January 2019 Features

• 2019 Business Solutions, Not Just Resolutions StartSMART Program Kicks-off on March 8th

  January 31, 2019

  If You Can Dream It, We Can Help! Owning your own business is the American dream, but building it to withstand the test of time takes a unique set of tools-and a lot of hard work. StartSMART will show you the way. In its ninth successful year, StartSMART, this Signature Program is offered once a year for entrepreneurs and business owners by The University of Georgia's Small Business Development Center in Columbus and by Statewide Sponsor, Wells Fargo.

• Rick Jackson Shares Why He Founded goBeyondProfit

  January 31, 2019

  Rick Jackson, the CEO and Chairman of Jackson Healthcare shares why he launched goBeyondProfit – a fully funded venture for his peers and their companies. He believes that goBeyondProfit offers a tremendous opportunity for business leaders to learn from each other and make an even bigger impact in the communities where they live, work and serve.

• 2019 Kicks Off with a Slight Increase in Small Business Hiring and Wage Growth

  January 31, 2019

  The Paychex | IHS Markit Small Business Employment Watch started the new year with slight gains in small business job and hourly earnings growth. The Small Business Jobs Index increased 0.04 percent in January to 98.92, though it remains down 0.96 year-over-year.

• Glassdoor Reveals The 50 Best Jobs In America For 2019

  January 30, 2019

  With millions of U.S. workers looking for new jobs in the new year, Glassdoor, one of the world's largest job and recruiting sites, announced its annual jobs report identifying the 50 Best Jobs in America for 2019.

• UGA SBDC at Columbus: #CyberStrength Seminar February 12th

  January 29, 2019

  The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center in Columbus is excited to announce our upcoming #CyberStrenth Conference on February 12th, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Cunningham Conference Center.

• Georgia Public Service Commission Faces Busy and Challenging Case Load in 2019

  January 29, 2019

  The Georgia Public Service Commission will face an unprecedented number of major proceedings and rate cases in 2019, beginning with the filing of Georgia Power Company’s Integrated Resource Plan on January 31st.

• Georgia Historical Society Set to Kickoff Free Public Events of the 2019 Georgia History Festival

  January 28, 2019

  With the Georgia Day Parade only one week away the Georgia Historical Society is set to kick off the 2019 Georgia History Festival with a full slate of free public events.

• Flexing Georgia's Corporate "Do-Good" Muscles

  January 24, 2019

  Do Georgia businesses understand the great mutual value gained from corporate generosity? I wonder this frequently. It’s the reason I felt compelled to join with other Georgia business leaders in the goBeyondProfit initiative, banding together in virtual alignment around the value and importance of finding ways to give back beyond our daily business efforts.

• goBeyondProfit and Georgia CEO Finalizing Corporate Philanthropy Research

  January 22, 2019

  goBeyondProfit, a not-for-profit initiative encouraging all Georgia businesses to prioritize community engagement, is conducting statewide corporate trend research in partnership with Georgia CEO. The survey will wrap up this week.

• Outdoor Stewardship Fund to Protect Georgia’s Natural Assets

  January 21, 2019

  Passed with more than 82 percent of the vote, the Outdoor Stewardship Act is intended to “promote stewardship for state parks, state lands and wildlife management areas, support local parks and trails and protect critical conservation land.”

• In 2019, CEOs are Most Concerned About Talent and a Recession

  January 21, 2019

  A new global survey reveals that CEOs view a recession as their biggest external concern for 2019. They cited attracting and retaining talent as their top internal concern.

• Top State Officials, Chamber Leaders Team Up to Champion Economic Priorities for All Georgians at “Eggs and Issues" Breakfast

  January 18, 2019

  Invoking references to the upcoming Super Bowl, the Atlanta United MLS Champions, the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry, and some inside baseball lingo, speakers at the 2019 Georgia Chamber’s “Eggs and Issues Breakfast” emphasized the need for teamwork and partnerships as the General Assembly convenes.

• Georgia Posts Record-Setting Year in 2018

  January 17, 2019

  State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said today that 2018 was another banner year for Georgia with increases in jobs, work force and employed residents. The unemployment rate, Butler noted, fell nearly a full point over the year. Month to month, communities all across the state routinely set records.

• Muscogee County School District Announces Job Guarantee Partnership with CSU

  January 16, 2019

  The Muscogee County School District and Columbus State University announced a new initiative within their partnership. All CSU College of Education graduates, who meet the necessary requirements, will be guaranteed a teaching contract with MCSD. The “CSU Teaching Contract Guarantee,” will become effective immediately.

• How to Build Credit with No Credit History

  January 16, 2019

  Whether you're brand new to managing personal finances on your own or you've simply shied away from using credit in the past, either way you don't have an established credit history. And having no credit history can present a few challenges.

• Georgia Oyster Industry Shucks Wild-Grown Strategy; Discovers Pearl of Great Price in Aquaculture

  January 14, 2019

  In a few years, Georgia oysters may earn a spot next to Georgia peaches, peanuts, Vidalia onions, and shrimp as one of the state’s official foods and crops.The science of aquaculture for cultivating and harvesting oysters adds another aspect to the term “farm-to-table,” as the state oyster farming industry foresees a significant revivification of what was once a thriving business during the early decades of the previous century.

• TSYS Launches Vital Brand, Unrivaled New Point-of-Sale Product Suite for SMBs

  January 11, 2019

  TSYS announced the launch of Vital, a new brand of payment products designed to help small and medium-sized businesses run more easily and efficiently. Vital is also available to be white-labeled by TSYS partners.

• Aflac Launches New Marketing Strategy Featuring What 'Aflac Isn't' to Shed Light on Everything Aflac Is

  January 10, 2019

  Aflac, the leader in supplemental insurance sales at U.S. worksites, announced the launch of a new marketing strategy and campaign designed to address the biggest misunderstandings that some consumers have about the company and its products.

• Piedmont Healthcare’s Community Benefit Program Makes $500,000 in Grants to 34 Nonprofit Organizations throughout Georgia

  January 10, 2019

  Piedmont Healthcare’s community benefit program, which aims to improve the health and well-being of the community through direct service grants, has made more than $500,000 in awards during Fiscal Year 2019.

• Saving for a Major Financial Purchase

  January 09, 2019

  You work hard to earn a living. You saved diligently for a down payment and bought a house. You're saving consistently for retirement, but that seems to be a long way off. Now, it's time to save for something fun.

• Young Gamechangers Start New Year with Project in Monroe on January 31st

  January 08, 2019

  Instead of starting a diet or taking up a new hobby, 48 of Georgia’s brightest young professionals will celebrate the beginning of 2019 by kicking off an ambitious new project in Monroe, GA. As part of the Young Gamechangers program they will research the area’s industries, explore natural resources, gather historical data, and meet with business and community leaders.

• Synovus Completes Acquisition of FCB Financial Holdings, Inc.

  January 07, 2019

  Synovus Financial Corp. announced that it has completed the acquisition of FCB Financial Holdings, Inc., owner of Florida Community Bank, National Association.

• Aflac Announces $20M Minority Equity Investment in Singapore Life

  January 07, 2019

  Aflac Incorporated announced that it has made a $20 million minority equity investment in Singapore Life Pte. Ltd., a digitally-focused life insurance company based in Singapore.