October 2026 Features

• Cities to Lawmakers: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

  October 22, 2026

  Georgia city officials told the House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Local Government Taxation, Funding and Budgeting on October 21st that property tax changes need to fit very different local budgets and that state lawmakers should consider giving cities more tools instead of new limits.

• Leadership Georgia Announces Class of 2027

  October 21, 2026

  The Leadership Georgia Board of Trustees is proud to announce the participants selected for the organization’s Class of 2027.

• Georgia Chamber CEO Chris Clark: Rural Georgia Must Lead Our Next Chapter

  October 21, 2026

  There is a tendency to talk about Georgia's success as though it simply happened. It didn't. Someone built the Georgia we love, generations who invested in roads and schools and ports, recruited factories to courthouse-square towns, opened businesses, and cared for land they hoped to hand down to their children.

• For Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and His Wife, Joan, This Mission Is Personal

  October 20, 2026

  For Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr and his wife, Joan, the Fostering Success Act Tax Credit is more than a worthwhile cause. It’s personal.

• Majority of Small Business Owners Rely on Their Businesses to Fund Their Future, New Survey Finds

  October 20, 2026

  For many U.S. small business owners, their financial future depends heavily on the businesses they've built, yet new research reveals significant gaps in the planning and preparation needed to support a successful exit.

• Woodruff Arts Center Launches Corporate Campaign Led by Invesco CFO Allison Dukes

  October 19, 2026

  Today, the Woodruff Arts Center—home to the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and High Museum of Art—announced the launch of its 2026-2027 Corporate Campaign, chaired by Allison Dukes, Chief Financial Officer of Invesco. The campaign theme Investing in Community.

• 5th Annual Hamilton-Johnson Legislative & Diplomatic Reception to Convene Atlanta City, State and Diplomatic Leaders

  October 19, 2026

  Atlantic South Group LLC will host the 5th Annual Hamilton-Johnson Legislative & Diplomatic Reception on November 12th at Atlanta City Hall. Presented under the theme “The Power of Partnerships,” this year’s reception will bring together leaders from Atlanta City Hall, the Georgia General Assembly, the diplomatic corps, business, philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, higher education, and the broader civic community for an evening centered on collaboration, public service, and the partnerships that strengthen Atlanta and Georgia.

• Georgia Executives and Employees Agree on AI's Biggest Risk

  October 16, 2026

  The 2026 Business Generosity Report shows that executives and employees agree on surprisingly little about AI except for one crucial aspect. Both groups are equally concerned about the loss of human connection and damage to company culture.

• Georgia Marks Nine Consecutive Months of Record Labor Force and Employment Growth

  October 16, 2026

  The Georgia Department of Labor announced today that Georgia’s labor force and employment smashed records for the ninth consecutive month in September, hitting historic highs of 5.5 million workers and 5.3 million jobs alongside a 50-year low in initial jobless claims.

• Georgians Shatter First Day Early Voting Record

  October 15, 2026

  Georgians came to the polls in droves on the first day of early voting, breaking the midterm election early voting record with more than 188,600 ballots cast, an increase of more than 53,000 voters over the 2022 midterm election.

• Georgia Restaurant Association Announces Finalists for the 2026 GRACE Awards

  October 15, 2026

  The Georgia Restaurant Association is proud to announce the finalists for the 2026 Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence Awards. Celebrating its 18th year, the GRACE Awards recognize the people and organizations whose leadership and talent continue to strengthen Georgia’s restaurant and hospitality industry.

• Dr. Tim Lieuwen Named Interim President of Georgia Tech

  October 14, 2026

  University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue today named Dr. Timothy Charles Lieuwen as interim president of the Georgia Institute of Technology, effective Nov. 1, 2026.

• Metro Atlanta Chamber Announces Winners of 2026 Metro Export Challenge

  October 14, 2026

  The Metro Atlanta Chamber announced the winners of the 2026 Metro Export Challenge (MEC) following the program's 10th Annual Pitch Day, held October 8 at Invesco’s global headquarters in Atlanta.

• UCB Dedicates Site for New U.S. Biologics Manufacturing Campus in Georgia

  October 14, 2026

  UCB marked the dedication of the future site of its new U.S. biologics manufacturing campus at Rowen in Gwinnett County. The ceremony brought together Georgia, U.S. Department of Commerce, and Gwinnett County officials, the Belgium Consulate, UCB leaders, community partners, and industry stakeholders to celebrate the future site of one of the largest life sciences manufacturing investments in Georgia history.

• Joe Brownlee Named Vice President of Region External Affairs for Georgia Power

  October 13, 2026

  Georgia Power has named Joe Brownlee as its new vice president of Region External Affairs, effective immediately. Brownlee is currently the region executive for the company’s South Region and based in Valdosta.

• President of AT&T Georgia Riley Blount: Building a More Connected, Resilient Georgia

  October 13, 2026

  When most of us dial 911, we rarely think about what happens after the call. We simply trust someone will answer, understand our emergency and send help as quickly as possible.

• Georgia Tech and Emory Invest More Than $1B in AI to Drive State’s Jobs, Economic Growth

  October 09, 2026

  Together, Georgia Tech and Emory University are investing more than $1 billion in artificial intelligence (AI), building one of the nation’s most robust AI ecosystems in the city of Atlanta.

• Georgia Employees Are Turning Down Higher Pay to Work for Generous Companies

  October 09, 2026

  Employees are not just saying generosity matters to them. They are making financial decisions because of it. goBeyondProfit and Georgia CEO recently released the 2026 Business Generosity Report, a study of how generosity shapes the modern workplace. This week's findings detail the career and financial decisions employees are making in pursuit of a generous workplace.

• Duracell Officially Opens New Atlanta-based Global R&D Headquarters in Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

  October 08, 2026

  The Duracell Company, a Berkshire Hathaway company, celebrated the opening of its Global Headquarters for Research and Development at Science Square Labs, within Georgia Tech’s 18-acre Science Square innovation district on the western edge of Midtown Atlanta, with a ceremony on October 6th.

• University System of Georgia Confers Record 86,660 Degrees in FY2026

  October 08, 2026

  The University System of Georgia set a new record in fiscal year 2026 by conferring 86,660 degrees — a 4.9% increase over the previous year.

• City of Hope Atlanta Names Melissa Childress President

  October 07, 2026

  City of Hope, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States, announced that it has named Melissa Childress as president of City of Hope Cancer Center Atlanta.

• Atlanta Community Food Bank Names Jon West Interim CEO

  October 06, 2026

  The Atlanta Community Food Bank today announced that Jon West, the organization’s vice president of partner relations, has been named interim chief executive officer.

• The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Seeks Nominations for 2027 Preservation Awards

  October 06, 2026

  The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is seeking nominations for its 2027 Preservation Awards, an annual list of preservation projects and individuals in the state who have made significant contributions to the field of historic preservation. The submission deadline is Monday, Dec. 7, 2026; winners will be announced in April 2027.

• Gateway85 to Honor Rosalynn Carter with 1,946-Flower Garden Along Jimmy Carter Boulevard

  October 05, 2026

  Gateway85 Community Improvement District honored former First Lady Rosalynn Carter with a new garden at Best Friend Park as part of Gwinnett County’s second annual Jimmy Carter Day celebration Friday.

• Georgia Ports Supports Nearly 278,000 Jobs in Atlanta Region

  October 02, 2026

  Georgia’s ports support nearly 278,000 full- and part-time jobs at businesses in the Atlanta region, according to the latest study from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business.