones to Inspect Transmission Lines

    August 20, 2024

    Georgia Power continues to focus on improving reliability and service for customers by making investments in the power grid and using advanced technology to prevent or restore power outages. The company is now deploying unmanned aerial systems, to inspect transmission power lines, helping ensure the safety and reliability of these main lines more efficiently and with greater accuracy than ever before.

  • From Global to Local: Industries that Put Georgia on the Map

    August 19, 2024

    The Georgia Department of Economic Development and its economic development partners capitalized on the 2024 SelectUSA Investment Summit to demonstrate why Georgia stands out to international companies seeking to locate or expand in the U.S.

  • Public Colleges Generated $21.9 Billion Impact on Georgia

    August 19, 2024

    New research from the Terry College of Business Selig Center for Economic Growth found the University System of Georgia (USG) had an impact of $21.9 billion on the state’s economy and generated more than 160,000 full- and part-time jobs during fiscal year 2023.

  • Flint Energies Foundation Awards Local Schools $605,000

    August 16, 2024

    The Flint Energies Foundation recently awarded a total of $605,000 in grants to 10 local school districts. The grants are to provide additional support for teachers through classroom supplies and morale improvement.

  • MGA’s Economic Impact Increases To $296 Million

    August 16, 2024

    Middle Georgia State University contributed more than $296 million to the economy in fiscal 2023 – a nearly 3 percent increase over the previous year. Due to on- and off-campus spending during the same period, the University accounted for more than 2,700 jobs.

  • goBeyondProfit CEO Interviews: Dana Spinola, Founder and CEO of fab’rik (Part 2)

    August 16, 2024

    In part 2 of our interview with fab’rik Founder and CEO Dana Spinola, she shared how she empowers her team to find creative ways to deliver on the company purpose as well as frank insights from her founder’s journey.

  • University System Board of Regents Adopts $3.6B Budget Request

    August 15, 2024

    The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved a $3.6 billion fiscal 2026 budget request Wednesday. The 2026 budget, which takes effect next July, represents a $221.1 million increase over this year’s spending plan. By far the largest increase – $167.8 million – would cover projected enrollment growth.

  • Georgia’s Labor Force is Over 5 Million Strong, but More Jobs Are Needed to Keep Unemployment Low

    August 15, 2024

    Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson announced today that Georgia's July unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, up one-tenth from a revised 3.3 percent in June. The unemployment rate was nine-tenths lower than the national unemployment rate.

  • Mercer Partners with Technical College System of Georgia to Develop Health Career Pathways Articulation

    August 14, 2024

    Mercer University has partnered with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to develop pathways for technical college graduates to matriculate into high-demand health care fields.

  • Georgia Cities Leverage Smart Technology

    August 14, 2024

    Four cities discussed how their they use technology to reduce crime, improve traffic flow, enhance service delivery and drive economic growth during a breakfast hosted by GMA, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, which partners with local communities to bring innovative projects to fruition.