This document provides a summary of the July/August 2015 issue of the Gwinnett Chamber magazine. It includes articles on Gwinnett's growing film industry, the relocation of a professional lacrosse team to Gwinnett, and features on local businesses and organizations. The magazine also highlights upcoming community events and profiles new Chamber members.
Revitalizing Business Districts Through Community-Based Events: The Squirrel ...Natalie Cerino Kovacic
Half case-study, half how-to, this session explores how business district managers can empower their members through community-based events to facilitate measurable economic impact on brick-and-mortar businesses, increase the quality of life around their districts, and attract new customers to their neighborhoods.
Royal Vesta is one of the ongoing projects from Royal Shelter, is a leading and growing real estate organization, reckoning its position among the top-notch developers. This is exemplified by its world-class structures and services.
Canadian experiences in sustainability in agriculture and climate change Premier Publishers
Agriculture has changed dramatically, with food and fiber productivity soaring due to new technologies, specialization and government policies. These changes allowed fewer farmers with reduced labor demands to produce the majority of the food. It is in this context that the concept of “sustainable agriculture” has come into existence. The severity of climate change has motivated strong scientific inquiry within the past decade. These mysteries have largely to do with the unpredictability of climate change, which varies widely across the globe. Many scientists argue that climate impacts are best understood on a regional scale. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to assess regional impacts of climate change due to various reasons. The tools at the disposal of those interested in building up resilience to climate change are therefore often limited, but some degree of speculation can be achieved through research. This paper aims to: investigate the potential impacts of climate change on Canadian agriculture, and assess the possible effects of these changes on the prevalence of sustainable agriculture. The paper concludes that while few predictions have been made on the specific impacts of climate change on sustainable agriculture, possible scenarios can be speculated based on the multitude of climate change studies.
Revitalizing Business Districts Through Community-Based Events: The Squirrel ...Natalie Cerino Kovacic
Half case-study, half how-to, this session explores how business district managers can empower their members through community-based events to facilitate measurable economic impact on brick-and-mortar businesses, increase the quality of life around their districts, and attract new customers to their neighborhoods.
Royal Vesta is one of the ongoing projects from Royal Shelter, is a leading and growing real estate organization, reckoning its position among the top-notch developers. This is exemplified by its world-class structures and services.
Canadian experiences in sustainability in agriculture and climate change Premier Publishers
Agriculture has changed dramatically, with food and fiber productivity soaring due to new technologies, specialization and government policies. These changes allowed fewer farmers with reduced labor demands to produce the majority of the food. It is in this context that the concept of “sustainable agriculture” has come into existence. The severity of climate change has motivated strong scientific inquiry within the past decade. These mysteries have largely to do with the unpredictability of climate change, which varies widely across the globe. Many scientists argue that climate impacts are best understood on a regional scale. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to assess regional impacts of climate change due to various reasons. The tools at the disposal of those interested in building up resilience to climate change are therefore often limited, but some degree of speculation can be achieved through research. This paper aims to: investigate the potential impacts of climate change on Canadian agriculture, and assess the possible effects of these changes on the prevalence of sustainable agriculture. The paper concludes that while few predictions have been made on the specific impacts of climate change on sustainable agriculture, possible scenarios can be speculated based on the multitude of climate change studies.
It can be difficult to keep up with the flow of hundreds of emails pouring into your inbox each day without a little organization. Nobody actually enjoys sifting through a stuffed inbox; you want to open your inbox, do what you need to do, and finish up as quickly as possible.
We conducted an “Email Best Practices” workshop to help employees manage their email more efficiently and improve productivity.
Opening Plenary: Taking a Stand for Regional Developmentnado-web
During the 2016 NADO Annual Training Conference, five regional development organization staff shared initiatives taking a new direction for community and economic development. Panelists included Diane Rath, Executive Director, Alamo Area COG, San Antonio, TX; Deb Smith, Economic Development Specialist, Clearwater EDA, Lewiston, ID; Loralee Morrow, Regional Planner, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission, Woodstock, VT; Jason Vincent, Executive Director, Pennyrile ADD, Hopkinsville, KY; and Jeff Hagan, Executive Director, Eastern Upper Peninsula PDC, Sault Ste. Marie, MI.
Building Our Future: Our City as a Start-up with Lee Fisher, CEOs for CitiesHalifax Partnership
The Partnership hosted a Building Our Future (BOF) breakfast with guest speaker Lee Fisher, CEO and President, CEOs for Cities on November 27, 2013
Successful start-ups and successful cities have a lot in common. They both provide experiences and cultures that people love, and they have enough capital and talent to bring ideas to life and to sustain them. Lee shared how viewing Halifax as a start-up can shift the way we think about city building.
It can be difficult to keep up with the flow of hundreds of emails pouring into your inbox each day without a little organization. Nobody actually enjoys sifting through a stuffed inbox; you want to open your inbox, do what you need to do, and finish up as quickly as possible.
We conducted an “Email Best Practices” workshop to help employees manage their email more efficiently and improve productivity.
Opening Plenary: Taking a Stand for Regional Developmentnado-web
During the 2016 NADO Annual Training Conference, five regional development organization staff shared initiatives taking a new direction for community and economic development. Panelists included Diane Rath, Executive Director, Alamo Area COG, San Antonio, TX; Deb Smith, Economic Development Specialist, Clearwater EDA, Lewiston, ID; Loralee Morrow, Regional Planner, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission, Woodstock, VT; Jason Vincent, Executive Director, Pennyrile ADD, Hopkinsville, KY; and Jeff Hagan, Executive Director, Eastern Upper Peninsula PDC, Sault Ste. Marie, MI.
Building Our Future: Our City as a Start-up with Lee Fisher, CEOs for CitiesHalifax Partnership
The Partnership hosted a Building Our Future (BOF) breakfast with guest speaker Lee Fisher, CEO and President, CEOs for Cities on November 27, 2013
Successful start-ups and successful cities have a lot in common. They both provide experiences and cultures that people love, and they have enough capital and talent to bring ideas to life and to sustain them. Lee shared how viewing Halifax as a start-up can shift the way we think about city building.
The Challenge Festival is a week-long conference and competition in the US Capital focused on bringing together entrepreneurs, executives, policymakers, investors, social innovators, technologists, and creatives who are tackling the grand challenges facing our world.
The Festival is a series of hundreds of distributed events powered by the community complemented by our core conference programming and parties.
The centerpiece of the Festival is the Challenge Cup, a global competition to identify the most promising startups tackling our greatest challenges. Over the course of the week, 64 startups from around the world will compete to determine the winner of the Challenge Cup.
Business Facilities LiveXchange Sponsor Information Neil Eisenberg
If you're an economic development organization, find out why you need to be at the 2014 Business Facilities LiveXchange. This is your best opportunity to meet face-to-face with corporate executives who are planning to expand or relocate their businesses.
A presentation highlighting new trends that have emerged and are emerging in the provision of tourism experiences in protected and Transfrontier Conservation Areas. These include a greater emphasis on a tour that includes the whole family, adventure tourism, reconnecting with oneself and one's family while on holiday, ecotourism, sleep outs and star gazing.
1. THE WORLD’S GREATEST CHAMBER MAGAZINE!
JUL/AUG
2015
the arts and
entertainment
issue!
Making a Move:
Professional
Lacrosse Comes
to Gwinnett!
featuring:
Behind the
Scenes at the
Aurora Theatre!
3. JULY/AUGUST 2015 Table of Contents GWINNETT
edge
FEATURESNEWS DESK
THE PULSE
TRENDING
STRATEGIES
22
42
44
july/august 2015 3
7Around the Region
GEIGER Automotive to open U.S.
facility in Gwinnett
PLUS: Gwinnett School of
Mathematics, Science and Technology
earns top honors
11Inside the Chamber
Partnership Gwinnett announces
fundraising success
PLUS: Gwinnett Chamber announces
finalists and winners of the IMPACT
Regional Business Awards, Member
Spotlight on BB&T’s Bruce Sharp,
May & June Businesses of the month,
upcoming events calendar, benefits of
membership and more
22 Gwinnett's Film Industry
Superheroes are Here to Save the Day!
Profiles on Atlanta Media Campus and Eagle Rock
Studios Atlanta
28Professional Lacrosse is Coming to
Gwinnett
Find out about the fastest sport on two feet and
Swarm's relocation to metro Atlanta
33Where in the World is Nick Masino?
Travel the globe with Nick Masino, Senior Vice
President, Partnership Gwinnett & Economic
Development, in his Global Business Outreach efforts
39Community
Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity shares
how business partnerships strengthen
communities and change lives
[By Rachel Perez]
42Technology
Business RadioX discusses the power of
digital media and promoting the county's
business climate
[By Mike Sammond]
44Business
Learn how to overcome decision paralysis
and the importance of a logical decision-
making process
[By Chris Reese]
46Perspectives
Two professional athletes share what it is
really like to play in the minor leagues
49Commodities, Community, & Culture
Farmers markets across Gwinnett offer fresh produce and locally made
goods; five things to know about The Hudgens Center for the Arts; get
connected with the City of Norcross; the latest water cooler talk; a look
at the office stage of Aurora Theatre; and more
4. President’s Message
GWINNETTCHAMBER.ORG
4 gwinnettedge
Earth Without Art is Just “Eh”
On the recent Atlanta Regional Commission LINK
trip, I was privileged to visit 401 Richmond, a
restored, heritage-designated industrial building in
downtown Toronto that is home to approximately
150 artists and entrepreneurs. Originally
constructed in 1899 as a manufacturing facility,
the building was purchased in 1994 by the Zeidler
family to address Toronto’s need for affordable
workspace in the city’s downtown core.
An aging building with a 40 percent occupancy
rate has been transformed into a fully-leased
thriving cultural and commercial center. Today
the 200,000-square-foot structure houses a vibrant
urban community of fine artists, musicians, graphic
designers, milliners, architects, fashion designers,
filmmakers, art galleries, arts administration
organizations, environmental groups and even
a Spanish dance school. This fascinating arts
incubator offers people an environment where
culture, commerce and community are celebrated,
a place where they can bring their dreams to
reality.
The positive impact of arts and culture on society
has been understood innately since the very first
rendering on the wall of a cave; it’s only recently
that we have begun to quantify the impact of arts
and culture on economic development. Art and
culture are a significant part of our economy—not
just the contributions of ideas and creativity, but an
important part of the labor force and our nation’s
GDP.
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and the
National Endowment for the Arts estimate that 3.2
percent – $504 billion – of current-dollar GDP in
2011 was attributable to arts and culture. The arts,
as well as cultural goods and services, employed
two million workers and generated $289.5 billion
in employee compensation in the form of wages,
salaries, and supplements.
As we all know, the impact
of the arts extends well
beyond its dollar value.
According to the America
Planning Association,
the activities of the arts
and culture sector and
local economic vitality are
connected in many ways.
Arts, culture, and creativity
can:
Improve a community's
competitive edge
Create a foundation for defining a sense of
place
Attract new and visiting populations
Integrate the visions of community and business
leaders
Contribute to the development of a skilled
workforce
The noted artist Pablo Picasso once observed that
“Action is the foundational key to all success.” In
our community, action is the name of the game; we
all know success lives here. The beauty of Gwinnett
can be seen throughout our thriving businesses,
service-involved citizens, and numerous examples
of artistic expression across the county.
The sense of progress that drives us forward as a
community is the very foundation of our unique
community. That said, a major part of what makes
Gwinnett special is that our success is not limited
to our business endeavors. The extraordinary
variety of art and culture that is available to every
Gwinnettian is as integral to our notion of success
as is our entrepreneurial prowess.
