July 2020 Features

• CareSource Foundation & MAC Announce Recipients of $180,000 RESTORE ATL Fund, Supporting Black-Owned, Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses

  July 31, 2020

  The Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) announced 24 recipients of the RESTORE ATL Fund, in partnership with the CareSource Foundation. The Fund, totaling $180,000, will support Black-owned, small and medium-sized businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Announces New Grant Funding to Support Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

  July 31, 2020

  Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms today announced the upcoming launch of the Resurgence Grant Fund, a new program to help Atlanta small businesses recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Georgia Pays Out Over $11 Billion in Unemployment Benefits

  July 31, 2020

  The Georgia Department of Labor announced today it has paid out more than $11 billion in state and federal unemployment benefits since the middle of March. These payments include regular state unemployment insurance, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, and State Extended Benefits.

• The Kessler Collection Debuts $375 Million Redevelopment Creating Savannah's New Entertainment District

  July 31, 2020

  The Kessler Collection's Plant Riverside District – the largest redevelopment in the history of Savannah's National Historic Landmark District – has officially opened as "Savannah's Entertainment District," a $375 million project expanding the city's iconic riverfront to a 4.5-acre waterfront hospitality and entertainment destination, anchored by the 419-room JW Marriott Savannah hotel.

• Survey: CEOs See Less Globalization, More Flexible Workforces, Broadened Corporate Missions in COVID-19’s Aftermath

  July 31, 2020

  According to a new global survey, CEOs and C-Suite executives think COVID-19’s fallout will result in leaner and more agile companies. Businesses will likely emerge from this pandemic using more contract workers and fewer permanent staff, and business travel will be reduced in favor of more videoconferencing.

• Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott Donates $20M Gift to Morehouse College

  July 30, 2020

  Author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has contributed a $20 million gift to Morehouse College. The gift is part of Scott’s generous donation to 116 nonprofits driving positive change in the country, including six HBCUs.

• Grady Health System's New Advanced Surgery Center Named for Pete Correll

  July 30, 2020

  Grady Health System announced today that its largest new facility in recent history will be named the Correll Pavilion in honor of A. D. 'Pete' Correll, chair emeritus of Georgia-Pacific and civic leader, whose efforts more than ten years go helped secure Grady's financial stability.

• Georgia Ranked No. 1 in Film Production by Business Facilities Magazine

  July 30, 2020

  On the heels of the news that multiple Georgia-lensed productions have received nearly 50 total 2020 Emmy Award nominations, Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Georgia has been ranked the No. 1 Film Production Leader by Business Facilities Magazine and prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic, was on pace for another record-setting year.

• Metro Atlanta Chamber Launches Recruiting Initiative to Attract Tech-Savvy Poll Workers

  July 29, 2020

  The Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) kicked off a targeted initiative aimed at attracting new poll workers for the upcoming November general election.

• Georgia Power Smart Neighborhood Recognized by SEPA for Innovation, Research and Collaboration

  July 29, 2020

  Georgia Power’s Smart Neighborhood Initiative has been recognized by the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) as part of its annual awards that celebrate innovation and collaboration of utilities, industry players and individuals shaping the future of energy.

• Corsica Technologies: What Is Digital Transformation?

  July 29, 2020

  Digital transformation refers to the process of transforming business operations using digital technology. Digital Transformation is about changing the way a business interacts internally and with its customers and creating a process that ensures a consistent experience in a more efficient way. Digitizing business isn’t the same as digitally transforming a business. Moving a process or an activity from paper to a computer only changes the means of doing the task.

• ‘Delta Again Comes Out on Top’ in The Points Guy's Top 10 Airlines Rankings

  July 28, 2020

  Delta earned the top spot among domestic carriers in the TPG 2020 Best Airlines Report that ranked airlines based on how they’ve been supporting customers since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis.

• Purple Innovation Plans to Invest $21M in Henry Co. Manufacturing Facility, Create 360 Jobs

  July 28, 2020

  Governor Brian P. Kemp announced that Purple Innovation, Inc., the comfort technology company known for creating the Purple® Mattress, has selected Henry County for their third U.S. manufacturing facility. Purple plans to make a $21 million investment in this 520,000-square-foot facility, delivering 360 jobs to the area.

