Metro AtlantaCompetitiveness Strategy

Implementation CommitteeChair: Craig Lesser Vice Chair: Pedro Cherry

Alan AmlingKerry Armstrong

Richard AutryRobert Avossa

Yulonda BeaufordLuz Borrero

Amanda HendleyCraig CamusoPamela Carnes

Tedra Cheatham

Ann CramerJohn CushnieKen Dobson

Stephen DolingerStephen Fleming

Matt ForsheeSteve Foster

Howard FranklinDavid Gill

Lenard Hairston

Jane HayseCinda Herndon-King

Mac HolladayRuss Hunt

Sandy HofmannDoug HookerTad Hucheson

Tim HynesReynold Jennings

Marty Jones

Eloisa KlementichMilton Little

Lindsay MartinMisti MartinNick Masino

Brooks MathisKaterina Taylor

Hala ModdelmogAl Nash

Prince Niyyar

Richard OdenMichael ParisAlicia Phillipp

Chris PumphreyTrevor Quander

Bob ReevesDan ReuterEmil Runge

Tisha TallmanMichael Thurmond

Angela PringleJeff Turner

Grant WainscottMarshall WalkerAlvin WillbanksYvonne Williams

Betty Willis

Educated Workforce SubcommitteeChair: Ann Cramer

Paul AlbertoJason Allen

Jocelyn AlterJoel AlvaradoRichard AutryRobert Avossa

Clara AxamJoe BankoffMike BeattyWes Bender

Jessica BergeronKristin Bernhard

Mindy BindermanKamau BobbLori Bodine

Tom BordenkircherDenis Brosnan

Brad BryantDonna Buchanan

Jamilica BurkeTaifa Butler

Mike Carnathan

Pamela CarnesAngela CassidyStephen CausbyTedra Cheatham

Pedro CherryDavid ChildsClaire Cline

Roy CraftAnn CramerJohn Cushnie

Houston DavisKatrina DeBerryStan DeJarnettJeff Dickerson

Austin DicksonKelley DitzelTjuan Dogan

Stephen DolingerArlinda EatonMark ElgartAdrian Epps

Amir Farokhi

Delano FordHoward Franklin

Mary Margaret GarrettMike Gerber

Gretchen GigleyLesley GradyLeslie GrantTodd Greene

Michael GriffithLenard Hairston

Erin HamesBen Hames

John HardmanJack Harris

Joy HawkinsMary Pat Hector

Diley Hernandez, Ph.DCinda Herndon-King

Sandy HoffmanMac HolladayDoug HookerGale Hulme

David JerriganMarcell Johnson

Detrius JonesHenry KellyKristina Kim Dena Kimball

Cecily Harsch KinnaneAshley Layne

Etienne LeGrandCraig LesserMilton Little

Ryan MahoneyMisti MartinNick Masino

Amy MastKathleen Mathers

Missy McNabbGaye Morris Smith

Barbara O’BrienJennifer Oliver

Jose PerezDave Peterson

Amy PhuongHunter Pierson

Ian PollockRC Pruitt

Chris PumphreyTrevor Quander

Josephine Reed-TaylorRob Rhodes

Ashley RiveraMichael Robertson

Blythe RobinsonEmil Runge

Emmett ShafferNeil ShorthouseJackie SimmonsStephen SimrillWilliam Slaton

Steve SmithBrian Srikanchana

Claire SuggsTisha TallmanJeffrey Tapia

Alice A. ThomasMichael Thurmond

Tracy TrammellGrace Trimble

Nitza Vega-LahrLaura WagnerBob Watson

David WeitnauerArianne Weldon

Matt WestmorelandDonna WhitingAlvin WilbanksDave WilliamsComer Yates

Ken ZeffMyrel SeiglerMark Peevy

Innovative Entrepreneurs SubcommitteeChair: Sandy Hofmann

Paul ArneRandy BeaversKenzie BigginsMichael Blake

Jim BooneLuz BorreroSteve Brown

Cindy CheathamNelson ChuDick Cook

Heather CreranLee Crump

Susannah DarrowChuck Darville

Badsha DasKen Dobson

Yvonne DoddJeffrey DufresneDavid DuncanMark Farmer

Jay FerroMichael Flanigan

Jim ForbesSteve Foster

James FranklinDarnell FrymireDarrell GlascoJenn Graham

Angela HaneklauKimberly Harbrecht

Amanda HendleyLinda HughesDr. Russ HuntSally Jamara

Udaiyan JatarWilliam Keir

Margot KingKatie KirkpatrickEloisa Klementich

Kathleen KurreTerry LawlerKyle Lussier

Mary MaddenC.N. (Madhu) Madhusudan

Roger MahlerTom McDermottSean McMillan

Michelle Morgan

Charles MosesJason Parker

Alicia PhillippIan PollockEmily Poole

Ben ReedJaKathryn Ross

Emil RungeKashi SehgalTodd Sherer

Brian SrikanchanaIwan Streichenberger

Bethany UsryTroy Von Otnott

Pierce WalkerNancy Whatley

Trent WilliamsonBetty Willis

Keith Ziobron

Prosperous Businesses SubcommitteeChair: Nick Masino

Samir AbdullahiOdessa ArchibaldKerry Armstrong

Courtney BernardiTom Boland

Kellie BrownlowCraig CamusoPamela Carnes

Hon. Johnny CristJohn CushnieKen Dobson

Brandon DouglasRobert Fox

Greg GentryVirginia GibbsErnest GilchristLaurel GraefeAndrea Hall

Mac HolladayRob Hoscack

