S P O N S O R   S P O T L I G H T

As the fastest growing state in the fastest growing region in America, Georgia is building businesses — so much so that Forbes recently ranked Georgia one of the top ten Best States for Business. In 2005, Georgia welcomed more than $72 billion in trade, while Atlanta now boasts more Fortune 500 headquarters than Chicago and Los Angeles combined.

Record-breaking trade numbers and an exceptional concentration of business talent are among the many reasons Georgia now is home to more than half of the world’s top 100 global logistics and supply-chain companies. From Savannah, the leading port in the Southeast, to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International, the world’s busiest airport, to South Georgia, one of America’s premier agricultural regions, Georgia is recognized as a leader in global commerce.

Georgia offers access to key markets, labor at every skill level, and the best regulatory environment in the country. Arthur Laffer, the father of supply-side economics, ranked Georgia No. 1 this year in his annual survey on economic outlook and tax environment. To help employers set up quickly and start making profits, Georgia custom-designs free worker training through its Quick Start program, an initiative praised by Fortune, Training and Expansion Management magazines.

From manufacturing to food processing, from agribusiness to biotechnology, from call centers to aerospace innovation, business grows in Georgia.

Joy to You and Me

At the recently convened annual conference of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), Joy Pooler, CEcD, FM director of sponsorships for IAMC, was awarded the IEDC Fellow Membership designation "for achieving unusual stature in the field of economic development and closely related disciplines." "The term 'unusual stature' characterizes a member’s significant contributions to the profession through service to IEDC and/or academic endeavors directly related to the practice of economic development," said Joseph A. Marinucci, IEDC chairman. "Ms. Pooler serves as a prime example of one who fully embodies this designation." Joy is the Principal of Pooler Partners, an Alpharetta, Georgia-based consulting firm that focuses on marketing, professional development, and sponsorship development and sales for professional associations. She has over 25 years of professional economic development experience, which includes 20 years with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, where she worked for the Governor's Action Team and the Department of Commerce. She has extensive experience in financial packaging, brownfield development, site selection, and business retention. Prior to her leadership in Pennsylvania, Ms. Pooler spent five years with the Maryland Department of Economic and Community Development. A member of IEDC since its inception, she currently serves on IEDC's Board of Directors, in addition to having served on the Board of its predecessor organization. She has been affiliated with Conway Data, the management firm for IAMC, since early 2001.