22 S G M A G A Z I N E | S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 23 NAVIGATING CHANGE Chamber office in South Georgia,” says Clark. “As a statewide business group, it’s hard for us to understand what all of our members need if we are only located in Atlanta.” The Rural Prosperity Council identified several challenges including talent development and retention, healthcare fundamentals, business and job growth, education, and poverty. With an estimated 85 counties in Georgia projected to lose jobs by 2030, Clark says communities need a strategy for talent development, recruitment, and retention. “At the end of the day businesses can go anywhere in the world,” says Clark. “It’s not about finding a great industrial park or building; it’s about finding access to talent.” On a positive note, the tide is beginning to turn in the area of economic development in Georgia’s rural communities. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in FY18, 80 percent of the state’s economic development projects were located outside of metro Atlanta. “I do feel we are starting to see positive results,” says Clark. “There is a pick-up in rural Georgia with economic announcements. I think this is a testament to (GDEcD) Commissioner Pat Wilson and his team’s commitment to rural Georgia.” An educated and highly trained workforce is a prerequisite for prosperity and economic mobility. By 2030, the Chamber has projected 1.4 million job openings, with approximately one million in response to retiring baby boomers. The other 400,000 jobs are expected to be new positions added to the market. Clarks says rural communities need to be prepared to fill positions vacated through new job creation and retirement. Currently, Georgia ranks 45 out of 50 states in rural graduation rates, and 40 percent of rural Georgia adults are not working. “Students in school today need to be trained for jobs that might not even exist,” says Clark. “Community leaders need a strategy in place for educating their own and having a plan to attract millennials to their community.” With approximately 16 percent of Georgians living below the poverty line, the Chamber is focused on working with community leaders to develop solutions for the underserved population. “The Chamber’s focus on rural prosperity is not a one-time deal,” says Clark. “We are committed to rural Georgia for the rest of the life of the Georgia Chamber. This is a long-term commitment to partner with our members throughout the state.” A Hub for Rural Issue With the passage of House Bill 951 during the 2018 legislative session, the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation was established and located on the campus of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in Tifton. “Less of a think tank and more of a workhorse,” is how ABAC President David Bridges describes the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, which is also referred to as Georgia’s Rural Center. “The center came about because of conversations focused on the realization that population in Georgia’s rural communities is declining,” says Bridges, who serves as the center’s interim This was a clarion call that there is a disconnect within a state where the economy is doing very well in the metro and coastal areas, but rural areas have not caught on and fully recovered after the last recession. - CHRIS CLARK, PRESIDENT & CEO OF GEORGIA CHAMBER I am very outcome-oriented. We are going to identify projects that have viability,thendeterminethemissing links. What do they need to get over the hump? - DR. DAVID BRIDGES, PRESIDENT OF ABAC director. “It finally reached the tone that it’s only going to get worse if something isn’t done now.” Having grown up on a farm in the small town of Parrott, located in Terrell County, Bridges has a passion for agriculture and rural issues. “I have spent a lot of time in rural communities, and it doesn’t take a lot to figure out what we’ve been doing isn’t working,” says Bridges, who has served as president of ABAC since 2006. Bridges attributes part of the decline of rural communities to the lack of strategy, coordination, and leadership. “Most rural communities don’t have a plan, and they aren’t aware of what help is available,” says Bridges. “They need a way to coordinate all the resources currently available. When you are a small community that is struggling and has been declining for years, maybe even reached a state of desperation, you need to know who can help and what kind of help they can give.” The center’s primary mission is to serve as a central information and research hub for rural best practices. “I am very outcome-oriented,” says Bridges. “We are going to identify projects that have viability, then determine the missing links. What do they need to get over the hump?” Areas of focus may include community planning, industry-specific assistance, and cooperative efforts with non-profits, religious organizations, and other higher education partners. “Helping rural communities manage projects is essential to their growth,” says Bridges. “Someone has to keep ABRAHAM BALDWIN AGRICULTURE COLLEGE