Ric HublerJanet Hyde

Hon. Deborah JacksonKevin Johnson

Marty JonesWilliam Keir

Eloisa KlementichShelley Lamar

Lauren LambiaseEric LintonSaba Long

Lindsay MartinMisti MartinNick Masino

Brooks MathisMary Ellen McClanahan

Katerina Taylor Chris McCraryBrian McGowan

Betty McIntoshAlfie Meek

Kevin MoodyCamilla MooreMike Morton

Ed NelsonBill O’Connor

Michelle OlesonJohn Orr

Michael ParisRachel Peavy

Meghan PietrantonioEmily Poole

Chris PumphreyTrevor QuanderBrenda Robbin

Jody SelveyBeth Sessoms

Amanda ShailendraLisa ShermanGregg SimonErika Smith

Michael StarlingSteve StroudKelly Sydney

Katerina Taylor

Hon. Tim ThompsonPeter Tokar

Bethany UsryEric Van OtterenGrant Wainscott

Lisa WardBob White

Dave Williams

Livable Communities SubcommitteeChair: Tedra Cheatham

Randy BeaversRick Duke

Steve FosterMarisa GhaniAnn HanlonLee Harrop

Bakari Height

Joan HerronKyle Hood

Gayle HortonZee JenningsSarah KirschSusan LudwigRoger Mahler

Gerald McDowellBeth McMillian

Catherine Mercier-BaggettTerry Miller

Tyronda MinterJerald MitchellKevin Moody

Paul MorrisMichael Morton

Al NashRebecca Parker

Gigi PedrazaShelby Perkins-Triick

Chris Pumphrey

Dan ReuterKristi Rooks

Byron RushingBrint Smith

Nathaniel SmithJay Stevens

Amanda Thompson

Jessica ToalEhi Uwa

Stephen VaultMarshall Walker

Kari WatkinsJeff Watkins

Dave Williams

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petitiveness Strategy

Metro Atlanta Competitiveness StrategyMetro Atlanta is a dynamic and thriving region that competes globally for business and talent. Continuing to advance the region’s economy and quality of life will require collaboration across many different sectors. That need for collaboration is the reason for the Metro Atlanta Competitiveness Strategy.

The effort began in 2012 when ARC gathered more than 100 regional business, education, nonprofit, government and economic development leaders to create a Regional Economic Competitiveness Strategy that incorporates best practices from communities throughout the region and around the country. Implementation of that strategy is now in the hands of the Partnership and its 350-plus volunteers. Representing all sectors, partners across the region are working collaboratively to align metro Atlanta’s resources in four areas: Developing an Educated Workforce; Growing Prosperous Businesses; Supporting Innovative Entrepreneurs; and Developing Livable Communities.

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Developing an Educated WorkforceMetro Atlanta has an extensive network of colleges, universities and technical schools. Knowing that, it’s no surprise that 35 percent of residents over age 24 hold at least a Bachelor’s degree, a percentage that is considerably higher than the national average.

And, 68 percent of Georgia’s high school graduates attend college, a number that is in line with the rest of the nation. However, fewer than 70 percent of our region’s K-12 students graduate from high school, and 56 percent of them experience economic disadvantage. This number grows every year and impacts the ability of students to succeed academically.

Ensuring every student’s school success is critical for our region’s economic competitiveness and for each individual as they forge a path in life, community and career. The Educated Committee is, for the first time, bring together stakeholders from all sectors to gain an understanding of the many initiatives, programs and strategies underway to support metro Atlanta students from early learning to adulthood. The committee has the many chambers of commerce, United Way, the Community Foundation, ARC and the local workforce investment boards all working together with pre-K, K-12 and post-secondary partners to create a data base of relevant information that can support our school systems as they prepare our children for life and work. This allows for the sharing of best practices and aligning resources for maximum impact throughout the region.

