Dallas | Paulding: Harvesting Success
Incentivizing, Educating and Expanding
Opportunities abound in Paulding County, where job offerings are about to take off. The county in northwest Metro Atlanta is home to Chattahoochee Technical College’s 55,000-square-foot Aviation Training Academy, which opened in April 2024. The academy prepares students for high-demand careers in aviation mechanics and maintenance.
Proactive Efforts: Michael Hughes, executive director for Paulding County Economic Development and Industrial Building Authority. Photo credit: Eric Sun
The academy operates at the Silver Comet Field of the Paulding County Northwest Atlanta Airport, which itself is undergoing an expansion. The airport is currently building four corporate headquarters jet hangars and plans to complete 20 over the next five years. It’s also adding taxiways, roadways and other infrastructure.
“The airport is a hidden gem; it has the potential to be an economic growth engine that could really take this county to the next level,” says Jeff Noles, commercial/industrial marketing and economic development manager at GreyStone Power Corp., which is headquartered in Paulding County. “It is the gift that keeps on giving.”
Stacy Hamby, president and CEO of the Paulding Chamber of Commerce, agrees, noting one such gift is that the airport can attract industries that bring in high-quality jobs and help boost the county’s economic profile.
Hamby says while Paulding is generally thought of as a bedroom community, where residents travel outside the community to work, the chamber is making efforts to change that. “Our focus is to help our current businesses grow and expand and aid in the recruitment of bringing new ones here,” she says.
Unique Opportunity: Stacy Hamby, Paulding County Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, at the new Aviation Training Academy. Photo credit: Eric Sun
“The Aviation Training Academy is such a unique opportunity that is truly going to set us apart. It’s a win-win, because it’ll give us the jobs that we so desperately need,” says Hamby, adding that these high-paying jobs could entice the next generation to stay in the community to work.
Another win: Automann, an aftermarket truck parts distributor, is set to open a southeast distribution center in Hiram. The facility will create about 150 jobs across various departments, says Michael Hughes, executive director for Paulding County Economic Development and Industrial Building Authority.
Hamby says Automann’s Hiram location will show residents they can find high-paying jobs without needing to leave Paulding. “I think Automann will help establish us in the automotive industry arena, and we can start seeking some additional suppliers to complete the Silver Comet Industrial Park, too,” she says. “Paulding is wonderful [and] such a great place to live.”
Open For Business
Employment Opportunities: Rendering of Automann’s new distribution center in Hiram. Photo: Contributed
If you were to choose a phrase to sum up Hughes’ goal for the county since beginning his tenure in 2020, it would be to incentivize people to look at Paulding as a place to both work and reside. After assessing Paulding’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and some of the threats from an economic development standpoint, Hughes says it was apparent early on that the county would need additional tools to accomplish some of its economic development priorities.
One of those tools was to rebrand the organization’s website to accurately reflect its message: that Paulding County is open for business. The rebranding also included a new logo and tagline, “Your Future is Here.” But it wasn’t just the website that needed an upgrade.
“Some other things we looked at were just economic incentive programs that really didn’t exist in Paulding before I got here,” Hughes says. “We are interested in attracting more commercial development in the appropriate areas of the county. We want to identify startups. And we want to create jobs. Really, our efforts are trying to be just a bit more proactive.”
Hughes and his team have developed new incentive programs for five industries: aerospace and aviation, automotive supply, film and television, machinery and equipment, and medical and health. The economic development department also has a special economic impact incentive program that provides assistance to businesses that add at least 100 new jobs, invest $20 million or more in the county and pay higher than average wages.
In-demand Careers: Chattahoochee Technical College’s Aviation Training Academy at the Paulding County Northwest Atlanta Airport opened in April 2024. Photo credit: Croft
In addition, the department’s business retention incentive program supports select companies that have been in the county at least two years. The program targets certain industries such as technology, business services, trade, logistics, healthcare, life sciences and more. Once all criteria are met, the program offers resources like a workforce training liaison, coordination with governmental agencies and assistance with permitting, construction and transportation infrastructure.
The economic development team has also created what Hughes calls a “small business or entrepreneurial ecosystem” to identify startups that meet certain criteria and provide assistance with things like business license fees, permitting and construction. Some entrepreneurs and innovators may also be eligible to apply for cash grants from the Paulding Innovation Grant Fund.
