Berrien County designated today as states newest Entrepreneur Friendly community
ATLANTA, April 17, 2007 – Berrien County was certified today by the state as its most recent 'Entrepreneur Friendly' community. The designation means that this community is strategically building its environment to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. Ninety-three percent of Berrien County's 465 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.' Berrien County is the 42nd community in the state named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Other Entrepreneur Friendly communities in the region include Cook, Coffee and Lowndes counties. Several neighboring counties are also pursuing this designation, including Tift, Irwin, Worth and Ben Hill. To earn the designation, Berrien County completed the Entrepreneur-Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Rhonda Geiger. Program steps involved analyzing the current entrepreneurial and small business development environment and strategizing options for fostering small business and entrepreneurs. Berrien County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff, representatives from the Small Business Development Center, Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and Valdosta Technical College. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in these counties 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 them 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. 'Since 2005, our community has experienced a small business boom, especially in the retail sector,' said Paul W. Hamilton, chairman of the Berrien County Entrepreneur Friendly Committee. 'The feedback from most of our surveys was very positive; however, we also learned we have some areas where our entrepreneurs would like to see some improvement. With these new ideas, we will continue to work hard to make adjustments in hopes of encouraging continued entrepreneur growth in our county.' 'We congratulate Berrien 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.