February 2022 Features

• Coca-Cola UNITED Celebrates Opening of $65 Million Tifton Sales Center

  February 28, 2022

  Tifton Coca-Cola Bottling Company celebrated the grand opening of its new $65 million facility at 22 Lamb Loop in Tifton. The 343,000-square-foot facility, which also includes a warehouse, fleet shop, administrative offices and meeting space, is home to the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment used in the beverage industry – a benefit to both associates and customers.

• Clinch Memorial Hospital Announces Affiliation with South Georgia Medical Center

  February 25, 2022

  Advancing the intent to provide high-quality and value-based care, Clinch Memorial Hospital announces a partnership with South Georgia Medical Center to strengthen the quality and delivery of health care for patients in Clinch County. SGMC will begin serving as CMH’s network affiliate on March 1st.

• Georgia Center of Innovation: Providing Support Wherever Your Business Needs Us

  February 25, 2022

  At the Georgia Center of Innovation, it’s our mission to help businesses clear the path to innovation and growth by meeting them where they are – providing expert advice, and helping them navigate resources tailored to the needs they are facing.

• Port of Savannah to Grow Capacity by 60%

  February 25, 2022

  At Savannah State of the Port, Griff Lynch, Georgia Ports Authority’s executive director, unveiled plans to expand the port’s container capacity by 60 percent. The enhancements will bring the Port of Savannah’s annual capacity from 6 million twenty-foot equivalent container units to 9.5 million TEUs by 2025.

• Wild Adventures Announces 2022 Concerts & Special Events

  February 25, 2022

  Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta announced its 2022 All-Star Concert and Special Events lineup Thursday, revealing a schedule that includes performances from award-winning stars and a season full of engaging, family-centered events.

• Georgia Chamber Announces Release of Annual Rural Renaissance Report

  February 24, 2022

  The Georgia Chamber of Commerce announces the release of the 2022 Rural Renaissance Report following a meeting of the Rural Prosperity Council in Tifton. The report is part of continued efforts to elevate Georgia's 140 rural counties through recommendations highlighting strategies and innovative solutions.

• Announcing the Recipients of the 2022 Georgia Titan 100

  February 23, 2022

  Titan CEO and headline sponsor Wipfli LLP are pleased to announce the 2022 Georgia Titan 100. The Titan 100 program recognizes Georgia’s Top 100 CEO’s & C-level executives.

• SGMC Announces Plans for New $125M Tower

  February 22, 2022

  South Georgia Medical Center is moving forward with implementation of Phase I of its long-range master facilities plan approved by the Board of Directors last August. The project is estimated to cost $125 million and includes a new women and infants tower at the main campus.

• Georgia Chamber CEO Chris Clark: Winning the War for Talent: Higher Education

  February 22, 2022

  No other issue so dominates boardroom and shipping docks as the lack of skilled workers. In the next three years Georgia will need to fill 122,000 healthcare positions, 27,000 manufacturing jobs will be open and 13,000 construction workers will be needed.

• Hartsfield-Jackson 2021 Passenger Numbers Nearly Double Prior Year

  February 22, 2022

  Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport announced the release of the 2021 traffic report. According to the report, ATL served more than 75 million passengers in 2021, a significant increase of 76 percent from the 42.9 million passengers served in 2020.

• Small Business Owners are Bullish on 2022 Despite Rising Costs & Staffing Concerns

  February 22, 2022

  UpSwell Marketing, a direct marketing agency specializing in helping small businesses grow their customer base, just released the results of their annual business sentiment survey.

• Georgia Center of Innovation’s AgTech Focus Reaching New Audiences

  February 18, 2022

  The Georgia Center of Innovation’s Director of AgTech Chris Chammoun has been featured multiple times in recent media interviews as this key industry sector experiences growth in the state.

• Georgia Sees Record-Breaking Job Creation From Economic Development Projects in First Half of FY22

  February 17, 2022

  Economic development projects secured in every region of the State of Georgia resulted in record-breaking job creation for the first half of the fiscal year. These 160 locations or expansions supported by GDEcD’s Global Commerce division will result in the creation of nearly 24,400 jobs and $9.8 billion investment in the state.

• Board of Regents Announces Sole Finalist for University System of Georgia Chancellor

  February 16, 2022

  The Board of Regents voted to name former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue the sole finalist for the position of chancellor of the University System of Georgia (USG).

• Georgia Announces Record Year for International Trade

  February 16, 2022

  Governor Brian P. Kemp joined the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in announcing that the State of Georgia achieved a record-breaking year for international trade. In 2021, Georgia’s total trade reached $166.11 billion across 223 countries and territories.

• Governor, First Lady Announce Recipients of Arts & Humanities Awards

  February 14, 2022

  Governor Brian P. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp announced the recipients of the 10th annual Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities to honor outstanding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to Georgia through their work in these fields.

• Great American Cobbler Company Celebrates One Year Since First Store Launch – Now in Over 3,600 Stores Nationwide

  February 11, 2022

  In the summer of 2020, blueberry farmer Russ Goodman and food industry veteran Chris Huff met at a South Georgia truck dealership. Their conversation led to a shared vision: to start a company that would transform Georgia’s plentiful fruit produce into a line of top-quality frozen desserts.

• Georgia Chamber Welcomes Business Prospects for Annual ‘Georgia Quail Hunt’ in Albany

  February 11, 2022

  This week, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce hosts its 33rd annual Georgia Quail Hunt in Albany, as business leaders representing state recruitment and expansion prospects joined local and state economic development officials, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, to learn about the benefits of doing business in Georgia.

• VSU Helps Adel Plan Vibrant Downtown, Thriving Economy

  February 10, 2022

  Valdosta State University recently partnered with the City of Adel to develop a plan that will restore the city’s downtown area to its historic prominence as a center of community activity and pride.

• Construction Education Foundation of Georgia Rebrands As “Construction Ready”

  February 10, 2022

  This week the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA) announced it is expanding its work beyond Georgia, enhancing its services, and changing its name to “Construction Ready.”

• Georgia Saw 56.6% Increase in New Business Applications, 2nd Largest in U.S.

  February 09, 2022

  A recent Federal Reserve Bank study noted that the pandemic caused an additional 200,000 businesses to close their doors last year, with small businesses comprising the bulk of the difference. However, it hasn’t been all bad news for the nation’s small businesses. A real-time survey of business applications conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau offers encouraging results.

• Georgia-Based Nonprofits Announce Transformative Investment to Help Students Overcome Obstacles to Learning

  February 08, 2022

  The Communities In Schools of Georgia state office and independent affiliate Communities In Schools of Atlanta work to ensure every student, regardless of race, zip code, or history of marginalization has what they need to succeed in school and beyond.

• Governor Announces Over $5.6 Million in Grants for Law Enforcement Training Program

  February 07, 2022

  Governor Brian Kemp and Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) Executive Director Jay Neal announced the awards of 46 grants totaling $5,618,762 through the Law Enforcement Training Grant Program.

• Turner Center Hosts Third SCORE Concert of the 2021-2022 Series

  February 03, 2022

  The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts is honored to present Classical Violinist Nathan Meltzer, on Tuesday, February 8, from 7-9pm. The concert takes place in the Turner Center Art Galleries, 527 N. Patterson St., Valdosta.

• Chick-fil-A Holds Onto Top Fast Food Spot in MBLM's Brand Intimacy COVID Study

  February 03, 2022

  The fast food industry maintained its sixth place ranking in the second year of the pandemic according to MBLM's Brand Intimacy COVID Study, which analyzes brands based on emotional connections during the pandemic.