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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2013
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Grow Greater Dalton Announces Chair
David Gregg, president and chief operations officer of Alliance National Bank in Dalton, has been appointed as Campaign Chair for Grow Greater Dalton 2.0.
"It is truly a privilege to be involved in a community program that serves to benefit so many of our citizens by creating jobs, pursuing capital investments and creating an innovative workforce development program," said Gregg.
Grow Greater Dalton 2.0 is a four-year economic development initiative, funded by the business community in partnership with the City of Dalton and Whitfield County.
As former chair of the board of directors for the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, Gregg has seen the growth of the area's economic development program from the beginning. He also served on the executive committee of the first phase of Grow Greater Dalton.
"Four years ago, we simply were not in the game of economic development. This resulted in our community losing out on real prospects of new jobs," explained Gregg. "The response from our business community was extraordinary, and through the leadership of John Neal, funds were raised and programs were built that brought over 1,000 jobs to the Dalton/Whitfield County community - an effort that will truly bring opportunities for many years ahead."
Grow Greater Dalton 2.0 plans to raise in excess of $3 million and create 1,000 new jobs, realize capital investment of $250 million and fund much needed workforce development programs said Gregg.
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Innovation Management Workshop on March 26 Improve your innovation strategy to increase your competitiveness 
Innovation is defined as commercializing a meaningfully unique idea that a customer will pay for. However, only 10% of companies choose to compete on innovation strategy. These same companies have a return on sales that is twice as high as those that compete primarily on low cost, quality or delivery metrics. Learn to develop new processes, services, or products that will contribute significantly to your profitability. Over the next 20 years, innovation management will be a key business growth strategy.
Through this five hour workshop you will:
- Discover why Innovation Management is a "must-have" for business growth
- Understand the types of innovation and why they are important
- Be able to identify the warning signs that innovation is not driving your strategy
- Learn to implement tools to create innovative ideas
- Participate in exercises to begin your journey
- Gain tips on implementing a sustainable innovation management system in your organization
Who Should Attend?
- Key Decision Makers, CEO's, Senior Leadership, Business Development Leaders, Plant Managers, EDO leadership
Dalton Workshop
- WHEN: 11 am - 3 pm, Tuesday, March 26
- COST: $25 (lunch included)
- WHERE: Dalton Utilities auditorium
- SPONSORS: One Georgia Authority, Dalton Utilities, Dalton-Whitfield County Joint Development Authority
- ORGANIZER: Georgia Tech Georgia's Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Register for this event online at www.eventbrite.com. Contact David Apple with any questions at david.apple@innovate.gatech.edu. |
Joint Development Authority Created Between Murray, Whitfield Counties
The Murray-Whitfield Joint Development Authority held its first board meeting of the regional joint development authority (JDA) on Monday, January 28. During this meeting, the bylaws were voted in and a presentation was provided on the board's statutory duties. The JDA and its seven-member board were created when both former Murray County Sole Commissioner Greg Hogan and the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in favor of the JDA in November. The creation of the JDA now allows manufacturing firms in both counties to claim an additional $500 job tax credit for jobs created in both counties. This tax credit is available to both existing companies and new companies that decide to locate in either county. Continue reading the article...  | | After the first board meeting, board members of the new Authority are shown with Sole Commissioner Brittany Pittman and Commissioner Chairman Mike Babb. |
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Cost of Living in Dalton is Lower than Most Metros
The cost of living in Dalton is lower than most other U.S. metro areas. The Council for Community and Economic Research recently released its 2012 Cost of Living Index. Metro Dalton had an index of 91.9, over 8 percent lower than the national average.
Among the 307 urban areas that participated in the 2012 Cost of Living Index, the after-tax cost for a professional/managerial standard of living ranged from more than twice the national average in New York (Manhattan) NY to almost 19 percent below the national average in Harlingen TX. The Cost of Living Index is published quarterly by C2ER - The Council for Community and Economic Research. After the fourth quarter of each year, C2ER publishes an unweighted average of data accumulated from the previous three quarterly pricing periods.
For 2012, Dalton recorded a lower average than Atlanta, Chattanooga and Cleveland, Tennessee.
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Manufacturing Trends Luncheon on April 10
Luncheon to discuss changes and trends in manufacturing
A Manufacturing Trends Luncheon is scheduled for April 10 in Dalton. The program is presented by Garner A. Carrick.
Mr. Carrick is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at The Manufacturing Institute. He leads the Institute's research activities including partnerships with internationally recognized consulting firms and production of a regular series of reports on the issues and challenges affecting the U.S. manufacturing sector. Luncheon
- WHEN: 12 pm, Wednesday, April 10
- COST: $15 (lunch included)
- WHERE: Dalton Golf & Country Club
- SPONSORS: Dalton State School of Business, Southeast Industrial Development Association, North Georgia EMC, Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce, Dalton-Whitfield County Joint Development Authority
Register for this event online at www.daltonchamber.org. Contact Larry Johnson with any questions at ljohnson@daltonstate.edu. |
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Contact:
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100 S. Hamilton Street, Dalton, GA 30720
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