Gwinnett County | Modern-Day Melting Pot
Gwinnett County is one of the 10 most diverse counties in the country, according to the U.S.…
Author: Jennifer Hafer
Augusta | Richmond County: From Obstacles to Opportunity
Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson woke up at 3:47 a.m. on Sept. 27 and found his neighborhood unrecognizable. Hurricane Helene’s high winds and historic flooding had…
Columbus | Muscogee: A Region Revived
Here’s the short version of the story of Columbus: It’s a former mill town that…
Perimeter Area: Revitalized Region
It was nearly a decade in the making, but the massive reconfiguration of the interchange at Interstate 285 and…
South Metro Atlanta | Region on the Rise
From its humble beginnings as an abandoned racetrack just south of downtown to its title run as the world’s busiest airport for 25 out of the last 26 years, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport continues to be the heartbeat of South…
Southwest Georgia: Working in Harmony
Southwest Georgia has long been known for the production of pecans, peanuts and cotton, and the tremendous contribution of its agricultural industry to the economic success of Georgia. But new and perhaps unexpected things are happening here, too. [caption id="attachment_71185"…
North Fulton: The Place to Be
Each of North Fulton County’s six cities – Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell and Sandy Springs – has unique characteristics that define them, from horse country to high tech. Some communities are established, some are emerging. But municipalities…
Albany | Dougherty County: Living the Good Life
Good things are happening in the Good Life City. Conversations leading to consensus among community stakeholders across Albany and Dougherty County are creating transformational change throughout the region as city and county leaders increase economic development opportunities, expand quality of…
Columbus | Muscogee County: Sports, Housing, Attractions
Big things are happening in Columbus. From headline-making baseball news that will create a “mini-Truist Park” in the city to a major industrial expansion and the complete reimagination of a museum, Columbus’ spot on the state map is turning into…
Douglas | Coffee County: Percolating with Promise
The city of Douglas may be 45 miles from the nearest interstate highway, but the county seat of Coffee County is home to major industry that continues to expand locally, and the retail sector is booming. …
Franklin County | Leveraging Growth
Franklin County in Northeast Georgia is a place of natural beauty and abundant history – a promising backdrop for a new era of opportunity. The county is home to two state parks, covering a combined 895 acres and offering fishing,…
Cobb County | Consistently Winning
If Cobb County had a theme song, DJ Khaled’s “All I Do is Win” certainly comes to mind as a contender. New industry continues to choose Cobb, existing industry is expanding, tourism remains a key economic driver, and new residents…
Dalton | Whitfield County: Manufacturing, Housing and Revitalization
You won’t find tall office towers crammed with workers in cubicles in Dalton or Whitfield County –…
Augusta | Richmond County: More than the Masters
While Augusta is probably best known as home of the Masters Tournament, it was also the childhood home of iconic soul singer James Brown and home of the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon. However, these highlights…
Jackson County: Tidal Wave of Growth
Nick Geiman, the newly elected mayor of Pendergrass, compares the tidal wave of growth headed out I-85 into Jackson County to a river: You can adjust how a river flows and in which direction, but you can’t stop it from…
Columbus Muscogee County: A Variety of Attractions
Located on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, Georgia’s second-largest city – encompassing 224 square miles – has long depended on the river to drive commerce. Once a port city, Columbus was a center of textile manufacturing in the early…
Barrow County: Checking All the Boxes
The story of Barrow County today is not so much about what’s…
South Metro Atlanta: Friendly Competition
Cooperate or compete? In the South Metro region, that’s not a choice the counties have to make, thanks to a spirit of “coopertition.” That’s a way to describe cooperative competition, and it’s a new way of doing business on the…
Lake Oconee Region: Lakeside Quality of Life
There is a spot on I-20 East where a sometimes harrowing, white-knuckle drive out of Atlanta becomes palpably serene. From the untamed woodlands and the bucolic pastures on either side of the interstate to the bridges crossing over Lake Oconee…
Cherokee County: Location of Choice
Cherokee is like that commercial – we’re not your grandmother’s Buick anymore,” Cherokee County Office of Economic Development (COED) President Misti Martin declared during the 2022 State of the County presentation last January. Repeatedly recognized as one of the fastest…
Our State: Cobb County
Even in unprecedented times, leaders across Cobb County are adapting and innovating to ensure those who live in, work in and visit Georgia’s third-largest county can enjoy family-friendly neighborhoods, unique entertainment venues, a sense of community and a thriving business…
Southwest Georgia: Working Together
Collaboration and innovation are driving big changes in Southwest Georgia. From regional marketing efforts to community-based problem solving, economic development leaders are working together to make the region a desired destination for businesses, residents and visitors alike. What makes the…
Railfan Festival in Cordele Nov. 11
While many locals in small towns across Georgia complain about the delays caused by trains crossing the railroad tracks in their downtowns, the city of Cordele has embraced its rail history. In doing so, it is welcoming people from allover…
Cordele | Crisp County: Broadening Bragging Rights
Cordele is known as the Watermelon Capital of the World, but it is broadening its bragging rights. Growth in the residential sector, expanding commercial and industrial activity and a rise in tourism attractions are all contributing to the South Georgia…
North Fulton County: A New Day
In many ways, it’s a new day in North Fulton County. New mayors took office in Roswell, Milton and Johns Creek in January. And for Alpharetta and Mountain Park, changes are coming that look to the future yet keep some…
Gwinnett County: Finding the Sweet Spot
Nick Masino recalls a time when the chair of the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners was given the moniker “The Sultan of Sprawl” for promoting rapid growth that spawned subdivisions, strip malls and congestion. Fast forward 30 years, and the…
Albany | Dougherty County: Capturing Opportunities
