In the coming year, business leaders will face a daunting barrage of challenges if they expect to help Georgia grow and raise their profit margins, the state's top business executive said Wednesday.

Chris Clark, president of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, told business leaders from Southwest Georgia Wednesday that he believes the biggest concern for them heading into the second half of the year and moving on into 2014 will be K-12 education, civil justice reform and healthcare.

Clark got specific on those three key issues emphasizing increased engagement and cooperation of business leaders with government and social leaders as one way the business community could spark change.

Regarding education, Clark said that the current funding formula needed to be retooled, given that the state's $7.5 billion investment in education had netted the 45th highest graduation rate, the 36th best rate of four-year college completion and the 41st-best 8th grade math scores.

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