RegionFirst is States Newest Designated Group of 'Entrepreneur Friendly' Communities

ATLANTA, August 7, 2008 – Southwest Georgia's RegionFirst, comprised of Clay, Quitman, Randolph and Stewart counties, is now one of the state's newest 'Entrepreneur Friendly' communities. The designation means the communities have developed an environment that is welcoming to small business and entrepreneurs. Ninety-one percent of Clay County's 80 companies are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees, as are 92 percent of Quitman County's 271 companies, 96 percent of Randolph County's 67 companies, and 95 percent of Stewart County's 151 companies. 'The economic activity created by small businesses and entrepreneurs brings prosperity and opportunity to every part of Georgia,' said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. 'By championing these businesses, we are investing in a stronger future for communities throughout the state.' Clay, Quitman, Randolph and Stewart counties are the 125th through 128th communities in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Previously designated Southwest Georgia counties include Early, Miller and Calhoun. Marion County received its designation earlier this month. To earn the designation, the RegionFirst counties completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Rebecca O'Neil. They analyzed their entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies to help foster its growth. The RegionFirst counties also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute, Small Business Development Center and the Agribusiness Center of Innovation. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in the RegionFirst counties are now eligible for customized market data, such as demographic and business information, to help them become more competitive. The four counties are also eligible for Entrepreneur-Friendly Implementation Fund (EFIF) grants to help them implement programs that support their entrepreneurs and small businesses and have a regional impact. The grant must be matched 50 percent in dollars or in-kind value by the community. 'RegionFirst is a regional effort of Clay, Quitman, Randolph and Stewart counties to obtain Georgia's Entrepreneur Friendly designation. Our rural roots may be the most important resource that can be brought to the table in this new millennium. In a sense, the region is a blank slate, offering entrepreneurs a wide spectrum of opportunities not available in high-population centers. Entrepreneurs can shape the future of the region merely by starting businesses here,' said the RegionFirst Entrepreneur Friendly Committee. 'Located centrally to three southeastern State Capitols---Atlanta, Montgomery, and Tallahassee---the RegionFirst area is ideally set geographically to serve the expansions of the next fifty years. With several 'developmental highways'—U.S. 27, U.S. 82 and Ga. 520--there are no other rural Georgia counties with such potential. Our local Entrepreneur-Friendly Committee has identified the needs of existing businesses, and we now have a strong and realistic sense of how government can facilitate the business needs of entrepreneurs.' 'Small businesses are the linchpin in all of Georgia's communities. By supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses, we help Georgia grow,' said Heidi Green, chairman of the Georgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Coordinating Network and GDEcD's deputy commissioner for Global Commerce. 'We congratulate Clay County for making small businesses part of its strategic plan for growth.' The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm. The agency attracts new business, encourages the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, and locates new markets for Georgia products. It also markets Georgia to tourists and promotes the state as a location for film, music and digital entertainment projects. For more information, visit www.Georgia.org.