President & CEO
Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
6. The Jackson EMC commercial & industrial team on
location at the new facility of client, Georgia Poultry Lab.
TO BE YOUR BEST
POWERTHE
COMMERCIAL + INDUSTRIAL DIVISION
770.963.6166 | jacksonemc.com
we pride ourselves
not only on what we provide our members,
but on how we provide it. Power is our
business, but our objective is satisfied
customers. Every day our employees work
to achieve the perfect balance between
advanced technology and personal service
to help our customers achieve their best.
Give us a call. We’ll show you how we
can help your team succeed.
At Jackson EMC,BRINGING YOU
7. What’s happening in the
Gwinnett business community
Forfulldetails,visit:
www.geigerautomotive.com
News Desk
july/august 2015 7
GEIGER Automotive to
Open U.S. Facility in Gwinnett
Global manufacturer to create 120 new jobs in the community
Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development in
partnership with Georgia Department of Economic
Development recently announced that German-based
GEIGER Automotive will open U.S. manufacturing
operations in Gwinnett. The announcement will create 120
new jobs in the metro Atlanta community.
A leading global manufacturer of high quality plastic
products and major supplier to German automotive
manufacturers, GEIGER established a U.S. facility to better
reach its growing customer base in the southeast.
“We are pleased to locate our U.S. operations in Georgia,”
said Ralph Ralston, president, NAFTA region, GEIGER
Automotive, USA, Inc. “This location was strategically
selected to optimize our ability to supply to our current
automotive customers in the southeast U.S. We see an
increasing interest from automotive OEM’s in the region and
a high growth potential for us here in Gwinnett County.”
Located in the City of Suwanee, the new 48,000-square-
foot facility will manufacture plastic automotive
components for engine compartment powertrain
applications.
“GEIGER Automotive’s decision to locate its U.S. facility
in Gwinnett County underscores not only our booming auto
hub, but also the growth of German companies in Georgia,”
said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. “The state’s
strategic location to large OEMs, including the Volkswagen
Chattanooga Assembly Plant, coupled with a highly skilled
workforce, create the ideal location for companies such as
GEIGER Automotive to thrive.”
GEIGER produces highly engineered products for
cooling and brake systems in relation to air and fluid
management, and many other functional products under
the hood. Jobs will be created in injection molding and
assembly manufacturing, as well as support and professional
positions.
“I am pleased to welcome GEIGER to our growing
8. News Desk
8 gwinnettedge
international business community,” Gwinnett Board of
Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash said. “Gwinnett
is committed to supporting the expansion of international
businesses to our community and to promoting the county
as a prime destination for companies worldwide. We are
glad that GEIGER has chosen to grow in our community and
wish them continued success.”
“This is a great win for the City of Suwanee and we are
thrilled to count GEIGER Automotive as one of our newest
businesses,” said Suwanee Mayor Jimmy Burnette. “We are
confident that they will find the support and resources in our
community that are necessary to remain competitive in the
U.S. and around the world.”
Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development continually
works to leverage its diversity and access to global markets,
establishing its reputation as a hub for international
companies seeking to expand their presence in the United
States.
“Twenty percent of Georgia’s German-based companies
are located in Gwinnett County, which is why we are
committed to expanding the investment of Europe’s largest
economy through the Partnership Gwinnett initiative,” said
Nick Masino, Senior Vice President for Gwinnett Chamber
Economic Development and Partnership Gwinnett. “We
welcome GEIGER to our successful international business
community.”
GEIGER has steadily grown to become one of the leading
partners of the automotive industry. The company currently
manufactures precision components and subassemblies
at its other production locations in Germany, Mexico and
China.
Georgia Department of Economic Development’s
International Foreign Direct Investment Project Manager
Nico Wijnberg assisted with this project, in collaboration
with Lonnie Smallwood, Project Manager with Electric
Cities of Georgia and Gwinnett Chamber Economic
Development.
To learn more about GEIGER Automotive, please visit
www.geigerautomotive.com. For more information or to
learn how to get involved in local economic development
efforts, please visit www.gwinnetteconomicdevelopment.
com.
GSMST is at the Head of the Class
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology tops
state list on Washington Post's list of Most Challenging High Schools
The Washington Post recently ranked the
Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and
Technology (GSMST) the top school in Georgia and was
ranked 19th in the south and 26th out of 2,300 schools
nationwide. The Post ranks schools using a “Challenge
Index” that considers the number of students attempting
tough courses as measured by enrollment and test-taking
in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and
Advanced International Certificate of Education courses.
The only other Georgia school in the top 100 nationwide is
St. Andrew’s, a private school in Savannah, which ranked
97th. Gwinnett’s Meadowcreek High School ranked 140th
nationally.
The following explanation of the “Challenge Index”
was provided in the Washington Post: The list is based
on the Challenge Index. Schools qualify only if they give at
least as many AP, IB or AICE exams in a year as they have
graduating seniors. They are then ranked by their tests-
to-graduates ratio. The Index also includes a sampling of
private schools. While the ranking considers the number of
AP, IB and AICE tests given, it doesn’t weigh how well the
students do.
How did Gwinnett high schools rank
compared to their peers in Georgia on
the Washington Post Challenge Index?
GSMST 1
(ranked 19th in the South and 26th in the nation)
Meadowcreek HS 5
(ranked 80th in the South and 140th in the nation)
North Gwinnett HS 10 Archer HS 21
Berkmar HS 32 Parkview HS 34
Brookwood HS 35 Norcross HS 43
Peachtree Ridge HS 45 Mountain View HS 56
Central Gwinnett HS 57 Mill Creek HS 61
Dacula HS 62 Lanier HS 64
Duluth HS 65 Collins Hill HS 72
South Gwinnett HS 76 Grayson HS 83
Shiloh HS 115
9. TESTIMONIAL
ACCOLADES Transactions, Hires, Promotions & Honors
july/august 2015 9
Partnership Gwinnett
The Gwinnett Chamber and
Partnership Gwinnet welcomes
Becky Duran to the team where
she will serve as the Economic
Development and Partnership
Gwinnett Coordinator. In this new
role, Duran will provide operational
support to economic development
staff. Duran graduated from East
Tennessee State University with
a BS in Psychology/
Business
Management and
holds a Master
of Arts from
Queens College
in NC. Her career
spans from the
telecommunications
industry to the recruiting/executive
search industry.
Rubin Lublin, LLC
Law firm Rubin Lublin, LLC
widens its breadth of real estate
related services by expanding to
include community association
representation and retail settlement
work led by new hire Amy Bray. Mrs.
Bray joins the firm as senior counsel
and is supervising attorney over
the new practice areas. Amy Bray
is an industry veteran, practicing
real estate law since
1998. In her role as
senior counsel,
she will assist
Rubin Lublin’s
clients with
both residential
and commercial
closings, community
association law including drafting
and interpreting the governing
documents for homeowners
associations, condominium
associations, and commercial
associations, as well as mixed use,
green and age-restricted community
documents. She also has experience
in negotiating and resolving complex
covenant and easement issues
in developments throughout the
country.
The Community
Foundation for
Northeast Georgia
The Community
Foundation
for Northeast
Georgia recently
announced that
after serving this community
for 40 years, Judy Waters will
officially be retiring later this
year. Waters told the Foundation
board late last year of her intent to
close out her career in 2015, so they
worked quickly to name a search
committee that would oversee the
recruitment effort to find the next
Executive Director for
the Community
Foundation. After
several months
of an extensive
search, The
Community
Foundation for
Northeast Georgia is
pleased to officially announce that
Mr. Randy Redner has accepted
the position of the next executive
Director for the Community
Foundation. Redner is very
familiar with Gwinnett County
as he served for five years as
Area Executive Director for the
American Cancer Society (ACS)
in Duluth from 2005-2010. He left
our community to serve as ACS’s
Vice President where he managed
the day-to-day operations for the
society’s 14 field offices across the
state of Georgia. While at ACS,
Redner was responsible for a $21
million fundraising budget.
Buford Elementary School
State School Superintendent
Richard Woods recently announced
the finalists for 2016 Georgia
Teacher of the Year. Among those
finalists is Buford Elementary First
Grade Teacher Patrick Logan.
This year marked his 19th year
in education and his eighth year
as a teacher in the Buford City
School System. The 10 finalists
were chosen from a pool of 151
applicants who were selected as the
Teacher of the Year in their school
districts. The applications were read
by a panel of judges that included
teachers, past Georgia Teacher
of the Year winners and finalists,
administrators, community leaders
and others. The finalists were
chosen based on the strength of
their essay responses.
Allgood Pest Solutions
Allgood Pest Solutions is pleased
to announce that it has been
selected as one of the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution’s Top
Places to Work 2015. With
more than 40 years of experience
serving the area, Allgood Pest
Solutions is the greater Atlanta
region’s premier pest control
company. Allgood owner Chuck
Tindol believes this award is a
direct result of the company’s
deep-seated belief that by taking
care of its partners, its partners
will take care of its customers. This
thinking has cultivated a long-term
strategy of customer loyalty that has
proven successful for the business
many times over. Tindol says
the company’s corporate culture
succeeds because of each team
member’s commitment to treating
others with the utmost respect and
integrity.
DURAN
WATERS
BRAY
REDNER
“We were
new to the
Gwinnett area,
and as I asked
people for the
best way to
connect and
get your name
out, over and
over I heard
about the
success people
had had with
the Gwinnett
Chamber.
The Chamber
took a sincere
interest in
understanding
our needs and
goals. I give
the Gwinnett
Chamber a
lot of credit to
our ability to
grow and be
successful.”
—Dan Campbell,
Founder + CEO - Hire
Dynamics
#ImaMemberGwinnett
10. 10 gwinnettedge
News Desk
AROUND YOUR COMMUNITY
Forbes named Northside Hospital to its list of America’s
Best Employers in a survey that polled U.S. employees across
all industries. Northside Hospital ranks No. 23 in the list of
500 employers and is one of 14 Georgia employers included in
the overall rankings. No other Georgia hospitals were ranked,
and only one in the U.S.—the University of Iowa Hospital
Clinics—ranked higher than Northside Hospital. “Northside
Hospital is honored to be included among the esteemed
organizations on the Forbes list of America’s Best Employers,”
said Bob Quattrocchi, president and CEO, Northside Hospital,
Inc. “More so, we are proud that our employees have placed
us in such high regard. Northside Hospital constantly seeks to
foster an environment of professional and personal growth for
every professional who works with us.”
Procurri Corporation, a global independent distributor
of data center equipment and multi-vendor maintenance
provider, has been named by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(AJC) as one of the Top 75 Small Workplaces (149 or fewer
employees) in the region. The annual ranking, announced on
March 18, recognizes companies in the metro Atlanta area
that make employees feel inspired and empowered to do great
things. “We pride ourselves in the revolutionary approach of
how we do things differently to add value to our partners and
customers,” said Zack Sexton, president. “This starts internally
with our employees who are encouraged and supported by
the Procurri leadership team in a number of ways. We are
elated and humbled that our employees love to come to work
everyday and have helped Procurri claim a spot on the AJC’s
list of top workplaces.”
Stephanie Engwall, a third-grade teacher at Shiloh
Elementary School, will join 154 of her peers from around
the country, for a week-long, all expense-paid professional
development program. The Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers
Academy focuses on using real-world examples and hands-on
experiments to build teacher and student excitement about
science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning.
