White County is states newest designated Entrepreneur Friendly community
ATLANTA, June 28, 2007 – Northeast Georgia's White County has joined the state's ranks of 'Entrepreneur Friendly' communities, an official designation indicating the community is developing an environment conducive to small business and entrepreneurs. Ninety-four percent of White County's 776 companies are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. White County has experienced 13.33 percent growth in entrepreneurial growth since 2001.
'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.'
White County is the 49th community in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Previously certified North Georgia counties include Habersham, Forsyth, and Barrow. Nearby counties in the progress of designation include Lumpkin, Hall and Banks. Ware County in South Georgia received its designation earlier this month.
To earn the designation, White County completed the Entrepreneur-Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Suzanne Browne. The county analyzed its entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies tailored for that environment, to help foster the growth of this critical business segment. White County also
underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Small Business Development Center, Appalachian Community Enterprises, North Georgia Technical College, and the Department of Community Affairs.
Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in White County 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 it 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.
'The Entrepreneur Friendly Program is exactly what White County is about,' said Tom O'Bryant, director of White County Planning and Economic Development. 'New technology and the dynamics of our growing community lend itself to the creation and expansion of small business, while providing a quality of life for employers and employees alike. The program will strengthen our existing efforts to provide local goods and services to the citizens of White County.'
'Working through the process, we identified specific needs that were a common thread among our entrepreneurs,' said Judy Walker, president of the White County Chamber of Commerce. 'Focusing our attention on these areas will not only enable us to better serve our existing entrepreneurs, but allow us to continue to foster home-grown businesses.'
'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 White County for incorporating small businesses into its strategic plan for growth.'
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.