By Amy Selby
Atlanta is a city that has
a historic reputation for picking itself up by its bootstraps in times of struggle
and charging ahead. Considering the current economic climate, longtime residents
and executives have faith that history will repeat itself and Atlanta will once
again welcome progress.
“Good things are happening,” says Nick Masino, vice president of
Economic Development at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. “This is where
the young, educated, talented people are, and the [metro area] will benefit
from that. I’d rather weather the storm here than any other place in the
world.”
Signs of progress are sprouting up throughout the city—residential housing
construction saw a boost in February, companies are announcing expansions and
Atlanta will host international life sciences companies at the 2009 BIO International
Convention in May. Here’s more good news on which companies are hiring
and how the metro area is attracting global business expansions in the area.
Who’s Hiring?
Atlanta has long been known for the strength of its job market. Opportunities
exist—here’s a list of companies looking for new hires:
AT&T. This major telecommunications company is expanding
its wireless, broadband and video service areas, resulting in 3,000 new jobs.
The number of jobs available in the metro area has not been officially reported,
but the company’s wireless unit, AT&T Mobility, and most of its video
services are based in Atlanta. att.com
GreenTech Manufacturing. The environmentally friendly construction
product manufacturer is building a new facility in Douglas, Ga., creating 320
new jobs. greentech-ga.com
Kia Motors. The South Korean automaker is set to open its first
U.S. plant and produce SUVs by the end of the year, hiring 600 employees. kmmgusa.com
NCR. This Fortune 500 company is opening a global Center of
Excellence in Georgia, which will encompass components of NCR’s (National
Cash Register Company) worldwide customer service operations. This expansion
is expected to bring 325 jobs to the metro area. ncr.com
Suniva. A company born out of Georgia’s Institute of
Technology’s photovoltaics department, Suniva is a manufacturer of high
value crystalline silicon solar cells. Suniva opened its first solar factory
in Atlanta in December 2008 and will hire more than 100 employees by the end
of 2009. suniva.com
Verizon Wireless. This multi-media provider is expanding its
presence in Alpharetta with a new Customer Service Center, bringing 600 jobs
to the metro area. verizon.com
YesVideo. This digital video publishing technology company
is opening its East Coast operations in Gwinnett County. This expansion will
create 300 new jobs over the next three years.Yesvideo.com
Global Initiatives
Georgia has state global economic teams working in concert with many Chambers
of Commerces to build relationships with other countries. These teams and the
Sister City program foster understanding among cultures, while generating new
business opportunities.
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. The Metro Atlanta Chamber
of Commerce Global Commerce division works to bring jobs to the metro area through
the attraction of foreign direct investment and the expansion of international
companies. The division has completed outreach missions to China, Japan, Korea,
Taiwan, Czech Republic, Europe and Brazil. One of their most recent outreach
missions was to South Africa.
Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce. The Gwinnett Chamber has the
largest economic development team in Georgia, and the team is currently hosting
dignitaries from foreign countries to build trade relations. This spring the
Chamber is bringing a group to China and Korea to meet with the local companies
to discuss expanding their North American operations in the metro Atlanta region.
Georgia Department of Economic Development. Georgia is home
to 2,500 international companies, 76 consulates and several bi-national Chambers
of Commerce. The state also has 10 internationally based offices promoting trade
and investments in Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Germany, Israel, Japan, Korea,
Mexico and the United Kingdom.
Cobb County Government. After a year of careful planning, 20
Cobb County leaders traveled to Seongdong-Gu, Seoul, last October to explore
economic development opportunities and establish a sister city relationship.
On the trip, Cobb County officials met with Seongdong-Gu’s mayor, business
interests in the city and a local university.
Click here for an overview of business in Atlanta.
Atlanta Tech Boom
Atlanta is Good for Business