Gov. Nathan Deal announced that Georgia has been named the No. 1 state in the nation in which to do business for the fifth consecutive year by Site Selection, a leading economic development trade magazine. According to Site Selection, Georgia is the first state to hold this ranking for five consecutive years under the same governor.
 
“For the fifth year in a row, Georgia has been named the No. 1 state in the nation in which to do business, highlighting the value of our business-friendly environment and the success of our economic development initiatives,” said Deal. “I’d like to thank Site Selection for this recognition. I’m also deeply grateful for the hard work of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and for the strong foundation laid by our community partners. We are so proud to be ranked No. 1 for business, because behind this ranking is a new job opportunity for a parent, a new business for a community and more economic opportunity for all Georgians.
 
“By emphasizing strong partnerships on both the state and local levels, we have cultivated an economic environment that produces greater opportunities for hardworking people, generates investment in local communities and improves the overall quality of life for Georgia families. Our low tax burden and economic assets, including a robust workforce and unparalleled connectivity, lead the nation in attracting industry leaders from across the country and around the world. As we continue building upon our strategic resources by investing in workforce development initiatives such as the HOPE Career Grant, we are ensuring that industry leaders remain connected to a skilled labor pool capable of meeting the challenges of today, tomorrow and beyond.
 
“I am confident that the efforts of state industry leaders, community partners and the people of Georgia will help us maintain this momentum for many years to come.”
 
Each November, Site Selection releases rankings for the top states in which to do business. Georgia has been ranked among the top 10 states in Site Selection’s business climate rankings throughout the last decade and has held the top spot for the last four years.
 
"Our Conway Projects Database of new and expanding facilities is the basis of much of this ranking," said Site Selection Editor-in-Chief Mark Arend. “It tracks private capital projects involving $1 million or more of investment, 20 or more new jobs or 20,000 or more square feet of new construction. Georgia finished in the top five of most of the ranking criteria that are based on those projects, and site selectors ranked Georgia third in the nation in the executive survey component. This makes Georgia the state to beat for the fifth consecutive year, and it signals to our readers and to the broader capital investment community that Georgia competes to win.”
 
“I couldn’t be more proud of this ranking,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “It’s not only a testament to Governor Deal’s leadership, but to each and every economic development partner across the state. For five years in a row, our top-notch business environment and astounding global infrastructure has earned us this honor. The future of economic development in Georgia is incredibly bright and we are looking forward to more big wins. We are proud of this achievement, and all of the work our local partners do across the state to help Georgia thrive and remain competitive in this dynamic economy.”
 
Deal also announced the addition of five new strategic industry programs to the HOPE Career Grant, effective January, underscoring the critical importance of training our current and future workforce to meet the needs of employers. The new fields include Construction, Aviation, Electrical Line Work, Logistics and Automotive Technology through the Technical College System of Georgia, bringing the total number to 17 HOPE Career Grant areas of study. This effort is aimed at better aligning Georgia’s workforce with the needs of growing industries and providing students with new opportunities to learn skills that lead to high-wage professional employment.