Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce

OVERVIEW IN 2022, THE METRO ATLANTA CHAMBER MADE EXTRAORDINARY STRIDES IGNITING THE REGION'S BUSINESS GROWTH. WE SOLIDIFIED OUR REPUTATION AS AN ACTION-ORIENTED ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER TRUE CHANGEMAKERS AROUND SHARED GOALS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WORK IN THE ORGANIZATION'S FOUNDATIONAL PILLARS (GROW, ADVOCATE AND PROMOTE) MOVED FORWARD DRAMATICALLY. MAC'S PRIMARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED: . MAINTAINED OUR POSITION AS THE TOP REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION IN PROJECT GENERATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT . PROMOTED PRO-BUSINESS LEGISLATION, OPPOSED DISCRIMINATORY LEGISLATION, AND PROTECTED GEORGIA'S REPUTATION AS THE #1 STATE FOR BUSINESS . AMPLIFIED ATLANTA'S CULTURAL INFLUENCE AND GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM WITH ATLANTA INNOVATION WEEK 2022 . DEFEATED THE BUCKHEAD CITYHOOD MOVEMENT . RELAUNCHED THE MAC WEBSITE WITH AN INNOVATIVE AND BOLD PRESENCE THAT HEIGHTENS OUR VISIBILITY, FUTURE-PROOFS OUR NARRATIVE, AND INCENTIVIZES DEEPER INVESTMENT . SECURED ATLANTA AS AN OFFICIAL HOST CITY FOR THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP . CREATED AND EXECUTED A STRATEGY FOR ATL ACTION FOR RACIAL EQUITY'S EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT AT THE ANNUAL MEETING IN NOVEMBER, PRESIDENT & CEO KATIE KIRKPATRICK ROLLED OUT A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS PATH FORWARD ALIGNS THREE STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES FOR THE NEXT PHASE IN THE METRO ATLANTA CHAMBER: ECONOMY: WE ASPIRE TO BE THE BEST, MOST PRODUCTIVE AND MOST INCLUSIVE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS TALENT: WE LEVERAGE AND GROW METRO ATLANTA'S SKILLED AND DIVERSE TALENT ADVANTAGE COMMUNITY: WE CATALYZE METRO ATLANTA'S ECOSYSTEM TO DRIVE TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT DETAILED RESULTS GROW: COLLABORATING WITH REGIONAL PARTNERS TO DRIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT, JOB CREATION AND CONTINUED ECOSYSTEM EXPANSION . REMAINED THE TOP REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION IN PROJECT GENERATION AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, RESULTING IN LANDING 60 COMPANIES AND ADDING 13,084 NEW HIGH-SKILLED JOBS WITH OVER $3.5 BILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT . SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED THE STARTUP OUTREACH STRATEGY (SOS) AND ENGAGED MORE THAN 50 STARTUPS, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH: RICE, TECHSTAR, ATDC, ENGAGE, ZANE, RENDERATL, COMCAST AND INVEST ATLANTA . IMPLEMENTED THE TARGETED BUSINESS STRATEGY (TBS) WITH 15 COMPANY ENGAGEMENTS IN HIGH-COST MARKETS LIKE NEW YORK AND SAN FRANCISCO TO PROMOTE METRO ATLANTA AS A PLACE TO BRING AND BUILD OPERATIONS . AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND FIELD ENGAGEMENT, IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE FRANCHISING ECOSYSTEM MARKETING CAMPAIGN WOULD NOT GENERATE ENOUGH OF A RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO PURSUE . LED THREE SUCCESSFUL ACTIVATIONS AND 28 MEETINGS OF THE BACKED BY ATL COHORT, SUPPORTING THEIR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. THE 2022 COHORT CLASS INTENTIONALLY DID NOT LAUNCH, AND THE PROGRAM IS BEING EVALUATED FOR ITS NEXT EVOLUTION. . LEVERAGED A GLOBAL NETWORK, INCLUDING THE GEORGIA DISTRICT EXPORT COUNCIL AND THE GEORGIA FOREIGN