B2B Stories

B2B Stories

Best of Rick Franza: Location, Location, Location

Editor’s note: Whether you are in real estate, manufacturing, or another business, you know that location has a major impact on success. In a Best Of business coaching article from Dr. Rick Franza, it’s a message that drives home the importance of location in the CSRA. The first time I moved to Georgia, it wasn’t entirely by choice. In early 1987, as a young Air Force Officer with a Master’s Degree, I was chosen for an assignment as an ROTC instructor at Georgia Tech. Although I grew up in the

Read More »
B2B Stories

Augustan to lead organization contributing to $44 million arts industry

The nonprofit arts and culture sector is a $44.2 million industry in the Greater Augusta Area—one that supports 1,616 full-time equivalent jobs and generates $3.9 million in local and state government revenue. Whether it’s viewing paintings at Morris Museum of Art or taking in a concert at the Imperial Theatre, it pumps vital revenue into restaurants, hotels, retail stores, and other local businesses. The Augusta Symphony has been an important part of the arts scene for 71 years. They have a new Executive Director, Paige Tom, who is a familiar

Read More »
B2B Stories

Out to pasture after running a successful business?

Imagine for a moment that your business contributes more than $70 million to the local economy, not to mention other support businesses that grow and reap the rewards in the entire CSRA. When you are ready to hang up the reins, what happens next? Aiken is horse country, and the real estate investments for horse farms, the events and visitors they attract, the trainers, farriers, veterinarians, and feed suppliers are all part of the economic equation. What happens to the retired thoroughbreds that provided years of excitement for the Aiken

Read More »
B2B Stories

Report showcases impact of AI and high tech on job market

The importance of being tech-savvy about cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence (AI) is the focus of the latest report from the Georgia Chamber Foundation. Titled “Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship,” the Q2 report breaks down how the state’s economy will be impacted by AI, new technologies, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers. This is one of the five Prosperity Pillars in the Chamber’s Georgia/2050 strategic plan. The report found that STEM is a significant contribution to the innovation economy. It finds that Georgia has more than 2.1 million STEM

Read More »
B2B Stories

$12 million investment in CSRA

A manufacturer of paper towels and toilet paper is set to move into a South Carolina plant once occupied by another manufacturer producing similar products. Barnwell Tissues Solution’s $12 million investment will restore 50 new jobs at 285 Midfield Road in Barnwell. That is the former home of the Cascades Tissue Plant. It’s also good news for Barnwell County, which has struggled with a 4.9% unemployment rate, compared to Aiken County with a 3.8% rate and Edgefield County, which is 3.4%. Cascades used to employ 300 workers. Cascades Tissue Plant

Read More »
B2B Stories

Roadmap to development in the River Region and the state

Georgia makes it easy for companies wishing to locate in the state to find the perfect location with a simple search. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) website has a page dedicated to guiding companies to a location that will check all the boxes on their wish list. The site selector map allows the user to search by multiple tools, including location, workforce, and demographics. “It’s kind of our best-kept secret, and it’s really on us to kind of spread that word honestly,” Bob Kosek, Division Director of Global

Read More »
B2B Stories

Zipping over the Savannah River

A plan by Destination Augusta to create a recreation facility along the Savannah River was approved by an Augusta-Richmond County Commission committee. Members of the Public Services Committee gave the green light for a proposed management and operations agreement with The Forge for the Outdoor Urban Adventure Center. The company operates a 300-acre adventure park in Lemont, Ill. “Finding the right group with the right vision to make this attraction a reality was the first step,” said Destination Augusta President & CEO Bennish Brown in a news release announcing the

Read More »
B2B Stories

Clearing begins for North Augusta multipurpose development

Work clearing a wooded section of land between E. Martintown Road and E. Buena Vista Avenue has grown enough to begin attracting attention. The site preparation marks the first tangible progress on a development that initially went before the North Augusta Planning Commission in August 2021 as a sketch plan review. First known as the Mealing tract development, the official name was Bluegrass Place. The 53-acre multipurpose development went before the North Augusta City Council in early 2022 and was approved. Site work began early this year. “Finally, we have

Read More »
B2B Stories

How to build a healthy workplace culture

A big part of building a successful business is leading from the ground up. An upcoming workshop is geared for developing a thriving workplace culture. An engaging and interactive workshop, “Foundations of a Healthy Workplace Culture,” led by expert speaker and Leadership Coach, Sarah Harris, is coming up on September 9. This 90-minute workshop will equip you with the tools and insights to: Align communication strategies, onboarding practices, and policies with the values of a thriving workplace. Assess your current culture through grounded, real-world examples. Implement meaningful changes that enhance the employee experience from day one.   Workshop Details:

Read More »
B2B Stories

USCA alumni establish $25,000 scholarship

A pair of graduates from USC Aiken created a scholarship at the School of Business Administration for students who want to “invest” in their future. Jason Crane and Gerry Owen, co-founders and owners of Crane & Owen Financial Solutions in Aiken, pledged $25,000 to start the Jason K. Crane and Gerry L. Owen Endowed Business Scholarship for students majoring in accounting or finance. “We look in our industry and in accounting, and there’s a growing need. There are a lot of folks in financial fields that are closer to retirement

Read More »