February 2018 Features

• Georgia Banks Earn $3.4B During 2017

  February 28, 2018

  Georgia’s 177 state-based FDIC insured banks earned $3.4 billion in 2017, an increase of 13.7 percent over the previous year. Total deposits, loans and assets all increased during the year.

• Film Day at the Capitol Celebrates Georgia’s Film and Television Industry

  February 28, 2018

  The Georgia Film Office, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, celebrated Film Day at the Capitol to recognize the state’s past, present and future in the film industry. “No other film production center has seen more growth in infrastructure than Georgia has over the last eight years,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Governor Deal’s leadership and unwavering support has ensured Georgia’s place as a top destination for film and television activity.”

• GDOT Commissioner Russell McMurry Receives Award for Engineering Influence

  February 27, 2018

  Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell R. McMurry, P.E. received ACEC Georgia’s Engineering Influence Award “in recognition of his exceptional leadership and management of the department’s response to the Interstate 85 fire and bridge collapse” last year.

• Senators Johnny Isakson & David Perdue: Tax Cuts Are Helping Georgians

  February 26, 2018

  The tax cuts passed by the U.S. Senate and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump are already having a positive impact across the country. Businesses are investing in our economy again. More than 3 million Americans have received bonuses. Wages are rising at their highest rate in eight years. Here in Georgia, we are seeing this positive impact firsthand.

• Technology Association of Georgia Unveils the Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia

  February 23, 2018

  The Technology Association of Georgia announced the Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia. TAG’S Top 40 Awards recognize Georgia-based technology companies for their innovation, financial impact, and their efforts at spreading awareness of the state’s technology initiatives throughout the U.S. and globally.

• Hollywood South: Entertainment Industry Brings $9.5B to Georgia

  February 22, 2018

  Still thinking about which films to check off on the Oscar ballot before awards season wraps up March 4 with the 90th Academy Awards? Consider “Baby Driver,” “I, Tonya,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and “DeKalb Elementary.” They all were filmed in Georgia and contributed to the $9.5 billion the film industry brought to the state last year.

• Columbus State University Partners with WRBL and PMB Broadcasting to host 2018 Political Forum and Debate Series

  February 21, 2018

  Columbus State University is partnering with WRBL-TV and PMB Broadcasting to host, televise and simulcast a series of political forums and debates in 2018. Up to six events are being scheduled to host candidates vying for the Governor’s office, as well as those taking part in the Columbus mayoral election. The events will focus on the critical issues facing both the state of Georgia and the city of Columbus.

• Georgia Power Continue Building the Future of Energy with Innovative Smart Neighborhood Projects

  February 21, 2018

  Southern Company and its Alabama Power and Georgia Power subsidiaries have officially announced Smart Neighborhood initiatives that will provide customers with state-of-the-art home construction, distributed energy resources – including solar and battery energy storage – and smart home appliances and technologies.

• Record-breaking Year for Georgia’s International Trade

  February 20, 2018

  The Georgia Department of Economic Development 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.

• City Leaders Gain Critical Knowledge through UGA Partnership

  February 20, 2018

  More than 250 first-time mayors and city council members from Georgia cities gathered in Athens last week for the two-day Newly Elected Officials Institute, held every February to teach new leaders the basics of effective governance.

• United Way Exceeds Campaign Goal, Raises $6,939,736

  February 19, 2018

  United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley celebrated the end of its 2017 campaign Tuesday evening at the Martin-Idle Hour Park Community Center in Phenix City, and revealed their 2017 campaign total - $6,939,736. More than 170 guests attended the celebration.

• University System Saves Students More Than $18M a Year in Free Textbooks

  February 19, 2018

  The University System of Georgia is saving students more than $18 million a year with its free online textbook initiative called Affordable Learning Georgia.