TRADE ZONE BOARD, TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE IN MANAGING THE CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN BUSINESS, GENERATING REVENUE OF MORE THAN $50,000 SUPPORTING SME GROWTH . LAUNCHED THE 2022 METRO EXPORT CHALLENGE, AWARDING $45,000 IN GRANTS TO A DIVERSE GROUP OF NINE COMPANIES ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTIES . EXECUTED MORE THAN 20 KEY ACTIVATIONS AROUND THE WORLD ALONGSIDE DOZENS OF PUBLIC- AND PRIVATE-SECTOR PARTNERS. RAISED $134,000 IN CAPITAL AND $24,500 IN-KIND TO RUN AND MANAGE WORLD-CLASS ACTIVATIONS AT MONEY 2020, DREAMHACK, SMART CITIES, RSA, HIMSS, BIO INTERNATIONAL, SIGNATURE MARKETING MISSIONS AND PROSPECTING TRIPS TO TARGET MARKETS . SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED YEAR-LONG FINTECH INITIATIVES: o HOSTED MORE THAN 10 FINTECH ATLANTA (FTA) PROGRAMS CONNECTING 17 EARLY-STAGE COMPANIES TO 15 UNIQUE BUYERS o $1.5 BILLION HAS BEEN RAISED BY 60 PAST PRESENTERS o SUCCESSFULLY ONBOARDED A NEW FTA CHAIRMAN AND DIRECTOR o CONDUCTED FOUR BOARD MEETINGS o HELD NINE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS o ADDED THREE NEW INVESTORS . SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGED OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS: o CONDUCTED 798 PARTNER ENGAGEMENTS (186% OF GOAL) o SERVED ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE ARC COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY o HOSTED TWO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETINGS o TOOK A LEAD ROLE IN MONTHLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNER MEETINGS o HOSTED FOUR LUNCH AND LEARN PANEL EVENTS o PRODUCED THREE PARTNER AND CONSULTANT NEWSLETTERS . ENGAGED IN MORE THAN 60 INTERNATIONAL ACTIVATIONS, INCLUDING INVESTMENT FORUMS, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, TRADE SHOWS, AND MEDIA APPEARANCES. . CALLED ON 150 PARTNERS, CONSULTANTS AND TRADE OFFICES IN THE US AND INTERNATIONALLY, WITH THE INTENT TO ENHANCE METRO ATLANTA'S BRAND IDENTITY ON A GLOBAL SCALE . SERVED AS THE PRINCIPAL BUSINESS CENTER OF METRO ATLANTA FOR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, DIPLOMATIC CORPS, TRADE OFFICES AND FOREIGN BUSINESSES: o CONVENED MEETINGS WITH HIGH-LEVEL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, FOREIGN-OWNED ENTERPRISES AND FOREIGN TRADE OFFICES IN OTHER US CITIES AND ABROAD, INCLUDING EUROPE, ASIA, CANADA AND SOUTH AMERICA o HOSTED AMBASSADORS, TRADE MINISTERS AND POLITICIANS AT MAC o PRINCIPAL ORGANIZER OF THE MASSIVE BELGIAN TRADE MISSION, THE LARGEST OFFICIAL DELEGATION VISITING ATLANTA SINCE THE 1996 OLYMPICS o JOHN WOODWARD WAS OFFICIALLY NAMED HONORARY CONSUL FOR THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC . WORKED CLOSELY WITH PUBLIC POLICY ON ISSUES REGARDING TAX INCENTIVE LEGISLATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND ARPA-H . SERVED ON A PANEL COORDINATED BY BRAND COMMUNICATIONS TO SELECT A DIGITAL FIRM TO RELAUNCH THE MAC WEBSITE . SECURED SEVERAL NEW MEMBERS AND PROVIDED LEADS TO MEMBERSHIP . CREATED ATL UNLOCKED, A SERIES OF EVENTS CONNECTING AND ELEVATING THE STARTUP ECOSYSTEM, ENGAGING MORE THAN 1,000 FOUNDERS AND ECOSYSTEM BUILDERS AND CREATING A CREDIBLE, SUSTAINABLE PLATFORM FOR ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES . CREATED A UNIFIED PLATFORM TO BRAND AND PROMOTE THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM THROUGH ATLANTA INNOVATION WEEK, FEATURING 30 INDEPENDENTLY PRODUCED EVENTS OVER 12 DAYS THAT FEATURED A SIGNATURE KICKOFF EVENT FOCUSED