• Georgia Ports Sets Tonnage Record for FY2020

  July 28, 2020

  The Port of Savannah handled 4.44 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in Fiscal Year 2020, down less than 1 percent compared to the previous year. Despite COVID-19 disruptions, total tons crossing all GPA docks reached a record 37.77 million.

• Institute Helps Develop Key Tools for Georgia’s Broadband Mapping Project

  July 28, 2020

  Georgia’s new interactive maps of broadband internet availability utilize online tools the Institute of Government developed with state agencies and private service providers.

• MarketNsight Reports Despite COVID-19, New Home Sales Surge Across Southeast

  July 27, 2020

  MarketNsight reports May and June pending new home sales were up 30% over 2019 sales and, so far, July is averaging more than 30% over last year. Even as COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases continue to rise, homebuyers are buying in unprecedented numbers.

• Chris Clark: The Call for Rural Resiliency

  July 27, 2020

  My Fitzgerald roots ground me and millions of other small-town Americans to a strong work ethic, value of family, and a deep-rooted faith. We believe in community and helping each other through the tough times. And we celebrate in parades and on back porches when things are good. Of course, those occasions often come from long battles and commitment.

• Corsica Technologies - Business Continuity: More than Back Ups

  July 27, 2020

  Business Continuity for many organizations ends with the implementation of one solution – a system backup. There are many types of system backups including file-based or imaged based, onsite, or offsite, daily or hourly. And system backups are a major factor in the success of a business’s recovery, but it is not the only component.

• Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Hosts Small Business Recovery Tele-town Hall

  July 27, 2020

  Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is pleased to announce his office’s fourth financial recovery tele-town hall titled, Rebuilding & Recovering Financially: A Path to Financial Recovery. The tele-town hall, will provide insight and advice for Georgia small business owners and entrepreneurs who are struggling during the current economic turmoil.

• Georgia State Grad Helps Atlanta’s Minority Communities Build Wealth During Pandemic

  July 27, 2020

  Almost 40 years ago, Anna Foote (B.I.S., ‘83) answered the phone at the reception desk for the Council for Battered Women and found herself plunged into a crisis. The woman at the other end of the line was crying hysterically. She said she was crouched down in a phone booth. Her abusive husband of 30 years had a gun and was trying to kill her.

• Hartsfield-Jackson Named Most Efficient Airport for 17th Consecutive Year

  July 24, 2020

  Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is once again the most efficient airport in the world as determined by the Air Transport Research Society (ATRS). 2020 marks the 17th consecutive year ATL received the society’s top award.

• Film Productions Queuing Up in Georgia

  July 24, 2020

  Since our update earlier this year when the COVID-19 pandemic brought film and television to a virtual standstill, the Georgia Film Office and our partners have been hard at work on countless initiatives to keep our strong film industry in shape and supporting industry professionals and thousands of small businesses that fuel the TV and movie business in Georgia.

• CAP/ADID Town Hall Meeting Featured Community Updates from Atlanta Police Department, Fulton County Board of Health, Others

  July 23, 2020

  Central Atlanta Progress (CAP) and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID) hosted their semi-annual Town Hall in a virtual format this morning. Nearly 200 people, representing a broad cross-section of the community, joined the webinar.

• Atlanta-Based Leading Valuation Expert Releases Book Just in Time As Companies Explore How to Maintain Valuation in 2020

  July 23, 2020

  Zyla Valuation Advisors, LLC, is pleased to announce the release of the third edition of managing director Mark Zyla’s book, “Fair Value Measurement: Practical Guidance and Implementation.” As companies struggle to maintain value in 2020, Zyla, a leading expert on fair value, provides hands-on guidance, the latest best practices, and a practical approach for measuring fair value in financial reporting.

• Registration Open for goBeyondProfit Forum: Creating a New Playbook for Leadership Communications

  July 23, 2020

  Georgia’s goBeyondProfit alliance will host a CEO-level Expert Forum, “Creating a New Playbook for Leadership Communications” via Zoom at 1 p.m. on July 28th.