ECG: About Us

Charlie Gatlin comes to Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG) from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), the state’s governmental organization for promoting, marketing and supporting economic growth.

Mr. Gatlin is responsible for the planning, implementation and management of statewide economic and community development activities. He and his staff actively assist companies in locating new industries throughout the entire state of Georgia. ECG works closely with the Department of Economic Development, other statewide economic development partners and various community leaders in efforts of improving relations with existing industries and providing consultation on economic and community marketing strategies.

Mr. Gatlin’s previous positions with GDEcD have included deputy commissioner for business recruitment and retention, deputy commissioner for external affairs, deputy commissioner for tourism, projects team leader, chief of staff, director of marketing and research, and executive director of Georgia Allies. As an economic developer, he has been a part of Georgia’s economic development world both at the state agency and in previous positions with the communities of Albany, Athens, Rome and Macon. Before entering the field of economic development, Gatlin was an administration and training officer in the U.S. Air Force and a mortgage banker.

Mr. Gatlin is a Certified Economic Developer (CED) and is a past president and board member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association (GEDA), which recognized him in 2002 with a Rip Wiley Award for Professional Excellence. He is an active member of several national, regional and state economic development organizations.

A native of Albany, Georgia, Mr. Gatlin holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Georgia. He has completed both the six-year and three-year graduate programs of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institutes for Organization Management, and he is a licensed realtor. He is married to the former Cathy Tidwell of Macon and has two daughters and two grandchildren.

Charlie Gatlin
Director of Economic and Community Development
770.563.0408
cgatlin@locationgeorgia.com

Amanda is the Administrative and Marketing Manager for Electric Cities of Georgia. She is responsible for office management, assisting staff with event logistics, business development, marketing to participant cities, and management of technical services and database functions of the department. Amanda has over ten years experience in office management and marketing.

Amanda graduated from Clayton State University with a degree in Marketing. Before joining the ECG team, she worked for the Fayette County Development Authority for over six years as their Office Manager. She was very active in the local Chamber of Commerce and Young Professionals of Fayette County, where she served as President.

Amanda lives in Newnan, Georgia with her husband, Jeremy, who is an EMT. Their young son keeps Amanda busy with football practice and guitar lessons, but in her spare time, she enjoys working out and is a certified Zumba instructor.
    
Amanda Fields
Administrative and Marketing Manager
770.661.2876
afields@locationgeorgia.com

As a Business Development Associate with ECG, Walt works alongside the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Georgia Allies, and all local Georgia communities to recruit new industry to the State of Georgia for the purpose of job creation, capital investment, and the expansion of Georgia’s tax base. ECG’s Economic and Community Development Department serves to promote Georgia's business development and enhance Georgia's business climate.

Walt is responsible for listening to industry representatives and assisting them in locating and expanding their business in Georgia. Walt does this by understanding their needs and matching those needs with targeted industry research specific to Georgia, managing site and building visits, and providing pertinent networking opportunities with state and local representatives.

Walt earned his Master of Business Administration from Auburn University. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Marketing from Clemson University.
 
Personal Data:
Resident of Georgia 25 years.
Volunteer Young Life Leader.
    
Walter Farrell
Business Development Associate
770.563.0319
wfarrell@locationgeorgia.com

D. Michelle Cooper is the Manager of Community Development  with Electric Cities of Georgia. Since beginning her employment with ECG in 1989, Michelle has worked with a variety of companies, state and local officials. Her inherent understanding of Georgia offers her clients a diverse mixture of state knowledge and key relationships. As an ECG project manager since 2001, Michelle has been directly responsible for assisting companies in matching their project needs with Georgia properties and communities. Michelle routinely assists companies in organizing site visits with local communities and organizing networking opportunities between company executives and state/local representatives and overall project management activities. In addition to project management activities, Michelle advises local leadership on innovative marketing and planning strategies to improve the community's development activities. She consistently works with existing industries to assist in business retention and expansion opportunities.
 
Business Affiliations/Noteworthy Accomplishments:
Economic Development Institute – Graduate; Georgia Economic Developers Association – Member; German American Chamber – Member; Canadian/American Society – Member; British American Business Group – Member.     

D. Michelle Cooper
Manager,
Community Development
770.563.0435
mcooper@locationgeorgia.com

Jason Fritz is a Retail Business Development Associate with Electric Cities of Georgia*. As a Business Development Associate, Jason is responsible for assisting companies in matching their project needs with Georgia properties and communities. Jason routinely assists companies in organizing site visits with local communities and organizing networking opportunities between company executives and state/local representatives and overall project management activities.

Prior to Location Georgia, Jason was a Commercial Real Estate Investment Associate responsible for the sourcing, analysis, due diligence and closing of new investment and brokerage opportunities in Georgia. Prior to this, Jason worked as a Senior Business Analyst for Resort Condominiums International, LLC (RCI), a member of the Wyndham Corporation.

Jason holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Alma College in Michigan. He is a licensed Real Estate Salesperson in the State of Georgia and is also a licensed Commercial Pilot.

Business Affiliations/Member:
ICSC (International Conference of Shopping Centers)
ULI (Urban Land Institute)
GEDA (Georgia Economic Developers Association)
    
Jason Fritz
Business Development Associate
678.202.3102
jfritz@locationgeorgia.com

Sharyn Finney is a Market Research Analyst at Electric Cities of Georgia*. She is responsible for identifying growth industries and companies to attract to Georgia’s communities as well as providing GIS (Geographic Information System) support for the ECG project managers and Georgia Communities. She also assists Georgia communities in an array of research expertise from demographic analysis to economic development strategic planning.

Prior to her employment with ECG, Sharyn worked with the Enterprise Innovation Institute in a GIS supportive role. She is a 2007 Georgia Institute of Technology graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Management and Public Policy.
    
Sharyn Finney
Market Research Analyst
770.661.2806
sfinney@locationgeorgia.com

Case Robertson is a GIS (Geographic Information System) Coordinator with Electric Cities of Georgia*. Case offers geographic design, analysis and implementation of digitized maps and related materials through GIS technology. He provides a high level of expertise in the development and coordination of new materials to resolve problems and improve products as well as devising new approaches and techniques for projects.  Case works closely with state and local officials in designing mapping solutions to illustrate geographically the best a community has to offer.

Prior to coming with us, he was employed as a GIS Administrator in the Environmental Division of Fort Stewart. Case also brings professional experience in Archeology, wetlands delineation, and site location to our team.

He holds the Bachelor of Science in Anthropology with a minor in Archaeology and Aerospace from Middle Tennessee State University. Case is an Alumni of Sigma Nu Fraternity.

He is married with two small sons and enjoys hiking, reading, and playing guitar.
    
Case Robertson
GIS Coordinator
770.563.0028
crobertson@locationgeorgia.com