Clayton State SBDC to Hold Free Class on Opening a Business, Dec. 13

The Clayton State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be holding a special free class to help educate people interested in owning their own business.

Designed to help the public decide if entrepreneurship is right, “Opening a Business in the New Year” will be held on Monday, Dec. 13, in the Allan Vigil Ford Conference Room, 6790 Mount Zion Blvd., Morrow. The class will run from 10 a.m. to noon.

“If you are considering starting a small business, attending this workshop is the first step for potential entrepreneurs” says Allison Segal, SBDC program coordinator. “Learn what it really takes to be successful by identifying needed skills and resources. This workshop is Part I in the start-up process. You can then follow this workshop with Part II, `Starting a Business.’”

To register on-line for this free, public workshop, visit the SBDC website at; www.business.clayton.edu/sbdc. For more information, please contact Segal at (678) 466-5100 or asegal@georgiasbdc.org.

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UPS Adds Photo ID Requirement for Retail Shipping

(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of its ongoing review to enhance security, UPS (NYSE: UPS) today announced it is expanding its policy to require customers who ship packages from retail shipping locations to present a government-issued photo ID for verification of identification. The directive will apply at The UPS Store ® and Mail Boxes Etc. ® locations as well as authorized shipping outlets worldwide.

Consumers who tender a shipment through any retail access location and do not already have a pre-printed shipping label attached will have to present a government-issued photo ID or they will not be allowed to use UPS services. The ID policy has been in place at UPS Customer Centers since 2005.

Valid forms of identification in the U.S. include a current state-issued driver’s license or Department of Motor Vehicles ID card, U.S. or foreign government-issued passport, U.S. Permanent Resident card, U.S. military identification or a Native American Tribal photo identification card. Qualifying documentation may vary by country at international retail locations.

“Since retail centers experience a significant increase in business from occasional shippers during the busy holidays, this enhancement adds a prudent step in our multi-layered approach to security,” said Dale Hayes, UPS vice president of small business and retail marketing. “The safety and security of our customers, business partners and employees is our highest priority and UPS will continue to implement additional security precautions as necessary.”

UPS (NYSE:UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight; the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.

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Revitalization Plans Become Concrete at the Jekyll Island Convention Center Groundbreaking

/PRNewswire/ -- Governor Sonny Perdue, the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) Board of Directors, staff, legislative and business representatives and members of the community gathered just north of the former convention center December 7 to commemorate the beginning of construction on the new Jekyll Island convention center and beach village.

The new Jekyll Island convention center replaces the former center and will be the only oceanfront convention facility in the southeast. The new center is expected to achieve Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification at a Silver level. The 128,000 sq. ft. facility will feature many "green" aspects including structural facets that serve to capture and reuse rainwater, alternative/renewable energy generation and use and the latest in energy-saving technology.

Construction on the ocean front convention center is expected to take approximately 18 months and is scheduled to be complete along with the two new hotels, loft condominiums and 40,000 sq. ft. of retail space that make up the commercial components of the new Jekyll Island Beach Village in 2012. Great Dunes Park and a public village green are integrated to create a new, vibrant beachside destination on Jekyll Island.

"The revitalization of Jekyll Island is a story of renewal – of restoring the island to its rightful place as a premier public beach resort available to all Georgians and visitors," stated Governor Perdue. "This project is already benefiting a reinvigorated coastal Georgia economy, and I look forward to seeing the finished product thanks to the hard work and dedication the Jekyll Island Authority Board of Directors and the Jekyll Island Authority staff have invested in this effort."

The facility will be integrated into its natural beachfront location in a manner that minimizes impact on the environment while creating a wonderful and unique guest experience. The interior design will celebrate the natural transect of the island from the dunescapes to the marsh vistas.

"We can not be more excited to embark on this monumental project for Jekyll Island," stated Chairman Bob Krueger. "My hope is for the new convention center to create a wealth of special memories just as the former has done for so many visitors and residents alike."

The day concluded with JIA Executive Director Jones Hooks inviting ceremony guests to make a permanent mark on slabs of wet cement to signify the permanence of revitalization. The cement tiles will be used in the new Beach Village area as a lasting tribute to those who have worked together to make the revitalization of Jekyll Island a reality.

"In this economy, it is truly remarkable that we are at this critical point of getting construction underway," stated Jones Hooks. "Timing has always been a critical element, and what we have been able to accomplish over the last twelve months is almost a miracle and would not be possible if not for the steadfast support of the Governor, the state legislature and our JIA Board."

Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC, the Georgia based general contractor for the convention center and related infrastructure will begin construction in January of 2011. Currently crews are sorting out material from the demolition debris to be recycled. Concrete is being ground to be used as the base for the new convention center and beach village streets. The beginning of construction on the convention center and accompanying retail area signifies the cornerstone of revitalization efforts for the Jekyll Island Authority.

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Consumer Product Services Announces the Opening of its Fifth Returns and Remanufacturing Center in Atlanta Georgia

/PRNewswire/ -- Consumer Product Services (symbol CPSV) today (December 3) announced the opening of its fifth (5th) consumer returns and remanufacturing center in Acworth Georgia. The Acworth facility was planned due to the continuing growth of the CPS client base requiring North American scalability, flexibility, reliability, consistency, transparency and rapid deployment of competitive reverse logistics solutions available through the CPS "Single Source Solution" approach to reverse supply chain management.

Mr. Darren Krantz, the Company's CEO stated, "With the opening of the Atlanta facility, we have greatly expanded our capacity and more importantly have created the ability to capture product in the strategic Southeastern corridor. Our existing clients as well as potential new clients require that we have strategically located logistic and remanufacturing facilities within certain geographic zones. This new facility is of key importance."

Acworth is located in the northwest quadrant of the Atlanta metro area. The newly constructed facility is located in the Cherokee Commons Industrial Park adjacent to I-75. The facility maintains over 50,000 sq feet of space dedicated to returns management and remanufacturing of CPS client products in the categories of major appliances, small appliance, outdoor power, air comfort and floor care.

Like other CPS facilities, Acworth is a multi client facility that provides state of the art engineering quality labs for on site defect data collection and reporting, debit reconciliation, remanufacturing, parts recovery, recycling as well as fulfillment services on behalf CPS clients. According to Michael Edwards CPS VP, Logistics and Supply Chain, Acworth is strategically located to service in excess of 25% of the US population and major retailer stores in the region within one day of shipment. This is a decided advantage in reducing transportation costs, improve inventory velocity and minimize exposure to cosmetic and mechanical damage incurred from longer transit times and multiple handlings through the carrier supply chain.

Consumer Product Services was founded in 2002 and is corporately based in Deer Park, Long Island, New York. In addition to operating five (5) North American returns and remanufacturing centers, CPS consists of five interrelated companies including Consumer Product Services for remanufacturing, CPS Supply Chain Services for transportation and warehousing, CPS Warranty Group for first and second warranty placement as well as B to C web stores and B to B auction sites.

CPS is dedicated to the principles of:

* Operational and Financial Benefits for our Clients
* Market Control
* Support of Brand Loyalty
* Continuous Quality Improvement
* Environmental Stewardship
* Creation of North American Jobs


This document may include statements that constitute "forward-looking" statements, usually containing the words "believe", "estimate", "project", "expect", "anticipate", or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to secure capital to fund current operations; future trends in the returns business; financial, environmental or remanufacturing difficulties affecting the Reverse Logistics and Remanufacturing programs; uncertainties surrounding estimates of product returns; and other risks associated with the Company's business. By making these forward-looking statements, CPS undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes in the future 

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American Textile Company Opening Manufacturing Facility in Tifton, Ga

/PRNewswire/ -- American Textile Company (ATC) continues its growth in manufacturing bed pillows and utility bedding by announcing the opening of a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Tifton, Ga.

The 218,000 square foot facility, leased from the Tifton County Development Authority, is strategically located to service ATC's customers in the Southeast. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will begin by manufacturing bed pillows, one of the key items offered by ATC. "The opening of the Tifton facility completes our strategic nationwide pillow distribution strategy," said John Riccio, Chief Financial Officer for ATC. "With pillow manufacturing facilities in Duquesne, Pa.; Salt Lake City, Ut.; Dallas, Tx.; and now Tifton, Ga., we can efficiently ship bed pillows across the United States and Canada. We are thrilled with our interaction at the state and local level that executed this plan in a short period of time."

In addition to Georgia's pro-business climate, the company selected the Tifton, Ga. location from among competitive sites due to its strategic location to customers with distribution centers in the Southeast, access to a skilled textile workforce, low cost of doing business, and incentives provided by the State of Georgia. Customers with distribution points in the Southeast will benefit from a significant reduction in their freight costs. "Providing cost effective and efficient service to our customers is the cornerstone to our continued success," said Mark Bachner, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing for ATC.

The facility will open at the end of Q1 2011 and will employee 50 people immediately. A total of 120 people will be employed at the facility by the end of 2016.

