Features
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To Find Your Happy Place, Try Spending That Well-Earned Time Off on Jekyll Island
June 06, 2018
If you're hesitant about slipping away from the office for a couple weeks to take your family on that long-awaited summer vacation, relax. Research shows that vacation travel is the one type of travel that has virtually everyone's approval. Nestled on the Atlantic coast between Savannah and Jacksonville, Jekyll Island boasts a rare combination of activities, attractions and natural wonders that capture the imagination, regardless of age or interests.
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GDEcD Trade Mission to South America Opens New Markets
June 05, 2018
Recently, GDEcD International Trade Manager, Alice Carson, has been traveling across South America connecting Georgia businesses with new opportunities in Latin American markets. The mission involved stops in three countries: Colombia, Peru and Chile.
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Aron Levine, Head of Consumer Banking & Merrill Edge, Offers Insight into Making a Difference in the Community this Year
June 04, 2018
Now that we’ve settled into 2018, if you’re anything like me, you’re re-thinking your progress on New Year’s resolutions. For some, this might mean evaluating your philanthropic or community involvement goals for the year. Or, you may be in the research stages of finding the specific causes or organizations you’ll support—either with your time or financial contribution.
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Solar Cell Manufacturer to Create More Than 500 Jobs in Whitfield County
May 31, 2018
Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Hanwha Q CELLS Korea, a leader in the global solar industry, will create more than 500 jobs and invest $150 million in a new solar module manufacturing facility in Dalton.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Georgia Employers Association Legal & Benefits Workshop Covers the Bases for Georgia Employers
April 26, 2018
Georgia's thriving economy is producing excellent opportunities for business and associated challenges for business leaders and human resource professionals. Competition for the best employees is intense and the regulatory and legal environment continues to change rapidly. The upcoming Georgia Employers' Association Legal and Benefits Workshop is intended to help Georgia businesses keep all of the bases covered.
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SOS Brian Kemp Announces Commission Members to Review Georgia's Next Voting System
April 25, 2018
Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced his list of appointees to the Secure, Accessible & Fair Elections Commission, which is tasked with studying options for Georgia’s next voting system. The SAFE Commission will conduct thorough discussions on all options – including the feasibility of using all hand-marked paper ballots to all electronic machines with a voter-verified paper trail – and travel the state to solicit feedback from stakeholders.
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Georgia Chamber Launches Scorecard Website for 2017-18 Session
April 24, 2018
The Georgia Chamber of Commerce launches its Scorecard website recapping the 2017-2018 Legislative Session and how each legislator voted on top-priority bills for the organization.
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AG Chris Carr: We Must Continue Efforts to Strengthen State's Response to the Opioid Epidemic
April 23, 2018
As the former Commissioner for the Georgia Department of Economic Development, I am very proud of the fact that our state is the top state in the nation in which to do business. The recognition highlights the collaborative mindset we apply to economic development in our state, and it highlights the many opportunities that our Georgia families enjoy as a result of having a thriving business environment.
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State Economic Competitiveness Rankings Reveal Upward Standings Tied to Federal Tax Reform
April 23, 2018
The American Legislative Exchange Council released the much anticipated 2018 edition of Rich States, Poor States. Utah again earns the top spot for states with the best economic outlook, followed by Idaho, Indiana, North Dakota and Arizona. Several states' success in increased rankings can be tied directly to the success of federal tax reform and the resources it gave to lawmakers to cut taxes at the state level.
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Senator David Perdue: Trump’s North Korea Policy Is Succeeding
April 20, 2018
CIA Director and Secretary of State-designate Mike Pompeo’s recent meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was an important step to lay the groundwork for the upcoming meeting planned between President Trump and Kim.