30 Dec 2018

ECG Communities uniquely leverage utility enterprises to grow

fyi – GA’s Energy Cities at Work

4th Quarter, 2018

This newsletter regularly regales community innovation and economic start-ups in some of Georgia’s best cities. We announce growing corporations ready to beef-up and 100-year old industries set to up- cycle. ECG cities excel in creating opportunity for business, workforce and creative placemaking.

These winning communities come from a small cohort of Georgia’s more than 500 cities. Our 52 cities uniquely leverage utility enterprises to grow their communities.

For 2018, it is easy to recount successes. New business was recruited and local businesses won state accolades as business rock stars. Communities excelled in innovative workforce initiatives and resident individuals were stand-outs in statewide leadership programs such as Leadership Georgia and Georgia Forward. At the same time, city representatives honed leadership and strategic planning skills through the ECG Edge Development certificate program to further their competitive edge.

Competition for private investment is always fierce, nationally and within our state. Yet, in the last five years one of every four state industry announcements has an ECG address. We are small to mid-size economic engines, yet we partner with Georgia’s industry giants.  We do it with our utility enterprise-driven buisness model. Some of our cities have been in the electric business for over 100 years and in more recent years added natural gas and telecommunications, beyond the municipal mainstays of water and wastewater infrastructure. We have the resources to foster private investment to build a great place to live, work and play.

We look forward to what the ECG cities will do in 2019.