August 2021 Features

  • Hartsfield-Jackson Named Most Efficient Airport for 18th Consecutive Year

    August 30, 2021

    Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), for the 18th consecutive year, has been recognized as the most efficient airport in the world as determined by the Air Transport Research Society (ATRS).

  • Valdosta’s Unemployment Rate at All-Time Low in July

    August 27, 2021

    Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Valdosta registered an all-time low unemployment rate in July as the number of employed rose almost 800.

  • Leadership Georgia Announces 2020-21 Award Recipients

    August 27, 2021

    The Leadership Georgia Board of Trustees today announced the recipients of the organization’s most prestigious awards, presented to Georgians who exemplify the principles of Leadership Georgia and whose impact through leadership and stewardship has helped shaped communities and the state.

  • Improving the Lives of Georgia’s Children and Youth: What’s Next

    August 27, 2021

    Over the past year, GMA has brought you stories of how cities, organizations and individuals are finding ways to support and engage young people in their communities. We’ve also spotlighted issues that affect children and youth – literacy, early childhood development, quality after school care and socio-economic and mental health issues – and how cities are tackling those challenges.

  • Partnership for Inclusive Innovation Announces 2021 Cohort of the Georgia Smart Communities Challenge

    August 26, 2021

    The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (PIN) announced the four communities selected for its 2021 Georgia Smart Communities Challenge (GA Smart), which allows localities across the state to apply for research assistance that empowers them to envision, explore, and plan for a “smart” future.

  • Regional Leadership Program Pivots to Focus on High Priority Needs in South Georgia

    August 25, 2021

    Five years into fostering and developing the leadership capacity of South Georgia, South GeorgiaLEADS (SGL) is hitting pause on its traditional leadership development program to drill down on one of its original objectives—“to work collectively towards creating effective solutions to address significant challenges related to workforce development, education, and economic growth throughout the region.”

  • Valdosta Ranked in Top 10 of U.S. Metros for Job Recovery

    August 25, 2021

    The Valdosta metro area outpaced communities across the U.S. in job recovery. Business Facilities named metro Valdosta in the “Top 10” for positive job growth from February to November 2020, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data.

  • Upcoming SBA Georgia Virtual Events

    August 25, 2021

    The Georgia Office of the Small Business Administration recently announced a number of different virtual events and resources to help you start, grow, expand or recover your business.

  • goBeyondProfit Champion Awarded to Cox Enterprises

    August 23, 2021

    Not only in spite of pandemic upheaval, but partly for how it navigated the storm, goBeyondProfit announced that Cox Enterprises has been awarded as the most recent goBeyondProfit Champion. Cox Enterprise was nominated for how its values-oriented approach has endured for over a century.

  • Georgia Chamber CEO Chris Clark: Economic Prosperity Requires Action on Crime

    August 23, 2021

    A decade ago, businesses shifted their expansion, location, and relocation decisions from a model founded on incentives and infrastructure to one based on access to talent. Vibrant communities, otherwise known as live, work, play, and pray communities, have become the true economic drivers. No longer do workers move to better jobs. Today, better jobs move to workers.

  • VSU Invites Area Businesses, Nonprofits, Civic Groups, More to Register for The Happening 2021

    August 20, 2021

    Valdosta State University will host The Happening 2021 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 26, on the Front Lawn. The Happening is an opportunity for students to have fun in the South Georgia outdoors while learning more about what the university and the surrounding community have to offer them.

  • State Unemployment Rate Drops to Pre-Pandemic Level in July

    August 20, 2021

    The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) announced that Georgia's unemployment rate dropped three-tenths of a percentage point to 3.7 percent in July, mirroring rates seen prior to the pandemic. In March 2020, Georgia’s unemployment rate was 3.6 percent

  • City Partners with Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce to Host Seeds Business University Pop Up Shop Session

    August 19, 2021

    On Tuesday, September 14, 2021, the City of Valdosta in partnership with the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, will host a one-day small business Pop-Up Shop start-up session as part of the Seeds Business University. It is designed specifically for anyone interested in turning their business idea into a reality.

  • Atlanta Fed President and CEO Raphael Bostic to Speak at 2021 American Rural Prosperity Summit

    August 19, 2021

    The Georgia Chamber has announced that Raphael Bostic, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, will be a featured speaker at this year’s American Rural Prosperity Summit being held in Athens, Georgia, October 4th-6th.

  • Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: How Georgia’s Cities are Leveraging Partnerships to Achieve New Heights

    August 16, 2021

    There’s no shame in asking for help, especially when something as important as a city’s future is at stake. Several of Georgia’s cities are setting a new standard for how to utilize partnerships to truly thrive. Here are their stories.

  • State Record-Breaking Jobs & Investment in FY2021

    August 13, 2021

    Governor Brian P. Kemp joined the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) to announce record-setting jobs and investments from economic development projects across the state during fiscal year 2021. Investments increased by 46%, while job creation increased 5% above prior state economic development records.

  • University System of Georgia Reports Another Record in Degrees Awarded

    August 11, 2021

    The University System of Georgia awarded an all-time high of 72,929 degrees in fiscal year 2021, which ended June 30. The 3% annual increase over fiscal year 2020 represented 2,050 more degrees awarded than the previous year, and sets another record for the most degrees awarded in the system’s 90-year history.

  • GeorgiaForward Announces Dalton as Host of 2022 Young Gamechangers Program

    August 10, 2021

    GeorgiaForward is proud to announce the return of its Young Gamechangers program in 2022, with Dalton serving as the Host Community.

  • City of Valdosta Internship Program Offers Hands on Experience for Local Students

    August 05, 2021

    College internships are essential to successful outcomes after graduation. The City of Valdosta offers local students the opportunity to gain valuable skills in their specified areas of study while interning under the guidance of established city employees.

  • Valdosta Regional Airport Utilizes Grant Funding for Facility Improvements

    August 03, 2021

    In March 2020, U.S. lawmakers passed a $2 trillion stimulus bill called the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act to alleviate the impact of an economic downturn set in motion by the global coronavirus pandemic. The Valdosta Regional Airport has utilized funds from the CARES Act and other grants to make necessary updates to their facilities.

  • Small & Midsize Business CEOs' Confidence Continues to Rise Despite Labor Challenges

    August 03, 2021

    Confidence among CEOs in the second quarter of 2021 has risen to its highest level in three years, according to the Vistage CEO Confidence Index, which measures sentiment on various economic and business topics among small and mid-sized business leaders.

  • U.S. SBA Southeast Regional Administrator: The Summer to Recover with SBA

    August 02, 2021

    We all recognize a feeling of comfort and familiarity as the nation opens back up for business. Recovery from the pandemic is underway; but there are many small business owners that are still struggling. During these very hot Summer months, it is a great time to take advantage of recovery programs.