The Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association (GAMA), is excited to announce that its President, CEO and Founder, Rick Walker, has received the state’s prestigious award, Georgia Automotive Leader of the Year. The award was recently presented by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. 

The automotive industry contributes $3 billion to the State’s economy. The Georgia Automotive Awards were developed to elevate the industry’s profile, recognize individual companies for their contributions, and celebrate the industry’s collective accomplishments. The Leader of the Year Award is given to a leader in the automotive industry who has devoted their time and effort to leadership and has demonstrated pride in the industry in Georgia.

"We are thrilled to have been recognized with this award," said Walker. “It is a tribute to all the hard work of GAMA’s incredible Advisory Board and GAMA members over the last 10 years. Our hugely successful and record-breaking Southern Automotive Conference (SAC) in late 2018, which attracted 1,200 attendees, was highly acclaimed by many worldwide. This award now definitely solidifies our role as a leading automotive association for the Southeast and the world.”

In announcing the awards, Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Commissioner Pat Wilson stated, “Congratulations to the winners of the 2019 Georgia Automotive Awards. The automotive industry in Georgia continues to drive innovation and growth in every corner of our state, with access to a top-ranked workforce and world-class business climate.”

Georgia has been an established automotive manufacturing center since 1909. There are more than 51,000 workers employed by Georgia’s automotive-related facilities. Georgia is at the heart of the rapidly expanding Southeastern Automotive Corridor. Southeastern automotive assemblers currently have the capacity to produce approximately 3.3 million units, according to a study by Georgia Power.