Hundreds of metro Atlanta’s business and civic leaders gathered today for the Metro Atlanta Chamber’s 164^th Annual Meeting, an event that showcased the region’s 2023 business community’s impact across three strategic imperatives – economy, talent and community. Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) leadership also highlighted priorities for 2024 and reaffirmed the business community’s commitment to attracting and retaining the workforce of tomorrow. 

“Talent is top of mind across this 29-county region, the state and the country, and it’s a key priority that will allow us to accelerate our economy and community,” said Katie Kirkpatrick, MAC’s president and CEO. “That is why this year, we leaned into our strengths – convening, collaborating and connecting – to better empower the talent across metro Atlanta.”

Kirkpatrick spoke to metro Atlanta’s cleantech advantage, InnovATL, public safety and Georgia’s decade-long #1 state for business ranking.

She also previewed a dynamic new brand for metro Atlanta, designed to attract and retain talent to the region. Atlanta Where You Belong will launch in 2024 with a campaign featuring real talent from metro Atlanta companies.

“With our new brand platform, we’re showing the world’s top talent that Atlanta is where they belong,” added Kirkpatrick.

MAC’s leadership also detailed this year’s collaborative work to ensure the long-term growth and development of the region’s talent supply, including: 

• Releasing the 2023 Talent Supply Report, a comprehensive study of the supply and demand for skilled talent across Georgia; 

• Launching the ATL Talent Collaborative, a collective of 22 senior HR executives convened to pinpoint the region’s three most critical unfilled job functions and work with education partners to develop sustainable pipelines into those roles, including data science, software development and warehouse and logistics; and 

• Reviving MAC’s two signature programs for the region’s emerging talent, ATLeaders and ATL Interns After 5.

In addition, MAC thanked its outgoing 2023 board chair, Genuine Parts Company Chairman and CEO Paul Donahue, and welcomed 2024 board chair, Southern Company President and CEO Chris Womack.

“To maintain a competitive advantage in the new economy, we need to continue to invest in our community and in our people,” said Womack. “We must ensure that we are developing and training all parts of our region. One of the appeals of metro Atlanta is its diverse talent pool. Our commitment is to unleash the full potential of the talent within our community and region.”