October 2023 Features

• Georgia Power's 2023 Integrated Resource Plan Update Supports Georgia's Extraordinary Economic Growth

  October 30, 2023

  Georgia Power filed an update to its Integrated Resource Plan that sets forth a flexible, comprehensive plan to support the state's extraordinary economic growth and continue providing clean, safe, reliable, and affordable power for customers.

• Federal Judge Tosses Georgia Redistricting Maps; Governor Calls Special Session

  October 27, 2023

  A federal judge Thursday rejected both the congressional and legislative redistricting maps Georgia’s Republican-controlled General Assembly drew two years ago and ordered new maps prepared in time for next year’s elections.

• goBeyondProfit CEO Interviews: Richard Simms, CEO of Tyrannosaurus Tech

  October 27, 2023

  Tyrannosaurus Tech’s whimsical brand displays their earnest intention to be a bridge into the mysterious world of technology development. When Richard Simms and Carlos Gonzalez founded Tyrannosaurus Tech, they were laser-focused on survival, yet they quickly realized that they wanted to build a company that fulfilled a larger purpose.

• Technical College System of Georgia Celebrates Graduation of Inaugural Cohort from Senior Leadership Academy

  October 26, 2023

  The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) is proud to announce the successful completion of its first cohort of the Senior Leadership Academy, a transformative professional development program aimed at advancing careers within TCSG and its 22 colleges.

• Georgia Council for the Arts Awards Grant Funding to 87 Organizations

  October 25, 2023

  Georgia Council for the Arts, a strategic arm of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, announced the recipients of fiscal year 2024 Vibrant Communities and Cultural Facilities grant awards.

• goBeyondProfit CEO Interviews: Colin Connolly, President and CEO of Cousins Properties

  October 20, 2023

  In part 2 of our interview with Colin Connolly, President and CEO of Cousins Properties, we explored their historic involvement with the East Lake Community as well as their more recent efforts to pay their civic rent in Atlanta.

• Ag Chris Carr Highlights Efforts to Fight Cybercrime During Cybersecurity Awareness Month

  October 19, 2023

  Attorney General Chris Carr is recognizing the month of October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month by highlighting his office’s continued efforts to investigate and prosecute cyber-enabled crime through the work of his Prosecution Division and the Georgia Cyber Fraud Task Force.

• Georgia Sees Slight Increase in September Unemployment Rate

  October 19, 2023

  Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson announced today that Georgia's September unemployment rate increased to 3.4 percent, up one-tenth from a revised 3.3 percent in August. The unemployment rate was four-tenths lower than the national average.

• CEO Confidence Dips in Q4

  October 18, 2023

  The Conference Board Measure of CEO Confidence in collaboration with The Business Council fell to 46 in Q4 2023, down from 48 in the third quarter. The Measure remained below a reading of 50, which indicates that CEOs maintain a cautious outlook regarding what's ahead for the economy.

• Fox Awards $500,000 for 12 Historic Georgia Theatres, Celebrating Fox Theatre Institute’s 15th Year

  October 17, 2023

  The Fox Theatre is delighted to announce 12 grant recipients for the current fiscal year, totaling $500,000 in financial support. These grants will be funded in three categories: Historic Preservation, Technical Assistance and Services and Urgent/Emergency Needs.

• TCSG Names College and Career Academy of the Year, CCA Student of the Year, & CCA Business Partner of the Year

  October 16, 2023

  The Technical College System of Georgia is pleased to announce that Newton County College and Career Academy has been awarded the prestigious title of "College and Career Academy of the Year" for 2023.

• UGA Captures Economic Impact of Georgia Agriculture

  October 16, 2023

  If you’ve ever driven down a rural road lined with fields of cotton plants festooned with fluffy bolls and wondered how much cotton is grown in your county, forget Google — the University of Georgia’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development has what you need.

• Georgia Ports Authority President: GPA ‘All-In’ on Building Best Gateway for U.S. Supply Chains

  October 13, 2023

  Georgia Ports Authority leaders presented an update on the port’s $1.9B master plan and infrastructure investments at the Savannah State of the Port event yesterday. The capacity crowd of 1,200 included state and local political leaders, GPA customers, maritime/logistics industry executives, investors, developers and supply chain partners.

