July 2021 Features

• Georgia Earns Back-to-Back No. 1 Tech Hub Rankings

  July 30, 2021

  For the second consecutive year, Business Facilities magazine has named Georgia’s capital city of Atlanta the No. 1 Tech Hub spot. The momentum the state is experiencing, particularly in tech, is no accident and can be attributed to several factors.

• Georgia Power Announces Revised Schedule, Cost Forecast for Vogtle Units 3 & 4

  July 30, 2021

  Georgia Power announced a revised schedule and cost forecast for the Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear expansion project, resulting from productivity challenges and additional time for testing and quality assurance. The company currently projects a Unit 3 in-service date in the second quarter of 2022 and a Unit 4 in-service date in the first quarter of 2023.

• ‘How Do We Welcome Our Team Back?’ Georgia-Based Companies Solidify Return-To-Work Plans

  July 29, 2021

  Do you want to keep working from home, or are you the type who thrives in the office setting? And how should companies accommodate workers after the pandemic upended everything we once knew about the workplace?

• Albany Technical College Internships in Place for Fall 2021 at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany

  July 28, 2021

  A Memorandum of Agreement between Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany and Albany Technical College (ATC) was established in February of this year to provide students with paid internship opportunities starting this spring and continuing through the fall 2021.

• Port of Savannah Moves 5M TEUs in FY2021

  July 28, 2021

  For the first time in its history, the Port of Savannah has moved 5.3 million twenty-foot equivalent container units, growing cargo volumes by 20 percent in FY2021, or nearly 900,000 TEUs compared to the previous year.

• Delta Fuels Georgia's Post-Pandemic Economic Growth

  July 27, 2021

  With travel on the rebound, Delta has announced the hiring of 2,216 Georgians since January 1 to join the ranks of the now nearly 30,000 who work for Delta in the state of Georgia. These talented professionals have been hired to work in career jobs across Delta's business in Reservations and Customer Care, Airport Customer Service and Cargo, Flight Operations and Tech Ops.

• Georgia's Medical Cannabis Commission Closer to Helping Patients in Need

  July 26, 2021

  The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission announced during their public hearing on Saturday, the Notice of Intent to Award six Class 1 and Class 2 Production Licenses to manufacture low-THC cannabis oil for medical use in Georgia. Sixty-nine applicants submitted competitive proposals and have undergone a fair and rigorous selection process.

• Nearly Half of Employers Plan to Increase Corporate Gifting Frequency Post Pandemic

  July 26, 2021

  Corporate gifting is on the rise as nearly fifty percent of businesses say they intend to increase the frequency of their gift giving post COVID-19, according to a new corporate gifting survey from Coresight Research commissioned by GiftNow, a Synchrony solution.

• AAA Survey: Traveler Confidence Soars; 75% Of Georgians Are More Comfortable Traveling Now

  July 23, 2021

  Traveler confidence is soaring, according to a new AAA Travel survey, fielded in late June. According to the data, three-quarters of Georgians (75%) feel more comfortable traveling now than they did three months ago.

• Georgia Film Records Blockbuster Year

  July 22, 2021

  The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced today that the film industry recorded a blockbuster year in Georgia. During fiscal year 2021, the film and television industry set a new record with $4 billion in direct spending on productions in the state.

• Congressman Bishop Directs $7.2M to Albany-Area projects to Revitalize, Expand, & Build Community Spaces

  July 21, 2021

  Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) successfully directed $7.2 million to Albany-area projects in this year’s Fiscal Year 2022 Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

• University System of Georgia State Economic Impact Grows to $18.6 Billion

  July 21, 2021

  In fiscal year 2020, the University System of Georgia (USG) served as a significant source of stability and played a critical role in the state’s recovery with an $18.6 billion statewide economic impact. USG’s impact grew 0.6 percent over fiscal year 2019. The system directly and indirectly generated 155,010 jobs.

• Georgia Lottery Annual Profits for HOPE, Pre-K Soar to a Record $1.54B

  July 20, 2021

  The Georgia Lottery Corp. today announced its most successful year ever with historic profits generated for Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K programs. The Georgia Lottery raised a record $1,544,954,000 in profits for fiscal year 2021, bringing the total transferred to the State Treasury’s Lottery for Education Account since inception to more than $23.8 billion.

• Delta to Add Airbus, Boeing Aircraft to Fleet Amid Travel Demand Recovery

  July 14, 2021

  Delta has entered into agreements to add 29 used Boeing 737-900ERs and lease seven used Airbus A350-900s as it continues to streamline and modernize its fleet. The 36 additional aircraft will improve fuel efficiency and enhance the customer experience, while supporting Delta’s fleet renewal strategy focused on simplification, scale, size and sustainability.

• Georgia’s Sizzle Reel Puts Spotlight on Community, Economic Benefits of Industry

  July 13, 2021

  Between the increase in streaming platforms and theaters around the country reopening to bring cinema fans back to the big screen, TV and movie entertainment is continuing an unprecedented run.

• Small Business Employment Gains Continue, Especially in Leisure and Hospitality

  July 12, 2021

  Despite the competitive hiring environment, small business employment growth grew 0.26 percent in June, according to aggregated payroll data of approximately 350,000 clients provided by Paychex.

• Dr. Anthony Parker: The Relevance of Technical Colleges in the Post Pandemic Era

  July 08, 2021

  In 2020, during the worse days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, many of us were concerned about a sluggish economic recovery or even a recession. To date, we are fortunate that the initial recovery has been robust. We are grateful to see our friends and neighbors return to work and are relieved to see the help wanted signs. I’m an optimist. Sometimes however, there is a cloud that accompanies the silver lining.

• Georgia Council for the Arts Awards More Than $2M in Grant Funding to Support Arts Throughout Georgia

  July 08, 2021

  The Georgia Council for the Arts, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), today announced the recipients of its Bridge, Project, and Arts Education grants as part of its initial disbursement of grants for fiscal year 2022. A total of 266 grants were awarded that will provide more than $2 million in funding towards arts initiatives throughout the state.

• Georgia Historical Society Elects David Abney, Mark Burns, & Robert Jepson to Board of Curators

  July 08, 2021

  The Georgia Historical Society has announced that David Abney (Atlanta) and Mark Burns (Savannah) have recently been elected to the GHS Board of Curators and that Chairman Emeritus Robert S. Jepson, Jr. (Savannah) will be returning to the Board.

• Woodgrain Manufacturing Expanding Operations in Lee County, Creating 150 Jobs

  July 01, 2021

  Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Woodgrain, the largest industrial employer in Lee County, Georgia, will invest $10 million in expanding their Woodgrain Millwork manufacturing operations. This expansion in Leesburg will create 150 additional jobs in southwest Georgia.

• ReGenerate Completes Acquisition of 50 MW Biomass Energy Facility in Albany

  July 01, 2021

  ReGenerate Energy Holdings, LLC, the recently formed joint venture between Ember Infrastructure and ReEnergy Biomass Operations LLC, has completed the acquisition of Albany Green Energy, a biomass heat-and-power facility located in Albany, Georgia, from a subsidiary of Exelon Generation Company LLC.