See this entire feature in GaBiz Winter 2026 here.
GEORGIA’S BUSINESS LANDSCAPE IS BRIGHT WITH POSSIBILITIES. We’ve been named the “best state for business” for an unprecedented 12th year in a row by Area Development magazine, which cited the Peach State’s superior workforce and training, site readiness, effective economic development policies, efficient logistics and infrastructure, and pro-business environment. From major economic deals to exciting innovations and game-changing products—and the visionaries who make them possible—our “big” feature highlights some of the major economic deals, most inspired ideas, and pioneering leaders across the state.
Hail to the Chief: Big League Player
BRIAN KEMP, GEORGIA GOVERNOR
As the state’s chief executive—elected in 2018 and again for a second term in 2022—Governor Brian Kemp has presided over the state as it’s seen major business and economic wins. “We’ve broken major records for both job creation and investment,” he says. Since 2019, Georgia has attracted over 207,000 new, private sector jobs and $111.5 billion in investment; in 2025, Area Development magazine named it the Top State for Business for the 12th year in a row. His administration has taken steps to continue that momentum into the future, such as enacting the state’s largest-ever tax cut, making record infrastructure and education investments, and strengthening the Georgia MATCH program that helps high school seniors find their best fit for in-state higher education. Kemp is quick to note that the “Georgia Way” of doing business includes a partnership approach to working with job creators across all levels of government, not against them, to create opportunity. “Thanks to that approach, and our strategic investments in infrastructure, workforce, and our unmatched quality of life, we have a leg up on the competition when it comes to bringing more jobs to hardworking Georgians, no matter their zip code,” he says.
–JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN
The Coolest Thing on Wings: Big Idea
LOCKHEED MARTIN’S C-130J SUPER HERCULES TOPS THE COMPETITION
Plenty of cool things are made in Georgia, from WaveRunners and robotic surgical systems to Avengers movies and Coca-Cola. But the coolest? According to the 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Georgia, a public-vote tournament created by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce to spotlight manufacturing around the state, it’s Lockheed Martin’s C-130J Super Hercules. So, what makes this military aircraft so cool? First, the Hercules carries more than troops and weapons. It’s been deployed by over two dozen countries to deliver food, medical supplies, and other humanitarian aid to otherwise inaccessible places. “It can land on gravel roads, dirt, and unimproved surfaces from the Himalayas to the Arctic,” says Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of Air Mobility and Maritime Missions for Lockheed Martin. “When miners were trapped in India, and they couldn’t get heavy lifting equipment there, the Hercules reached them. It’s a lifeline and a beacon of hope.”
But what makes the Hercules especially cool is the fact that it’s been made at Marietta’s Dobbins Air Reserve Base by generations of local workers for more than 70 years, the longest-running military aircraft program in U.S. history. “This is not just a win for the Hercules,” says McLean. “It’s a win for the people who have built and supported it.”
-TONY REHAGEN
Tax Break: Big Idea
THE STATUS OF THE STATE’S INCOME TAX
Will Georgia be the 10th state to eradicate income tax? Lt. Governor Burt Jones charged a bipartisan Senate committee chaired by Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) with a December 15 deadline to ponder the feasibility and possible impacts. The issue is sure to come up during the 2026 legislative session. Jodi Henley, assistant clinical accounting professor at Georgia State University, says the idea matches recent shifts toward spending-based taxes, but replacing roughly $16 billion is likely to catapult current sales taxes well into double digits that could have “a huge impact on consumption.” –H.M. CAULEY
Dialed In: Big League Player
RILEY BLOUNT, PRESIDENT, AT&T GEORGIA
