November 2019 Features

• HCA Healthcare's South Atlantic Division and Mercer University School of Medicine Sign Academic Partnership

  November 22, 2019

  Mercer University School of Medicine and HCA Healthcare’s South Atlantic Division will celebrate the signing of an academic partnership agreement. Through the agreement, Mercer will work closely with HCA Healthcare’s graduate medical education programs at Memorial Health (Savannah), Coliseum Medical Centers (Macon, GA), Trident Medical Center (Charleston, SC) and Orange Park Medical Center (Jacksonville, FL).

• Homelessness: Where Does Georgia Rank?

  November 22, 2019

  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development delivers an annual estimate to Congress of homeless people in the country. And based on the latest estimates from the federal government, there were 552,830 people experiencing homelessness across the United States in January 2018. This is based on the latest HUD study — which provides a snapshot of homelessness across the country on a single night.

• Sen. Isakson Honored for Lasting Impact on Georgia’s Economy, Business Community

  November 21, 2019

  A new video and a recent Atlanta Business Chronicle article highlight the legacy and impact of U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., on Georgia’s economy as the longtime businessman prepares to leave the Senate on Dec. 31.

• 2020 Election: Both Parties Look at “the Numbers”

  November 21, 2019

  With another Democratic party presidential debate being held this week at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, focus naturally turns to Georgia and its importance in the 2020 election cycle. Is Georgia a “swing state” up for grabs? Both parties are “doing the math” after looking at turnout numbers to answer that question.

• Debate Stage Symbolizes State Policy That's Working

  November 20, 2019

  As Democratic presidential candidates on Wednesday debate in Atlanta, they’ll do so on a studio soundstage that is one of many built in the state since the introduction of Georgia’s film tax credit.

• Secretary Raffensperger Encourages Georgians To Support Small Business This Holiday Season

  November 20, 2019

  As families join together to celebrate Thanksgiving and the start of the 2019 holiday season, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger encourages Georgia to support small businesses.

• Kia Motors Celebrates Decade of Manufacturing in Georgia

  November 20, 2019

  Kia Motors Corporation celebrated its 10th anniversary of vehicle production in West Point, Georgia, U.S.A. The facility, named Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG), was the company’s first manufacturing hub to open in North America. It has so far helped create more than 15,000 local jobs and produced more than three million vehicles.

• Governor Brian Kemp: Our Plan to Make Health Insurance Accessible, Affordable in Georgia

  November 19, 2019

  Georgia is experiencing historic job growth and unmatched economic opportunity in every corner of the state. Participation in the job market is at record highs, unemployment recently dropped to a twenty-year low, and we were named the “#1 State for Business” for the seventh year in a row. But even with rising wages and 30,000 new private sector jobs this year alone, far too many hardworking Georgians struggle to access and afford health insurance coverage.

• Student Success at the Heart of Georgia Southern Five-year Plan

  November 15, 2019

  After a yearlong effort, with multi-stakeholder collaboration across three campuses and various communities, Georgia Southern University has fully implemented a new strategic plan focusing on impact and culture. The plan articulates the university’s mission and vision, defines its core values, and establishes clear, measurable goals to meet its objectives.

• United Way of the Coastal Empire Receives $2.4M from Top Companies

  November 15, 2019

  United Way of the Coastal Empire received a major donation from top companies and their employees, putting the organization at 92 percent or $7,497,734 toward its $8.15 million fundraising goal. Colonial Group, Georgia Ports Authority, and Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, collectively announced giving $2,438,540 to United Way.

• Greater Women’s Business Council Recognizes 10 Companies Committed to the Advancement of Women-Owned Businesses at 2019 LACE Awards

  November 15, 2019

  The Greater Women’s Business Council (GWBC), the largest provider of certification and development resources for women business enterprises (WBEs) in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, hosted its annual LACE (Ladies Achieving Continuous Excellence) Awards Gala on Nov. 8 at the St. Regis hotel in Atlanta.

• Georgia Power Ranked #1 in Segment by J.D. Power for Business Customer Satisfaction

  November 14, 2019

  For the second year in a row, Georgia Power has been ranked number one for business customer satisfaction among Large Utilities in the South by J.D. Power in its 2019 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study.

