Georgias Center of Innovation-Aerospace Establishes Headquarters in Dodge County

ATLANTA, September 2, 2008 – Georgia's Center of Innovation-Aerospace has established its headquarters at Middle Georgia College's Aviation Campus. The Eastman location, a thriving hub for aerospace technology and workforce development, will open up new opportunities for the Center to accelerate growth in Georgia's aerospace industry. 'Locating at Middle Georgia College's Aviation Campus allows us to tap into its extensive aerospace resources,' said Sterling Wharton, director of the Centers of Innovation, part of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. 'Access to a well-educated workforce, several on-site laboratories and Eastman's existing aviation assets will enhance the State's capacity to continue to support the aerospace industry in Georgia.' Middle Georgia College offers degrees in aerospace programs including Flight (both fixed wing and helicopter), Air Traffic Control, Aircraft Structural Technology, and Aviation Maintenance. The Eastman campus's focus on aviation has attracted several aerospace companies to the area, including Tower Aerospace and Aircraft Manufacturing and Development. The partnership between the Center of Innovation-Aerospace and the Aviation Campus allows the center's clients to utilize one of the country's fastest-growing aviation programs for applied research, testing and training. The center is headed by director Nick Fuhrman, and will continue its strong collaboration and presence on Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins. 'The University System of Georgia is committed to meeting the needs of Georgia's strategic industries, including the aviation industry,' said University System Chancellor Erroll B. Davis, who is also a Centers of Innovation Board Member. 'The new partnership between the COI-Aerospace and Middle Georgia College, the state's public aviation college, will strengthen both organizations and help Georgia design comprehensive approaches to meeting industry needs.' The Center of Innovation-Aerospace was launched in Warner Robins in 2003 as part of the Centers of Innovation program created by Governor Sonny Perdue. Each of Georgia's six Centers of Innovation is hosted by a university in the state, providing technology-oriented businesses and entrepreneurs direct access to university research and development. New research initiatives and start-up enterprises are supported through the center's incubator program, and more established companies benefit through innovative programs created to meet their evolving needs. More than 80,000 workers work in aerospace product and parts manufacturing in Georgia, and the state is home to some 200 of the industry's leading companies, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and Gulfstream. The Centers of Innovation (COI) program focuses on six areas of strategic industry growth and expansion: agriculture, aerospace, energy, life sciences, logistics and manufacturing, located respectively in Tifton, Eastman, Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah and Gainesville. COI's services include access to deep industry expertise and university-level research; product commercialization, and client connections to key state resources including potential investor networks. For more information, visit http://www.georgia.org/business-resources/georgia-centers-of-innovation/. 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.