After stepping into the role of president of AT&T Georgia in February 2025, Riley Blount became responsible for leading the company’s economic development, public policy, and philanthropic and community engagement objectives across Georgia, helping drive nearly $3.5 billion in annual capital expenditures to upgrade its network infrastructure across 150 communities. Her goal is clear: “We want to connect more Georgians to greater possibilities,” Blount says, noting how the company creates pathways to education, employment, and other essential opportunities through the use of fiber, an expanded 5G network, public safety resources, and advocacy. “Everything we do is centered on serving our customers and helping ensure Georgia continues to be the best state in the nation to do business.” So far, AT&T Fiber is available in more than 2 million locations throughout the state, and almost 95 percent of Georgia is covered by its 5G network. Over $16.9 billion has been invested in the state’s networks in the past five years. In her role, Blount will continue “widening doors to opportunity,” laying down infrastructure to ensure that AT&T Georgia meets not only today’s needs but also tomorrow’s. Staying adaptable is key. “The only constant is change, and resilience helps us navigate change and fosters success,” she
says. -LAUREN FINNEY HARDEN
Heard It Through the Grapevine: Big Idea
THE PAULK FAMILY IS TAKING MUSCADINES TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Known as the “superfruit of the South,” muscadine grapes contain some of the highest levels of antioxidants, polyphenols, and ellagic acids of any fruit. Muscadine Products Corporation (MPC), located in Wray, is taking advantage of those attributes to expand into innovative new product niches such as dietary supplements and cosmetics. “When you press muscadines for juice, you get byproducts such as seeds and skin,” says owner Chris Paulk, whose family has been growing muscadines since the 1970s. These extracts have tremendous health properties, which Paulk’s grandfather, Jacob, discovered after heart bypass surgery. “He sent our muscadine seed to the University of Georgia Food Science Department for analysis and it turned out our seeds were as rich in antioxidants, if not richer, than other grape seeds,” he says. MPC then collaborated with UGA and the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Center of Innovation in the early 2000s to explore the fruit’s health benefits and enhance muscadine extraction processes. Today, MPC produces muscadine grape nutraceutical powders, oils, and extracts for manufacturers in the botanicals and cosmetics industries, as well as functional foods and dietary supplements. The products are shipped across the country and beyond. “I believe this segment of our business will continue to grow as we build out stories around the bioavailable muscadine ingredients and their uses in unique products,” says Paulk. –DON SADLER
Smart Seat: Big Deal
BUILDING A BETTER TOILET
If you can communicate with your fridge and doorbell, why not your toilet? Enter Morrow-based plumbing company Toto, which recently unveiled its new $224 million state-of-
the-art facility that will increase its annual production of smart toilets by about 150 percent to roughly 300,000. The luxury, one-piece toilets include automatic flushing, lids that open and close on their own, an automatic spray of electrolyzed water for cleaning, warm air dryers, a remote control for water temperature and pressure, and personalized settings for up to four users. Talk about a bathroom break! –H.M. CAULEY
Mash-ups: Big Deal
NORFOLK SOUTHERN LEAVES THE STATION AND SYNOVUS ROLLS NORTH
Railroad and bank mergers announced in July reveal that Atlanta will soon be losing one corporate headquarters but adding another. Norfolk Southern, based in Atlanta since 2021, will join Union Pacific, based in Omaha, Nebraska, under its CEO, Jim Vena, in an $85 billion, stock-and cash deal due to close by early 2027. Atlanta’s status as headquarters will switch to “core location” in areas such as technology, innovation, and operations. Columbus will lose Synovus in early 2026 under an all-stock, $8.6 billion deal with Nashville, Tennessee-based Pinnacle Financial Partners. Nashville will be the bank’s home, but its holding company will have its headquarters in Atlanta. Synovus’s Kevin Blair will be the CEO. -MICHAEL JACOBS
The State of Storytellers: Big Idea
TRILITH MAKES WRITERS THE STARS
