This year we wanted to take a different approach with our holiday card and make it a little bit more interactive with a few calls to action. Of course, we were careful to keep it light and spirited without beating you over the head with a marketing message. We hope you like it.
I am pleased and proud to have participated in the creation of our department’s “Year in Review” which illustrates some of the teams’ accomplishments in fiscal year 2012.
Our designer did an amazing job!
If you know me and would like to have a better understanding of what I do on a day-to-day basis then check it out. You might also be amazed at how much is going on in the state of Georgia.
In the past couple of months I have had the distinct pleasure of interviewing a variety of individuals that play a significant role in Georgia’s economy. Some of the interviewees have consisted of the following:
And executives from Porsche, Panasonic and Baxter.
It is certainly a different approach than a written case study or a press release, but I find it to be a great mechanism for telling the economic development story and what Georgia has to offer both national and international businesses. And I get to ask the questions.:-)
Here’s a recent video featuring Porsche:
For others you can visit http://www.youtube.com/GeorgiaBusinessUSA
In the days leading up to departure to Sayulita, Mexico, I had purposely repressed any potentially misguided excitement. Reason:I had no clear indication as to whether it would be one of those propped up touristy towns, or one that has actually preserved some semblance of authenticity? I’ve been to a few other places in Mexico, as well as Costa Rica and Peru. Sometimes culture will stand up and shake its rattle at you. Other times it is disappointingly absent or smothered. But after arriving at the Puerto Vallarta airport and promptly being whisked north to Sayulita, I began to think that I was going to be pleasantly surprised.
Upon waking the next morning and gazing up towards the jungle covered mountains, and then out towards the deep blue Pacific, I still reserved final judgement. I needed to have a good look around what appeared to be a rather quaint little town tucked into a big sweeping bay. As I walked the stone streets I passed by the Escuela where children played in their black and white Catholic attire. Outside the walls women swept the street. A man rode by shouting, “Camarones!” while flashing a large one by the tentacles. Crossing the river I could see surfers moving across the reef.
Sayulita turned out to be a wonderful little stop off by the sea. The locals have not only managed to preserve their town as best as they can, but they are quite warm to tourists as they seem to recognize their contributions to the economy. There are wonderful galleries and restaurants and recreational activities abound. I happened to be there during their Mexican Revolution Day, and I have a vivid memory of watching a fantastic music performance in the square downtown after a colorful parade. None of that mariachi crap you always think of but instead men, for example, adeptly playing clarinets in plain clothes while friends and townspeople cheered and danced along.
Just south of Sayulita is Punta Mita which offers several surf breaks composed of both reef and sand. During the winter months whales migrate through the area, and it is common to see them close to shore. Fishing is excellent and there is no shortage of boats and captains strewn across the bay waiting to take you out for a chance at hooking up. There are day trips available that run the gamut from mountain biking to bird watching. It is all there if you want it, including a comfy chair, warm sand and a view for when you are not up for much of anything.
Would I go back? Absolutamente!
It was a real pleasure working with both the Georgia Centers of Innovation (COI) and AREA-I to produce this video.
The COI are an integral part of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and its ability to help companies in Georgia grow and compete. They offer industry expertise and connections to Georgia’s vast network of business, academic and government resources.
One of the six centers is focused specifically on Aerospace. A fine example of the type of companies they assist is AREA-I. Under a supporting grant from the Center of Innovation for Aerospace, Middle Georgia College entered into a joint research & development program with AREA-I for flight testing of an advanced UAV, the Prototype Technology Evaluation Research Aircraft (PTERA), to demonstrate a wide range of cutting-edge aerospace technologies.
Through this public/private partnership, the MGC-AREA-I team has a two-year window to fly PTERA at the Middle Georgia College Aviation facilities in Eastman, Georgia. As a result, MGC is gaining valuable expertise to support the development of future UAV curriculum while AREA-I has gained additional contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and the United States Air Force.
Great time riding and camping in Pisgah. Fall colors are beginning to appear. Love how this photo turned out.
Did you know that Savannah has the fourth largest container port in the nation? Here for a photo shoot to capture the incredible infrastructure and logistics attributes of this crucial southeast hub. The view from one of the cranes is pretty spectacular.
It has been a few months since I moved to Georgia and immersed myself in the economic development landscape. One of the aspects of my new position has been to leverage the brand direction set in place by the marketing and communications team as well as our agency of record, Engauge.
To me it is a refreshing approach because it draws upon hard figures and statistics unique to the region with a foundation of “We Speak Business.”
Above is an energy ad I recently worked on for an upcoming conference. Below are two more. One is an aerospace ad for Georgia Trend (left), while the other is a logistics and infrastructure ad for Site Selection magazine (right).
What do you think?
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Click either image above to view larger.
Conveniently located next to the Blue Ridge Parkway and just 8 miles from Waynesville, North Carolina stands the quaint and majestic 100-year-old Balsam Mountain Inn. Sporting 50 bead board rooms complete with claw foot tubs and a decidedly mountain cottage-style feel, reservations include breakfast and as much rocking in the rocking chair as you desire. Dinner is also available onsite if you choose not to venture out. If you do, the Frogs Leap Public House is an excellent choice. Of course, there is plenty of access to hiking, kayaking, and exploring Smoky National Park.
I have officially started a new position as director of account management in the marketing and communications department at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
I will primarily be serving the Global Commerce teams as they generate economic development throughout the state. They are an active group composed of 5 main teams:
In addition, ten international offices actively represent and promote the state to key decision makers in their regions.
In 2011, the International Trade Team assisted 265 trade deals in at least 37 countries; meanwhile, the Global Commerce team members supported 158 missions and trade shows.
The Georgia Department of Economic Development also operates its Tourism Division as well as Film, Music & Digital Entertainment.
Another key business team is the Georgia Centers of Innovation. Focused on six industry clusters and located throughout the state, the Centers assist and partner with Georgia companies to help them accelerate growth and provide industry-specific knowledge, connections and innovative business solutions.
For example, Bioscience:
There is a lot going on here in the state of Georgia. Stay tuned!