GDEcD-Assisted Projects Win Top Industry Awards

ATLANTA, April 12, 2010 – Two major business publications recently awarded top honors to projects assisted by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Mitsubishi Power Systems in Savannah, Chicken of the Sea in Lyons and Wiregrass Power in Valdosta were among the top 30 projects in the nation recognized by Trade & Industry Development, an influential economic development publication. In addition, the department, which is the sales and marketing arm of the state of Georgia, assisted with several projects named Deals of the Decade by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Trade & Industry Development magazine's fifth annual Corporate Investment & Community Impact (CiCi) Awards recognize the largest corporate investment projects in the U.S., as well as those projects that make a significant impact on local communities. Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, Inc., was recognized in the CiCi Corporate Investment division. This manufacturing project, located in Savannah, represents a $325 million investment and will create 500 jobs by 2016.  The company will produce advanced steam and gas turbines on the site and will also service turbines and related components for power generation, directly supporting the energy sector in Georgia—one of the state's strategic industries.  GDEcD's partners included the Chatham County Commission, City of Savannah, City of Pooler, Georgia Power, Georgia Port Authority and the Savannah Economic Development Authority. Chicken of the Sea was recognized in the CiCi Community Impact division for creating 200 jobs that directly impact the Lyons and Toombs County community around the company's domestic tuna canning operation. This region of the state was hit particularly hard by the economic downturn, so the significant amount of jobs created, as well as the company's $20 million investment, is positively impacting this rural Georgia community.  GDEcD joined forces with Toombs County Development Authority, Georgia Power Company, AGL Resources, Georgia Ports Authority and Georgia QuickStart on this project. Wiregrass Power LLC, nominated by the Valdosta Lowndes County Industrial Authority, was also honored in the CiCi Community Impact division.  Wholly owned by Sterling Energy Assets, Wiregrass Power is a renewable energy plant that will create 25 jobs and invest $110 million over three years as the plant comes online. Furthering Georgia's position as a global bioenergy leader, the Wiregrass Power plant will be powered by clean wood waste that would otherwise go unused, and sludge from the nearby wastewater treatment plant.  In completing this project, GDEcD partnered with the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority and the City of Valdosta. The Atlanta Business Chronicle's Deals of the Decade awards recognize deals that helped shape commercial real estate in metro Atlanta between 2000 and 2009. The following GDEcD-assisted projects were among those named Deals of the Decade:

• NCR Corporation (Winner, Office Category)—headquarters relocation (Duluth)
• Newell Rubbermaid, Inc. (Finalist, Office Category)—headquarters relocation (Atlanta)
• Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. (Finalist, Office Category)—headquarters expansion (Atlanta)
• Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (Winner, Industrial Category)—first U.S. production facility (West Point)
• Mercedes-Benz USA (Finalist, Industrial Category)—vehicle processing center relocation (Port of Brunswick)

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 on these projects and on Georgia's business assets, please visit www.georgia.org.