Georgia has built a reputation as the Hollywood of the South, a place that churns out hit films and TV shows. But Dunwoody-born screenwriter and producer Je¡rey Stepako¡ says that moniker is misleading. “We’re in the production business,” he says. “We’re still making other peoples’ movies.” In other words, despite having the sets, soundstages, and skilled crew base, Georgia still doesn’t have one of the most important parts of developing projects: the writers. Trilith Institute seeks to change that. As part of Fayetteville’s Trilith Studios, the nonprofit offers workshops, camps, professional educational courses, and residencies for aspiring screenwriters, playwrights, and content creators. Topics include things like screenwriting, narrative direction, and cinematic storyboarding. The idea is to forge an ecosystem where storytellers can learn, work, draw inspiration, and plug into the state’s robust entertainment industry—without having to move to California or New York. “We want to create a permanent and sustainable entertainment industry,” says Stepako¡, who serves as Trilith Institute president and CEO. “We don’t want to just make movies or shows when Hollywood or London is in the mood. We want to create a world where, if you’re a writer anywhere in the country, and you look around at where the wind is blowing, you’ll end up in Georgia.” -TONY REHAGEN
Powered Up: Big Deal
NO NEED FOR A CAR TO GET TO RIVIAN’S ATLANTA HQ
There are several reasons why Rivian, the California-based electric vehicle manufacturer, would want to install their East Coast headquarters in Georgia. First, there is the talent pipeline from the area’s tech-savvy universities. Second and third are a business-friendly government climate and a reasonable cost of living—the same factors that have attracted so many corporations. But Rivian reps tout another Atlanta advantage that might seem strange for a car maker: walkability. Despite an uncertain tariff situation and the federal government’s likely rollback of alternative energy incentives, Rivian still has its foot on the accelerator of its planned office at Portman Holdings’ Junction Krog District building, adjacent to the Eastside Trail of the Atlanta Beltline. “The Krog District sits directly on the Beltline and offers employees multiple transportation options, including a very scenic walk,” says Peebles Squire, a spokesperson for Rivian. In late October, Rivian welcomed passersby into the newly opened lobby of the Krog District building, dubbed Rivian Commons, while the company was still prepping the top-floor office space for around 100 employees slated to open in January. The plan is to eventually expand to a workforce of 500. The HQ will be close (though not quite walking distance) to the company’s planned $5 billion manufacturing complex in Social Circle. –TONY REHAGEN
Baby It’s Cold Inside: Big Deal
TI COLD AND KARIS COLD BUILD A $60 MILLION FACILITY IN MCINTOSH COUNTY
In July of 2025, Ti Cold and Karis Cold officially broke ground on a $60 million, 216,000- square-foot cold storage facility in Darien. “It’s a big deal for us,” says Tom Draffin, president and CEO of the McIntosh County Industrial Development Authority (MCIDA). “There’s probably never been anything close to it in McIntosh County.” The MCIDA had been negotiating with another cold storage developer when it got a call from Ti Cold, notes Draffin. Soon after, Ti Cold representatives visited McIntosh County and met with local leaders before asking for 60 days of due diligence followed by a request for a purchase sale agreement. Within a month, the MCIDA had a signed agreement from Ti Cold to purchase the property. Less than half a year later, the deal was done. Ti Cold would serve as the developer, private investment company Karis Cold would be the financing partner, and PermaCold would operate the facility. Draffin expects the facility to be open and operational by midsummer 2026. According to a Georgia.gov press release, phase one of the project will support 50 jobs. “We are truly excited to bring this beautiful facility to your community and look forward to its continued growth,” said Ti Cold founder and CEO Sam Tippmann in the release. Located off of Highway 251 at the Tidewater Industrial Park, the facility is 20 miles from the Port of Brunswick and 60 miles south of Savannah. It will hold frozen and refrigerated goods, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural products. –ALLISON SHIRREFFS
Rising Tide: Big League Player
GRIFF LYNCH, CEO AND PRESIDENT, GEORGIA PORTS AUTHORITY
Griff Lynch is no stranger to the high seas. In fact, he’s spent his entire 37-year career in the maritime industry, which helps fuel his success at the helm of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA). Under Lynch’s leadership as CEO and president, port activity and investment have boomed. In 2025, GPA purchased and erected eight new ship-to-shore cranes, the largest ones on the East Coast. It also saw a nearly 9 percent increase in container movements, making this the second-busiest year on record for the Port of Savannah. Managing that growth is Lynch’s biggest challenge, he says. Over the next 10 years, GPA intends to invest $4.5 billion in Savannah and Brunswick, adding port capacity and supply chain speed that will help the ports remain a juggernaut of global commerce and business. “Savannah and Brunswick are gateway ports to the world, playing a critical\ role in the global supply chain,” Lynch says. A self-described servant leader, he works to ensure his team has the tools they need to be successful. And they have. “The GPA leadership team, board, and staff have managed to meet all the challenges that have come our way, and we continue to differentiate ourselves with world-class service to customers,” he says. -HEIDI FEDAK
