Georgia Department of Economic Development Awards Public Relations Contract to GolinHarris

ATLANTA, January 16, 2008 – The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced today it has contracted with GolinHarris International, Inc., as its public relations agency of record. The group will assist the department's public relations staff in the development and execution of a comprehensive communication and public relations program, in addition to providing strategic communications planning and counsel. 'We are very excited to begin work with GolinHarris as we continue to develop our marketing and communications strategies,' said Charlie Gatlin, Deputy Commissioner for Tourism and Marketing for GDEcD. 'Their global experience in economic development, tourism and entertainment will certainly aid in attracting more business to Georgia.' GolinHarris, an international communications agency, will assist GDEcD in developing public relations campaigns and initiatives that support the agency's global commerce, tourism and entertainment divisions. GDEcD will call on GolinHarris to strategically and effectively communicate Georgia's business advantages to global, national, regional and local business communities, in order to help attract jobs and investment to the state. 'There's good reason why so many people come to Georgia and why so many businesses relocate or expand here. It's a great place to be,' said Kathy Cosgrove, managing director of the Atlanta office of GolinHarris. 'This is one of those accounts that get you excited every day because the work has lasting significance and affects many people.' GolinHarris is a leading public relations agency offering a distinctive combination of global resources and personalized service in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. Clients include Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Dow Chemical Company, McDonald's Corporation, Nintendo of America Inc., Orange, Texas Instruments and Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. GolinHarris celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006, and is proud to have been selected as 2007 Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report, Large PR Agency of the Year in the PRWeek Awards and PRWeek Magazine's 2007 Editors' Choice. The agency is headquartered in Chicago and is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit www.golinharris.com or to join GolinHarris' discussion on the future of public relations, visit www.NextFiftyYears.com. 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 entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. For more information, visit www.georgia.org.