October 2018 Features

• Will Bentley Named President of the Georgia Agribusiness Council

  October 31, 2018

  GAC is pleased to announce that Will Bentley has agreed to become the President of the Georgia Agribusiness Council effective November 1st.

• Corporate Giving Increased for a Third Consecutive Year, Up 15% Since 2015

  October 31, 2018

  In the largest, most robust, industry-leading and internationally-recognized research of corporate social investment, CECP: The CEO Force for Good, in association with The Conference Board, found in their annual Giving in Numbers: 2018 Edition report that leading corporations are intensifying efforts to meet key societal needs around the world.

• Governor Deal to Call for Special Legislative Session Due to Hurricane Michael

  October 23, 2018

  Gov. Nathan Deal today notified House Speaker David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle that he plans to call for a special legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. The special session is set to convene on Tuesday, November 13th.

• SBA Small Business Lending Momentum Continues in FY18

  October 19, 2018

  The U.S. Small Business Administration announced FY18 lending numbers showing that it guaranteed over $30 billion to small businesses that otherwise would not have had access to capital.

• Georgia Unemployment Rates Set Record in September

  October 18, 2018

  Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that the state’s unemployment rate dipped in September to 3.7 percent, a number not reached since May 2001. At the same time, Georgia continued to set records for jobs and employed residents, Butler said.

• UPS’s New Atlanta Super Hub Showcases Next Generation Operating Facility

  October 18, 2018

  UPS announced the grand opening of its second largest ground package processing facility in the United States and fourth largest package operation in its worldwide network. The Atlanta hub will process approximately 100,000 parcels per hour via a highly orchestrated series of conveyors, chutes, belts and ramps, into waiting trailers for transfer to another UPS location, or into package delivery vehicles bound for area businesses and residents

• Plant Scherer Transforms into NASA for First Man, featuring Ryan Gosling

  October 17, 2018

  Hollywood and Georgia Power collide for the creation of an Oscar-contending film from Universal Pictures. The film, First Man, based on the book by James Hansen, is a biopic of Neil Armstrong’s journey to become the first man to walk on the moon in 1969.

• Aflac: Employers are Hiring - Job Satisfaction is Growing - Workers More Satisfied with Workplace Benefits

  October 17, 2018

  After seeing American workers' job satisfaction dip in 2017, there is strong evidence that both workers and their employers have renewed feelings of workplace optimism and satisfaction. However, despite many reasons to be positive, employees and employers continue to have health care financial concerns.

• Georgia’s Manufacturing Sector “Flying High” at 2018 Summit

  October 16, 2018

  The status of general manufacturing in Georgia is “Flying High” as exemplified by the theme, keynote speakers, panel members, and award winners at the 2018 Georgia Manufacturing Summit held last week at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta. Specifically, the state leads the U.S. in aerospace manufacturing.

• Governor Deal Honors Contributors in Arts and Humanities

  October 16, 2018

  Gov. Nathan Deal and First Lady Sandra Deal announced the recipients of the seventh annual Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities. The awards were presented in partnership with the Georgia Council for the Arts and Georgia Humanities.

• Autonomy, Workforce Development Drive "Forward Momentum” Theme at Southern Automotive Conference

  October 15, 2018

  Autonomous vehicle technology and industry workforce development drove the “Forward Momentum” theme that spotlighted the 11th Annual Southern Automotive Conference last week at the Cobb Galleria Center.

• First Lady Sandra Deal Completes 900th School Visit

  October 15, 2018

  First Lady Sandra Deal visited Rowland Elementary School in Stone Mountain, marking her 900th school visit since Gov. Nathan Deal took office in 2011.

• FICO and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Release First U.S. Cybersecurity Assessment

  October 15, 2018

  Seventh Annual Cybersecurity Summit -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and FICO released the first national cybersecurity assessment at the Chamber's Seventh Annual Cybersecurity Summit. The U.S. Chamber's Assessment of Business Cybersecurity, powered by the FICO Cyber Risk Score, measures the cybersecurity risk of the entire business community and risk across key sectors.

