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Economics
ABD Extra

Simon Says: Here’s the latest numbers on recruitment and retention

I am looking forward to the Augusta Business Daily Conference and Expo on Wednesday. As a primer for the recruitment and retention panel discussion at 11 a.m., I wanted to provide statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on recruitment and retention. By far, the most popular strategy for recruiting is higher pay, with 7.1 percent of firms in Georgia and 7.6 percent of firms in South Carolina using this strategy. Offering higher pay is the most popular choice across all industries. The next most popular strategy is expanded

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Dr. Simon Medcalfe May 15, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

The 411 on the CSRA labor market

Most local businesses have experienced employee shortages. Why are they continuing and what is the solution if any solution exists? Those were the million-dollar questions and the focus of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce’s member economic luncheon. It came as no surprise when guest speaker, Dr. Melinda Pitts, Research Center Director from the Center for Human Capital Studies at the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta, pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as being responsible for the upheaval in America’s economy. Even with the end of the public health emergency on

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Dana Lynn McIntyre May 11, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local agency reports tremendous business growth last year

Natonia Tillman loves owning and operating a downtown business because it’s not too far from other parts of the city, such as South Augusta. Tillman owns 10Twenty-Eight, a business center and networking lounge located at 1028 Broad St., which was one of 47 businesses that opened in downtown Augusta last year. Those openings contributed to more than $93 million in private investments in that area. “It puts us in an area that’s centrally located,” she said. “It’s also an area where there’s a lot of foot traffic, because people are

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Josh Heath May 11, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Air show infuses $ and excitement in the CSRA

Sleek, fast, and red, white, and blue. The Thunderbirds have landed in Augusta. The team arrived in Augusta on Monday to practice its aerial acrobatics and map out logistics, prior to the air show at Augusta Regional Airport this weekend. Although the focus will be on fun, watching skilled pilots do what should be impossible, the event is expected to have an important economic benefit, bringing attention to the airport and tourism dollars to Augusta. “We hope that this infuses the economy a little bit with some dollars, both from

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Dana Lynn McIntyre May 10, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Large events to provide a $1 million+ boost for local tourism

Destination Augusta, a non-profit corporation that promotes tourism in the Augusta River Region, expects events this month to generate a total estimated economic impact of at least $1.4 million for the area. This weekend, more than 25,000 people are expected to attend the Augusta Air Show at the Augusta Regional Airport, and Destination Augusta estimates 1,000 of those attendees will spend money at local hotels, restaurants, and other businesses, generating an estimated economic impact of more than $172,000. “The meetings and groups segment of our travel market is a key

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Josh Heath and Mitzi Oxford May 10, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

CSRA “Champions” deliver huge boost to the economy

Great deeds never go unnoticed, especially when they deliver more than $44 million to the local economy. Individuals representing more than a dozen organizations brought events, conventions, and religious gatherings to the Augusta area, each with an impact on the local economy. They were recognized as champions yesterday morning by Destination Augusta and the Augusta Sports Council. Augusta Mayor, Garnett Johnson was presented with a check for $44.5 million, representing how much money came into the local economy over the past two years from their efforts. “Thank you for everything

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Dana Lynn McIntyre May 9, 2023 No Comments
ABD Extra

Simon Says: Connection between innovation and higher education?

In 2015, according to the latest year data available, there were 10 utility patents granted that originated in Richmond County. A recent study by Michael Andrews (https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/pol.20200320), examines the role of higher education institutions, such as Augusta University and Georgia Tech, in local invention. Higher education institutions may affect invention directly by conducting research or indirectly by driving population growth. Ideally, to understand the role of higher education on economic development and innovation, we would want to randomly assign universities to locations and measure innovation and economic activity before and

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Simon Medcalfe May 8, 2023 No Comments
ABD Extra

Economic Update: Thanking the next generation

Just as Dana Lynn discussed in our top story this week, Coach Dave Holdeman from The Alternative Board of the CSRA and Augusta Business Daily publisher, Neil Gordon talk about programs that will not only bring jobs, but could provide vital treatment options for cancer in the future. Be sure to get to know the details on all this and more in the latest economic update.

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Neil Gordon with Dave Holdeman May 8, 2023 No Comments
ABD Extra

Economic Update: Thanking the next generation

Just as Dana Lynn discussed in our top story this week, Coach Dave Holdeman from The Alternative Board of the CSRA and Augusta Business Daily publisher, Neil Gordon talk about programs that will not only bring jobs, but could provide vital treatment options for cancer in the future. Be sure to get to know the details on all this and more in the latest economic update.

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Neil Gordon with Dave Holdeman May 8, 2023 No Comments
B2B Stories

Local legislators celebrate business wins and discuss future challenges

The 2023 legislative session that just ended revealed great strides for CSRA businesses through small business and workforce development and growing educational opportunities to accomplish those goals, but there is much more to be done. Dozens of business and government leaders met with Columbia County’s local legislative delegation at a breakfast held yesterday morning for a post-session recap. Representatives Jodi Lott (R-District 131), Barry Fleming (R-District 125), Dr. Mark Newton (R-District 127), and Senator Lee Anderson (R-District 24) attended and much of the focus was on ways to encourage existing

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Dana Lynn McIntyre May 4, 2023 No Comments
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