December 2022 Features

• Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor JDA Announces Workforce Study and Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Savannah Region

  December 21, 2022

  On Tuesday, the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority (Savannah JDA) in partnership with existing industries announces that they have tapped Wadley Donovan Gutshaw Consulting, LLC to conduct a Regional Workforce Study and Comprehensive Strategic Plan.

• Creative Coast Announces 2023 GRIT Conference Panels & Volunteer Opportunities

  December 21, 2022

  GRIT, Savannah’s premier innovation conference, is gearing up for an exciting event on January 26-28, 2023 at the Savannah Cultural Arts Center. The two-day event will highlight innovators and thought leaders from diverse industries across the city and beyond.

• AT&T Names Venessa Harrison President, Southeast Coastal States

  December 21, 2022

  AT&T has appointed Venessa Harrison to the position of President, Southeast Coastal States, where she will lead the company’s strategy, policy and corporate affairs activities, as well as guide governmental and community policy decisions in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

• Georgia Lottery Reaches Milestone $25B Generated for Education in Georgia

  December 21, 2022

  Governor Brian P. Kemp is excited to announce the Georgia Lottery Corp. has raised $25 billion for education in the State of Georgia since its inception in 1993. These funds have allowed thousands of Georgians to receive essential early learning and provided the opportunity for higher education through the HOPE Scholarship.

• Georgia Southern’s Economic Monitor Q3 Reports Regional Economy Continued to Grow at More Sustainable Pace, will Avoid Notable Downturn in 2023

  December 20, 2022

  Georgia Southern University’s latest Economic Monitor, which reflects Q3 2022, reports Savannah metro economy continued to grow, albeit at a slower and more sustainable pace.

• SAV’s Kelly Named AXN Director of the Year, Small Airports Division

  December 20, 2022

  Gregory Kelly, Executive Director of the Savannah Airport Commission has been selected as Director of the Year, Small Airports Division, by Airport Experience News. Kelly has been with the Savannah Airport Commission for nearly his entire career. He joined the organization in 1989 was named executive director in 2014.

• Apprenticeships Open Doors for Georgia’s Future Workforce

  December 20, 2022

  Georgia is proactive in educating the workforce of the future and is proving its commitment by investing in apprenticeship programs so more Georgians can enter the workforce prepared for success.

• Georgia Department of Education Announces 2023 Priorities

  December 19, 2022

  The Georgia Department of Education is announcing its 2023 priorities, which will guide its work during the 2023 legislative session and beyond.

• Cities Connect: The Truth About Georgia’s Widening Urban-Rural Divide

  December 16, 2022

  In this episode of Cities Connect, we speak with Charles Hayslett, an award-winning journalist, speechwriter and public relations counselor, about the costs and consequences of Georgia’s widening urban-rural divide.

• goBeyondProfit CEO Interview: Enrique Alvarez, Co-Founder of Vector Global Logistics

  December 16, 2022

  In part 2 of our conversation with goBeyondProfit Champion Enrique Alvarez, Co-Founder of Vector Global Logistics, we explore the case for this purpose-based culture and how it made Vector Global Logistics more resilient throughout a global health and supply chain crisis.

• Georgia Is the 11th Fastest-Growing State in the U.S.

  December 15, 2022

  The world population recently passed 8 billion, just 11 years after reaching 7 billion. But across the globe, more countries are experiencing slowing or declining rates of population growth. The U.S. and Georgia are no exception.

• TEDxSavannah 2023 Set for May 25th at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus

  December 14, 2022

  Tickets for TEDxSavannah are currently on sale at tedxsavannah.com. The 12th anniversary event will take place on Thursday, May 25th at the Fine Arts Auditorium at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus.

• Global Beauty Company KISS USA to Create 395 New Jobs in Bryan County

  December 14, 2022

  Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that KISS USA, a global beauty company, will create more than 395 new jobs and invest $121 million in a facility in Bryan County.

• Savannah Regional Film Commission Hires Executive Director

  December 14, 2022

  The Savannah Regional Film Commission, an AFCI certified Film Commission, announced that Erin Fraser has been named the new SRFC Executive Director. She will begin in the position on January 3rd.

