Pulaski County is states newest designated Entrepreneur Friendly community
ATLANTA, September 26, 2006 - Pulaski County has joined the state's ranks of 'Entrepreneur Friendly' communities, an official designation meaning the community is developing an environment that welcomes small business and entrepreneurs. Central Georgia's Pulaski County is the 25th community in the state to earn 'Entrepreneur Friendly' status from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD)'s Entrepreneur and Small Business Office. Other middle Georgia communities that have earned the designation include Houston, Turner and Upson counties, and several others are in the process of certification.
'Encouraging and supporting our homegrown businesses and entrepreneurs will help create quality jobs for Georgians,' said Governor Sonny Perdue. 'By helping local
communities support the growth of small business, we ensure prosperity and opportunity throughout the state.'
An 'Entrepreneur-Friendly' community must complete a program instituting guidelines and strategies that build a local environment and culture to support entrepreneur and small business development. Pulaski County also completed a full-day assessment by a review team that identified strategies to implement entrepreneur and small business development programs. Additionally, county leaders asked local entrepreneurs and small business owners to evaluate Pulaski County's present environment for small businesses.
"Pulaski County is determined to help new businesses succeed, and we have made access to our programs and services simpler than ever,' said Lee Slade, Pulaski County Economic Development director and president of the Chamber of Commerce. 'Entrepreneurs have a talent for seeing opportunities and the abilities to develop those opportunities into profit-making businesses. They are the future of our county, and we are committed to their success.'
According to the Georgia Department of Labor, of the 437 business located in Pulaski County, 93 percent (408) have fewer than 20 employees.
'It's great that Pulaski County is proactively supporting its small businesses,' said Chris Clark, chairman of the Georgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Coordinating
Network and GDEcD's deputy commissioner of Global Commerce. 'We congratulate the community for taking steps to ensure their growth. These small businesses are an essential part of the county's strategic initiative to develop and grow its 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. For more information, visit www.georgia.org.