James Nov-Dec 2023 web - Flipbook - Page 55
his year, as Georgia
reaches historic milestones like the 50th
anniversary of both the
state’s first international offices and the
formation of the original Georgia
Film Office, the state is celebrating
another monumental achievement:
Georgia has been ranked the Top
State for Business for 10 consecutive years by Area Development.
This ranking by a well-known publication for site selectors is an incredible recognition of our long-term,
core mission of creating hope and
opportunity for Georgians.
The seeds of economic prosperity were planted decades ago by
visionary Georgia leaders, and the
state’s repeated honors in numerous areas of economic development
Pat Wilson speaks at an
event celebrating 10 years
of Georgia being ranked
the Top State for Business
in the nation by Area
Development magazine.
Credit: Georgia Department of
Economic Development, South
Atlanta Photography
success have been reaped thanks
to the continuous improvement of
Georgia’s business-friendly environment. Today, our priority is on
planting new seeds that will flourish
for generations to come.
We work daily to deliver on our
reputation for maintaining a cooperative and responsive state government— and are constantly working
to take it a step further. Beyond the
initial attraction stage, Georgia is a
partner to business. That’s because
by working together at every level of
government to respond to the needs
of Georgians and the communities
they call home, we are seizing new
opportunities and becoming part of
solutions that improve lives here and
around the world. Because Georgia’s
“service after the sale” approach
works through helping Georgia prod-
ucts reach new markets, by improving efficiencies, and by innovating
within and beyond industry ecosystems, we are helping businesses of
all sizes create jobs.
Georgia’s formula for success is
working. By understanding where
Georgia’s priorities lie alongside
state and local partners in the public
and private sectors, we continue to
employ proven models that leverage
the advantages that helped us get
here. We adapt to where business
is going and invest in the resources
required to help us evolve for a future
that’s at our doorstep.
Georgia’s acclaimed hard assets
in logistics and infrastructure have
yielded dividends to communities in
every corner of the state. Our extensive rail systems and highways make
the benefits of having the world’s
busiest airport and the fastest-growing deepwater port in the United
States exponentially greater.
In higher education, Georgia’s
celebrated HOPE Scholarship has
kept our best and brightest here at
home. We boast two Top 20 public
universities and 10 of the most highly
esteemed historically black colleges
and universities in the country. The
Technical College System of Georgia
covers every community in the state,
working directly with local business
and industry to provide a workforce
pipeline that is trained and ready.
Our economic developers can tell
you: these are difference-makers in
attracting high-quality companies.
From the Cyber and FinTech
Academies to the Georgia Film
N OV EM B E R /D EC E M BER 2023
55