Book: The Advantage Author: Patrick Lencioni Review by: Nick Masino, President and CEO, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce I’m a big fan of Patrick Lencioni’s business fables —The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, The Five Temptations of a CEO and Death by Meeting. I’ve also had the great fortune seeing him speak live at Lead2Lead and […]
Economic Development
Chinese Flooring Firm to Invest $26M in Adairsville Factory
A Chinese company is setting up a $26 million factory to make vinyl and laminate flooring in Adairsville, breathing new life into Georgia’s Chinese investment efforts at a time of heightened interest from investors but few commitments. GreenView Floors International Inc. is a subsidiary of Nanjing MGM New Material Co. Ltd., a privately-owned company based […]
Interview: Deeper Dutch Investment to Bring Solutions, Jobs to the South
It’s no accident that Ard Van der Vorst picked mid-November for an interview focused on the Netherlands’ relationship with the Southeast U.S. The Dutch consul general in Atlanta was keen to build on the momentum around Dutch-American Heritage Day, which each year marks the ties linking the nations across the centuries. The Nov. 16 date […]
Governor Helps Open Brazilian-Owned Firearms Factory in Bainbridge
It wasn’t his project at the outset, but Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp made it all the way down to the southwestern corner of the state for the grand opening of a Brazilian-owned gun factory in Bainbridge. Taurus USA, which makes pistols and other firearms, was one of the earliest announcements in somewhat of a Brazilian […]
Canada’s Irving Tissue ‘Doubles Down’ on Macon With Another $400 Million
As soon as it officially opened its new plant, Irving Consumer Products Inc. had already sold out its production capacity. The Canadian company over the last two years has hired 200 people at a $470 million Macon plant that attracted the likes of U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to a 2017 announcement showcasing its factory design. […]
Brazilian Investors’ Love Affair With Georgia Continues With New $96M Factory
The trade missions may be going to Europe and Asia, but one of South America’s recovering economies is fast becoming an unsung hero of the Georgia foreign investment scene. While always having a stronger influence than meets the eye, Brazil has seemed to awaken to Georgia in a new way over the past two years, […]
Korea’s Doosan Expands in Gwinnett, Prepares to Receive County’s International Award
Fresh off a trip to South Korea, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce has announced that it’s honoring long-time investor Doosan Industrial Vehicle with an international award at its annual dinner in January. Gwinnett officials including county Chair Charlotte Nash and newly appointed chamber CEO Nick Masino visited Doosan’s global headquarters in Seoul in October, announcing […]
Fresh Off Hosting SEUS-Japan Summit, Georgia Wins Japanese Auto Parts Factory
Fresh off a conference meant to underline ties between Japan and Southern U.S. states, another Japanese automotive supplier announced new plans to enter Georgia. Nippon Light Metal Georgia will invest $50 million to set up a new plant in Adairsville, Ga., in Bartow County, planning for 110 jobs and long-term growth. Company leaders broke ground […]
Senior Korean Official Promotes Development of the DMZ as Peacebuilding Opportunity
While tensions between North and South Korea remain acute, South Korea’s deputy foreign minister in Atlanta Nov. 19 cited the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two countries as an important stepping stone to a lasting peace between them. Ambassador Chang Jae-bok’s address to a luncheon of the Atlanta Council on International Relations at the Piedmont […]
Atlanta’s Dragon Boat Races on Course While Hong Kong Violence Erupts
The announcement that the 1996 Summer Olympics would be held in Atlanta got Gene Hanratty’s attention as it did many others around the world. The former Green Beret had spent much of his life before and after his military service in Hawaii, but the prospect of immersing himself in the Olympic Games, using his exposure […]
