ATLANTA – Georgia is the fifth-best state in the country to do business, according to a survey of 339 of the nation’s top CEOs.
The state moved up from sixth place last year to a top-five slot in Chief Executive magazine’s 2006 “Best and Worst States for Business” report. In addition, Southeastern states took four of the top 10 slots (North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Virginia).
“Georgia’s airports offer companies access to the world. Our ports, rails and highways are first-class. Our research universities are on the cutting edge. And our quality of life is second to none,” said Sam A. Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. “Combine that with the fact that the Southeast as a whole is the fastest growing region of the country, and companies see the clear advantage of doing business in Georgia -- the nerve center of it all.
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Chief Executive magazine reaches 42,000 chief executive officers and their peers and a total readership of 170,000. In its annual survey, CEOs were asked to rank the importance of several social, political and economic factors in choosing where to do business. Workforce quality was ranked most important, followed by labor costs, taxation and regulation.
Williams said Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport connects companies to the world marketplace. A strong statewide system of rails, ports and highways is also key, he said, noting that the Port of Savannah ranks fourth in the nation for container through-put.
Research universities such as the University of Georgia, the Medical College of Georgia, Emory University, Georgia Tech and Morehouse School of Medicine attract world-class talent to perform cutting-edge research. Finally, Georgia’s quality of life is always a strong draw, Williams said, adding that metro Atlanta has ranked first among its peer cities for the last 20 years when it comes to attracting newcomers.
On the 2006 “Best and Worst States” list, Georgia ranked fifth after Texas, Nevada, North Carolina and Florida. More information is available at www.chiefexecutive.net.
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The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MACOC) -- with our 4,000 member companies that collectively employ more than 700,000 workers -- is a catalyst for a vibrant metro region. The Metro Atlanta Chamber focuses on the issues that matter most to the business community: improving quality of life, promoting economic growth and making Atlanta a brand name that means opportunity.
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