• Ted Williams, Warren Buffett & a Secret to Your Company’s Community Impact

  November 13, 2019

  One of goBeyondProfit's founding members was asked to serve on a panel of CEOs discussing best practices in Community Impact. Panelist Keith Reynolds Jennings kindly agreed to share his insights here for Georgia readers.

• University System of Georgia Enrollment Increases to Record High

  November 13, 2019

  The headcount enrollment for the 26 institutions of the University System of Georgia in Fall 2019 was 333,507, representing an increase of 1.5 percent (4,795 students) over the Fall 2018 enrollment of 328,712, according to USG’s Fall 2019 Semester Enrollment Report.

• Junior Achievement of Georgia-Coastal Region Honors 2019 Laureates at 20th Savannah Business Hall of Fame

  November 11, 2019

  On Thursday, November 7, 2019, Junior Achievement of Georgia-Coastal Region celebrated the 20th anniversary of JA’s Savannah Business Hall of Fame. Presented by Colonial Group, Inc., the event was attended by more than 500 business and civic leaders and honored two of Savannah’s most outstanding citizens: Sterling Seacrest Partners Director of Community Development Cliff McCurry and WTOC Director of Creative Services Craig Harney.

• President Jimmy Carter Honored as 2019 Distinguished Conservationist at 26th Annual ecoBenefête

  November 11, 2019

  The Georgia Conservancy honored Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as its 2019 Distinguished Conservationist at the Atlanta History Center on November 7th. The Distinguished Conservationist Award, bestowed at that Conservancy’s annual gala, ecoBenefête, recognizes President Carter’s profound and lasting impact on the conservation and protection of Georgia’s natural resources.

• Georgia Receives Top Business Ranking for Record-Breaking Seventh Straight Year

  November 07, 2019

  Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Georgia’s business climate has been named No. 1 in the nation by Site Selection Magazine, an internationally circulated business publication covering corporate real estate and economic development, for the seventh year in a row. Georgia is the only state that has received the distinction seven consecutive times in the history of Site Selection’s rankings.

• Bill Would Eliminate Taxes from Military Retirements

  November 07, 2019

  A group of Georgia state representatives are hoping to remove income tax from military retirements. One of the co-signers of HB-7 is newcomer Rep. Philip Singleton (R-Sharpsburg) who was sworn in as the newest state representative for Newnan’s District 71 less than a month ago. At his swearing in ceremony he announced his plans to form the House Veteran Caucus.

• For S&P 500 CEOs, Stock Awards Now Comprise More Than 50% of Total Compensation

  November 06, 2019

  A new report reveals that stock awards, which include restricted stock and performance-based shares, represented a record portion of CEO compensation in 2018. For S&P 500 CEOs, stock awards alone exceeded 50 percent for the first time. Moreover, they climbed to a record of nearly 40 percent for those in the Russell 3000.

• Delta Increases Service between Atlanta, Key Regional Airports throughout Georgia

  November 05, 2019

  Delta is deepening its investment in communities throughout its hometown state of Georgia with more flying from Albany, Brunswick, Columbus and Valdosta to the airline's Atlanta hub. Each market will see one additional daily frequency to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport beginning next spring, increasing seat capacity to and from these Georgia communities by 35 percent in 2020.

• Sen. Isakson Highlights Georgia Projects in Senate-Passed Federal Funding Measure

  November 04, 2019

  U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., applauded the Senate passage of H.R.3055, which includes important funding for agriculture, transportation and other Georgia priorities, while urging colleagues to end obstruction tactics to advance funding for other measures including for veterans, health care, water projects and national security.

• Expert Panelists Share Knowledge on Hiring Veterans & Expanding Workforce at Georgia Tech-Savannah’s Learners & Leaders Breakfast Series

  November 01, 2019

  Georgia Tech-Savannah is set to host a “Learners and Leaders” breakfast series on Thursday, November 21st about the benefits of hiring veterans and how you, as an employer, can help them find meaningful work. Attendees will learn, from a panel of experts, what it takes to expand their workforce, and where to start when looking to hire veterans.

• Governor Kemp Announces "Georgia Access" Health Waiver

  November 01, 2019

  Governor Brian P. Kemp joined members of the General Assembly and business leaders to unveil Georgia Access - a Section 1332 state relief and empowerment waiver to the Affordable Care Act.