• Former Director of Defense Intelligence Agency to Speak on Cyber Threats February 22nd

  February 16, 2018

  Ronald L. Burgess, Jr., a leading expert in U.S. Intelligence, will speak at Columbus State University on Feb. 22 at the Cunningham Center. A retired Lt. General in the U.S. Army and inductee into the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Hall of Fame, Burgess will speak on “The Cyber Threat and the Way Ahead” as part of the Col. Richard R. Hallock Lecture Series.

• Chairman Jason Shaw Introduces Legislation to Create the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation

  February 16, 2018

  State Representative Jason Shaw (R-Lakeland) introduced legislation that would create the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation.

• TSYS Named One of the World’s Most Ethical Companies, Top Tech Leader

  February 15, 2018

  TSYS continues to receive global recognition in 2018, as TSYS was named by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the 2018 World’s Most Ethical Companies in the payment services category and also recently recognized by Thomson Reuters as one of the Top 100 Global Technology Leaders. TSYS is the only payments provider in the industry to be recognized by both of these prestigious organizations this year.

• Delta Pays Employees More Than $1B in Profit Sharing for Fourth Consecutive Year

  February 15, 2018

  Delta Air Lines will pay out more than $1 billion in profit sharing for the fourth year in a row and celebrate the outstanding accomplishments made possible by its more than 80,000 employees around the world.

• Aflac Splits Stock for 1st Time in 17 Years

  February 14, 2018

  Aflac Incorporated announced that its Board of Directors has declared a two-for-one stock split of the company's common stock in the form of a 100% stock dividend payable on March 16, 2018 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 2, 2018.

• UGA Extension, Mercer University Partner to Recruit Future Doctors for Rural Georgia

  February 13, 2018

  Jean Sumner is a third-generation rural doctor. As a child, she watched her grandfather and father care for the residents of Washington County, Georgia. She followed in their footsteps and became a “small-town doctor,” the kind who knows your mother, sits behind you in church and roots for the local football team.

• Columbus Technical College and Healthcare Programs Named Tops in U.S., Georgia

  February 12, 2018

  Students, faculty, and staff at Columbus Technical College already know their school is tops but thanks to several recent data-driven recognitions, that positivity will be even more widespread. That’s because major college review organizations have positioned Columbus Technical College in their top rankings.

• Secretary of State Brian Kemp Announces Record-Breaking Month of Annual Business Registrations

  February 12, 2018

  Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced a record-breaking month of annual business registrations. In the month of January, the Corporations Division processed over 216,000 annual business registrations – more registrations in one month’s time than ever before.

• Georgia Quail Hunt Celebrates 30th Anniversary

  February 09, 2018

  Area leaders were on hand this week to welcome 27 site selection professionals to Southwest Georgia, not only for the world-class quail hunting but more importantly to learn about the potential for doing business in the region. It’s all part of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s 30th Annual Georgia Quail Hunt in Albany.

• Delta Data Launches FundBlast

  February 08, 2018

  Delta Data, a leading provider of software and data management solutions for the mutual fund industry, announced the launch of FundBlast, a transformational digital portal for communicating mutual fund changes in real time.

• Exporting Provides Opportunity for Growth for Rural Companies in Georgia

  February 08, 2018

  Even the basics of international commerce felt foreign to Bruce Roberts. He knew how to ship something via UPS but didn’t have a clue how international ocean freight worked. He didn’t know how helpful a Skype account or making a website friendly to international customers could be in attracting overseas clients.

• The Georgia Ports Authority Wants to More Than Double Container Capacity by 2028

  February 06, 2018

  At the 50th annual Georgia Foreign Trade Conference Monday, GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch reviewed the strategic plan for Georgia's ports that will allow for 10 million twenty-foot equivalent container units, 1 million rail lifts, and more than 1 million auto and machinery units per year.

• Speakers Announced for 2018 CSU Turner College of Business Executive Speaker Series

  February 05, 2018

  Columbus State University’s D. Abbott Turner College of Business announced this year’s lineup of speakers for the college’s Executive Speaker Series. Free and open to the public, the series features a variety of executives and entrepreneurs who will reflect on their experiences in business.