Frequent business flyers across the country know they’re likely to make connections in Georgia on their way, but few executives realize how many of their financial transactions also pass through the state.

While the world’s busiest airport is an obvious economic engine, the state’s role as the nation’s hub of the financial-processing industry is essentially invisible to the public. Yet, the more than 70 companies across the state generated more than $30 billion in revenue last year, dwarfing many of the state’s most sought-after industries like life sciences or motion pictures.

There are 40,000 direct jobs and another 80,000 indirect jobs in Georgia tied to the processing of financial transactions. Industry experts predict there will be another 10,000 direct jobs by the end of this decade.

Now the industry no one ever heard of is looking to raise its profile with the launch of a trade group, hiring lobbyists and contracting with a PR agency. The American Transaction Processors Coalition kicked off Wednesday, the day after millions of tax transactions flowed through on their way to state and federal governments.

Read more