July 2021 Features

• Bridges Says $14.4 Million Project Allows ABAC to ‘Step into the Future’

  July 30, 2021

  With funding secured for the construction phase of a $14.4 million agricultural facilities project, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College President David Bridges said ABAC is ready “to step into the future of agriculture.

• Georgia Earns Back-to-Back No. 1 Tech Hub Rankings

  July 30, 2021

  For the second consecutive year, Business Facilities magazine has named Georgia’s capital city of Atlanta the No. 1 Tech Hub spot. The momentum the state is experiencing, particularly in tech, is no accident and can be attributed to several factors.

• Georgia Power Announces Revised Schedule, Cost Forecast for Vogtle Units 3 & 4

  July 30, 2021

  Georgia Power announced a revised schedule and cost forecast for the Vogtle 3 & 4 nuclear expansion project, resulting from productivity challenges and additional time for testing and quality assurance. The company currently projects a Unit 3 in-service date in the second quarter of 2022 and a Unit 4 in-service date in the first quarter of 2023.

• ‘How Do We Welcome Our Team Back?’ Georgia-Based Companies Solidify Return-To-Work Plans

  July 29, 2021

  Do you want to keep working from home, or are you the type who thrives in the office setting? And how should companies accommodate workers after the pandemic upended everything we once knew about the workplace?

• Port of Savannah Moves 5M TEUs in FY2021

  July 28, 2021

  For the first time in its history, the Port of Savannah has moved 5.3 million twenty-foot equivalent container units, growing cargo volumes by 20 percent in FY2021, or nearly 900,000 TEUs compared to the previous year.

• Delta Fuels Georgia's Post-Pandemic Economic Growth

  July 27, 2021

  With travel on the rebound, Delta has announced the hiring of 2,216 Georgians since January 1 to join the ranks of the now nearly 30,000 who work for Delta in the state of Georgia. These talented professionals have been hired to work in career jobs across Delta's business in Reservations and Customer Care, Airport Customer Service and Cargo, Flight Operations and Tech Ops.

• Grass in the Olympic Stadium Developed by UGA in Tifton

  July 26, 2021

  The Summer Olympics may be in Japan this year, but Team USA was on home turf when they took the field for the Opening Ceremony.

• Georgia's Medical Cannabis Commission Closer to Helping Patients in Need

  July 26, 2021

  The Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission announced during their public hearing on Saturday, the Notice of Intent to Award six Class 1 and Class 2 Production Licenses to manufacture low-THC cannabis oil for medical use in Georgia. Sixty-nine applicants submitted competitive proposals and have undergone a fair and rigorous selection process.

• Nearly Half of Employers Plan to Increase Corporate Gifting Frequency Post Pandemic

  July 26, 2021

  Corporate gifting is on the rise as nearly fifty percent of businesses say they intend to increase the frequency of their gift giving post COVID-19, according to a new corporate gifting survey from Coresight Research commissioned by GiftNow, a Synchrony solution.

• AAA Survey: Traveler Confidence Soars; 75% Of Georgians Are More Comfortable Traveling Now

  July 23, 2021

  Traveler confidence is soaring, according to a new AAA Travel survey, fielded in late June. According to the data, three-quarters of Georgians (75%) feel more comfortable traveling now than they did three months ago.

• Two ABAC Employees Reflect on South GeorgiaLEADS Participation

  July 22, 2021

  Sara Hand and Eric Larson, employees of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, have completed their responsibilities as a part of the 2020-2021 South GeorgiaLEADS (SGL) cohort.

• Georgia Film Records Blockbuster Year

  July 22, 2021

  The Georgia Department of Economic Development announced today that the film industry recorded a blockbuster year in Georgia. During fiscal year 2021, the film and television industry set a new record with $4 billion in direct spending on productions in the state.

• University System of Georgia State Economic Impact Grows to $18.6 Billion

  July 21, 2021

  In fiscal year 2020, the University System of Georgia (USG) served as a significant source of stability and played a critical role in the state’s recovery with an $18.6 billion statewide economic impact. USG’s impact grew 0.6 percent over fiscal year 2019. The system directly and indirectly generated 155,010 jobs.

• Georgia Lottery Annual Profits for HOPE, Pre-K Soar to a Record $1.54B

  July 20, 2021

  The Georgia Lottery Corp. today announced its most successful year ever with historic profits generated for Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K programs. The Georgia Lottery raised a record $1,544,954,000 in profits for fiscal year 2021, bringing the total transferred to the State Treasury’s Lottery for Education Account since inception to more than $23.8 billion.

• Delta to Add Airbus, Boeing Aircraft to Fleet Amid Travel Demand Recovery

  July 14, 2021

  Delta has entered into agreements to add 29 used Boeing 737-900ERs and lease seven used Airbus A350-900s as it continues to streamline and modernize its fleet. The 36 additional aircraft will improve fuel efficiency and enhance the customer experience, while supporting Delta’s fleet renewal strategy focused on simplification, scale, size and sustainability.

• Bridges Begins 16th Year as ABAC President

  July 13, 2021

  When Dr. David Bridges became the 10th president in the history of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College on July 1, 2006, he had two main goals in mind.

• Georgia’s Sizzle Reel Puts Spotlight on Community, Economic Benefits of Industry

  July 13, 2021

  Between the increase in streaming platforms and theaters around the country reopening to bring cinema fans back to the big screen, TV and movie entertainment is continuing an unprecedented run.

• Small Business Employment Gains Continue, Especially in Leisure and Hospitality

  July 12, 2021

  Despite the competitive hiring environment, small business employment growth grew 0.26 percent in June, according to aggregated payroll data of approximately 350,000 clients provided by Paychex.

• Georgia Council for the Arts Awards More Than $2M in Grant Funding to Support Arts Throughout Georgia

  July 08, 2021

  The Georgia Council for the Arts, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), today announced the recipients of its Bridge, Project, and Arts Education grants as part of its initial disbursement of grants for fiscal year 2022. A total of 266 grants were awarded that will provide more than $2 million in funding towards arts initiatives throughout the state.

• Georgia Historical Society Elects David Abney, Mark Burns, & Robert Jepson to Board of Curators

  July 08, 2021

  The Georgia Historical Society has announced that David Abney (Atlanta) and Mark Burns (Savannah) have recently been elected to the GHS Board of Curators and that Chairman Emeritus Robert S. Jepson, Jr. (Savannah) will be returning to the Board.