Participants will work with a curriculum developed by the
National Science Teachers Association and Math Solutions.
After the program, the participants will return to their
classrooms reinvigorated with the passion to teach students
how to be science literate, using hands-on experiments that
show how math and science surround us daily.
The 2013-15 Suwanee SculpTour exhibit has officially
ended, but two of the 14 pieces that were part of the 22-month
walkable public art encounter will remain in Suwanee as part
of the City’s permanent art collection. The Suwanee Public
Arts Commission, using donated funds, purchased Iron Canopy
by Phil Proctor as the People’s Choice award-winner. The
17-foot-tall kinetic sculpture derives its inspiration from the
magic of trees and represents the idea that life supports life.
Its permanent location has not yet been determined, but Iron
Canopy will remain in its current location in Town Center Park
near the intersection of Buford Highway and Lawrenceville-
Suwanee Road through the next Suwanee SculpTour exhibit,
which will be on display May 2015-March 2017. Dick
Cunningham with Ippolito’s Restaurant is purchasing the Who
Let the Dogs Out? collection of sculptures by Jim Collins and is
donating the piece to the City.
NerdWallet recently released its second analysis of the best
places for young families and it revealed numerous Gwinnett
cities at the top of the list. From small country towns to quaint
coastal areas and bustling historic cities, Georgia has something
for everyone. But one of the biggest attractions is the lower cost
of living: the median home price in Georgia is just $128,100.
NerdWallet crunched the data for 156 places in Georgia— cities,
towns and census-designated places. Only places with over
5,000 residents were analyzed. Here is where Gwinnett’s cities
fell in the ranking:
Buford – No. 7 Suwanee – No. 13
Sugar Hill – No. 15 Loganville – No. 18
Auburn – No. 23 Snellville – No. 31
Duluth – No. 33 Lawrenceville – No. 51
Lilburn – No. 54 Norcross – No. 65
Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) isn’t just
Georgia’s No. 1 hospital for the second consecutive year, it’s also
No. 2 in the nation according to a recent study by CareChex, an
independent healthcare quality rating service. The CareChex
study includes virtually all general, acute, non-federal U.S.
hospitals and measures them across several categories
including quality of medical care, outcomes of care and patient
satisfaction. The 2015 study rated NGMC No. 2 in the nation
for ‘Overall Hospital Care.’ “To be named one of the top three
hospitals in the nation, between other industry icons like Mayo
Clinic’s flagship campus in Rochester, Minn., and University of
Michigan Health System, is quite an honor,” says Carol Burrell,
president and CEO of Northeast Georgia Health System.
“Our clinical staff, support staff, providers, board members,
volunteers and leaders bring a passion for excellence to the
table each day—striving to be better tomorrow that we are
today—and it shows.”
11. Forinformation,pleasevisit:
www.partnershipgwinnett.com
News and updates from
inside the Chamber
The Pulse
july/august 2015 11
Partnership Gwinnett Announces
Fundraising Success
Celebrates 50 percent increase in fundraising efforts
Partnership Gwinnett, Gwinnett County’s economic
and community development initiative, announced it
has raised $1.8 million from private sector investors in
its 2014 campaign to fund the acceleration of its five-year
economic growth strategy to recruit, retain and help expand
businesses; attract, educate and retain workforce talent;
and improve quality of life for county residents. The funds
raised represent a greater than 50 percent increase over
previous campaigns. A campaign victory and recognition
event was held on April 15 to thank the campaign leadership
for their work in making the campaign a success.
“We would not have had such a successful campaign
without the depth of knowledge and experience that these
business and community leaders bring to the campaign,”
said Randy Dellinger, 2014 Partnership Gwinnett Campaign
Chair and District Manager for Jackson EMC. “The
Partnership Gwinnett campaign is proof that an operational
and financial public-private partnership is the best approach
to achieving sustainable growth in our community. We are
extremely grateful to all of our investors.”
Dellinger, along with Nick Masino, Senior Vice
President for Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development
Partnership Gwinnett, credited Amity Farrar and Sean
Mikula of Atlanta-based fundraising firm POWER 10 for
their excellent management of the campaign.
Masino said, “The goal of Partnership Gwinnett is simple:
we want to increase direct investment in Gwinnett County
while seeking opportunities for our existing industries to
expand. Partnership Gwinnett has assisted in the expansion
or recruitment of 186 businesses since its inception in 2007
and facilitated more than $1 billion in capital investment
and the creation of more than 14,000 new jobs. Gwinnett
has established itself as an attractive environment in
which businesses invest and create new jobs. And with the
generous support of our partners, Partnership Gwinnett will
continue to maintain our reputation as one of the best place
in the Southeast to live and do business.”
The Partnership Gwinnett campaign advisory and
operations committee members recognized include: Randy
Dellinger (Jackson EMC), J. Michael Levengood (Law
Office of J. Michael Levengood, LLC), Taylor Anderson
(Blue Landworks), Lisa Anders (Explore Gwinnett), Tom
Andersen (Andersen, Tate Carr, P.C.), Houston Bass
(BBT), Jimmy Burnette (City of Suwanee – Gwinnett
Municipal Association), Bryan Cohen (Quantum Bank),
Jill Edwards (Wells Fargo), Richard Fairey (BrandBank),
Karen Fine (Primerica), Terry Fox (Fox Building Company),
Jodie Huiet (AGL Resources/Atlanta Gas Light), Doug
Jenkins (Georgia Power), Tim Le (Atlanta Maxim Realty),
John Martin (Gwinnett Community Bank), Tom Martin
(Gwinnett Community Bank), Charlotte Nash (Gwinnett
County Board of Commissioners), Tony Parker (Pond
Company), Trey Ragsdale (Kaiser Permanente), Raymer
Sale (E2E Resources), Tom Shepherd (Gwinnett Medical
Center), Bill Sloan (Pond Company), Sam Stiteler
(MetroPower), Don Swift (Andersen, Tate Carr, P.C.),
Annie Valenty (Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta), Phil Wolfe
(Gwinnett Medical Center), Chuck Warbington (Gwinnett
Village CID), J. Alvin Wilbanks (Gwinnett County Public
Schools) and Li Wong (Asian Times).
Partnership Gwinnett officials pose for a photo at an April 15 celebration.
The group announced that it raised $1.8 million for economic and community development projects last year.
12. 12 gwinnettedge
The Pulse
Congratulations to our finalists winners!
100organizations
10industries
500nominations
BUILDER
American Painting
Renovations, Inc.
ED Granite City
Freeland Painting
FS 360
Garrard Group
JE Dunn Construction
Parker Young Construction and
FireStar
EDUCATION
Coles College of Business,
Kennesaw State University
DeVry University
Georgia Gwinnett College
Gwinnett Technical
College
ITT Technical Insititute
Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine - GA
Campus
Saint Leo University
The University of Georgia
HEALTHCARE
Advanced Urology
Good Samaritan Health Center
of Gwinnett, Inc.
Gwinnett OB/GYN Associates,
PC
Peachtree Orthopaedic Clinic
ProCare Prosthetics
Orthotics
PruittHealth
Sports Medicine South, LLC
SurgiCare 360
Suwanee Dental Care
HOSPITALITY
Aurora Theatre, Inc.
Bahama Breeze
Dave Buster's
Explore Gwinnett
Friends American Grill
Gwinnett Braves Baseball Club
Gwinnett County Parks
Recreation
Hampton Inn - Sugarloaf Pkwy
Heritage Golf Links
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
Residence Inn Atlanta NE -
Duluth Sugarloaf
Sonesta at Gwinnett Place
Titan Team Sports
Treetop Quest
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Anova IT
GDP Technologies
Halski Systems, LLC
Horizon Software
International
Q-Matic Corporation
Relus Technologies
RFX Technologies
Rocket IT
Spectrum Business
Presented by
13. AS AN INVESTOR IN THE GWINNETT CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, BUSINESSES ARE ENTITLED TO A MULTITUDE
OF BENEFITS OFFERED TO MEMBERS:
Free listings and referrals to the Gwinnett Chamber’s online business directory
Free subscription to Gwinnett edge
Free access to the Small Business Resource Center and Dun Bradstreet data
Access to networking opportunities and events
Access to forums and peer groups
Economic development assistance
Volunteer opportunities
Advertising, publicity, and sponsorship opportunities
Member-to-member discounts
Business referrals
Discounted group insurance
Discounted workers’ compensation premiums through Drugs Don’t Work
Ongoing business-building programs and seminars
Community involvement
Benefits of
Membership
It’s not just business as usual in
Gwinnett. The potential dividends
from an investment in the Gwinnett
Chamber of Commerce are unlimited,
because what develops at the Chamber
is up to you.
If you are interested in leading the
way with us, visit gwinnettchamber.
org and complete the online form. To
schedule an appointment to explore
the benefits of Chamber membership or
to learn more about available resources
at the Gwinnett Chamber, contact
Vince DeSilva, senior vice president of
member services, at 678-474-1703 or
vince@gwinnettchamber.org.
Welookforwardtohelping
yougrowyourbusiness!
july/august 2015 13
INTERNATIONAL
Atkins North America, Inc.
Elesys North America, Inc.
Jones Lang LaSalle
Kraiburg-TPE
Merial, Ltd.
MöInlycke Health Care
PartnerTech, Inc.
Pond Company
Professional Development USA
Ricoh Electronics
Rossini North America, LLC
The Marena Group
NONPROFIT
Alzheimer's Association -
Georgia Chapter
American Cancer Society
Amigos for Christ
Annandale Village
Children's Healthcare of
Atlanta
Community Foundation for
Northeast Georgia
Creative Communication
Services
Family Promise of Gwinnett
County
Friends of Gwinnett County
Senior Services
Goodwill of North Georgia
Gwinnett Children's Shelter,
Inc.
Gwinnett Coalition for Health
Human Services
Hi-Hope Service Center
Junior Achievement of
Georgia
Rainbow Village
StreetWise Georgia, Inc.
The Gwinnett Salvation Army
The Path Project
United Way in Gwinnett
Wishes 4 Me Foundation, Inc.
SERVICE
12Stone® Church
Alimena Limousine
Avion Energy
Cirrus Business Group
Cresa
DelPhi Communications, Inc.
Drew Eckl Farnham, LLP
Foster Whitmer Insurance
Georgia Manufacturing
Alliance
Hire Dynamics, LLC
Mighty 8th Media, LLC
NOWaccount
Paradigm Security Services,
Inc.
Porter Keadle Moore, LLC
Pre-Press to Printing, Inc.
Russell Landscape Companies
Sandler Training by Simon
ServiceMaster of Gwinnett
TJS Deemer Dana
Wilson Lewis
AMAZING ENTREPRENEUR
PRE-VENTURE
BHEST Medical
Healthy Fit Kitchen
Nicole Antoinette Consulting
SciSmart Tutoring
Vanguard Consultants
ESTABLISHED BUSINESS
Farmhouse 17
Post Retirement Living
Premier Protection Group
Sky High Tutoring
Von.Lea Creative
SMALL BUSINESS
Air Blowout Salon
Cartridge World -
Lawrenceville
Classic Office Interiors
Green Financial Resources,
LLC
LeCraw Engineering,
Inc.
Marbury Creative Group
Palmetto Grant Consulting
Phillip Blount Associates, Inc.
Red Clay Interactive, Inc.
Signarama Buford
Sterling Rose Consulting Corp.
Talbert Insurance Services
The Morgan Law Group, PC
Wages Sons Funeral Homes
Crematories
Willis Mechanical, Inc.
