Baldwin County is states newest designated Entrepreneur Friendly community
ATLANTA, March 1, 2007 - Central Georgia's Baldwin County has joined the state's ranks of 'Entrepreneur Friendly' communities, an official designation indicating the community is developing an environment conducive to small business and entrepreneurs. Ninety-two percent of Baldwin County's 1,489 companies are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. 'Homegrown businesses and entrepreneurs create quality jobs that are integral to ensuring prosperity and opportunity throughout Georgia,' said Governor Sonny Perdue. 'By encouraging and supporting small businesses, we are investing in a stronger future for local communities and the state as a whole.' Baldwin County is the 35th Entrepreneur Friendly community in the state and the third in 2007 to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Nearby Wilkinson County was certified in December 2006, and several other counties in the region, including Hancock, Jasper and Johnson, are working toward the designation this year. To earn the designation, Baldwin County completed the Entrepreneur-Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Keith Moffett. The county analyzed its entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies tailored for that environment, to help foster the growth of this critical business segment. Baldwin County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and a representative from the Small Business Development Office. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Baldwin County are now eligible for customized market data, such as demographic and business information, to help give them a competitive edge. The county is also eligible for an Entrepreneur-Friendly Implementation Fund (EFIF) grant to help it implement specific, long-term programs that support their entrepreneurs and small businesses. The grant must be matched 50 percent in dollars or in-kind value by the community. "The process in and of itself was an eye-opener,' said Tara Peters, president of the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce. "To see this effort come to fruition is tremendously satisfying. Our committee has worked hard for many months surveying business owners and networking with various community resources. Receiving this designation is just one more example of the cohesiveness of our community. " 'We congratulate Baldwin County for taking this proactive approach to supporting its small businesses,' added Chris Clark, chairman of the Georgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Coordinating Network and GDEcD's deputy commissioner of Global Commerce. 'Steps like these ensure growth and development in the local business community.' The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.