• Governor Deal Expands State of Emergency to include 108 Counties

  October 11, 2018

  Acting on a recommendation from the state's Emergency Operations Command, Gov. Nathan Deal expanded the emergency declaration to an additional 16 counties. The state of emergency now includes 108 counties in Georgia.

• Georgia Shatters All-Time Voter Registration Record

  October 11, 2018

  Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced that Georgia has shattered the all-time voter registration record with over 6,915,000 active and inactive voters on the rolls. Kemp expects the total number to break 7,000,000 voters at any moment as counties continue to process forms received by yesterday's deadline.

• First Cybersecurity Engineering Program in Georgia Coming to Augusta University

  October 10, 2018

  A new bachelor of science in cybersecurity engineering is coming to Augusta University in the fall 2019 after the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia approved the proposal Tuesday afternoon.

• Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Set To Participate In Washington, D.C. Fly-In

  October 10, 2018

  A delegation of business leaders representing the Aiken, Augusta, Columbia County and North Augusta chambers of commerce will participate in the 2018 CSRA Leadership Fly-In to Washington, D.C., on October 9th -11th.

• Governor Deal Declares State of Emergency ahead of Hurricane Michael

  October 10, 2018

  Based on the latest forecast for Hurricane Michael and acting on a recommendation from Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency officials, Gov. Nathan Deal issued an emergency declaration for 92 Georgia counties.

• AG Chris Carr Puts Scammers and Price Gougers on Notice in Preparation for Hurricane Michael

  October 10, 2018

  Attorney General Chris Carr is warning consumers to be on the lookout for scams and possible price gouging as Hurricane Michael approaches the Gulf Coast.

• Augusta Regional Airport’s STEM Program Soars to New Heights with Aviation Pathway Establishment & Second Annual Paper Plane Contest

  October 09, 2018

  Augusta Regional Airport takes pride in providing opportunities for youth in the CSRA to learn more about the Aviation Industry. Through the continued partnership with the Richmond County School System and its dedicated staff, the 2018-2019 RCBOE School Year now offers the State of Georgia’s Aviation Pathway Curriculum.

• American Airlines Offering Direct Flight from Augusta Regional Airport to Dallas

  October 03, 2018

  Augusta Regional Airport is pleased to announce daily direct, non-stop, service to the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport beginning March 3, 2019. The Community can begin booking these flights as early as October 8, 2018.

• Former British Prime Minister David Cameron in Atlanta to Headline P20 Conference

  October 03, 2018

  P20, the transatlantic payments initiative, will host its second annual conference in Atlanta on October 9th and 10th. This year’s conference will bring together the world’s most influential leaders in payments technology, top U.S., U.K. and Canadian government officials and regulators to discuss the future of the global payments industry. Former British Prime Minister David Cameron will be the featured speaker.

• Amazon Raises Minimum Wage to $15 for All U.S. Employees

  October 03, 2018

  Amazon announced it is increasing its minimum wage to $15 for all full-time, part-time, temporary - including those hired by agencies, and seasonal employees across the U.S.—effective November 1st. The new Amazon $15 minimum wage will benefit more than 250,000 Amazon employees, as well as over 100,000 seasonal employees who will be hired at Amazon sites across the country this holiday.

• AG Chris Carr Encourages Georgians to Participate in Cybersecurity Awareness Month

  October 02, 2018

  Attorney General Chris Carr is urging Georgia consumers, businesses, non- profits, government institutions and religious institutions to learn more about cybersecurity during Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October.

• Public Launch of All In Augusta – An Economic Development Campaign

  October 01, 2018

  All In Augusta is an economic development initiative seeking to enhance and accelerate community and tourism development through private and public investment. All In Augusta is led by the Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) alongside more than 50 local, corporate, and community leaders, as well as elected officials.