Hosted by
14. 14 gwinnettedge
The PulseEVENTCALENDAR
General Membership Meeting
11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. | The 1818 Club
Kevin Langston – Deputy Commissioner for Tourism, Georgia Department of Economic Development: Tourism
Division, will provide an industry update and economic impact.
COST: CHAMBER MEMBER - $45; NON-MEMBER - $55; CHAIRMAN'S CLUB - COMPLIMENTARY
Business After Hours
5 - 7 p.m. | Discovery Village at Sugarloaf
Attend Gwinnett’s largest (and award-winning! “Best Cocktail Hour in Gwinnett” – Gwinnett Magazine)
networking event. Free to Chamber members, $10 for non-members and guests. Adults only, please.
COST: CHAMBER MEMBER - FREE; NON-MEMBER - $15
HRMA
11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. | The 1818 Club
The Human Resource Management Association (HRMA) is a group of human resource professionals in Gwinnett
County and the surrounding region, networking, learning and sharing current issues related to human resource
management.
COST: HRMA MEMBER – FREE; CHAMBER MEMBER - $35; NON-MEMBER - $45
2015 Button Down Dash 5K/10K Race
6:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
Toss your coat and tie, kick off your wingtips and get ready for a low-risk, high-reward race down Sugarloaf
Parkway/Satellite Boulevard at the Gwinnett Chamber's 4th Annual Button Down Dash, presented by Gwinnett
Medical Center. Visit ButtonDownDash.com for details.
COST: 5K - $30, 10K - $35
JUL
15
WED
JUL
23
THU
AUG
1
SAT
JUL
16
THU
AUG
11
TUE
Manufacturing Supply Chain Forum
7:30 – 9 a.m. | Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce (Education
Room)
Learn how Gwinnett business, academic and government
leaders are coming together to build a modernized system of
work and education capable of equipping the manufacturing
supply chain workforce for 21st century careers.
COST: GENERAL ADMISSION - $15, CHAMBER MEMBER
- $12, PG INVESTOR OR MANUFACTURING COUNCIL
MEMBER - $10
2015 Membership Sponsorship Campaign Kickoff
5 - 7 p.m. | The 1818 Club
Join us for the official kick-off of the 2015 Membership and
Sponsorship Campaign.
COST: FREE
AUG
13
THU
15. Gwinnettworking, held every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. and
Friday at 9:00 a.m., is a networking group of Gwinnett
Chamber members designed to build relationships,
support professional development, and develop lead-
generating affiliations. For more information, visit www.
gwinnettworking.com.
July August
Formoreinformationvisit:
www.gwinnettchamber.org/events
Business Expo Job Fair
11:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Gwinnett Center
Beginning with the Chamber’s General
Membership Meeting, intermingled informative
and timely educational seminars and concluded
with the Chamber’s largest Business After Hours,
the 2015 Business Expo Job Fair is packed with
ways to make connections and learn about and
from the area’s leading organizations.
Visit GwinnettExpo.com for details.
HRMA
11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. | The 1818 Club
The Human Resource Management Association
(HRMA) is a group of human resource
professionals in Gwinnett County and the
surrounding region, networking, learning and
sharing current issues related to human resource
management.
COST: HRMA MEMBER – FREE; CHAMBER
MEMBER - $35; NON-MEMBER - $45
General Membership Meeting
11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. | The 1818 Club
Gwinnett County Public Schools Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks will present the annual State of the Schools
Address.
COST: CHAMBER MEMBER - $45; NON-MEMBER - $55; CHAIRMAN’S CLUB – COMPLIMENTARY
Business After Hours
5 - 7 p.m. | Gwinnett Place Mall
Attend Gwinnett’s largest (and award-winning! “Best Cocktail Hour in Gwinnett” – Gwinnett Magazine) networking
event. Free to Chamber members, $10 for non-members and guests. Adults only, please.
COST: CHAMBER MEMBER - FREE; NON-MEMBER - $15
AUG
20
THU
AUG
27
THU
SEP
16
WED
SEP
17
THU
s m t w t f s
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31 1
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july/august 2015 15
16. BBT's top achievers
are driven by two powerful
passions that drive their
focus and energy: the
organization's vision and
mission. Since 1872, BBT
has operated on the principle
that each individual is
capable of making a positive
impact on the organization.
It's a belief that has allowed
BBT to evolve into one
of the financial service
industry's highest performers. They provide the capital
and counsel that foster business investment and economic
growth, which in turn creates jobs. BBT helps individuals
realize their dreams. All of this is accomplished through
sharing knowledge, providing insight, and delivering on a
strong value proposition. And BBT believes that when they
are successful, all of their constituents benefit.
In this interview, Bruce Sharp, BBT’s Market President
for Northeast Atlanta, discusses how their mission and vision
permeates through the entire institution. From guiding them
through economic turbulence, helping clients reach their
goals to giving back to the community, find out how BBT’s
vision and mission keeps them a constant in a changing
industry.
Q With constant change in the banking industry, what
factors have enabled BBT to stand the test of time and
weather the recent economic turbulence?
A As you know, the ‘Great Recession’ was the most recent
catalyst for change in the banking industry. Those businesses
and individuals residing in markets that were highly sensitive
to real estate, like metro Atlanta, had a particularly difficult
time.
I am a big believer in developing lessons learned after our
team has a good or bad experience. Similarly, at the corporate
level, we have thought about what has sustained us over the
years as we have helped clients during the Great Depression,
the late 1980s/early 1990s commercial real estate crisis, the
Dot.com bubble, and the most recent crisis. I believe that
there are several lessons learned that I can share.
BBT’s leadership many years ago established a clear
vision and mission for the organization. Elements of our
16 gwinnettedge
The Pulse
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
vision and mission are discussed at nearly every team
meeting at our company. At each level of BBT, associates
understand that it is the mission of the company to make
the world a better place by helping clients achieve economic
success and financial security; providing an environment
where our associates can learn, grow and be fulfilled in
their work; making the communities in which we work
better places to be; and thereby optimizing the long term
return to our shareholders, while providing a safe and sound
investment.
The second factor that has been crucial to the BBT’s
ability to stay in business since 1872 has been client
selection. I am still amazed at the creativity, work ethic
and pride that our clients brought to their businesses
under such trying times during the financial crisis. Our
clients were open, honest and cooperative as we needed
to gather more information in order to help us assist them
with various credit needs. This challenging time reminded
our bankers, moreover, that we should never forget that it
is our responsibility to take a consultative approach with
clients and truly advise them. We should help clients reduce
their risk as they strive to achieve their goals, not create
imprudent risk that makes them vulnerable, when the
economy falters again.
Finally, along the way it never hurts to be a little lucky,
although I would argue that hard work and sacrifice
contributed to most of the good fortune for our company.
For example, over the years BBT has expanded into
different businesses (BBT is a full service financial
institution) and has entered new geographic markets outside
of its southeastern U.S. roots to communities in Maryland,
Virginia, DC, West Virginia, Kentucky, and others. While
some analysts questioned our decisions, the geographic
diversity allowed us to weather the economic turbulence, as
these cities were not as severely impacted as others. So, our
organization did benefit from geography and good timing,
not to mention a disciplined decision making process.
Q How does BBT support growing businesses?
A I believe that businesses that are growing, particularly
fast growing companies, require more frequent and mean-
ingful face-to-face meetings with trusted advisors such
as bankers, attorneys and accountants. Our relationship
managers meet with clients regularly to assess the following
needs of the business:
Standing the Test of Time with BBT
An Interview with Bruce Sharp, BBT's Market President for Northeast Atlanta
17. Capital Formation – finance the business growth
Payment Solutions – manage the cash flow
Risk Management – protect the business, its property, and
the employees
Employee Benefits – attract and retain key talent
Personal Financial Management – preserve and grow a
client’s money
The approach of our Northeast Atlanta team members,
which are located in Duluth, is to spend time getting to know
the management and ownership of these companies by asking
questions to better understand their needs. Our banking
professionals then offer advice first and product solutions
after we agree with the client on the customized approach to
solving the problem.
BBT also has structured itself in a way that enables us to
keep decision making close to the customer. BBT’s com-
munity banking model is based on empowering associates
in each region to make decisions at the local level; hence, by
having local relationship managers securing decisions from
our leadership in Northern Georgia, we can be responsive to a
client’s needs.
Q Why was it important for BBT to support the
Gwinnett Chamber's Impact Awards?
A As I mentioned earlier, one critical aspect of our mission is
to make the communities in which we work better places for
our families, our businesses and our nonprofit organizations.
If you think about it, a bank—and the banking community—is
nothing more than the combined assets and liabilities of
each individual and business that resides within it. As our
community grows and, more importantly, prospers, so too
should BBT and banks in general. Therefore, it is important
for our company to find ways to support both the business
community and individuals residing within our community.
The Impact Awards sponsorship was one way to support
not only specific companies that deserve recognition for the
contributions that are made to Gwinnet and surrounding
areas, but also the Chamber of Commerce. Our business
community is fortunate to have an engaged and active
chamber that is led by Dr. Kaufman. BBT was excited to
be a part of this inaugural event, which I hope will become a
signature program for many years to come.
Helping make an
IMPACT
by creating business
ALIGNMENT
www.cirrusbusinessgroup.com
678–365-3333
Thank You For Voting Us:
Creating Alignment. Delivering Results.
july/august 2015 17
We provide business services to people just like you!
eBay, iOffer Etsy Valet Listings $15
Online Seller Storefront Design $25
Digital Publishing $25
Dept. of Ins. Labor Complaint Filings $35
Home Movie VHS or VHS-C Tape to
DVD Conversions $14
Resume Writing service
2 hours of one-on-one resume creation $60
Visit www.facebook.com/PMassistant
Select Book Now to make your appointment
for any of the above business services.
Or call 770.833.5926
18. JULY 17
Complete Desire *(SCS)
Thrasher Park
JULY 18
Jazz in the Alley
Gabbie McGee
Skin Alley
JULY 31
Walrus *(SCS)
Thrasher Park
AUGUST 14
7 Bridges *(SCS)
Thrasher Park
AUGUST 28
Banks Shane *(SCS)
Thrasher Park
AUGUST 29
Jazz in the Alley
Eric Thomas
Elevate the Quest
Skin Alley
SEPTEMBER 4
A1A *(SCS)
Thrasher Park
SEPTEMBER 12
British Car Fayre
Downtown Historic
Norcross
SEPTEMBER 19
Gateway International
Festival
Lillian Webb Park
SEPTEMBER 26
Jazz in the Alley
Willie Ziavino C.O.T
Band
Skin Alley
SEPTEMBER 26
Mega Recycling Day
OCTOBER 2
First Friday
Concert DejaBlue
Grass Band
Community Center
OCTOBER 3 4
Norcross Art Splash
Downtown Historic
Norcross
OCTOBER 24
BOOfest Halloween
Celebration
Downtown Historic
Norcross
NOVEMBER 6
First Friday
Concert- Xavier
Gordon Trio
Community Center
NOVEMBER 7
Italian Car Day
Downtown Historic
Norcross
DECEMBER 4 5
SPARKLE!
• Carriage Rides
• Community Tree
Lighting
• Holiday Tour of Homes
• Santa Visit
• Luminary Lighting and
more!