Albany and Dougherty County have had more than their fair share of challenges in recent years (straight-line wind events, a tornado, a hurricane and being Ground Zero for the COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia). However, residents and businesses in this Southwest…
Carrollton | Carroll County: Unparalleled Growth
Brisk economic development is transforming Carroll County. As with any growth, it brings both opportunities and challenges for local governments, businesses and residents.. Managing the growth hurtling west out I-20 toward Carrollton and its six sister cities and retaining the…
Columbus | Muscogee County: Continued Momentum
You may think you know Columbus and Muscogee County, but then again, Georgia’s second-largest city may surprise you. Despite being the hometown of major corporations like Aflac, TSYS, Synovus and W.C. Bradley Co., not to mention Fort Benning, for years…
Perimeter Area: Strong Rebound
Creating city centers, connecting trails and green spaces and courting corporate headquarters – these are a few of the Perimeter area’s favorite things. Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Brookhaven are all undergoing a major shift in how suburban areas like those…
South Metro Atlanta: Writing a New Script
The South Metro Atlanta region was perhaps destined to become an industrial hub. It is home to the world’s busiest airport and has access to four interstates and two major railroads. But the six counties that make up the region…
Douglas County: Huge Wins
Once the epitome of a 19th century “New South” town, with its railroad, cotton mill, hotel, bank and a commercial district, Douglasville and Douglas County are today attracting 21st century bragging rights and billions of dollars in investment from the…
Cumming | Forsyth County: Bragging Rights
As Muhammad Ali once said, “It’s not bragging if you can back it up.” When Kevin Tanner declares Forsyth County “the best place in Georgia to live and work,” the county manager quickly goes about listing all the reasons why:…
Cobb County | Marietta: Something for Everyone
Once the epitome of suburbia, Cobb County is no longer a quiet ’burb – just ask any baseball fan who packed the Battery this past fall. Today the county hosts the headquarters of several global companies; is home to the…
South Fulton County: Changing the Narrative
When your corner of the county is home to the world’s second-busiest airport and is crisscrossed by most of the major interstates in Metro Atlanta, it makes sense that industries like distribution, fulfillment centers and hospitality would dominate the landscape.…
Dalton | Whitfield County: Manufacturers Welcome
Willkommen! For those whose high school German is a little rusty, that’s German for “welcome.” And with open arms Dalton and Whitfield County are welcoming German auto parts manufacturer GEDIA to town. “They are building a new facility in Dalton…
Recovering, Reopening and Ramping Up
More than 18 months after the pandemic shut down businesses across the nation as well as in Atlanta, the region’s community improvement districts (CIDs) are forging ahead, funding and implementing plans to improve mobility, safety and sense of place while…
Making a Difference
Somewhat surprisingly, it was business as usual for Cobb County’s three community improvement districts (CIDs) last year. “If anything it was busier from a logistics perspective,” says Tracy Rathbone Styf, executive director of the Town Center CID. “We worked remotely,…
Economic First Responders
Hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires – it’s not uncommon for businesses to have contingency plans in place for disasters like these. But a pandemic? Turns out, banks were prepared for that, too. “Contingency plans are required by the regulators. They’re updated annually,…
Community Investment: Georgia County Excellence Awards
Last year presented a number of challenges for county governments – from helping keep citizens healthy and fed to tackling issues like diversity and inclusion. The 2021 Georgia County Excellence Awards are presented this year for projects in five counties…
2021 Economic Yearbook: Businesses Bounce Back
What a difference a year makes. Last April, the state was under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With employees and customers staying home, compounded by the difficulty of moving raw materials and finished products throughout a world reeling from…
2021 Economic Yearbook: Southeast
Even in the shadow of a global pandemic, you can find some good economic news. In Southeast Georgia, most industry was deemed essential and avoided last year’s shutdowns, while the skyrocketing growth in e-commerce presented opportunities for the state’s ports…
Georgia Trend’s 2020 40 Under 40
It’s been 24 years since Georgia Trend’s inaugural 40 Under 40, and each year the winners continue to leave us awed and inspired. That’s especially true during this troubling year, as many in this group of young leaders are working…
New Hope for Cancer Patients
Cancer. It’s perhaps one of the most feared words in the English language. A cancer diagnosis can be devastating to patients and their families, but in Georgia there is new hope in the fight against the state’s second leading cause…
2020 Economic Yearbook: Northeast Georgia
If economic development was a poker game, the Northeast Georgia region would be holding a royal flush. From its abundant natural beauty and plentiful recreational opportunities to its proximity to I-20 and Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the region has…
2020 Economic Yearbook
Georgia Goes GLOBAL. As the home of a powerful transportation and logistics network that includes the busiest airport in the world, booming deepwater ports and an interstate system to connect them to each other and the rest of the country,…
2019 40 Under 40
It’s been 23 years since Georgia Trend’s inaugural 40 Under 40, and each year the winners continue to leave us awed and inspired. That’s no different with this year’s group of young leaders, who while representing the nonprofit, healthcare and…
2019 Economic Yearbook
These days, workforce development is one of the most important business issues around the state. Local leaders all point to the challenges of ensuring a well-trained workforce, both today and in the future. The 2019 Economic Yearbook takes a look…
EY – Southwest
Into every life a little rain must fall, as the saying goes, but when that rain comes in the form of a Category 3 hurricane named Michael, the results are devastating. Michael roared into Southwest Georgia packing 115 mph winds…
Taking Off
Everyone knows, or should know, that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest airport, with nearly 104 million passengers through its gates in 2017. A lesser-known fact may be that the Atlanta airport is just one piece of Georgia’s…
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