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Mervyn Hamilton
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Here is where a simple idea turned into a 41,000

Funny how a conversation between friends can

Synovus has all the Business Banking services you

idea to a local legend to a national success story.

SERVING YOU LOC ALLY A S business personal

2 Here is where a simple idea turned into a 41,000 sq. ft. factory. Funny how a conversation between friends can become big business. Synovus has all the Business Banking services you need to help grow your company from a germ of an idea to a local legend to a national success story. synovus.com/businessbanking. SERVING YOU LOC ALLY A S business personal corporate Banking products are provided by Synovus Bank, Member FDIC. Divisions of Synovus Bank operate under multiple trade names across the Southeast.

2015 State of Economic Development Report Creating a Greater Columbus Region The Greater Columbus Georgia Region has seen a dramatic transformation over the past 20 years.

3 2015 State of Economic Development Report Creating a Greater Columbus Region The Greater Columbus Georgia Region has seen a dramatic transformation over the past 20 years. The changes have impacted almost every aspect of our region, including our economic and workforce development efforts. The theme of this year s State of Economic Development is Creating a Greater Columbus Region. It is a reflection of the work that is underway to understand the changes and the work that must still be done to address the challenges and opportunities that these changes have created. This process began in early 2015 as an effort to reenergize and refocus our collective regional efforts for a shared vision of our region s future. The process the Regional Prosperity Initiative is a comprehensive community and economic development strategy that focuses first on building a strong community. It also addresses the full range of factors that influence our community s economic competitiveness its talent, education and training systems, business climate, infrastructure, quality of life, and quality of place, just to name a few. We have already learned much through this exercise. We know the region is just now beginning to recover the jobs lost since We also understand we are not growing as fast as many of our peer communities across the Southeast. The region is not attracting its fair share of new talent and is losing too many of our young professionals to regions that are actively recruiting them. The good news is our region does have a generous and committed philanthropic and corporate communities one that has consistently stepped up and addressed important community issues. Their generosity and expertise will be critical as we look to address the new set of challenges and opportunities the region will face based on these findings. We also have some very effective educational institutions in our region and we have local governments that are committed to seeing the region grow both economically and in the quality of life it offers its residents. We know there are more great things in store for our region. Together with our community and economic development partners, we are doing more than hoping for a brighter tomorrow we are hard at work creating it. William P. Murphy, CEcD Executive VP, Economic Development Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce Russ Carreker Chair, Economic Development Committee Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce Presenting Sponsor: Silver Sponsor: Columbus, Georgia 2015 State of Economic Development Report 3

4 The Greater Columbus Georgia Region 2015 State of Economic Development Report Year in Review Since the last State of Economic Development Report, the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce has facilitated several expansions by local companies that promise to pay dividends for years to come. These expansions have come from two of our primary areas of economic activity: manufacturing and business support services. Leading this year s project announcements is TSYS, which completed more than $25 million in new investments throughout its Columbus footprint. The investments at its four major facilities are leading to the creation of 490 jobs in Columbus solidifying the company s position as one of our region s largest employers. TSYS is the world s leader in issuer services and merchant payment acceptance for credit, debit, prepaid, healthcare and business solutions. There are also several other local companies that have made investments over the last 12 months that are significant commitments to grow their operations in our region. Among those companies are Ankerpak, BD&K Foods, and Path-Tec. These projects are examples of how the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce is competing for new investments from companies both large and small. But it s not just private sector investments that are making our region a great place to live, work and play. In January of 2015, Columbus State University announced plans to bring its College of Education and Health Professions to the RiverPark Campus in Uptown Columbus. The $25 million project will add up to an additional 1,800 students and faculty to the campus when the project is complete. The university plans to have the 90,000 square-foot facility open by Fall of With about a dozen different buildings in the historic downtown area, the university has been a major driver in the revitalization of the Uptown area. Workforce and Talent Development Workforce and talent development has become an increasingly important part of the Greater Columbus Chamber s economic development efforts. In the past year, these efforts have been reintegrated into the economic development program of work. Beginning with the Chamber s Partners in Education (PIE) program, a cradle-to-career support network is being created for the needs of the region s new and existing businesses. The PIE program provides for the development and support of regional education partnerships, including 80 schools and approximately 230 partnering organizations. These partnerships provide for increased educational and enrichment opportunities for students and are aimed at improving levels of achievement, self-esteem, and understanding of the expectations of the region s businesses. To learn more about the PIE program, visit the Chamber s website at www. columbusgachamber.com. But the support doesn t end there. Through the efforts of the Columbus Chamber s Young Professionals (YP) program, individuals connect with personal and professional growth opportunities through various levels of social, community and leadership engagement. With more than 750 participants representing more than 200 companies, YP provides unique, diverse professional and cultural resources. It s also helping to reshape the talent pipeline for the region s growing businesses. Learn more at The region enjoys another significant talent advantage with the soldiers and spouses who call Fort Benning home. With thousands of soldiers transitioning out of the military every year and the hundreds of spouses who accompany new soldiers to Fort Benning, this pool of welltrained and well-educated talent has the work ethic and know-how needed by the region s new and expanding businesses. The strong ties between the Chamber, Fort Benning, and regional educational institutions allow for these men and women to quickly integrate into civilian jobs of all types throughout the region. Realigned and Refocused Finally, with work continuing on the Regional Prosperity Initiative, the Greater Columbus Georgia Region is poised to become a leading location for talent, jobs and capital investment. The 2016 regional economic development program of work will be realigned and refocused with the help of private and public sector partners to maximize the opportunities the region seeks over the next 20 years. Great things are in store for the Greater Columbus Georgia Region; and, we are ready for you to be part of it. 4 Columbus, Georgia 2015 State of Economic Development Report

Project of the Year 2015 Project of the Year Path-Tec In early October, Path-Tec, a

million in the acquisition and upgrade to its new Columbus facility located at 5700

The company was assisted in its site selection efforts by the Greater Columbus

development, production, distribution and logistics management.