DECEMBER 4
Holiday Concert
with the Gentlemen
of Swing
Community Center
Visit the new A Place to Imagine website for event details
www.aplacetoimagine.com
*SCS- Summer Concert Series
19. 1 2
A gallery of photos from noteworthy happenings in and around Gwinnett.Out About
3
july/august 2015 19
Around the Community
(1) Gwinnett Chamber staff and members spent Friday, May 8 spring cleaning at George Pierce Park on our annual Chamber Gives Back day. Volunteers
planted and refurbished green spaces and spruced up the park for summer activities. (2) Gwinnett Chamber Professionals were on-hand at the Tuesday, April
14 Board of Commissioners meeting to witness Chairman Charlotte Nash sign the proclamation for the 2015 Gwinnett Small Business Week (June 15-19). (3)
The staff of the Gwinnett Chamber participated in Annandale Village’s annual Jazzy Thing fundraiser on Saturday, April 25, and took home first prize in the
Spicy Bites contest.
Women’s Wine Tasting Business Connection
(1) Held at the Town Green in Duluth, the Gwinnett Leadership Organization for Women hosted its 2nd annual Women’s Wine Tasting Business Connection
on Tuesday, May 19. (2) The evening featured a beautiful backdrop, string quartet, wine tastings and samplings from local restaurants. (3) Most importantly, it
provided the ideal setting for female professionals to network in a relaxed environment.
1 2 3
1 2 3
IMPACT Regional Business Awards
(1) The Chamber hosted the IMPACT Regional Business Awards on Wednesday, May 13 at the Gwinnett Center. (2) The inaugural event garnered 500+
nominations and honored 55+ finalist organizations across ten industry categories. (3) Nick Williams, Chief Development Officer at PruittHealth, accepted
the Overall IMPACT Regional Business Award on behalf of his organization.
20. 20 gwinnettedge
The Pulse
AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, THE GWINNETT CHAMBER’S WORK WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE
SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY MANY DEDICATED COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS.
THE CHAMBER WOULD LIKE TO SHOW SINCERE APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS
WHO SUPPORTED RECENT CHAMBER PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.
OUR SPONSORS
NUMBERS GAME
n Ackerman Security Systems
n American Management
Services, Inc.
n Ameriprise Financial
n Andersen, Tate Carr, PC
n Aurora Theatre, Inc.
n Burkett Oil Company, Inc.
n Children's Healthcare of
Atlanta
n Cirrus Business Group
n Dave Buster's
n Delta Community Credit
Union
n Delta Kappa Gamma
n Dr. Dan Kathryn Kaufman
n E.R. Snell Contractor, Inc.
n Eastside Medical Center
n EMC Security
n Evermore Community
Improvement District
n Forensic Pathology Services,
PC
n Georgia Power
n Gwinnett Center
n Gwinnett County Public
Schools Foundation, Inc.
n Gwinnett Daily Post
n Gwinnett Medical Center
n Gwinnett Prado, LP
n Gwinnett Technical College
n Jackson Electric Membership
Corporation
n Kaiser Permente
n Keeprs
n McKendree United Methodist
Church
n Mingledorff's, Inc.
n Mobile Communications of
Gwinnett, Inc.
n Motorola Solutions, Inc.
n North Fulton Community
Improvement District
n Peach State Federal Credit
Union
n Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine -
Georgia Campus
n Precision Planning, Inc.
n Pre-Press to Printing, Inc.
n Proof of the Pudding
n Rocket IT
n Snellville Citizens Police
Academy Alumni
Association
n SunTrust Bank
n T.Y. Lin International
Company
n The Gravitt Everett Davis
Memorial Lodge #66 -
Fraternal Order of Police
n Thomco Specialty Products,
Inc.
n TOMCO2 Systems
n Transafe, Inc.
n University of Georgia
Gwinnett Campus
n View Point Health
n Water Oak Center
n Wells Fargo
$5.1billion THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE FILM INDUSTRY
REPORTED BY THE STATE DURING THE 2014 FISCAL YEAR
SOURCE: GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
21. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY,
GWINNETT CHAMBER MEMBERS!
JULY AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES
25+ YEAR MEMBER
A-A Electric Company, Inc.
(35 years)
Gwinnett County Public Library
(34 years)
Associated Credit Union
(31 years)
Staffing Resources, Inc.
(30 years)
RACO General Contractors, Inc.
(30 years)
Sonoco Paperboard Specialties
(30 years)
Brunswick Zone Lilburn
(28 years)
IDI
(26 years)
Carothers Mitchell, LLC
(24 years)
20+ YEAR MEMBER
Atlanta Braves
(20 years)
B P B Services
(20 years)
15 YEAR MEMBER
Georgia Gwinnett College
Peoples Bank Trust
AutoNation Toyota Scion Mall of Georgia
Chateau Elan Winery Resort
Corus Group, LLC
The Davis Companies
Habasit America
Hilton Graden Inn - Atlanta NE/ Gwinnett
Sugarloaf
Hire Dynamics, LLC
Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
PartnerTech, Inc.
Primrose School of Suwanee West
Zanacore Technologies
10 YEAR MEMBER
Angus McRae Insurance Brokerage Services,
Inc.
The Foot Traveler
Gwinnett Place Community Improvement
District
Gwinnett Village CID
LIFESouth Community Blood Centers
Partnership for Community Action, Inc.
Resurgens Orthopaedics
Comfort Inn Suites Peachtree Corners
Rocket IT
5 YEAR MEMBER
Bobby L. Scott, CPA
Classic Office Interiors
100 Black Men of North Metro, Inc.
Tokio Marine Technologies, LLC
Arena Tavern
Coolray Heating and Cooling, Inc.
Jennifer Stalcup Photography
Lilburn Community Improvement District
Pro-Bots Promotional Robots
Raymond C. Lyew, DDS, PC
Simon - Mall of Georgia
BUSINESSES
OF THE
MONTH
MAY small business JUNE small business
22. “We have a saying in the beer business that “making friends is our business” and
we will take that same philosophy to the studio. We hope that our first tenant will
become friends and see value in what we have to offer.”
- Steve Economos, Eagle Rock
Gwinnett’s Superheroes
are Here to Save the Day!
23. july/august 2015 23
W
hile their powers may not be of the supernatural type such as wall crawling, x-ray vision, shape shifting or super
strength, a new cast of leaders in Gwinnett is emerging whose vision has the potential to leave an economic
and cultural impact that will be felt for many years to come. And although their powers may not give them the
ability to save the universe, they do share a commonality with the superheroes cast in familiar comics—they
use their abilities for the common good.
Gwinnett’s leaders are putting their abilities to think big and make things happen to work in order to harness the film
industry’s migration to the South. According to a recent study released by the nonprofit FilmL.A., Georgia is now ranked third
for the most movies filmed in the United States. In addition, the study also revealed that Georgia was only two movies away
from beating California as the filmmaking capital of the world.
With the stakes high—Georgia Department of Economic Development reported that the economic impact of the film industry
for the 2014 fiscal year was $5.1 billion—Gwinnett has its very own set of superheroes who are ready for action. So grab your
cape and put on your mask as we explore Gwinnett’s film industry superheroes.
Atlanta Media Campus:
A Catalyst for the Community
Spearheaded by developer Jim Jacoby, Atlanta Media Campus
is situated at the gateway to Gwinnett in the Jimmy Carter
Boulevard corridor and is set to be the largest of its kind in
the Southeast. Located at the OFS facility in Norcross, Jacoby
has entered into a partnership with the fiber-optic cable
plant to transform the building into a media campus that will
encompass 6 million square feet of studio space with seven
soundstages, classrooms, offices, multifamily housing, hotels,
restaurants and more. The multi-stage process will also involve
the building of a new facility for OFS, which will be located on
the premises.
The beauty of the Atlanta Media Campus, according to Derek
Jacoby who serves as vice president and manages the project,
is that it is an all-inclusive community-focused endeavour. It
is expected that the Campus and its accompanying studio will
have a significant economic impact, creating hundreds – if not
thousands – of jobs in Gwinnett.
“The local community's involvement in the project is vital to its
success: our regional supporters are the true superheroes of the
film industry growth in Gwinnett,” said Derek. “Our experience
with the public sector in Gwinnett has been refreshing. From
the County, the City of Norcross, Gwinnett Village Community
Improvement District to the Gwinnett Chamber—I simply
couldn’t ask for a better region.”
In return, Derek ensures that the project’s visionary, Jim
Jacoby, intends to make it his legacy project focusing not just
on development, but on education, jobs and sustainability.
24. “We have set out to make Atlanta Media Campus a catalyst
not just for the Jimmy Carter corridor, but for the entire
region, state and the country,” said Derek. “Part of the
vision for the campus is to develop it in such a way that
keeps people in Gwinnett while helping local companies
realize the economic impact of the film industry with
minimal impact on the environment.”
With the largest back lot in the country and no residential
component to disturb along with an immense amount
of space that has yet to be fully realized, Atlanta Media
Campus is meeting the needs of the film industry even at
the beginning of the multi-phase project. Having recently
filmed the AMC series “Halt and Catch Fire” and full-
length move “Mena,” starring Tom Cruise—the best is yet to
come.
“Our hope is not to be the new Hollywood, but rather
the third leg of the creative stool,” said Derek. “Working
together as a region, our efforts at Atlanta Media Campus
are to complement Hollywood and create a value
proposition.”
And complement it they will. At the heart of Atlanta Media
Campus is META Studios, which seeks to design and
nurture an environment for projects to be developed across
multiple media, thus, maximizing the potential of any piece
of intellectual property. Led by famed cross-media creator
Paul Jenkins (author of “Marvel’s Wolverine: Origin” and
two time BAFTA nominee) along with an executive team of
film industry experts, the goal of META Studios is to attract
projects from across the world and help develop them in the
appropriate arenas.
“With META Studios at our disposal, we have the
opportunity to all work on the same storyline giving the
ability for product integration, “ said Derek. “Right now
everyone is working on different development cycles.
META Studios will become the first and only studio of
its kind to bring all of the different mediums together to
create the same message. Paul brings 25 years of experience
creating across all media, including writing and directing
for animation, comics, games and new media.”
With the META Campus' 2.2 million square feet of space
being developed to over nearly 6 million square feet in
the next 5-10 years, META Studios is at the forefront of a
truly unique and exhilarating point in history for Georgia
entertainment. “We are becoming the ‘one-stop shop,’
helping co-producers and creators to leverage the tax
credits for film and game development,” commented Derek.
“This has helped Georgia propel our state to the forefront of
entertainment.”
The credit also extends to post production for films
lensed in Georgia. In addition, the recent extension of tax
credits for interactive entertainment means that both films
and games fit the tax credit criteria.
In addition to providing post-production and assisting with
project financing, META Studios will be aligned with a
number of regional universities to help educate and retain
By the Numbers
Fast Furious 7
$47 Million
Dollars contributed to the state’s economy by
Universal Pictures' Furious 7, which filmed in
Norcross
7,500
Number of Georgians hired to work on the film
$15 million
Overall hotel costs for cast and crew
$5 Million
Cost of hardware and lumber supplies used to build
sets, including an opulent Abu Dhabi penthouse, a
cement factory, federal law enforcement headquarters
and sets for scenes that would feature a helicopter
$143.6 million
‘Furious 7’ opening weekend numbers, setting a record
for the best April opening weekend EVER, as well as
and had the best opening in the series, making almost
as much in one weekend as the original made total
24 gwinnettedge
25. july/august 2015 25
local college graduates. Students from high schools and
universities across the region will be attached to professional
projects, and given the type of hands-on education that will
provide valuable credits and experience that cannot be found
elsewhere.
