May 2018 Features

• Connecting Georgia’s Communities to Spur Economic Development: RuralWorks

  May 31, 2018

  The newest division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Rural Georgia Initiatives, has one primary focus in mind: to help rural Georgia communities become more competitive for economic development projects and identify new strategies for attracting jobs and investment.

• Georgia Department of Transportation Heads into 2018 Summer Construction Season

  May 30, 2018

  With Memorial Day in the rear view mirror, the unofficial start of summer has begun. For Georgia Department of Transportation, summer road construction is gearing up across Georgia. The Department announced plans for an active 2018 summer construction season, with hundreds of construction and maintenance projects along interstates and state routes across Georgia.

• Delta Offering More Trans-Atlantic Flying Than Ever

  May 29, 2018

  Memorial Day weekend marked the start of Delta's biggest ever summer on the trans-Atlantic. Some 11 routes – both new and old favorites – will begin over the next couple of days connecting the U.S. and nine countries in Europe.

• U.S. CEOs' Confidence Soars As Hunt For Sustained Growth Continues

  May 29, 2018

  U.S. chief executives are highly confident in the growth prospects for their companies over the next three years and will focus on M&A and collaborative efforts such as accelerator or incubator programs for startup firms to achieve sustained growth, according to a study released today by KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax, and advisory firm.

• CSU Announces Winners of 7th Annual Business Plan Competition

  May 24, 2018

  Columbus State University’s Turner College of Business recently awarded three aspiring entrepreneurs with funding to launch their own businesses. The recipients were the winners of CSU’s 7th annual Business Plan Competition, which is open to both students and members of the community.

• Georgia Banks & Industry Groups Applaud Dodd-Frank Rollback

  May 24, 2018

  Georgia-based community banks, regional banks, and industry groups are applauding the significant rollback of Dodd-Frank Act regulations. As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) helped craft the bipartisan rollback plan, which included three of his provisions. The rollback plan now heads to President Trump’s desk to become law.

• Georgia DOT Restricts Construction-Related Closures Statewide During Memorial Day Holiday Weekend

  May 24, 2018

  To ease Memorial Day weekend traffic congestion, the Georgia Department of Transportation is suspending construction-related lane closures from Friday, May 25th through Tuesday, May 29th on Interstate Highways, and limiting lane closures on state routes that directly serve major tourist and recreation centers.

• Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Center for Opportunity Seek to Create Job Pathway for Unemployed

  May 22, 2018

  Today, the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Center for Opportunity will launch Hiring Well, Doing Good, an initiative aimed at creating a job pathway for Columbus’ un- and underemployed.

• Zillow: Federal Tax Cut Will Inject Nearly $40B into the Housing Market

  May 21, 2018

  The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted at the end of last year could result in tens of billions of dollars being reinvested into the housing market, according to the Zillow Housing Aspirations Report. This is despite the fact that legislation expressly limited a number of longstanding tax benefits for homeowners.

• Leadership Columbus Is Now Accepting Applications

  May 18, 2018

  Leadership Columbus is an official program of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Being a collaborative effort between the Chamber and Leadership Columbus Alumni, its goal is to provide involved and committed community leaders, and is now accepting applications!

• Financial Technology Report Shows Georgia Leads as Global FinTech Hub

  May 17, 2018

  The Technology Association of Georgia, the state's leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia's technology industry, has unveiled its 2018 State of Georgia's FinTech Ecosystem Report.

• 2018 Partners in Education Awards Partners & Projects of the Year

  May 16, 2018

  Partners In Education, a program of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, recognized the Top 10 partnerships for the 2017-2018 school year at St. Luke Ministry Center on May 10, 2018. Recognized schools were selected by an independent panel of judges and honored at the 2017-2018 Partners In Education Awards Ceremony.