Opening Doors: Big League Player
PAUL JUDGE, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING PARTNER, OPEN OPPORTUNITY FUND
Paul Judge relishes making something from nothing, and it shows. From the start of his career, Judge has built businesses from the ground up. Now, he’s helping others do the same. At the helm of Open Opportunity Fund, Judge invests in entrepreneurs trying to get their break. Judge lives by the credo that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. “That really is true,” he says. “For many years, traditional [venture capital] firms overlooked Georgia. I remember for years, you’d go to raise capital as an entrepreneur and investors would say, ‘Maybe, you should move to the [Silicon] Valley.’” Judge wouldn’t think of it. Georgia has been his home since he attended Morehouse College then Georgia Tech, where he earned a PhD in Computer Science. The talent is here, he says, and now the opportunity is too, making the state the perfect place to do business. “I call it the three Cs,” he says. “The colleges are a core piece, so that’s one. The second is corporations, because you need customers; you need somebody to sell something to or solve a problem for. And then the third C is culture, how it interacts with generational companies, how popularity works, how consumer behavior is influenced. So, it’s these three interesting ingredients . . . and very few cities have those in as high a density as we have [in Atlanta].” What’s ahead for Judge is more of the same. Open Opportunity Fund just launched its second round of funding, and the capital is coming in, meaning Judge can continue making something meaningful. “We’re really focused on backing the next generation of founders,” he says. “If I can do that dozens or hundreds of times over the next five years, that is mission accomplished.”
-HEIDI FEDAK
Eye of the Beholder: Big League Player
MARIA GUERRA-STOLL, PRESIDENT & CEO, GSB ARCHITECTS & INTERIORS, CEO & FOUNDER, PAM STUDIOS LLC
For Maria Guerra-Stoll, art is at the heart of everything she does, whether it’s architecture, interior design, or film. “They are all art forms that move people when they experience them,” she says. Guerra-Stoll should know. Her creativity has her on an upward trajectory, including being the first Latina named to the Governor’s Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Advisory Commission, an honor she sees as both a testament to her hard work and an opportunity to do even more for Georgia’s Latino population. “I am all about helping the economy in this state and giving opportunities for growth,” she says. Going global has been a highlight for Guerra-Stoll this year, as she works to align her architectural business with the international film industry. Closer to home, this founder and CEO is using art to drive her altruism, hoping to pair with a nonprofit organization to produce documentaries and films focused on women’s issues. “We’ll continue to bridge creativity and impact . . . deepening our involvement in film and storytelling that highlights underrepresented voices,” she says. –HEIDI FEDAK
Building A Legacy: Big League Player
JOY ROHADFOX, CEO, ROHADFOX CONSTRUCTION CONTROL SERVICES
ROHADFOX CONSTRUCTION Control Services, one of the oldest minority-owned construction and program management companies in the U.S., was founded by Joy Rohadfox’s civil engineer father 50 years ago. Today, she carries on his legacy with determination and resilience. “I push forward. We don’t focus on the obstacles. We stay proactive,” she says. That attitude has served her well as one of a small number of women in construction management. Under her leadership, Rohadfox Construction Control Services has expanded beyond its headquarters in Atlanta, with offices in 11 additional locations around the country. Its services include full construction management, engineering, program management, and design, working across industries like transportation, water, infrastructure, institutional facilities, and aviation. The company is a key partner in ATLNext, the $18 billion, 15-year capital improvement program for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It is currently working with Los Angeles World Airports’ Improvement Program and Miami Ocean Outfall Program, one of Florida’s largest wastewater and environmental infrastructure initiatives, among others. Rohadfox is at the top of her game but is also focused on those coming behind her, building up young female professionals. “I let them know they should have a seat at the table and be part of the conversations,” she says. “There’s always a meeting before the meeting, and I think women should demand to be at those meetings. Women can build. We’re visionaries, and we shape the future of infrastructure.” –LAUREN FINNEY HARDEN