The new location will allow it to double its workforce over the next 3-5 years.

ChemSeal Asphalt Maintenance is a family owned & operated business.

5 Project of the Year 2015 Project of the Year Path-Tec In early October, Path-Tec, a leading provider of specimen management solutions, announced it was investing $3 million in the acquisition and upgrade to its new Columbus facility located at 5700 Old Brim Rd. in the Muscogee Technology Park. The company was assisted in its site selection efforts by the Greater Columbus Chamber s Economic Development team and the Development Authority of Columbus, Georgia. The new 126,000 facility allows the company to grow its business of technology, kit development, production, distribution and logistics management. The company currently employs about 100 residents of Greater Columbus. The new location will allow it to double its workforce over the next 3-5 years. Chem Seal There is never a job too big or too small. ChemSeal Asphalt Maintenance is a family owned & operated business. Since 1983 we have been educating commercial & residential property owners about the merits of seal coating to protect their investment. Seal Coating Striping Rec. Surface Coating Infrared Patching 4441 Miller Rd., Columbus, GA chemsealga.com Columbus, Georgia 2015 State of Economic Development Report 5

6 The Greater Columbus Georgia Region has transformed itself over the last 30 years from an economy based largely on the textile industry to one that includes a robust information technology sector, a growing automotive industry, a dynamic tourism component and a diverse manufacturing industry. Fort Benning and the Maneuver Center of Excellence have also continued to grow and serve as the driving economic engine in West Georgia and East Alabama. While much has been accomplished over the last 30 years, regional leaders recognized that much more needed to be done. Armed with this commitment, the region has embarked on a regional strategic planning effort called the Regional Prosperity Initiative. It is a ten-month, four-phase project designed to understand existing challenges and opportunities and to develop and implement a plan addressing them through key strategic initiatives. To-date, the research phases have provided several potential areas of focus. The next phases of the project will identify key strategies that are likely to have the greatest impact on the region and will provide an implementation strategy based on best practices; our history and culture; our existing support network; and, the experiences and expertise of our community leadership. The final report will be released in March of The project is made possible by the generous support of the Development Authority of Columbus, Georgia, the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Power, TSYS and the W.C. Bradley Company. For more information on the initiative, visit www. regionalprosperityinitiative.org. 6 Columbus, Georgia 2015 State of Economic Development Report

About Our Region Located in West Central Georgia and East Central Alabama, the Greater Columbus Georgia Region has a population of approximately 316,000 residents and an available workforce of

utheast U.S. The Region is home to Fort Benning, the Maneuver Center of Excellence and more than 100,000 residents with ties to the U.S. military.

Today, several well-known companies have their headquarters in the Region, including Aflac, Carmike Cinemas, Masterbuilt, Realtree, Synovus, TSYS and the W.C Bradley Company.

Our Program Of Work The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce works collaboratively with our private and public partners to assist companies in creating jobs and increasing capital investment

It does so by recruiting new businesses; helping existing companies expand; creating an environment for success for our entrepreneurs and small businesses; and, advocating and promoting issues

7 About Our Region Located in West Central Georgia and East Central Alabama, the Greater Columbus Georgia Region has a population of approximately 316,000 residents and an available workforce of 130,000 people. It is centrally located in the automotive and aerospace corridors in the Southeast U.S. The Region is home to Fort Benning, the Maneuver Center of Excellence and more than 100,000 residents with ties to the U.S. military. Business and industry have also found the Region a great place to invest. Today, several well-known companies have their headquarters in the Region, including Aflac, Carmike Cinemas, Masterbuilt, Realtree, Synovus, TSYS and the W.C Bradley Company. What s more, internationally-recognized companies like Heatcraft Kysor/Warren, Kia, NCR, Pratt & Whitney and Synder s-lance have major operations in the Region. Our Program Of Work The Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce works collaboratively with our private and public partners to assist companies in creating jobs and increasing capital investment in the Region. It does so by recruiting new businesses; helping existing companies expand; creating an environment for success for our entrepreneurs and small businesses; and, advocating and promoting issues important to the region. This work is accomplished through a three-step process. 1. Identifying and developing product sites, buildings and workforce (Develop Products); 2. Marketing these products to targeted industries and audiences, including existing companies (Market Products); and, 3. Negotiating appropriate incentive offerings to win projects (Close Deals). Areas of Focus As an integral part of the Southeastern U.S. economy, our areas of focus leverage these Regional strengths and build on the emerging industries that show significant promise for employment and capital growth in the Greater Columbus Georgia Region. Aerospace Automotive Call Centers Insurance & Financial Services Financial Technology & Information Security Shared Services Columbus, Georgia 2015 State of Economic Development Report 7

8 Photo by MIKE CULPEPPER Fueling Growth and Community with Clean Burning Natural Gas Benning Strong!

Columbus, Georgia: Civilian-Military Relationships Spawn Economic Development September 1999

Case Study Columbus, Georgia: Civilian-Military Relationships Spawn Economic Development September 1999 Prepared by: Joy Wilkins Center for Economic Development Services Georgia Institute of Technology