Other new tools include critically looking at the county’s zoning districts and ordinances. “We worked with our community development and planning teams to look at how people are making purchases,” Hughes says, noting that people buy more things through their phones and other devices these days instead of walking into a store. “We asked ourselves if our zoning rules were set up to attract businesses that fit with this trend.”
The department is looking into developing new zoning categories and regulations that incentivize increased density and mixed-use developments. “It’s important to make sure we do not lose any opportunities to other neighboring communities,” Hughes says.
Talent Pipeline
Community Partnership: The Paulding County Chamber of Commerce works closely with Chattahoochee Tech and its nursing program to help fill healthcare jobs locally. Photo credit: Contributed
The economic development department and the chamber of commerce hosted a Workforce Development Summit last October where economic development partners got together to discuss strategies to bolster the region’s labor market. Hughes says that over the last five to seven years, workforce availability has been one of the main factors that companies consider when choosing to relocate. “This got us thinking about how we can better position Paulding County to attract businesses,” he says.
The chamber itself works very hard in the area of workforce development, according to Hamby, who says the healthcare pathway is one of its key components. “We work closely with Wellstar, Chattahoochee Technical College’s nursing program, our college and career academy and other entities to make sure we’re developing a talent pipeline to fill healthcare jobs locally.” She says the chamber also plans to address challenges like an aging workforce and skills gaps by focusing on bringing in skilled workers and promoting training programs.
Paulding also supports important economic development programs with utility company partners such as Georgia Power and Georgia’s electric membership cooperatives (EMCs), including Carroll EMC, Cobb EMC and GreyStone Power.
Discussing Strategies: Paulding County’s economic development partners convened in October 2024 for the Workforce Development Summit. Photo credit: Contributed
GreyStone, which moved its headquarters from Douglasville to Hiram in 2021, provides significant funding for some of the county’s entrepreneurial and grant programs. In 2019, it made a $50,000 donation to the Paulding College and Career Academy to create the Jerry Lamar Tucker and Ellen Barrett Tucker Energy Pathway Lab, named after an employee who had served GreyStone for 50 years and his late wife.
GreyStone has 300 employees and now offers broadband services, surpassing its goal of 800 customers with over 1,400 subscribers in the areas GreyStone Connect serves, which includes parts of Paulding, Douglas, Fulton and Carroll counties. Noles says that Paulding County has the largest number of members GreyStone serves. The company’s broadband initiative aims to address internet access issues. “We are thrilled to now be fulfilling our mission in yet another way,” says Noles.
Additionally, GreyStone has spurred economic growth in the county. “Investment in sewer infrastructure has been a major contributor to commercial growth in the region,” says Noles. “Our being here opened up the opportunity for additional businesses to locatein and around [us], which, in turn, makes properties more valuable.”
Education Options
New Initiatives: Students training to become power line workers get hands-on experience through the Jerry Lamar Tucker and Ellen Barrett Tucker Pathway Lab at the Paulding College and Career Academy. Photo credit: Contributed
Paulding is home to the Paulding County College and Career Academy for high school students and two technical colleges – Chattahoochee Tech and Georgia Highlands College, which also has campuses in Floyd, Bartow and Cobb counties.
The college and career academy currently offers four pathways: cybersecurity, healthcare, mechatronics and energy. The energy path directly supports local power companies, as it prepares students to be line workers. Hamby calls this an ideal talent pipeline since, “our students are graduating from high school and able to be employed straight away with those companies and making very high salaries.”
Broadening Career Options: High school students take part in GreyStone Power’s STEM Day in Hiram last year. Photo credit: Greystone Power Corp
She says such programs benefit students who don’t want to seek a four-year degree. “Technical trades are greatly needed and also have high-paying, in-demand jobs,” she says.
GreyStone hosts events through the Paulding chamber to help encourage young people to consider a career in energy. In April 2024, it hosted its first STEM Day for 140 students from six high schools, complete with activity booths and exhibits.
“STEM Day was really neat. A lot of kids are just not even aware of what careers are out there,” says Noles. The company also participates in career days at local schools, live line demonstrations and other educational events for younger students. “We want to continue to encourage young people to get interested in the energy business,” says Noles.
