Georgia Chamber of Commerce brings 2030 Tour to Albany

ALBANY — Local business and community leaders will gather with state business leaders Friday at Albany State University’s Orene Hall to discuss the state’s financial future as the Georgia Chamber of Commerce brings its 2030 Tour to Albany for the Georgia 2030 Morning Mixer.

The 2030 Tour, which is visiting 22 cities throughout Georgia, allows state and local chamber members, community leaders and business influencers an opportunity to gather together to learn about and discuss the important factors that will define the business climate within the state in the next 10 to 15 years and how each community can position itself for success.

The Albany stop, which is to be co-hosted by the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, will be facilitated by Georgia Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Chris Clark, who will bring audience members up to speed on the state chamber’s overarching mission and Georgia 2030 strategy that aims to expand Georgia’s role in global commerce, cultivate a world class work force, bolster economic mobility, improve long-term job creation, and support diverse and thriving communities.

There will also be an opportunity for local leaders to ask questions and open dialogue about how Albany and Dougherty County fit into the Georgia 2030 plan, as well as participate in issues-based focus groups.

Clark said the 2030 Tour started in January with the goal of developing a new vision for the Georgia Chamber and the business community in Georgia in the next 10 to 15 years in the face of significant changes in areas such as politics and demographics.

“Our board felt strongly that we ought to develop a plan for the future and be proactive,” said Clark. “So we’re going out and listening to our members and our partners. We represent over 40,000 members and 2 million employees in every county in Georgia.”

Clark said the goal of the town hall-style listening sessions is to gather information on what each region thinks about a variety of issues, including transportation, judicial reform, quality of life, poverty, race and others.

“(The response) has been favorable (so far),” Clark said of the tour. “It’s been very well-received. People are telling us that it’s refreshing and different to have people actually ask them for their opinion and for their input. We’re trying to develop a collaborative set of strategies and outcomes. At the end of the day, what we want to make sure of is that we have people from every corner of Georgia (giving feedback.)”

Asked why business and community leaders should attend the Morning Mixer in Albany, Clark said simply that “if people care about growing the economy, creating jobs and creating a better quality of life, they need to come out.”

Although he couldn’t share specific information about Southwest Georgia in advance of the event, Clark did say that the state as a whole is expected to have 1.9 million more people, 1 million more jobs, a 50 percent increase in the senior population, and 1.5 million more cars on the road by 2030, meaning every region needs to have a plan in place to take advantage of what he sees as a positive future.

“I’m very excited about the future of Georgia, and I’m excited about where we are,” said Clark. “But it’s got to be balanced. We really have to have discussions throughout the state, so we’ll all be excited about the future.”

The Morning Mixer gets under way at 7:30 a.m. with registration and networking, which will be followed by a town hall meeting and breakfast from 8-9 a.m. Optional issues-based focus groups will meet from 9-9:30 a.m.

To learn more about the 2030 Tour or to register for the Georgia 2030 Morning Mixer in Albany or other locations, visit www.georgia2030.org.