“When looking to break into the film industry, one of the
biggest challenges is building a resume. Students will leave
with two to three big movies under their belts as they will be
in an integrated learning environment,” said Derek. “Having
student housing and classrooms located on the campus
is simply a win-win. All within the confines of Gwinnett,
students will be able to learn from industry experts and film
crews.”
Even better for Gwinnett, after graduating, students will have
the opportunity to move on to the multi-family and studio
housing that will be located on the Atlanta Media Campus. In
addition to housing, the project also includes a 4-star hotel
catering to high-end talent, as well as a value hotel for support
staff.
Being home to the largest studio of its kind in the Southeast
also has another distinct advantage—it will give those in
Gwinnett and the metro area the ultimate backstage pass.
With plans for a music venue, restaurants and possibly even
a theme park made of past sets, there will be something for
everyone at the Atlanta Media Campus.
And according to Derek, all of this will be housed in a
sustainable environment with a closed-loop system. With a
newer ‘no more cutting down trees’ approach, Jacoby Group
intends to make Atlanta Media Campus a showcase for
sustainability garnering global exposure.
“Jacoby Group is committed to the environment and as such
has expanded its focus from initial endeavors in traditional
retail center development to a broader vision of embracing
and promoting environmental stewardship,” said Derek.
“Atlanta Media Campus will run on a system which will
include elements such as solar power, rainwater irrigation,
and hydroponic food production.”
To borrow a line from “Captain America,” which recently
filmed at Atlanta Media Campus, Derek Jacoby and his team
of superheroes will continue to ‘fight the good fight’ for the
common good in their efforts to strengthen the film industry
in Gwinnett and the region.
26. Eagle Rock Studios
Atlanta: Bringing
Jobs and TV to
Gwinnett
Joining
Gwinnett’s cast of film
industry superheroes in April 2015,
Eagle Rock Studios Atlanta houses the
largest stage complex under one roof in the
United States with 465,000 square feet of space.
Located at 6205 Best Friend Road in Norcross, the
former Kraft warehouse space was converted to house
four, 30,000-square-foot sound stages. It is also the
site of Eagle Rock Distributing Company, a beverage
distribution company.
In addition to Georgia being ranked third for the most
movies filmed in the United States, Deadline recently
reported that Atlanta was positioned in fourth place
for TV pilot production beating major cities such as
New Orleans and Chicago. Deadline also indicated that
Georgia’s tax incentives have pushed Atlanta to fourth
place with four drama pilots, which is twice as many as
last year. With all the right elements in place, Eagle Rock
Studios Atlanta is ready for action as it sets its sights on
new productions.
The construction project included the installation of
support beams to create larger open spaces for filming;
upgrades to the electrical service; silent air conditioning;
stubbed
out plumbing for
dressing rooms, prop and costume
areas, and renovation of existing offices
for production staff. Eagle Rock’s fully enclosed
facility allows for production throughout the year,
eliminating costs and weather delays, translating to
greater local job opportunities.
Further extending its abilities, Eagle Rock Studios
Atlanta recently joined five other Georgia-based film
studios to form the Georgia Studio Infrastructure
Alliance (GSIA), a new film and television studio and
infrastructure association. The group hopes to serve as
advocates for the education of crewmembers and the
development of talent needed to keep clients returning to
Georgia.
In this article, the Gwinnett Chamber gets an inside look
at one of Gwinnett’s newest film industry superheroes
as Steve Economos, CEO of Eagle Rock Distributing
Company, shares how a beer distribution company got
into the film industry business, how they are working
to meet the film industry’s needs and the importance of
forming alliances with other studios in Georgia.
26 gwinnettedge
27. 1
How did a beer distribution company get into the film industry?
Timing. We had outgrown our two prior facilities and we were
moving into a new facility in Norcross. We owned our facilities so we
were looking to sell or lease the old buildings. In the beer business
we are required to refrigerate our inventory so we have thick
insulated walls and air conditioning cooling our product. This happens to
also be key components when filming. The Disney / ABC Television Group
heard about our location in Stone Mountain, came to take a look, liked
what they saw and we were able to make a deal with them. So we really got
started in the business back in 2013 at our old facility. Fast-forward to our
new location in Norcross and it was also an old building that we bought from
Kraft foods. There are actually two buildings, a climate-controlled building
and a dry building. Eagle Rock Distributing Company was only going to
occupy the climate-controlled side so we always had plans to lease out the
dry side. It’s 465,000 square feet and the largest warehouse north of the
perimeter that is not 50-60 miles outside the city, so if a company wanted to
make Atlanta their home we had an attractive warehouse to offer. As Disney
/ ABC continued to operate out of Stone Mountain, the more we got to
know the producers and staff. We invited them to come look at our Norcross
facility and see if it was conducive to the needs of Hollywood. After a couple
of month’s worth of meetings, we decided to build the largest set production
studios under one roof in the country.
2
Now that everything is up
and running, what's next?
What’s next is to get that space
filled! We believe we partnered
with the right folks from the
industry to design the best operating
studio system out there. It is a studio
that will provide any production entity a
place to put their roots down in Georgia
and call this place their home away from
home. If it were not for the industry
people, government and counties
working together, the tax credit would
not have happened and we could not
have accomplished such an endeavor.
We are a family owned business that runs
three generations deep. I am fortunate
enough to work every day with my family.
We have strong ties to the community
and Gwinnett and we want to continue to
grow and provide jobs in Georgia.
3
How will you continue to
fill the space?
You are as good as the
people you work with. This
is true when it comes to the
studio. We have been able to partner
with industry experts throughout the
entire process. We were able to hire
Doug Nicely who is our executive vice
president of 0perations. He has over
30 years of experience in the business
and his expertise and connections
will allow us to continue to talk to
the right contacts in Hollywood and
keep the studio booked up. We have
a saying in the beer business that
“making friends is our business” and
we will take that same philosophy
to the studio. We hope that our first
tenant will become friends and see
value in what we have to offer.
4
Discuss your efforts with the Georgia Studio
Infrastructure Alliance. Why is it important?
I think the Alliance is critical. With the growing
demand for studio infrastructure in Georgia we
need to work together to ensure we are exceeding
the expectations of Hollywood and Georgia continues to be an
attractive option to shoot a movie or TV show. We work well
together and understand the importance of keeping Georgia on
Hollywood’s map.
28. Known as the fastest sport on two feet, lacrosse has seen its participation numbers skyrocket across the country
over the last decade. According to a survey released by US Lacrosse, in 2013 nearly 750,000 players participated in
lacrosse on organized teams, an increase of nearly 25,000 players from the year before. Here in the football-crazed
South, it is becoming the fastest growing transplant since kudzu spreading quickly and growing roots across the
region.
With the recent announcement of the relocation of the Minnesota Swarm of the National Lacrosse League for the
the 2016 NLL season, Gwinnett is the latest area to join the lacrosse momentum that is making its way to the South.
The franchise will be named the Georgia Swarm and has agreed in principle on a lease agreement to play its home
games at The Arena at Gwinnett Center.
Hey
Y'all!
Professional Lacrosse is Coming to Gwinnett
Swarm announces relocation plans to metro Atlanta area
28 gwinnettedge
29. july/august 2015 29
“It is an exciting time as we open a new chapter in team
history,” Swarm Owner John Arlotta said. “The sport
of lacrosse is growing at a rapid pace in Georgia and
we’re thrilled to bring the fastest game on two feet at the
professional level to The Arena at Gwinnett Center. With
its high-scoring nature, and gameplay which resembles
hockey and basketball in many ways, the NLL is enjoyable
for lacrosse and non-lacrosse fans alike, and is great
family entertainment.”
“Lacrosse is a great sport and it will add another
dimension to family entertainment at Gwinnett Center
and in metro-Atlanta as well,” said Joseph Dennis, general
manager of Gwinnett Center. “We are excited to have the
National Lacrosse League as a tenant team in The Arena
for years to come.”
“The Arena at Gwinnett Center is a beautiful arena and
a wonderful location for our franchise and we really
appreciate the support of the arena and the county
commissioners,” Swarm Co-Owner and President Andy
Arlotta said.
The Swarm is currently comprised with one of the fastest
and most athletic rosters in the NLL, which features
young stars Miles Thompson (‘14 Co-Tewaaraton
recipient, UAlbany), Jordan MacIntosh (Gold Medalist,
Team Canada ‘14), Joel White (2-time NCAA champion,
Syracuse University), Johnny Powless (3-time NLL
champion), Shayne Jackson (‘15 team leader in scoring),
Kiel Matisz (‘12 No. 3 overall pick) as well as veterans
Callum Crawford (team’s all-time leading scorer) and
Mitch Belisle (‘14 U.S. Men’s National Team Member)..l,.
This coming fall, the Swarm will hold a league-high
four first-round draft picks in the 2015 NLL Draft with
selection Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 6. This year’s draft class is highly
regarded as one of the best in recent memory and features
the NCAA’s all-time division-I points leader, University at
Albany’s Lyle Thompson (Miles’ younger brother).
“On behalf of the entire NLL, we are excited about coming
to Georgia,” NLL Commissioner George Daniel said.
NLL Lacrosse is an action packed, high energy spectacle
unlike anything the fans of metro Atlanta have ever seen.”
“The Swarm will be the first
professional Lacrosse team to locate
in the Southeast. For them to choose
Gwinnett and the Atlanta area speaks
volumes about the sports destination
that we have become. I hope that we
all are getting ready to join the Swarm
nation!”
– Stan Hall, Executive Director,
Gwinnett Sports Commission
30. During their 11 seasons in the NLL, the Swarm has
been heavily involved in the lacrosse community
and received numerous awards for its dedication
and time devoted to growing the sport. The team
is looking forward to continuing its efforts now in
Georgia.
“It’s always been our mission to help grow and
aid the sport of lacrosse as much as we can,”
(Andy) Arlotta said. “We’re excited to introduce
ourselves to members of both the local lacrosse
and business community in the coming weeks.”
The Swarm’s application to relocate to Georgia
has been approved by the NLL.
“The Georgia Swarm will be a fantastic addition
to the entertainment package available at The
Arena at Gwinnett Center. Lacrosse is the fastest
growing sport in the nation and is a very quick-
paced sport as well,” commented Stan Hall,
executive director, Gwinnett Sports Commission.
“To have these participants playing in our Arena
at the highest skill level possible as professionals,
will be truly an awesome experience,” continued
Hall. “The Swarm will be the first professional
Lacrosse team to locate in the Southeast. For
them to choose Gwinnett and the Atlanta area
speaks volumes about the sports destination that
we have become. I hope that we all are getting
ready to join the Swarm nation!”
Fans can receive updates about the franchise
by visiting www.GeorgiaSwarm.com and team’s
social media accounts: @GeorgiaSwarmLAX
on Twitter, Georgia Swarm on Facebook and @
GeorgiaSwarmLAX on Instagram. The team will
host a press conference this summer at The Arena
at Gwinnett Center to introduce management and
players to local media members and fans.
Information regarding 2016 tickets will be
available online in the near future. To sign up for
ticket updates, please visit www.GeorgiaSwarm.
com
“On behalf of the entire NLL, we are
excited about coming to Georgia,”
NLL Commissioner George Daniel
said. NLL Lacrosse is an action
packed, high energy spectacle unlike
anything the fans of metro Atlanta
have ever seen.”