• goBeyondProfit CEO Interviews: Colin Connolly, President, & CEO of Cousins Properties

  October 13, 2023

  In a recent conversation with President and CEO, Colin Connolly, we discussed the practical application of a corporate philosophy, their recent effort to pay their civic rent here in Atlanta and how concepts like ESG are merely the latest label for an on-going commitment to good governance and positive impacts in the lives of people and the planet.

• Atlanta Primed to Become U.S. Soccer Capital Ahead of 2026 World Cup

  October 12, 2023

  The U.S. Soccer Federation plans to build its first-ever national training center in Atlanta, placing the city at the center of its efforts to advance the sport across the country.

• Georgia Students Record Another All-time-high Graduation Rate

  October 11, 2023

  Georgia's high-school seniors recorded another historic graduation rate in 2023. The four-year graduation rate rose to 84.4% -- up from 84.1% in 2022, and an all-time high since the state began using the adjusted cohort calculation first required to be calculated in 2011 by federal law.

• Deloitte: Holiday Retail Sales Expected to Increase Between 3.5% to 4.6%

  October 11, 2023

  Holiday retail sales are likely to increase between 3.5% and 4.6% in 2023, according to Deloitte's annual holiday retail forecast. Overall, Deloitte's retail and consumer products practice projects holiday sales will total $1.54 to $1.56 trillion during the November to January timeframe. In 2022, holiday sales grew by 7.6% in the same period.

• WGTC Partners with Development Authority of LaGrange for Inaugural West Georgia Manufacturing Day

  October 10, 2023

  West Georgia Technical College hosted the inaugural West Georgia Manufacturing Day at its LaGrange Campus on October 6th. The event was created in partnership with the Development Authority of LaGrange in an effort to expose the next generation to modern manufacturing careers.

• GaDOE and Georgia Chamber Partner on Rural Workforce Efforts

  October 10, 2023

  GaDOE, in partnership with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Foundation through the Georgia Chamber's Center for Rural Prosperity, will award $3 million in grants to rural districts for projects designed to increase workforce readiness.

• Georgia Quick Start Named No.1 Workforce Training Program in the U.S.

  October 06, 2023

  Georgia Quick Start, a division of the Technical College System of Georgia, has once again been voted the number one workforce training program in the U.S., according to a survey conducted by Area Development magazine, a trade publication for professional site locators.

• goBeyondProfit CEO Interviews: Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Founder & CEO of Goodr

  October 06, 2023

  In part 2 of our conversation with goBeyondProfit Champion Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Founder and CEO of Goodr, we explore the implementation of a people-first strategy in her business that allowed her to infuse dignity into not only her business, but into the lives of those they serve.

• Georgia Chamber Foundation Releases Rural Georgia Economic Report

  October 05, 2023

  On Tuesday, the Georgia Chamber Foundation, the state’s most influential economic research organization, announced the release of its Third Quarter Economic Report at the Rural Prosperity Summit in Athens, GA. The report contains a collection of data on the status of the rural Georgia economy and projections for the growth of the state’s 122 rural counties.

• Georgia No. 1 State for Business for 10th Consecutive Year

  October 04, 2023

  Governor Brian Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, announced that the state achieved an unprecedented milestone: a full decade of business excellence, earning the rank of No. 1 state for business from Area Development magazine for 10 consecutive years. No other state in the nation has achieved this benchmark.

• ACE Holds Annual Awards Reception to Celebrate 23 Years of Service and Support to Georgia Small Businesses

  October 04, 2023

  ACE | Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs celebrated its Annual Awards Reception on September 28th at The Carlyle Venue in Atlanta, highlighting the power, strength and resilience of small businesses in Georgia.

• Innovating Georgia’s Workforce Pipeline Conference Will Address Industry Workforce Needs

  October 03, 2023

  Employers, educators, and community and government leaders will gather at the University of Georgia in November to learn the latest strategies and resources for addressing talent development needs and building long-term workforce pipelines across the state.