Barrow County joins other metro Atlanta counties as states newest Entrepreneur Friendly community
ATLANTA, April 26, 2007 – Barrow County is the most recent of Georgia's counties to be certified 'Entrepreneur Friendly' by the state. The designation means that the community is strategically building its environment to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. Ninety-two percent of Barrow County's 1,595 companies are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. 'Homegrown businesses and entrepreneurs create quality jobs that are integral to ensuring prosperity and opportunity throughout Georgia,' said Governor Sonny Perdue. 'By encouraging and supporting small businesses, we are investing in a stronger future for local communities and the state as a whole.' Barrow County is the 44th community in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Other metro Atlanta counties that have been recently certified include Athens-Clarke, Walton, Forsyth and Walton. Hall County is in the certification process at the moment, as are Banks, Madison, and Oglethorpe. To earn the designation, Barrow County completed the Entrepreneur-Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Ryan Thornton. Program steps involved analyzing the current entrepreneurial and small business development environment and strategizing options for fostering small business and entrepreneurs. Barrow County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Small Business Development Center. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Barrow County are now eligible for customized market data, such as demographic and business information, to help give them a competitive edge. 'The opportunity to invest in our local businesses by becoming Entrepreneur Friendly really made the efforts worthwhile. The process opened our eyes to small business and entrepreneurs' concerns, and areas in which the Chamber can be of more assistance to them,' said Tommy Jennings, president of the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce. 'Ryan Thornton and the state's Economic Development department were eager to work with us, helping us to help our entrepreneurs as they grow and develop.' 'We congratulate Barrow County for taking this proactive approach to supporting its small businesses,' added Chris Clark, chairman of the Georgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Coordinating Network and GDEcD's deputy commissioner of Global Commerce. 'Steps like these ensure growth and development in the local business community.' 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, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.