Georgia Department of Economic Development received a Silver Excellence in Economic Development Award for its 2012 project in the category of Regionalism & Cross-Border Collaboration for communities with populations greater than 500,000 from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC).

The honor was presented at an awards ceremony on Tuesday, October 8, during the IEDC Annual Conference, which was held October 6-9, in Philadelphia, Penn.

“The Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize Georgia Department of Economic Development as being one of the leading organizations in the industry for innovation, creativity and successful strategies,” said IEDC chair, Paul Krutko. “These awards are meant to honor the organizations and individuals who are dedicated to making a positive change in their communities. This organization uses creative solutions and inventive ideas, and offers other regions a wonderful example to learn and benefit from. The award represents an acknowledgment and appreciation for Georgia Department of Economic Development’s dedication to continuous growth within itself, as well as improving the industry overall.”

On April 19, 2012, the state of Georgia announced that Baxter International Inc. had selected Georgia for a $1.3 billion bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing investment that would create approximately 1,800 jobs. On August 1, 2012 the company broke ground on the 1 million-plus-square-foot facility. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm and lead agency for attracting new business investment planning, and mobilizing state resources for economic development.
Baxter embarked upon a global search for the right location, and its eventual selection of Georgia demonstrates the collaborative efforts of the Department, community partners and the incredible life science ecosystem that spans the value chain. Georgia’s life sciences industry and university research, plus the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have a $23 billion annual economic impact on Georgia and employ more than 105,000 people.

Leading life science and HIT companies in Georgia include Allscripts - American Red Cross Biomedical Services – Baxter – Dendreon – Ethicon - GE Healthcare - Greenway Medical Technologies – Immucor - McKesson Technology Solutions – Merial - Philips Healthcare – and UCB Inc.

IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year’s most influential leaders. These awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities.