Features

• Georgia Chamber CEO Chris Clark: Understanding Georgia's Labor Shortage Crisis

  September 07, 2021

  It's no secret. Our nation is facing a labor shortage crisis unlike anything we have ever seen. COVID-19 has shifted the way we approach our jobs and how we prioritize our lives. Just this week, Commissioner Mark Butler shared that despite a 300% increase in those who gained employment in July over June of this year, businesses are still struggling to find workers.

• Georgia’s Recovery Outpaces U.S. But Is Not Immune to Global Supply Chain Disruptions

  September 07, 2021

  Georgia’s recovery from the 2020 pandemic shutdown remains ahead of the nation’s, but further disruptions of the global supply chain could be felt from the port of Savannah to the boardrooms of Atlanta, according to Rajeev Dhawan of the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

• Georgia to be Among First States to Add Driver's Licenses, IDs to iPhones

  September 02, 2021

  Apple today announced that it is working with several states across the country, which will roll out the ability for their residents to seamlessly and securely add their driver’s license or state ID to Wallet on their iPhone and Apple Watch.

• Gov. Kemp Suspends Restrictions on Hours of Service, Truck Weight

  September 01, 2021

  Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended enforcement of federal limits on hours of service for commercial vehicle operators in Georgia. He also loosened weight restrictions for trucks on Georgia highways.

• Small Business Job Growth Continues to Accelerate in August

  September 01, 2021

  National job growth continued to rise significantly in August, according to aggregated payroll data of approximately 350,000 clients provided by Paychex. The data released in the latest report of the Paychex | IHS Markit Small Business Employment Watch shows the Small Business Jobs Index gained 0.45 percent in August.

• Workful to Present Software Integrations to Improve Business Processes at Third Thursday Business Builder

  August 30, 2021

  On September 16th, join the Augusta Metro Chamber and Dennis O'Keefe of Workful for a Third Thursday Business Builder presentation on the value of using software to integrate business processes.

• 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).

• Augusta Sees a Drop in Unemployment Rate & Increase in Employed in July

  August 27, 2021

  Georgia Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Thursday that Augusta saw a decrease in the unemployment rate over the month as the number of employed rose over 300 in July.

• 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.

• United Way of the CSRA Announces 2021 Campaign Goal

  August 26, 2021

  Although United Way’s in person campaign kickoff event was cancelled this year, the organization is still setting an ambitious goal and asking for the community’s support. Last year, United Way of the CSRA raised $2,190,000 to help support 40 programs at 27 different non-profits in our region. This year, United Way is setting a goal to raise $2,300,000 to help meet the continued evolving needs in our community.

• 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.

• 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.

• Doc’s Porchside is Now Open in Grovetown & Augusta

  August 20, 2021

  The new Doc’s Porchside, a casual dining restaurant featuring a variety of American dishes and barbecue favorites, is now open in Grovetown and Augusta.

• 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

• 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.

• Augusta University and Augusta Technical College Kick Off Pathway Program for Cyber Students

  August 18, 2021

  Augusta University and Augusta Technical College celebrated a new Cybersecurity to Information Technology Pathway program today at the Georgia Cyber Center. This program allows students in ATC’s Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity a pathway into AU’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.

• 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.

• Transforming Our Community Summit: From Adversity to Resilience September 23rd

  August 12, 2021

  As a community, we are confronted daily with complex problems that require work across agencies to achieve practical solutions. Often, there are conflicting ideas and a lack of understanding at the root of these problems and how to fix them.

• 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.

• Georgia Power to Upgrade Medical District Electrical System

  August 04, 2021

  Georgia Power is investing $55 million into modernizing its network underground distribution system serving portions of the Downtown Augusta Medical District, including service to Augusta University and AU Medical Center.

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