31. july/august 2015 31
AUGUSTJULY
Fridays N Duluth includes
Food Truck Fridays
June-October
SUMMER EVENTS
For more information about upcoming events:
www.DuluthGA.net #DuluthGA
SEPTEMBER
18th Georgia Cup
Twilight Duluth
18th Summer Stage
Concert Featuring: Vertical
Horizon
24th Fridays N Duluth
31st Fridays N Duluth
7th Fridays N Duluth
Flicks on the Bricks
14th Fridays N Duluth
15th Summer Stage
Concert Featuring: Yacht Rock
Schooner
21st Fridays N Duluth
28th Fridays N Duluth
4th Fridays N Duluth
Flicks on the Bricks
11th Fridays N Duluth
12th Fall Festival Concert
Featuring: Rupert's Orchestra
18th Fridays N Duluth
Flicks on the Bricks
26th 27th Duluth
Fall Festival
32. Top Choice for Businesses to Locate
Home to Top-Ranked Public Private Schools
Fine Dining, Top Hotels, First Class Shopping
Only 30 Minutes North of Atlanta
678.691.1200 • www.peachtreecornersga.gov
Facebook - peachtreecornersga • Twitter - PtreeCorners
A Live, Work, Play Community
33. july/august 2015 33
WHERE
IN
THE WORL
D
IS
Nick Masino?
Germany, Hong Kong, South Korea, China… the exotic, far-flung locales on Nick
Masino’s passport would make any TSA agent look twice, and travel aficionados
swoon with jealousy. But Nick isn’t exploring Neuschwanstein Castle, shopping street
markets, searching for Psy, or climbing the Great Wall of China (well…maybe once).
34. Masino serves as Senior Vice President of
Partnership Gwinnett, the economic development
arm of the Gwinnett Chamber. A public-private
initiative dedicated to bringing new jobs and
capital investment to our community, Partnership
Gwinnett works with local partners to attract
and retain jobs, cultivate capital investment,
support educational institutions, foster workforce
development, and contribute to the exceptional
quality of life found in Gwinnett.
In a community of Gwinnett County’s size
and diversity, responding to globalization is an
essential part of the economic development
strategy. Global business has been an instrumental
component of the organization’s overall strategic
plan since inception in 2006. Partnership
Gwinnett’s Global Business Outreach Efforts are a
coordinated mix of resources, programs, mission
trips, and partnerships engaging companies,
leaders, and students from across Gwinnett
County. This work is a direct response to the
community’s changing demographics, growing
international notoriety, and the evolving, global-
focused environment guiding the business world.
Which brings us to Masino’s world travels – and
the necessity for them.
“These trips present a world of opportunities
for continued economic development success,”
said Masino. “We want to create more job
opportunities in our community and build our
commercial tax base to lessen the burden on
Gwinnett residential and business property
owners, fueling global business opportunities are
crucial to these efforts.
To date, Partnership Gwinnett has coordinated 16
global mission trips which have included visits to
approximately 250 international companies with
dozens metro Atlanta community partners, including
the Georgia Department of Economic Development,
along with dozens of internationals governments and
partner organizations. These trips are efforts to meet
three goals:
1. Raise the global profile of Gwinnett as a thriving,
international, business-friendly community;
2. Maximize the opportunity presented by the
growing international population in the County;
3. Enable local companies to gain a competitive edge
in an increasingly global business environment. This
translates into three specific objectives which guide
global business outreach and efforts:
a. Bring additional jobs and investment
to Gwinnett County through the addition of
internationally-based businesses and trade relations;
34 gwinnettedge
35. july/august 2015 35
b. Lead annual global business missions,
attended by public and private partners, to attract and
cultivate direct foreign investment and trade to the
community;
c. Enable businesses to explore new
opportunities, trends, and best practices for success
in a constantly changing international market.
Expanding internationally is often a necessary, yet
uncertain, step for many companies. Educational
events seek to inform and encourage this next phase
of a business’ evolution.
Globally recognized for best practices in economic
development by the International Economic
Development Council, Gwinnett County is a proven
location for international companies looking to
expand their global reach. The County is home to
600 internationally-based businesses, representing
more than 40 countries around the world. The largest
April 2008 – Canada
Vancouver
April/May 2009 – South Korea
Seoul, Gangnam-gu
August 2009 – South Korea
Seoul, Gangnam-gu Incheon
June 2009 – China South Korea
Shanghai, Beijing, Qingdao, Kunshan, Wuxi,
Xi’an, Seoul, Gangnam-gu
November 2009 – China
Wuxi, Kunshan, Xi’an, Shanghai
January 2010 – China “Large Delegation
Planning Trip”
Shanghai, Kunshan, Qingdao, Beijing,
Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuxi
Hong Kong
June/July 2010 – China South Korea “Large
Delegation”
Qingdao, Beijing, Shanghai, Kunshan, Wuxi
Hong Kong Incheon
November 2010 – China, South Korea
Taiwan
Incheon, Taipei
December 2010 – South Korea
Seoul
March 2011 – China
Shanghai, Hong Kong
April 2012 – China
Shanghai
June 2012 – China
Shanghai
December 2012 – France Germany
Paris, Lyon, Frankfurt, Munich, Kirchlengern
Cologne
August 2013 – China and Japan
Qingdao Tokyo
May 2014 – South Korea
Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Cheonan, Wanju-gun,
Jeonju, Ulsan Busan
December 2014 – England
London
April 2015 – China
Shenzhen, Jinan, Qingdao Shanghai
May 2015 – Canada
Toronto
Passport Pinpoints
36. August 2014
China/South Korea Agenda
and Meetings Schedule
08/21 – Depart from ATL
08/22 – Arrive in Hong Kong
08/23 – Hong Kong
08/24 – Guangzhou
08/25 – Fuzhou
08/26 – Nanjing and Taizhou
08/27 – Shanghai
08/28 – Shanghai
08/29 – Ningbo
08/30 – Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea
08/31 – Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea
09/01 – Depart for ATL
clusters are of Japan-based and German-based
companies, which represent 21.5 percent
and 16.6 percent, respectively, of the total
international businesses located in Gwinnett.
The global mission trips aim to expand that
number and attract more jobs and foreign direct
investment into the community.
The Partnership Gwinnett community
and economic development strategy and its
investors have facilitated the creation of high-
wage jobs – more than 10,000 in the last five
years, said Masino. That is why it is now more
crucial than ever that we continue expanding
our economic development initiatives
internationally.
Partnership Gwinnett’s efforts have resulted
in the recruitment and expansion of 36
internationally-based businesses in Gwinnett
County since 2007, leading to more than
1,410 new jobs for Gwinnett residents and
$56.8 million in capital investment for the
community.
This comprehensive global outreach effort is
innovative in that it addresses and proactively
aids both sides of the economic development
equation: it both attracts foreign businesses
to Gwinnett and helps existing companies
leverage the community’s numerous resources
and overseas trade opportunities. Although
Partnership Gwinnett serves existing global
companies and offers opportunities for
engagement, globalization efforts are not
solely focused inward. Masino has seen great
36 gwinnettedge
37. july/august 2015 37
success through the development of relationships, trade,
and investment externally by visiting with prospects and
companies in their home countries.
“For European companies particularly, where many
decisions about the U.S. location are made at home, visiting a
company’s global headquarters is an essential way to develop
a strong relationship and build retention,” said Masino.
Gwinnett County offers several assets that have spurred
global response. Situated less than four hours from two of
Georgia’s ports, Gwinnett is also just a 30-minute drive from
the world’s busiest, most efficient airport. These assets play
a supporting role to the diverse and global community that
comprises Gwinnett. The most diverse community in the
Southeast – with a diversity index of 76.1 percent – about
one of every five Gwinnett residents was born outside of the
United States, and Gwinnett County Public Schools students
speak more than 60 languages and dialects.
Given that any economic development organization leverages
its local assets to bring companies, jobs, and investments to its
community, Gwinnett’s diverse population and international
business base have driven Partnership Gwinnett’s global
outreach and efforts.
A primary goal of Partnership Gwinnett's efforts is to
increase foreign investment in Gwinnett while seeking
opportunities for existing industries to expand, said Masino.
To develop relationships with partners globally not only
provides international business opportunities, but also
leverages multiple thriving economies to support economic
stability.”
38. We are healers. We are life changers.
While we’ve always been known for care and compassion, today,
we’ve become one of the leading health systems in Georgia.
What was once thought to be unachievable, we do daily.
We’re setting the pace of modern medicine. From open heart
surgery and groundbreaking cancer care to a Level III neonatal
intensive care unit, we’re pushing the boundaries of technology.
Because progress never stops, and neither do we.
This is Gwinnett Medical Center. This is now.
Transforming Healthcare
Ranked top large hospital in the state - Georgia Trend
39. Insights from local
experts and executives
Strategies
COMMUNITY
this issue: [39] community [42] technology [44] business [46] perspectives
july/august 2015 39
Strengthening Communities,
Changing Lives
Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity and Thrivent Financial Partner for
Community Success
[by Rachel Perez]
WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT A COMPANY THAT
helps their customers become good stewards of their
finances while helping them grow their money and also
live generously? Two words that come to mind are:
awesome and inspiring.
Thrivent Financial is that company. What most people
don’t know is that Thrivent Financial was founded more
than 100 years ago to help Lutheran immigrants find a
path to greater economic independence. Thrivent is a
membership organization of Christians that helps families
and individuals throughout the United States be wise with
their money and live generously.
Thrivent believes that all we have is a gift from God and
that generosity is an expression of faith. Thrivent supports
this message by having contributed $54.9 million in grant
funds in 2014 in the U.S. and overseas.
Right here in Gwinnett County, Thrivent Financial is
busy at work helping Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity with
“strengthening communities and changing lives.” This
theme is at the core of Thrivent Financial’s mission and
reflects one of their core values of providing opportunities
to demonstrate generosity where one lives, works and
worships.
Through the strong partnership Thrivent has developed
with Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity, it brings its financial,
volunteer and advocacy resources to help provide and
build affordable housing and construction in Gwinnett
County to aid low income families in need of affordable
40. Strategies COMMUNITY
40 gwinnettedge
housing. Thrivent Builds with Habitat
for Humanity, now in its 10th year
nationally, is the name of this impactful
partnership.
Don Goldsmith works for Thrivent
Financial and is a new board member
on Gwinnett Habitat’s Board of
Directors. When asked his thoughts
about getting families out of poverty
through homeownership, Don stated “I
have personally seen what a difference
it makes to own a home versus being a
renter. It’s a whole different level of care
and responsibility you show toward your
home—it’s a difference in your pride
of ownership. I am a strong supporter
of Gwinnett Habitat giving a hand up,
not a hand out. And I find the way that
Habitat goes about addressing the issue
of substandard housing and affordable
housing both honorable and rewarding.”
Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity has
been creating and building affordable
housing throughout Gwinnett County
for over 27 years and has built 126 single-
family homes to date. It recognizes the
importance of having committed corporate
involvement from Gwinnett County’s
business community and the impact these
valuable business partnerships have in
helping to improve the lives of low-income
families and children. Also, these recipient
families devote 250 hours to work
alongside corporate sponsors to build their
own home—no handouts but a real ‘hand-
of-hope-up’ with bricks and mortar.
Gwinnett County is a large county
with a sizable population and a broad
mix of races, cultures and of varied socio-
economic means. With this urban growth
is a need for an overall plan that addresses
the issues of low-income housing that the
local government cannot by itself handle
on its own. With Gwinnett Habitat for
Humanity, we have an experienced and
caring organization that is pro-actively
addressing and providing affordable
housing solutions. And it is effectively
using a collaborative community approach
that involves individuals, donors, churches
and corporate sponsors to help fulfill its
mission to build homes, communities and
hope in Gwinnett County.