• 10th Annual Dancing Stars of Columbus Raises Over $330,000 for Alzheimer's Association

  May 15, 2018

  On Friday, April 20th, philanthropic Columbus residents raise over $330,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association, Georgia Chapter at Dancing Stars of Columbus. The event took place at the Columbus Georgia Convention and Trade Center and mirrored the popular TV show, pairing local Columbus residents with professional dancers to raise money by gaining votes in a one-night gala dance competition.

• GDOT Commissioner: Georgia Well-Positioned for Infrastructure Plan

  May 15, 2018

  This week is National Infrastructure Week. There will be events across the nation to bring awareness to the criticality of infrastructure conditions and the need for investment. The Georgia Department of Transportation is focused on improving both the state of good repair of our infrastructure and investing in mobility enhancements to our transportation network in order to facilitate growth and improve the quality of life for all Georgians.

• ACG Atlanta Announces 40 Fastest-­Growing Companies in Georgia

  May 14, 2018

  The Atlanta Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth, a global professional organization with the mission of Driving Middle-­Market Growth, announced the 2018 Georgia Fast 40, recognizing the top 40 fastest-­growing middle-­market companies in Georgia.

• Gildan Creates New Jobs in Columbus

  May 08, 2018

  The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced that Gildan Yarns, LLC, will be expanding the production capacity of their facilities in Columbus to better meet the demands for specialty yarns. The Company expects to create approximately 80 jobs in the coming months which will include supervisory, production and maintenance positions.

• Georgia’s 2017 Tourism Economic Impact Tops $63M, Breaks Records

  May 08, 2018

  Gov. Nathan Deal announced that the state’s tourism industry generated a record-breaking $63.1 billion in economic impact in 2017, for an increase of 3.8 percent over last year, according to the U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics.

• The Home Depot Co-founder: Profits are Not the Only Measure of Success

  May 07, 2018

  American businesses are giving and doing more than ever before, like the hundreds of companies that have pledged bonuses, raises, new or expanded benefits, or price reductions since December, when Congress retooled the federal tax code for the first time in 30 years. Those responses are tremendous—they could mean a family’s first vacation or provide hope of paying down medical expenses or debt—but understand that business need not rely on unexpected windfalls before realizing the benefits of giving back.

• Senator Perdue & Congressman Ferguson Visit Aflac Employees

  May 04, 2018

  U.S. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) and U.S. Representative Drew Ferguson (R-GA-03) visited Aflac’s World Headquarters in Columbus to meet with employees about recent changes to the federal tax code. In response to savings from federal tax cuts, Aflac announced a $250 million increase in the company’s overall U.S. investment, which included raising their 401(k) match for every employee.

• Governor Signs $26 Billion State Budget

  May 03, 2018

  Gov. Nathan Deal held budget signing ceremonies in Atlanta, Acworth, Blue Ridge, Statesboro and Tifton for next year’s $26 billion state budget. HB 684, the FY 2019 budget, continues Deal’s efforts to invest in Georgia’s citizens and its economy through education and transportation initiatives.

• Sen. Isakson, Perdue Recognize 100 Years of Excellence at Fort Benning

  May 02, 2018

  U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., introduced a Senate resolution recognizing the 100th anniversary of Fort Benning.

• Georgia's Credit Unions Finish 2017 with Strong Loan Growth

  May 02, 2018

  Georgia credit unions finished 2017 with strong loan growth aided by near cyclical highs in U.S. consumer confidence. Lending at Georgia credit unions grew by 1.8 percent in the fourth quarter – eclipsing the third quarter’s 1.5 percent rate but landing short of the 3.2 percent rate in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to data collected by the Credit Union National Association.

• Billy Payne’s Olympian Triumph

  May 01, 2018

  The story of Atlanta’s emergence as an international city began, as unlikely triumphs often do, with one man’s improbable dream. And yet, William Porter “Billy” Payne was not known as a dreamer. In fact, before 1987—when he resolved to bring the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games to Atlanta, in defiance of all odds—the then-middle-aged real estate lawyer wasn’t widely known at all.