The high school graduation rate

is 68%

68%56% of all public

school students are economically disadvantaged

56%More than 724,000 K-12 public school students in 14 systems

throughout the 10 counties

724,000

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petitiveness StrategyGrowing Prosperous BusinessesMetro Atlanta and the State of Georgia are considered attractive places to do business due to low corporate income taxes, good infrastructure, access to markets across the South, the HOPE scholarship, Quick Start and other talent development incentives, as well as a diverse labor pool for a wide array of job types. The Prosperous Committee is focused on convening the region’s economic development organizations around common goals, and is under way with collaborative Regional Marketing efforts, an analysis of incentives competitiveness and determining the best way to survey site consultants.

The 2012 Strategy called for action support existing businesses along with attracting new companies to the region. This included increasing exports from metro Atlanta, recognizing that the region’s export volume lags that of other regions. In 2013, Atlanta was chosen by the Brookings Institution to join the Global Cities Initiative. As a result, the Metro Atlanta Chamber is leading the development of the Metro Export Plan for the Atlanta Region, engaging regional economic development partners and businesses along the way.

Of course, critical to both exports and to other segments of the economy is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Earlier this year, a public-private group of organizations formed the Atlanta Aerotropolis Alliance to foster greater economic investment and collaboration among key stakeholders in the airport area. Today, the organization, along with ARC, is beginning to create a Blueprint to find new strategies to support growth around the world’s busiest airport.

Metro Atlanta has the 10th largest economy

(GDP) of US Metros

10thMetro Atlanta ranks 9th in the US in population, but 13th in

exports at $25.5 billion in 2012

9th Exports were 9.5% of metro Atlanta’s economic output,

ranking it 75th in US

75th

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Supporting Innovative EntrepreneursJust as it’s important to support a world-class workforce and to grow the region’s exports, it’s also critical that we encourage the development of innovative products and ideas. Supporting an entrepreneurial ecosystem across the region involves documenting the resources available to entrepreneurs and start-up enterprises, mapping the region’s networks of innovators and identifying gaps in that network. The Innovative Committee is working closely with businesses, universities and government entities to develop a “heat map” of regional innovation and support efforts to grow an innovative economy that competes nationally.

One example of this ecosystem exists in the Global Center for Medical Innovation located in Midtown. A winner of the U.S. Department of Commerce i6 Challenge, the Center is an independent, non-profit organization founded by Piedmont Healthcare, Georgia Tech, Georgia Research Alliance and Saint Joseph’s Translational Research Institute. It brings together universities, research centers, clinicians, device companies, entrepreneurs and investors with the goal of accelerating the commercialization of innovative medical technology. This combination of experts, entrepreneurs and investors helps bring good ideas from concept to market.

80+ tech incubators, accelerators

and centers

80+ Atlanta top 5 markets

for total bandwidth and fiber access

5Metro Atlanta 10th

in world for software development

10th

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petitiveness StrategyDeveloping Livable CommunitiesTo remain competitive, the region must attract and retain college graduates. Many of these young professionals want to live in settings where they are close to work, recreation, public transit and social activities. It’s important that local jurisdictions foster these types of neighborhoods. Another similar economic reality is the region’s growing population of aging citizens, many of whom will also prefer walkable communities with a variety of housing types and access to public transportation.

The market is also driving changes in our communities. At the height of the recession, many storefronts went vacant, dragging down local economies and the atmosphere in business districts. Today, occupancy is rising, and local communities are being creative in how they attract even more activity to their downtown areas. The Livable Committee is compiling a “how-to” guide of best practices from the Atlanta region for using temporary leases or pop-up shops to bring life back to these areas while also providing small businesses with affordable, short-term space.

The promise of more transportation options also attracts new residents and businesses. As such,MARTA is creating opportunities for development around its rail stations. ARC, MARTA and partner organizations created a TOD Collaborative, with funding from the Ford Foundation, to accelerate this development. This group is working to engage communities around three transit stations, resulting in visions for new developments at each station that will advance to RFP.

14% of new income-producing property was in a Walkable Urban Places in 1992-2000

14% 60% of new income-producing

property was in a Walkable Urban Places in 2009-2013

60%These same areas contain 22% of the

region’s jobs

22%

40 Courtland Street, NE | Atlanta, Georgia 30303atlantaregional.com