GDEcD designates 129th and final “Entrepreneur Friendly” community

ATLANTA, August 20, 2008 — Johnson County became the 129th and final community to be named Entrepreneur Friendly, which helps communities create an environment conducive to small businesses and entrepreneurs. 'As the Entrepreneur Friendly initiative's first phase draws to a close, I am proud of the 129 communities that have worked hard to achieve this designation,' said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. 'Since 95 percent of Georgia businesses are classified as small businesses, it is valuable for communities to have a supportive network of resources for these businesses. We are helping make Georgia a fertile ground for entrepreneurs and small businesses, one community at a time.' Governor Perdue launched the Entrepreneur Friendly initiative in 2004 to help Georgia communities create a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Communities had until the end of August 2008 to complete the program. In August 2004, Lowndes and Coffee counties were the first to be designated. Since then, counties large and small, rural and urban across the state have participated in the program. 'The Entrepreneur Friendly surveys indicate that DeKalb will grow 100,000 jobs through small businesses over the next two years,' said DeKalb Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones. 'Technology has leveled the playing field for small business, and we need to focus on this area of growth.' 'The designation process has been very meaningful to our chamber,' said Bill Rogers, Executive Director of the Swainsboro-Emanuel County Chamber of Commerce. 'The process has given us insight into the problems facing our local small businesses and entrepreneurs. From the information gained in the interviews, we hope to develop a plan of action that truly benefits, assists and encourages our small business owners.' As the number of EF communities has grown, so have small businesses. In fiscal 2008, the Regional Small Business and Innovation Team reported that 69 out of its 101 project announcements—meaning job and investment growth—occurred in EF counties. In contrast, during fiscal 2007, 17 out of 58 project announcements occurred in EF counties. The designation process consists of working with a GDEcD Regional Project Manager and a review team in order to analyze the business environment and tailor strategies to help entrepreneurs and small businesses grow. To earn its designation, Johnson County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's Regional Project Manager Adela Kelley. Johnson County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, OneGeorgia Authority, Small Business Development Center, CSRA Business Lending, Senator Johnny Isakson's Office and the United States Department of Agriculture. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Johnson County and many of the EF counties are eligible for customized market data, such as demographic and business information, to help give them a competitive edge 'Wrightsville and Johnson County community leaders have worked under the guidance of the State of Georgia to establish an Entrepreneur Friendly Community designation,' said Wrightsville Mayor Philip Boatright. 'With the training this designation represents, we look to minimize the risk of starting, expanding, or owning a small business. As a rural community, we realize that small business is the key element to improving the quality of life for all citizens. This designation will tell all entrepreneurs that we want them in Wrightsville and Johnson County.' 'Small businesses are the backbone of Georgia communities. By helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow, we help Georgia grow,' said Heidi Green, chairman of the Georgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Coordinating Network and GDEcD's deputy commissioner for Global Commerce. 'We applaud Johnson County for incorporating small businesses into its strategic plan for growth.' Once a community has been designated Entrepreneur Friendly, it is eligible for the following resources: free strategic planning assistance toward implementation of entrepreneur development eligibility to apply for the Entrepreneur Friendly Implementation Fund for up to $25,000 to support an entrepreneurial environment community and best practices listed on www.georgia.org inclusion on mailing list for updates and professional development opportunities A listing of the 129 Entrepreneur Friendly counties follows: Athens Clarke County Bacon County Baldwin County Banks County Barrow County Bartow County Ben Hill County Berrien County Bleckley County Brantley County Brooks County Bryan County Bulloch County Burke County Butts County Calhoun County Candler County Camden County Carroll County Catoosa County Charlton County Chatham County Chattooga County Cherokee County Clay-Quitman-Randolph-Stewart Counties - (RegionFirst) Crisp County Cobb County Coffee County Columbia County Colquitt County Cook County Coweta County Dade County Dawson County Decatur County DeKalb County Dougherty County Douglas County Early County Effingham County Elbert County Emanuel County Evans County Fannin County Fayette County Floyd County Forsyth County Franklin County Gilmer County Glynn County Gwinnett County Gordon County Habersham County Hall County Haralson County Harris County Hart County Heard County Henry County Houston County Irwin County Jasper County Jefferson County Jenkins County Jones County Lamar County Lanier County Laurens County Lee County Liberty County Lincoln County Lowndes County Lumpkin County Macon County Madison County Marion County McDuffie County Meriwether County Miller County Mitchell County Morgan County Murray County Muscogee County Newton County Oconee County Oglethorpe County Paulding County Peach County Pickens County Polk County Pulaski County Putnam County Rabun County Richmond County Rockdale County Schley County Screven County Seminole County Spalding County Stephens County Sumter County Thomas County Tift County Toombs-Montgomery-Tattnall Counties - (Tri-CREST) Towns County Troup County Treutlen County Turner County Union County Upson County Walker County Walton County Ware County Warren County Washington County Wayne County Webster County White County Whitfield County Wilkes County Wilkinson County Worth County 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.

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