Blackout: Big Idea
NEW SLEEP MASK HELPS PEOPLE HIT THE BED RUNNING
The market is awash in devices to optimize jogging, walking, cycling, and even swimming (goggles that track your stats). But what about a wearable that enhances your sleep Inactivators, a sleep mask from the Atlanta-based Inactive Company, blocks 100 percent of light while not applying pressure to the eyes, which protects REM sleep and prevents overheating, so your body knows it’s time to shut down. In 2025, Inactivators played in the big leagues, partnering with nine NFL teams to help players recharge on the transatlantic flights to and from games in Europe. –TONY REHAGEN
Trade Secrets: Big Idea
A SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS WANT TO BE
Educator and businessman Marion Skinner toured different trade schools and came to one conclusion: “There’s a reason kids don’t want to go to school,” he says. “There’s nothing to keep their attention.” Skinner is the CEO of Workforce Career Center (WCC), which opened its Atlanta school in August and now has more than 500 students, ages 18 and up. The campus is designed to be immersive and hands-on, with modern equipment, computers, and interactive labs. The building is also an open ecosystem where students can easily collaborate and cross-pollinate among WCC’s 11 programs, from AI technology to data centers to logistics and freight dispatching. “Our radio, television, and film students design sets and bring in our construction and electrician students to build them,” says Skinner. “Everything works together.” Another benefit is that WCC has direct partnerships with Georgia employers desperate for workers with these skills. And WCC programs last just four to 12 weeks. “There’s huge demand for these trades,” says Skinner. “We need it, and we need it fast.” -TONY REHAGEN
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State of Growth: Big Deals
MEET THE BUSINESSES MAKING MAJOR MOVES ACROSS GEORGIA
Global building materials supplier CRH is supporting its Sandy Springs-based Americas Materials Solutions division by opening a $1.7 million, 300-worker accounting and services center in Roswell by 2029. The company already employs about 1,100 Georgians.
Beginning in late 2027, South Korea’s JS LINK plans to create 520 jobs in Columbus at a $223 million plant manufacturing permanent magnets with rare earth minerals. Such magnets improve power and efficiency in electric motors for vehicles and other uses. China currently controls 80 percent of the global market.
King’s Hawaiian is baking up a sixth expansion at the Oakwood plant it opened in 2010. A $54 million factory line producing pretzel bites will add 135 people to a Georgia workforce of 800 beginning in the second quarter of 2026.
DURACELL, part of Berkshire Hathaway, plans to supercharge its battery production with a global research-and-development headquarters in Atlanta. The $56 million investment is expected to add 110 jobs to the company’s 675 Georgia employees in LaGrange and Fairburn. The company did not announce a timeline.
Amazon plans to hire more than 1,000 people when a 1.6-million-square-foot sorting facility opens in 3,200-resident Hogansville in 2027. The e-tailer has similar facilities in Atlanta and Augusta, with a total of 31,500 employees in Georgia, where it says it has invested $23.5 billion since 2010.
Trinet, which provides human relations services to small and medium-sized businesses, plans to hire 750 people through 2030 and invest $15.4 million for a corporate center in Dunwoody’s High Street development.
Mercedes-Benz is revving up its Sandy Springs presence, moving 500 jobs from Michigan to join the 800 employees at its rechristened North American headquarters by August 2026. The automaker also is opening a research and development center in Atlanta in mid-2026.
Chicken processor Pilgrim’s is adding a $400 million plant in LaFayette to its seven facilities and 7,500 workers in Georgia. Beginning in 2027, the subsidiary of Brazilian company JBS plans to hire 630 people to prepare foods for brands including Just Bare and Gold Kist.
