May 2023 Features

• Two Choate Savannah Projects Earn Historic Preservation Awards

  May 31, 2023

  Choate Construction Company is honored to announce two significant projects have earned Historic Preservation Awards, presented by the Historic Savannah Foundation.

• Blue Bird Celebrates Grand Opening of Electric Vehicle Build-up Center in Fort Valley

  May 31, 2023

  Blue Bird Corporation celebrated the grand opening of its Electric Vehicle Build-up Center on the grounds of the company’s main U.S. manufacturing plant in Fort Valley. The opening marks an important milestone as the company continues to expand its electric school bus production capacity from 4 to 20 vehicles a day.

• Hyundai and LG Plan $4.3 Billion Battery Plant in Savannah

  May 30, 2023

  LG Energy Solution (LGES) and Hyundai Motor Group announced an EV battery cell manufacturing joint venture in the U.S. The facility will be in Savannah adjacent to Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, currently under construction.

• Vogtle Unit 3 Reaches 100% Energy Output for 1st Time

  May 30, 2023

  Georgia Power announced Monday Vogtle Unit 3 has safely reached 100 percent power, marking a major milestone towards commercial operation and service for customers. This milestone marks the maximum energy the unit is licensed to produce in the reactor core and is the first time the unit has reached its expected output.

• Mark Wilcox of Sterling Seacrest Pritchard: The Importance of a Corporate Giving Plan

  May 25, 2023

  The Savannah area is brimming with incredible not-for-profit organizations that deserve both our monetary donations and volunteer time. As a company, Sterling Seacrest Pritchard has always been deeply committed to supporting community events and playing an active role in local organizations as board members, volunteers, and philanthropists. But we've also learned that creating a strategy around philanthropy and multi-generational participation is essential for making a lasting impact.

• AAA: 1.3M Georgians Expected to Travel Memorial Day Weekend

  May 25, 2023

  AAA Travel expects there will be a significant number of Georgians planning to travel this Memorial Day holiday weekend.

• PSC Commissioner Tim Echols: Cleaner Air is Not Free

  May 25, 2023

  Electricity generation is no longer the leading source of carbon emissions in our state, this according to Drawdown Georgia, a group of scientists and researchers from multiple universities led by Georgia Tech’s Dr. Marilyn Brown.

• Georgia Ports Authority Board Elects New Officers

  May 24, 2023

  The Georgia Ports Authority board has elected new officers for the coming fiscal year. Starting July 1st, Kent Fountain will serve as chairman, Alec Poitevint as vice chairman, and Chris Womack as secretary-treasurer.

• SBAC Hosts Free Business Workshops Featuring Five Local Industry Experts

  May 24, 2023

  The Small Business Assistance Corporation is inviting small businesses to attend a series of free business educational workshops. The workshop will feature participants in their Service Provider Program.

• Jekyll Island Authority Board Selects New Executive Director

  May 24, 2023

  The Jekyll Island Authority Board of Directors has selected Mark Williams to serve as the new Executive Director of the JIA, succeeding current Executive Director Jones Hooks, who will retire June 30th. Williams is the current Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and a JIA Board member.

• TEDxSavannah to Host 12th Annual Event on Thursday, Featuring 15 Local Speakers, After Party & More

  May 23, 2023

  TEDxSavannah, an independently organized, half-day celebration of ideas worth spreading based on the international TED talk phenomenon, will host its highly anticipated 12th Annual TEDxSavannah event on Thursday, May 25, 2023 from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Fine Arts Auditorium at Georgia Southern University’s Armstrong Campus, located at 11935 Abercorn St.

• Visionaries of the Year Campaign Raises $864,902 for LLS in Savannah

  May 23, 2023

  The Visionaries of the Year campaign wrapped up last week with a Grand Finale Celebration at the Savannah Convention Center. The event celebrated the hard work of local business leaders and their teams.

• Vinson Institute Creates Workforce Planning Guide to Help Communities Tackle Challenges

  May 23, 2023

  Experts at the University of Georgia’s Vinson Institute of Government have partnered with Georgia Power to provide communities across the state with a comprehensive and accessible resource to address the growth opportunities provided by new industries.