Downtown Development
Preparing for Growth: Dallas Mayor James Kelly. Photo credit: Contributed
Paulding’s two biggest cities, Hiram and Dallas, have plans to recruit new businesses and offer new opportunities to attract new residents.
Dallas is redeveloping and redesigning a multiuse space in its downtown. “This new development we call Town Green is going to be incredible,” says Mayor James Kelly. He says the space will feature a luxury apartment complex, retail space and a park. The city has also revamped its zoning ordinances, which were last updated in 1975, to better manage development and attract upscale residential and commercial projects. Kelly says the city is also renovating the historic courthouse into a new city hall.
Kelly praises the public safety department. “Our police department has done a phenomenal job keeping up with all the growth and preparing for future growth.”
Bustling Business District: Hiram Mayor Frank Moran. Photo credit: Contributed
Hiram is also undergoing growth and expansion. “This past year, our Christmas tree lighting event attracted nearly 4,000 people,” says Mayor Frank Moran. He says Hiram has a “bustling business district” with around 767 businesses and that the city plans to expand its City Hall to accommodate the growing police department.
Usage of the Silver Comet Trail, which travels through Cobb, Paulding and Polk counties, has increased dramatically. “Four years ago, it was about 600,000 people a year,” says Moran. “Now trail usage is up to about 1.5 million a year.”
Wellstar Paulding Medical Center in Hiram is also currently expanding to include a new parking garage and an eight-story tower that will add 56 beds. The expansion aims to address the population increase in the area and will serve not only Paulding County, but also Cobb and Douglas counties.
Exciting Changes: Downtown Dallas and its historic 1892 courthouse, which the city is renovating into a new city hall. Photo credit: Contributed
Moran says the sewer infrastructure on Highway 92 will need to expand to support all this commercial development. “Many buildings in the commercial district are on septic systems that are failing, preventing them from obtaining certificates of occupancy,” he says.
Hamby is optimistic about both cities’ initiatives. “I think both Hiram and Dallas are paying attention to what people both need and want,” she says. “I’m curious and excited to see what’s to come for them in the next few years.”
Local Flavor
Improving the Community
Getting Things Done: Kathy Crowe, Dallas Woman’s Club historian and committee chair for the 1921 Project. Photo credit: Eric Sun
On Main Street in downtown Dallas sits a small, nondescript white house with a sign bearing its name: The Dallas Woman’s Club. The clubhouse serves as home to the women-only member-driven nonprofit volunteer service organization and has been an integral part of the Dallas community since holding its first meeting in 1921.
The club was organized by May Belle Hitchcock McGarity, a librarian and educator who was the first woman to register to vote in Paulding County. Back then, the mission of the club was modest: To be involved in projects directly benefiting Dallas residents.
“There were 29 women from Dallas who began to organize to improve their community based on the views of these women,” says Kathy Crowe, the Dallas Woman’s Club historian. These issues were sanitation, having a library and providing the only public women’s restroom in the entirety of Paulding County. “That library was the only library in Paulding County until 1979,” Crowe says.
In addition to its work on the library, the Dallas Woman’s Club contributed to the community by organizing free clinics, offering diphtheria and polio vaccines to children in Paulding and raising money for student scholarships and school fundraising events. Crowe says that many of the original members were teachers so, naturally, they were very active in the schools. “They started a school lunch program, and one of the women from our club ended up being recruited into Washington, D.C., to head it up,” she says.
Crowe is also the committee chair of the 1921 Project, which aims to raise funds to restore the clubhouse and rebuild its membership, which had dwindled down to seven members by 2023. She explains that a grassroots recruitment campaign on social media sites has already brought that number back up to 108.
“We want to restore the clubhouse so we can start having meetings and so we can open it as a venue,” Crowe says. Another goal is to create a small museum in the clubhouse. “We want to show the other historic properties that you don’t have to close. We can restore and be a destination for our local community,” she says, adding that Mayor James Kelly is really excited about the 1921 Project.
Crowe says that she is invigorated by the progress made in less than two years. “A lot of this reminds me very much of the original 1920s club because, just like back then, Paulding women today are getting excited about their community again.” 
