Acknowledging Georgia’s larger cities and counties (Metropolitan Statistical Areas or MSAs) outside of the Metro Atlanta region have their own unique issues and concerns that demand a more coordinated and specific program of work, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce along with the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce, the Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Rome Floyd Chamber of Commerce, the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, and the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce announce the creation of the Hub Chamber Council. The stated goals of this new entity are:

• To provide a platform for Georgia’s non-metro Atlanta MSA chambers to coordinate, identify common needs, develop strategy and policy recommendations.

• To enhance the influence of these chambers at the state capitol and in Washington, D.C.

• To support the long-term economic prosperity and mobility of these vital business hubs.

• To focus specifically on workforce housing, winning the war for talent, building infrastructure of the future, and providing for the fiscal security of the regions.  

Stemming from the successful implementation of the Georgia Chamber Center for Rural Prosperity, which has helped in raising the profile and coordination of rural communities, the Council will be conducted in much the same way focusing on anticipated long term economic and policy issues.

Chris Clark, President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber commented: “This new council will help coordinate federal, state and local policy in these dynamic and growing economic centers. Our hope is that by galvanizing these communities together in one direction it will produce outcomes greater than if their efforts were individualized.”

Yvonne Williams, President & CEO of the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce who was named as the inaugural Chairwoman of the council remarked, “I look forward to all this council will be able to achieve towards a better understanding of how these communities, like ours in Macon, can have their needs met through a coordinated state-wide effort. The Georgia Chamber is uniquely positioned to host this newly formed Hub Chamber Council which will have lasting impact for our Georgia metro communities.”

The participating Chambers of Commerce represent the non-metro MSAs of Albany, Athens, Augusta, Brunswick, Columbus, Dalton, Macon, Rome, Savannah, Valdosta, and Warner Robins.