As a matter of fact, several
homeownership studies have concluded
that public efforts to increase access to
individual homeownership have been
found to have greater impacts among
low-income households than among
higher-income households. Furthermore,
facilitating homeownership among low-
income households has been shown to
have a greater social return on investment
and an overall positive ripple effect in in
the area of these households. Children
also tend to do better in school. (Journal of
Housing Research, Volume 14, Issue 1).
Corporate responsibility in
philanthropic community efforts work and
make a difference. It is such involvement
like the one built between Thrivent
Financial and Gwinnett Habitat that leave
a physical impact in the broader economic
and housing activity of Gwinnett County.
It also leaves an indelible and intangible
impact in the lives of hard working low-
income families seeking decent, safe
and affordable housing—and that also
enhances the quality of life for children.
It also shows other companies thinking of
moving to Gwinnett County that our local
businesses believe in their community and
in helping others by doing good in their
own backyard.
To learn more about Gwinnett Habitat
for Humanity or to make a donation, please
visit www.habitatgwinnett.org or call 770-
931-8080, ext.15. Help us continue making
a difference in Gwinnett County. After all,
community philanthropy is the gift that
keeps on giving.
n RACHEL PEREZ IS THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT FOR
GWINNETT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
41. july/august 2015 41
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42. 42 gwinnettedge
Strategies TECHNOLOGY
Erasing Borders at Business RadioX
The Power of Digital Media
[by Mike Sammond]
THE PHONE CALL WAS ONE I HAD RECEIVED MANY
times before. A recent guest beaming with pride over the
acquisition of a new client.
They heard our interview on your radio show and hired us to
prepare their business plan and marketing plan, said Jennifer
Rusz, Chief Marketing Officer at Sterling Rose Consulting Corp.
They're from Colombia.
That's great news. Congratulations! I responded. Columbia,
South Carolina?
No. Colombia… the country, she corrected me. And they've
moved their business to Gwinnett County because of your show.
The new clients were Alejandro Tamayo and Paula Rivas,
owners of Green C Trading, the creator of Papagayo Foods, a
company that produces and ships natural fruit pulps and
purees worldwide. The company is also preparing to expand
their business to include dog treats and other imported
products. They had been searching for a place in the
southeastern United States to relocate their multi-million
dollar business.
Jennifer told me that Alejandro was a passionate listener
of several shows that aired on Business RadioX, including
two shows that I host, Gwinnett Business Radio and the
Gwinnett Chamber's show Open for Business.
I listened to the shows in Colombia for almost a year. I
put Business RadioX on my cell phone and tuned-in every
morning at home and in the car driving to work,” said
43. Take Internet radio, for example, which effectively markets
and promotes businesses to a mobile workforce that relies
on computers, iPads and iPhones. Internet radio also allows
companies to create relevant and useful content for all their
business and social platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn,
Pinterest and Twitter.
Just ask Sterling Rose. The Lawrenceville-based company
has decided to become an industry leader by launching its very
own radio show on Business RadioX. The goal is to share their
expertise on how to begin and build a successful business.
They should know. That’s because, in addition to Green C
Trading, Sterling Rose just added another new client from
overseas, a major real estate developer from the Philippines, a
company that also heard about them on Business RadioX.
As Sterling Rose has discovered, digital media can offer you a
“world” of business. Literally.
n MIKE SAMMOND IS THE OPERATOR OF BUSINESS RADIOX; FORMER
CNN HEADLINE SPORTS ANCHOR MIKE SAMMOND IS THE OPERATOR
OF THE BUSINESS RADIOX STUDIO IN GWINNETT. HE CAN ALSO BE
HEARD EVERY WEEKEND ON ATLANTA'S SPORTS RADIO 92.9 THE
GAME.
july/august 2015 43
Alejandro.
“At the beginning, I just wanted to get used to the language,
but the more I listened, the more I realized that the business
environment in Gwinnet was great. All the stories I heard on
Mike´s show about how business was getting done, and the
large number of experienced companies based here, were two
big factors in moving to Gwinnett County.
“Alejandro would tell me about all the businesses he heard
about on the shows, and how they could help our company if
we moved to Gwinnett,” said Paula. “A great example of that
was hiring Sterling Rose to help us with our business and
marketing plans.”
To recap: An Internet-based radio station in Gwinnett
promotes the county's positive business climate which results
in a South American company moving their entire operation
here. That would not, and could not, happen without the power
and reach of digital media.
The world is shrinking and digital media, led by social media
sites and Internet radio, is erasing borders. Companies ahead
of the curve not only understand digital media, but embrace it.
Those that don't invest in digital media face the risk of ignoring
an entire generation.
44. 44 gwinnettedge
Strategies BUSINESS
Overcoming Decision Paralysis
Having a logical decision-making process is vital for organizational success
[by Chris Reese, MBA]
THE TRUSTED ADVISORS HAVE BEEN
consulted. Much thought and deliberation
have been done. The answer and direction
are clear. Still there is hesitation.
There are all kinds of excuses offered up.
“I want to be sure I’ve thought this
through.” “It’s not that simple.”
Whatever the explanation, it’s nothing
more than a justification for inaction.
While this scenario is common in
all areas of life, it can be particularly
detrimental for those in positions of
leadership. Those over whom the leader is
responsible often perceive this paralysis as
leadership failure.
So how can it be overcome?
It’s important to recognize a very real
psychological component that keeps
us stuck in the status quo. It’s a concept
called prospect theory, and it comes from
decades of research by Daniel Kahneman
and Amos Tversky on decision-making
processes involving risk and uncertainty. In
Kahneman’s book, Thinking Fast and Slow,
he provides this simple definition: “we are
more inclined to avoid loss than we are to
move toward a gain.”
Any change from the status quo is
psychologically perceived as a loss. This
is one of the reasons people stay in bad
relationships – it is familiar and there is a
substantial emotional investment. Even
with significant pain, the severing of that
relationship is regarded as a loss.
Now, let’s apply that to business.
Most executives understand sunk cost.
This is the concept that what’s done is
done, and decisions should not consider
sunk cost. Decisions should only be based
upon the return on the next dollar or hour
spent on the project or line of business.
This, however, is not the way most people
operate.
Often managers say, “We’ve got too much
invested in this to let it go now.”
While understandable, it’s the wrong
perspective. The only thing that matters
is the return on the time and resources
necessary to complete the project or
initiative. There is often a huge sense of
loss with abandoning a failed initiative into
which so much time and money have been
invested. The result is an increase in risk
tolerance when it comes to trying to limit
losses.
Here’s the classic example from
Kahneman and Tversky’s research.
Subjects were presented with the following
questions.
You have $1000 and you must pick one
of the following choices:
A: You have a 50 percent chance of gaining
$1000, and a 50 percent chance of gaining
$0.
B: You have a 100 percent chance of gaining
$500.
#1
45. july/august 2015 45
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JUL/AUG
2015
the arts and
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issue!
Making a Move:
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Scenes at the
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You have $2000 and you must pick one
of the following choices:
A: You have a 50 percent chance of losing
$1,000, and a 50 percent chance of losing
$0.
B: You have a 100 percent chance of losing
$500.
From a purely logical analysis, options
'A' and 'B' are equivalent in both questions.
However, respondents overwhelmingly
chose 'B' for question one and 'A' for
question two. In other words, they were
risk averse when it came to the potential
for gains, but risk seeking when it came to
limiting losses.
This leads us to the second reason for
decision paralysis: fear. Fear of making the
wrong decision often overwhelms the pain
of the current situation. Fear is also tied to
the concept of prospect theory. The status
quo is known. The consequences of a choice
that may result in an even greater loss have
yet to play out.
Many leaders fall prey to the illusion that
they must be invulnerable and infallible.
Vulnerability is vital as a leader. History is
filled with examples of people embracing
leaders that display their humanity. The
converse is also true. Leaders projecting
a persona of invulnerability are often
perceived as unapproachable, disconnected
and egotistical.
Because most decision paralysis happens
around large financial or human resource
decisions, having a logical decision-making
process is critical. This is also where the
healthy conflict of effective teams is vital.
Leaders must have mentors, advisors and
team members that will ask the difficult
questions during the decision-making
process.
With those components in place, the
correct decision will become clear.
At that point, it is time for the leader to
lead.
n CHRIS REESE IS THE FOUNDER AND
PRESIDENT OF CIRRUS BUSINESS GROUP.
CIRRUS BUSINESS GROUP EXISTS TO
BUILD GREAT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
GREAT PLACES TO WORK.
Most decision
paralysis happens
around large financial
or human resource
decisions, having
a logical decision-
making process is
critical. This is also
where the healthy
conflict of effective
teams is vital. Leaders
must have mentors,
advisors and team
members that will ask
the difficult questions
during the decision-
making process.
#2
46. 46 gwinnettedge
Chasing the Dream
Two professional athletes share what it is really
like to play in the minor leagues
Strategies PERSPECTIVES
#1 WHAT IS THE BEST PART ABOUT
PLAYING ON A MINOR LEAGUE
TEAM?
kleinknecht | Of course the opportunity to
make it to the big leagues makes playing
in the minors a rewarding profession. And
I really can’t complain about the chance
to play a game for a living—it is truly an
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I also
enjoy meeting all the different people,
players and fans who make playing a lot of
fun and even more worthwhile.
murovich |It'sadreamcometruetoplay
hockeyattheprofessionallevel.Ireallyenjoy
thehighlevelofcompetition.Ihavealso
metsomanygreatpeoplethroughthesport
whoallsharesimilarpassionforthegame.
I'vebeenluckytoplayinalotofgreattowns
andcities.Noplacehastreatedmeaswellas
Gwinnett.Therearesomanygreatpeople
involvedinandaroundtheorganization.
#2 WHAT IS THE MOST
CHALLENGING ASPECT OF BEING
ON A MINOR LEAGUE TEAM?
kleinknecht | Without a doubt being away
from family for so long is one of the most
challenging parts of playing in the minors.
There is a saying that baseball is a game
of failure and when you are in a tough
stretch or have had a couple of bad games,
it is hard not having the support of family
close by to build you back up. With so
many games played closed together, there
is not a lot of time to forget about bad
plays, strikeouts or errors. There are 144
games in 150 days, which means months
without seeing family.
murovich |Theschedule.Attimesitcanbe
agrindandtakesalotofguyssometimeto
adjust.Inourleague,weplay72gamesper
seasonfromthemiddleofOctobertothe
middleofApril.Thismeansalotoftravelon
thebus.UnliketheNHL,weoftenplaythree
gamesthreedaysinarow.
#3 WHAT DOES YOUR DAILY
SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE DURING THE
SEASON?
kleinknecht | Most of the time, I get to
The Participants
n BARRETT KLEINKNECHT IS A UTILITY PLAYER FOR THE
GWINNETT BRAVES
n TYLER MUROVICH IS A FORWARD PLAYER FOR THE
GWINNETT GLADIATORS
Playing a game for a living is
undoubtedly a dream come true.
Traveling to different cities, meeting
new people, having fans wait in line
for your autograph and playing a game
that you love all sounds glamorous
and appealing. According to two local
professional athletes all of this is a part
of the magic of playing in the minors, but
with it comes hard work, perseverance,
and long days on the road. In this
article, a Gwinnett Braves and Gwinnett
Gladiators player share what it is really
in the minor leagues and what keeps
them chasing their dreams.
KLEINKNECHT
MUROVICH
