Georgias Governors Mentor Protégé Program Kicks Off 2008-2009 Class

ATLANTA, October 9, 2008 – Some of Georgia's most promising small businesses are teaming up with dozens of the state's most respected companies in the fifth class of the Governor's Mentor Protégé Program, which kicks off this week. 'I am excited to see the potential shown by the newest class of the Mentor Protégé Program,' said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. 'Ultimately, all Georgians benefit from the positive economic impact that a diverse, vigorous and productive small business community creates.' The Governor's Mentor Protégé Program, which is administered by the Georgia Department of Economic Development, is the first state-sponsored program in the nation designed to foster partnerships among successful large enterprises (Mentors) and emerging small businesses (Protégés). The program provides opportunities for participants to improve their business practices, develop relationships with other companies and promote their businesses. The formal mentor-protégé relationship lasts for 12 months, during which the two teams work together to outline and achieve common goals. As part of the program, Mentor and Protégé companies may take advantage of additional training and technical assistance workshops on a variety of business issues. Through this program, Protégés learn from the experiences—positive and negative— of leading Georgia companies. These lessons can help small businesses develop strategies for success in today's highly competitive business climate. Through service as a Mentor, established firms demonstrate their commitment to community reinvestment while discovering new markets and marketing opportunities. 'We are delighted to have a diverse and talented group of Mentors and Protégés,' said Kate Kelsey, manager of the Governor's Mentor Protégé Program. 'As they share experiences and successes over the next 12 months, it is my hope that they reap incalculable benefits from this process.' Attached are lists of the 2008-2009 Mentors and Protégés. 2008-2009 Mentors Accenture Atlanta Aflac Columbus Agile*1 Atlanta AGL Resources Atlanta AT&T Atlanta ChoicePoint Alpharetta Citizens Trust Bank Atlanta Cox Communications Atlanta GE Energy Atlanta Georgia-Pacific Corporation Atlanta Georgia Power Atlanta GTECH Corporation Atlanta Gulfstream Aerospace Savannah H.J. Russell and Company Atlanta Hardin Construction Company, LLC Atlanta Heery International Atlanta Jordan, Jones, and Goulding Norcross Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Marietta Skanska USA Building Inc. Atlanta S.L. King and Associates, Inc. Atlanta Stevens and Wilkinson Atlanta The Coca-Cola Company Atlanta The Home Depot Atlanta The North Highland Company Atlanta Turner Associates Architects and Planners, Inc. Atlanta Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Atlanta Turner Construction Company Atlanta United Parcel Service- UPS Atlanta Wachovia Atlanta 2008-2009 Protégé Class Accura Engineering and Consulting Services, Inc. Atlanta Agility Surveying Company, Inc. Marietta Allied Logistics, Inc. Tucker Atlanta's Cascade Concrete Pumping Foundations, Inc. Atlanta ARS Mechanical, LLC Conyers Bellsoft, Inc. Lawrenceville Cadence Group, Inc. Atlanta Courseault Commercial, Inc. Atlanta Data Systems and Games, Inc. Austell Elgia, Inc. Alpharetta Equilibria, Inc. Atlanta Exalt Integrated Technologies Atlanta Formcase, Inc. Norcross Giavanna Constructors, Inc. Lawrenceville GSE Facility Services, LLC Atlanta Hadley's International Productions, Inc. Atlanta Hamco Atlanta Chamblee Integrated Construction Management, Inc. Lithonia Larche' Communications, LLC. Atlanta Lemongrass Consulting, Inc. Locust Grove McPherson, Berry & Associates, Inc Ellenwood Neogate, LLC. Tucker Phoenix Solutions, Inc. Loganville Raymond Engineering, LLC Conyers Scott & Sons Holdings, LLC. Atlanta Sun Technologies, Inc. Duluth Southern Perfection Painting Snellville Stag Enterprise, Inc. Ball Ground The POP Shop, Inc. Alpharetta Turnkey Solutions, LLC. Alpharetta UpBuild Design, LLC Decatur VanRan Communications Services, Inc. Doraville Visions Telecommunications, Inc. Lawrenceville The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. For more information, visit www.georgia.org.