| Frequently Asked Questions: |
What is the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce?
- an independent, non-profit, member-funded organization that is not part of any government
- representing 4,000+ member companies employing 700,000+ workers in the 28-county region
- operated by a staff of more than 80, with more than 3,000 volunteers
- our Board of Directors and Board of Advisors are drawn from among
Atlanta 's top leaders
What does the Chamber do?
- We bring the region's leaders together to tackle the big issues that matter most – quality jobs and quality of life.
- Quality Jobs: The Chamber markets Atlanta as a business location, attracting companies that create quality jobs. We are particularly focused on attracting headquarters, expanding global commerce and attracting jobs in the high-tech and logistics industry clusters.
- Quality of Life: We work with business and civic leaders to tackle quality-of-life issues such as traffic congestion, education, air and water quality and land use.
Why is the Chamber’s work so important?
The metro Atlanta population has doubled in the last 20 years, and the region is now home to more than half the state’s population. An estimated 2.3 million new people and 1.7 million new jobs are expected over the next 25 years -- equivalent to the population of Greater Denver moving here. To remain America’s best place to live, work and play, the Atlanta region must keep its infrastructure and quality-of-life needs ahead of the curve. What are Atlanta’s core assets?
Atlanta’s international airport offers companies access to the world. The state’s ports, rails and highways are first-class. Our research universities are on the cutting edge. And our quality of life is second to none. Combine that with the fact that the Southeast as a whole is the fastest growing region of the country, and the benefits of living and doing business in metro Atlanta -- the nerve center of it all -- are clear. The region’s core assets include:
- infrastructure: international airport, railways, ports and highways
- intellectual capital: world-class research universities and technology companies
- workforce: quality trained and experienced talent
- critical mass: business center of the Southeast
- leadership: engaged corporate culture & influential leadership (third-largest headquarters city)
How do we make things happen?
- partnerships: We work with community and business leaders to solve problems.
- volunteers: Executives and partners help us attract businesses, create jobs and improve education, the environment, traffic and land use.
- business approach: Solutions are fact-based and goal-oriented.
- funding: The Chamber is privately funded by corporations, foundations and members.
What are the Chamber’s key priorities in 2007?
Economic Development
The Chamber is a powerful force in economic development. Areas of focus include
- headquarters recruitment & general marketing : Proactively marketing metro Atlanta as a business location, attracting company headquarters and creating quality jobs.
- logistics industry development: Positioning metro Atlanta as a global logistics center of innovation and growing and attracting logistics companies and jobs.
- technology cluster development: Shaping Atlanta as a center of technology and innovation by attracting and growing companies in the IT, software, biotech and telecom industries.
- international economic development: Developing metro Atlanta into an international business center and attracting foreign direct investment, companies and jobs – while assisting metro Atlanta companies who do business abroad.
Public Policy
The Chamber builds powerful coalitions with top business leaders and decision makers to advance solutions in transportation, education, water resources and land use. Key priorities follow:
- Fight traffic gridlock: Support a legislative proposal backed by 17 chambers of commerce and the Regional Business Coalition that would allow regions to tax themselves through a voter referendum – and use those funds for high-impact regional transportation projects.
- Strengthen our public schools: Engage the business community through Atlanta Partners for Education, which has matched more than 200 businesses and 3,700 volunteers with schools. Regionwide, focus on four key areas: workforce quality, teacher recruitment, high school completion and creating effective school boards.
- Protect our water resources: Work with the state's Environmental Protection Division – and other business and government groups across the state – to develop a fact-based state water plan that protects our state's water supply and ensures sustainable growth.
- Create a pro-business environment through legislative advocacy.
Membership Services
The Chamber is deeply committed to serving its members. Priorities in this area include:
- member services & events: Planning a variety of activities to enhance members' professional and business development. Popular examples include the Annual Golf Outing, Small Business Person of the Year and monthly member receptions.
- small and mid-size business: Assisting small and mid-size companies (less than 100 employees, less than $40 million in revenue) to sustain and expand their businesses.
Sports & Event Marketing
The Chamber is working actively to position metro Atlanta as the sports capital of the world.
- Atlanta Sports Council: The Atlanta Sports Council organizes and integrates the public, corporate, hospitality and government community. We collaborate and partner with local, regional and national sports organizations to develop, promote and market sports growth in metro Atlanta . Our goals: produce a positive economic impact, drive increased economic development, deliver a positive quality of life and create reserves.
- Chick-fil-A Bowl: As the ninth-oldest bowl game in college football, the Chick-fil-A Bowl is the only guaranteed match-up of two top-ranked teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). A key goal this year is to improve team selection to include top ACC picks while providing the participating teams, fans and media a ‘national championship' experience.
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