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FIFA 2026: Big Deal
ATLANTA ON THE WORLD STAGE
Atlanta is no stranger to large-scale sports events. It has hosted the 1996 Olympics, three NFL Super Bowls, and three MLB All-Star Games, just to name a few. But the biggest event is yet to come in the summer of 2026. The FIFA World Cup will span five weeks, 16 cities, and three countries—the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Atlanta will host eight matches, including a semifinal. “We’re confident because we have a great track record of putting on major sporting events,” says Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council, which spearheaded the campaign to recruit the World Cup to Atlanta. Corso also chairs the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee, which acts as a liaison between FIFA, the City of Atlanta, and the state of Georgia. The message that sold FIFA on Georgia is the same that draws companies from all over the world—”global connectivity, economic diversity, and quality of life,” says Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Post-World Cup, Wilson expects a strong ripple effect. Estimates of the tournament’s economic impact range from $500 million to over $1 billion. “It will catapult the state of Georgia into another round of diversification—and create more opportunities to leverage our global economic partnerships,” Wilson says. –KATJA RIDDERBUSCH
Boots on the Ground: Big Idea
INVERIS INTRODUCES NEW AUGMENTED REALITY WEAPONS TRAINING
Active shooters, ambushes, hostile crowds . . . In a climate of growing violence, training is mission critical. So too is Suwanee-based InVeris Training Solutions, one of the country’s premier providers of virtual weapons training for the military, law enforcement, and corporate security. And while virtual reality places users in a fully synthetic world, the company’s new Fats AR augmented reality system keeps trainees in their physical environment while blending it with virtual characters and props. Trainees can see their weapons and communicate with teammates while interacting with computer-generated avatars and threats. Bonus: The system is portable, allowing users “to take it where they need to train . . . like schools or government buildings,” says CEO Clyde Tuggle. –KATJA RIDDERBUSCH
New Heights: Big League Player
ED BASTIAN, CEO, DELTA AIR LINES
Georgia’s hometown airline, Atlanta-headquartered Delta Air Lines, celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2025, with CEO Ed Bastian at the helm. Since assuming the role in 2016, Bastian has seen the company through plenty of ups and downs—from the industry-spanning challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent government shutdown to achieving a top 10 ranking on Forbes’ Most Trusted Companies in America list in 2025 and being named the Top U.S. Airline by the Wall Street Journal for the fourth consecutive year. “It is an honor to lead Delta as we celebrate our first 100 years of flight,” he says. “It is not lost on me that this achievement is thanks to the 100,000 Delta people behind our airline and all those who came before us.” As Bastian ushers the company into its second century—operating up to 5,000 daily flights to six continents and more than 300 destinations worldwide—he’s also looking ahead with a bold ambition: to connect even more of the globe. “Only one out of every five people in the world have ever set foot on an airplane,” he says. “Our ultimate goal is to make air travel more inclusive and accessible, unlocking opportunities for billions worldwide. There’s no limit to what Delta people can do, and I’m optimistic about what the future holds.” –JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN
Medical Milestone: Big Deal
SHRINERS CHILDREN’S RESEARCH INSTITUTE IS COMING TO ATLANTA
Marc Lalande, vice president of research programs for Shriners Children’s hospitals, had an ambitious goal: create a stand-alone institute where researchers from different disciplines and locations could come together to improve kids’ lives. After getting $153 million to launch the Shriners Children’s Research Institute, his next step was figuring out where it would go. The answer was Science Square on Nerem Street, under construction on Georgia Tech’s western fringe in Midtown Atlanta. It’s a familiar environment, as Lalande has partnered with Tech researchers for years on a variety of projects. “It will have Shriners investigators [researchers]. Our brand will be all over it, but the wonderful thing is we can collaborate with Georgia Tech and speed improvements to the patients,” Lalande says, adding that partnerships with other area universities and healthcare systems are part of the plan. “To be really successful, we have to engage physicians, so our connections with local institutions will be critical.” The facility is expected to open in 2028 and will house about 50 principal investigators, 300 support positions, area researchers, and students doing hands-on research. Among the areas of inquiry are motion analysis to plan therapeutic and rehabilitation support, using AI to build better devices, and tissue engineering and regenerative processes. “We’re in discovery mode,” Lalande says. “We’re just starting, but we have the wind in our sails.” –H.M. CAULEY
Fruit of their Labor: Big Idea
A LOOK AT UGA GRAND FARM