• AAA Forecasts Record-Setting 3.5 Million Georgians To Travel for Year-End Holidays

  December 14, 2022

  Tis the season to travel, and AAA estimates over 3.5 million Georgians will journey 50 miles or more away from home, December 23rd to January 2nd. That’s an increase of almost 113,000 people over last year and a new record-high for the year-end holiday travel period in Georgia.

• Five Business Owner Observations Heading into 2023

  December 13, 2022

  Business owners are feeling optimistic about their business in 2023, amid economic concerns. Most notably, business owners are confident their own business operations can withstand an economic downturn but don't expect relief from current economic challenges in the near future, according to data from a new Agency Forward survey from Nationwide.

• D.J. Powers Company Inc. and Russell A. Farrow Inc. Announce Partnership

  December 12, 2022

  D.J. Powers is one of Georgia's first freight forwarders and customs brokerage firms, as well as one of the fastest growing logistics companies in the state. Headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, since 1930, D.J. Powers operates eight U.S. offices and four overseas offices in Rotterdam, Ningbo, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, along with a network of over 175 affiliated offices worldwide.

• Small Business Assistance Corporation Wraps Up 2022 with Annual Luncheon and Awards Ceremony

  December 12, 2022

  The Small Business Assistance Corporation (SBAC) recently held its annual luncheon, where it acknowledged the organization’s 2022 successes, announced its 2023 board of directors and honored the winners of its four yearly awards.

• Georgia Economic Outlook: State is in for a Mild, Short Recession

  December 12, 2022

  While Georgia’s economy made a near-record recovery from the COVID-19 recession in 2022, tighter monetary policy and energy price shocks will likely trigger a mild and brief economic slowdown in 2023.

• Investing in Georgia Today for the Economy of Tomorrow

  December 09, 2022

  In 2019, McKinsey marked the 40th anniversary of its Atlanta office with a report on the state of Georgia’s growth prospects. The three years since the report’s publication have brought massive economic, geopolitical, and societal shifts that have changed the trajectory of the state and the nation. In this report, we revisit the original question of Georgia’s growth potential in the years to come.

• Inaugural Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grant Recipients Announced

  December 09, 2022

  Five Georgia-based family foundations today announce the awarding of inaugural Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grants in support of efforts that advance climate solutions and prioritize equity in Georgia.

• goBeyondProfit CEO Interviews: Enrique Alvarez, Co-Founder of Vector Global Logistics

  December 09, 2022

  Vector Global Logistics, and its Co-Founder and Managing Director Enrique Alvarez, were recently awarded the goBeyondProfit Champion award for their dedication to leveraging logistics to change the world. Everything from the phone in your hand to the pens you use has some element of logistics involved in it, which is why Vector believes they are uniquely situated for meaningful impact.

• GRIT Announces First Keynotes & Call for Startup Stage Contestants

  December 08, 2022

  The Creative Coast’s innovation conference brings together the best and brightest entrepreneurs, technologists, makers, creatives, leaders, and change agents in the region. Formerly called Geekend, the 2023 event is returning after a two-year hiatus as GRIT, and will include exciting keynote presentations, panels, and access to new ideas and people to spark attendees’ momentum.

• Gov. Kemp: Hyundai Motor Group & SK On To Build EV Battery Facility

  December 08, 2022

  Governor Brian Kemp today announced that Hyundai Motor Group and SK On have selected a site in Bartow County for a new electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility that will supply Hyundai Motor Group’s plants in the U.S. One of the largest economic development projects in state history, stakeholders estimate it will create more than 3,500 new jobs through approximately $4-5 billion of investment in Bartow County.

• Tripadvisor's Year in Review: Unpacking All the Good in 2022

  December 08, 2022

  With borders open and flight routes reinstated (almost) all over the world, this year will forever be known as the great travel reboot. In 2022, travelers learned how to travel again — exploring new terrain, rediscovering favorite places, and making the most of long layovers.