• Gen Z Surpasses Baby Boomers in Small Business Workforce Participation

  May 23, 2023

  According to a new report from Paychex, Inc., Generation Z (born 1997-2012) participation in the small business workforce has surpassed Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) and is the only segment in the labor market showing growth.

• Leadership Southeast Georgia 2023 Program Continues in Bulloch and Screven Counties

  May 22, 2023

  Leadership Southeast Georgia, a professional development and leadership program throughout 10 coastal counties, continued its 2023 programming in Bulloch and Screven counties.

• Plant Riverside District to Host “Savannah Salutes” Memorial Day Weekend Celebration

  May 22, 2023

  Plant Riverside District will host the 2023 “Savannah Salutes” Memorial Day Celebration from Friday through Monday. This family-friendly event, which is free and open to the public, will take place along Savannah’s historic riverfront.

• Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia to Open New Four-year Campus at Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern University in Savannah

  May 19, 2023

  Georgia’s only public medical school has received funding approval to open a new four-year campus in Savannah, an expansion that will provide greater access to education and training for medical students and ease the state’s ongoing shortage of physicians.

• 2023 GLOBE Awards Celebrate Georgia Exporters Across Diverse Industries

  May 19, 2023

  The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced 27 Georgia business recipients of the 2023 GLOBE Award. Managed by the Department’s International Trade team, this state-led awards program highlights Georgia companies that expanded sales to new international markets in the previous year.

• Governor Kemp Announces $225M in Grant Awards for Georgia Communities

  May 19, 2023

  Governor Brian Kemp announced preliminary grant awards totaling more than $225 million for 142 qualified projects that improve neighborhood assets like parks, recreation facilities, sidewalks, and healthy food access in communities all across the state disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Grand Opening of West Chatham YMCA Celebrates Transformation into Modern Wellness Center

  May 18, 2023

  The YMCA of Coastal Georgia proudly reopened the West Chatham YMCA in Pooler, after undergoing major renovations specifically redesigned to meet the changing fitness and social interaction practices of today. The modern wellness center includes state-of-the-art equipment, innovative programming and a community-centered atmosphere.

• Georgia's Legal Community Provides 3.2M Meals to State’s Regional Food Banks

  May 17, 2023

  Attorney General Chris Carr announced that attorneys across Georgia raised a total of $829,239 during the 12th Annual Georgia Legal Food Frenzy fundraising competition. This is the equivalent of 3.2 million meals for the state’s regional food banks to then distribute to Georgia children, seniors and families in need.

• AAA: Georgian's Summer Travel Surging

  May 17, 2023

  If you haven’t booked your summer travel plans yet, AAA says you better do it soon. The Auto Club Group is seeing very strong bookings for cruises, tours, hotels, and flights.

• Downtown Neighborhood Association Announces 2023 Community Grant Award Recipients

  May 16, 2023

  Activities such as distributing food and offering aid to those in need, financing educational and sports programs for young people, tackling the problem of domestic violence, and promoting the preservation of Savannah's cultural heritage. These are just some of the activities that the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Savannah is supporting with its 2023 Community Partner Grant Program.

• Secretary Raffensperger Builds Coalition of Influential State and Community Leaders to Take on Licensing Reform

  May 16, 2023

  Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is announcing the creation of the GA WORKS Licensing Commission. The commission seeks to evaluate the Professional Licensing Board’s future ability to meet the demands of a rapidly growing Georgia workforce, and pay specific attention to the regulatory burdens that impact the agency’s ability to get Georgians to work quickly and efficiently.

• Approximately 4,200 Degrees Conferred during Georgia Southern’s 2023 Spring Commencement Ceremonies

  May 15, 2023

  Approximately 4,200 graduates from Georgia Southern University’s Statesboro, Armstrong and Liberty campuses received associate, baccalaureate, masters, specialist and doctoral degrees in five Spring 2023 Commencement ceremonies.