ON INVESTORS . SUPPORTED MID-MARKET GROWTH THROUGH BACKED BY ATL AND DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH FAST-GROWING COMPANIES . SUPPORTED THE GROWTH OF THE CORPORATE INNOVATION COUNCIL . CO-PRODUCED A HISPANIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP EVENT, "BACK TO BUSINESS," WITH FISERV AND THE GHCC, AWARDING THREE $10K FISERV GRANTS TO HISPANIC SMALL BUSINESSES . CURATED ATLANTA KEYNOTE SPEAKERS AT THE DIG SOUTH TECH CONFERENCE . DELIVERED 28 PRESENTATIONS TO LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, LEADERSHIP TEAMS OF MAC INVESTORS, VISITING INVESTORS FROM ABROAD AND OTHER GROUPS ON THE STORY OF ATLANTA AND ITS THRIVING ECONOMY . RESTORED THE METRO ATLANTA ECONOMIC RESEARCH COUNCIL, BRINGING TOGETHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND CRE RESEARCH TEAMS ACROSS THE METRO AREA . ORGANIZED AND MODERATED A DISCUSSION ON THE RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET WITH ZILLOW'S CHIEF ECONOMIST . DEVELOPED AND FORECAST A TAX SPORTS BETTING REVENUE MODEL RELATED TO HOSTING MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS . REINVENTED DATA AND ANALYTICS TO UPDATE THE WORKFORCE REPORT "YOUR TALENT YOUR FUTURE," HELPING DRIVE DECISIONS ON PROGRAMS TARGETED FOR GROWTH BY GEORGIA'S PUBLIC 4-YEAR AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES . CONDUCTED EIGHT VIRTUAL ECONOMIC BRIEFINGS KEEPING INVESTORS ABREAST OF RELEVANT DEVELOPMENTS IN METRO ATLANTA'S AND THE NATION'S ECONOMY, WITH ATTENDANCE RANGING FROM 75-100 INVESTORS FOR EACH SESSION . RESPONDED TO MORE THAN 100 RESEARCH REQUESTS FROM POTENTIAL COMPANIES RELATED TO RFIS CONSIDERING GROWING OR LOCATING IN ATLANTA ADVOCATE: WORKING TO MAINTAIN A BUSINESS-FRIENDLY CLIMATE FOR ALL PEOPLE . EXECUTED MAC'S PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA: PROMOTE PRO-BUSINESS LEGISLATION, OPPOSE DISCRIMINATORY LEGISLATION AND PROTECT GEORGIA'S REPUTATION AS THE #1 STATE IN WHICH TO DO BUSINESS: o DEFEATED BUCKHEAD CITYHOOD MOVEMENT o SUCCESSFULLY LED A COALITION TO EXTEND THE HIGH-TECH SALES TAX EXEMPTION TO 2028 o SUPPORTED PASSAGE OF THE GCIC DATABASE MODERNIZATION LEGISLATION AND THE LESS CRIMES ACT, AS WELL AS THE CREATION OF THE AG'S GANG PROSECUTORIAL UNIT o EXTENDED SALES TAX EXEMPTION ON TICKETS TO MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS TO 2031 o SUPPORTED PASSAGE OF SPEAKER RALSTON'S MENTAL HEALTH PARITY ACT o SUCCESSFULLY WORKED TO ENSURE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY LEGISLATION WOULD NOT IMPACT PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS o DEFEATED ONEROUS DATA PRIVACY LEGISLATION o PASSED TAXPAYER FAIRNESS 2.0 (CORPORATE CONSOLIDATED FILING LEGISLATION) o PASSED NEEDS-BASED AID GAP FUNDING GUIDELINES TO CODIFY COLLEGE COMPLETION GRANTS o DEFEATED ADVERSE CHANGES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES AND CREDITS o SECURED $250,000 IN STATE FUNDING FOR FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 o PASSED DRIVERS' LICENSE REFORM MEASURE TO IMPROVE WORKFORCE OUTCOMES o INCREASED K-12 COMPUTER SCIENCE AND EARLY EDUCATION CHILD-AND-PARENT-SERVICES (CAPS) FUNDING o MAINTAINED APPROPRIATION FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION GRANTS FOR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION . SUCCESSFULLY EXECUTED FULTON COUNTY CRIMINAL DATA PROJECT, IMPROVING ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF CRIMINAL DATA IN GEORGIA . ELEVATED ENGAGEMENT WITH CITY OF ATLANTA ELECTED LEADERS AND KEY STAFF . INCREASED MACPAC GIVING