UGA Grand Farm sits on 250 acres next to the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, but its reach is far larger. The brand-new agricultural innovation ecosystem, a collaboration between Grand Farm, which launched in North Dakota in 2019, and the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), is designed to solve some of the biggest problems facing the agricultural industry today. “We’re embarking on a journey to revolutionize the way we grow and produce food,” says Nick Place, CAES dean and director. “This innovation farm is developing and demonstrating new agricultural technologies and automation, starting with our first crops in 2025.” According to Director of Operations Dr. Lenín Rodríguez, UGA initiated plans to develop a southeastern counterpart to Grand Farm after exploring opportunities for collaboration with stakeholders in North Dakota. “The result was UGA Grand Farm, which formally launched in May 2025 with a vision adapted to address the specific needs of Georgia’s farmers and the broader U.S. agricultural ecosystem.” The farm’s goals are to accelerate agricultural innovation, improve crop resilience, support agricultural workforce development, strengthen public-private partnerships, and translate academic research into practical, scalable farming practices. “Our primary research and demonstration efforts will focus on corn, soybean, and cotton, which are staple crops in Georgia and the broader southeastern U.S.,” says Rodríguez. Initial trials will focus on soil health and nutrient management, pest and disease resistance, precision irrigation, and climate-smart farming practices. In the future, UGA Grand Farm will expand its focus to include peanuts, a vital crop for Georgia’s economy, as well as orchard crops such as blueberries and peaches. “These specialty crops present unique challenges related to pest management, post-harvest quality, and labor efficiency,” says Rodríguez. “These are areas where innovation and research can make a significant impact.” –DON SADLER
Winning Record: Big League Player
ARTHUR BLANK, OWNER AND CHAIRMAN, THE BLANK FAMILY OF BUSINESSES
It’s tough to count the ways that billionaire entrepreneur Arthur Blank has made his mark on Georgia. From the 90 Home Depot stores that dot the state to building Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to donating $200 million to fund Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s state-of-the-art hospital bearing his name, his impact on business, community, and philanthropy is far-reaching. This year, the eyes of the globe will turn to Atlanta as it hosts eight men’s FIFA World Cup 2026 matches. Blank has been a driving force in bringing them—along with their estimated $1 billion of economic impact—to his adopted hometown. Blank’s belief that “the beautiful game” of soccer could find a home in the Southeast led him to found the Atlanta United Major League Soccer (MLS) team in 2014. The team has been an economic boon, but it started out as a vehicle for community unity. “Soccer brings people together in an incredibly collaborative way,” Blank says. “It truly is a community linchpin.” As a result, his name has become synonymous with the sport in Georgia. In 2025, Atlanta was awarded a National Women’s Soccer League team, which will begin playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2028. This spring, the $228 million, 200-acre Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center complex will open in Fayette County and serve as the nonprofit’s new national headquarters (moving from Chicago). Propelled by Blank’s $50 million contribution, it’s set to be the epicenter for soccer in the U.S. “This state-of-the-art facility will be a hub to serve as a beacon of joy and opportunity for the surrounding community, and for all who walk through its doors,” he says. “I know Georgia is ready to welcome U.S. Soccer to its new home.” –JENNIFER BRADLEY FRANKLIN
CNN Redux: Big Idea
THE FAMED BUILDING GETS A NEW LOOK
With its namesake company having decamped to Midtown, downtown Atlanta’s iconic CNN Center is now just “The Center.” Donna Childs and her colleagues at the downtown architectural firm TVS are redesigning it with custom murals, entertainment spaces, a food hall, and nightlife around a central bar. The goal is to be a multiuse destination that keeps locals—as well as visitors—coming back. Look for a soft opening to coincide with the FIFA World Cup matches in June 2026. –H.M. CAULEY
Can You Hear Me Now: Big Idea
GEORGIA’S STATEWIDE BROADBAND INITIATIVE
Staying connected while driving on the interstates is about to get easier. A Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) project to put 1,400 miles of broadband wiring along major arteries promises uninterrupted access. But the goal isn’t to keep riders entertained: The multimillion-dollar project is a response to a 2017 hurricane that flooded Georgia highways with evacuees and overwhelmed the system of signs, cameras, and cell networks. “The network wasn’t built when Florida was evacuating,” says GDOT Deputy Chief Engineer John Hibbard. “The concept grew out of the desire for us to better monitor what was going on during crisis times.” The multistep project got underway in August 2024 along interstates 75 and 575. In early 2025, work began along I-16 and I-20 east of Atlanta. The third portion along Georgia’s stretch of I-95 is expected to begin in early 2026, followed eventually with all of I-85, I-285, I-675, and the remaining portion of I-20. Hibbard adds that connection points along the way will allow companies to expand into areas without internet access and prepare the roads for the future of automated cars. –H.M. CAULEY
See this entire feature in GaBiz Winter 2026 here.