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Rural Sourcing, Inc. Announces Augusta Operation

Leader in domestic sourcing to create 100 jobs

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today Rural Sourcing, Inc. (RSI), an Atlanta-based provider of internet technology domestic sourcing, is opening a development center in Augusta in Richmond County. The company plans to create 100 direct jobs in the fields of computer and software engineering and programming.

“Georgia’s highly-skilled pipeline of talent for high tech companies will certainly be an asset to the Rural Sourcing Augusta development center,” said Governor Perdue. “The company’s expansion will boost the local economy and provide job opportunities for Augusta-area residents.”

RSI’s client list includes Fortune 500 companies, as well as small to mid-size businesses seeking cost effective alternatives to offshore staffing. The company leverages its pool of well-trained IT professionals in smaller markets to meet its clients’ critical IT resource needs.

“Our 300 percent annual growth rate is indicative of the market’s appetite for a low-cost, high-quality on-shore alternative to the traditional offshore India operations. We are extremely excited about our Augusta location because of the outstanding workforce in Augusta,” said Monty Hamilton, CEO of Rural Sourcing Incorporated. “RSI has an excellent working relationship with the Development Authority of Richmond County and the Georgia Department of Economic Development. As we look forward, our sights are set on continuing to put Americans back to work right here in Augusta and the surrounding area for many years to come.”

The company’s Augusta development center will locate at Augusta’s Enterprise Mill. During its location search, RSI considered communities with relative proximity to four-year universities in non-metropolitan areas that offer a high quality of life and low cost of living. This approach allows the company to pass along cost savings to its clients.

“I am very pleased that Rural Sourcing Incorporated has chosen Augusta for this project. Augusta shares RSI’s commitment to high quality information technology services,” said Terry Elam, chairman of the Development Authority of Richmond County. “We’re proud that Augustans will be at the forefront of this important information technology sourcing savings for companies around the world.”

RSI will hire from the local workforce in Augusta, and will be accepting employment inquiries from interested applicants via the company’s website, www.ruralsourcing.com.

“Rural Sourcing Incorporated will hire top-notch, skilled people with experience in computer operations and information technology, and will add greatly to the outstanding workforce here in Augusta,” said Walter Sprouse, the Executive Director of the Development Authority of Richmond County. Georgia Department of Economic Development statewide project manager Glen Whitley assisted the company with this location, in collaboration with the Development Authority of Richmond County.
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Boeing NewGen Tanker Win Would Bring 370 Jobs, $17 Million to Georgia

/PRNewswire/ -- The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) today announced that Georgia will benefit from an estimated 370 total jobs and generate an estimated $17 million in annual economic impact if the Boeing NewGen Tanker is selected as the U.S. Air Force's next aerial refueling aircraft.

Boeing submitted its proposal July 9 to replace 179 of the Air Force's 400 Eisenhower-era KC-135 aircraft. The Air Force is expected to award a contract in the next few months.

"The Boeing NewGen Tanker program will contribute to economic recovery in Georgia by supporting jobs in the aerospace industry – jobs for Georgia workers who will help America's warfighters complete their missions and return home safely," said Mark DeVoss, Supplier Management director, Boeing Tanker Programs.

Georgia manufacturers ready to produce critical components on the NewGen Tanker include TIGHITCO in Atlanta.

Currently, Boeing has 654 employees in Georgia and works with nearly 413 suppliers/vendors, delivering a total $204 million in annual economic impact.

The NewGen Tanker is a widebody, multi-mission aircraft based on the proven Boeing 767 commercial airplane and updated with the latest and most advanced technology. Capable of fulfilling the Air Force's needs for transport of fuel, cargo, passengers and patients, the combat-ready NewGen Tanker will meet or exceed the 372 mandatory requirements described in the service's final KC-X Request for Proposal released Feb. 24.

The NewGen Tanker will be made with a low-risk approach to manufacturing that relies on existing Boeing facilities in Washington state and Kansas as well as U.S. suppliers throughout the nation, with decades of experience delivering dependable military tanker and derivative aircraft. Nationwide, the NewGen Tanker program will support approximately 50,000 total U.S. jobs with Boeing and more than 800 suppliers in more than 40 states.

The Boeing NewGen Tanker also will be more cost-effective to own and operate than a larger, heavier tanker. It will save American taxpayers more than $10 billion in fuel costs over its 40-year service life because it burns 24 percent less fuel than the competitor's airplane.

Boeing has been designing, building, modifying and supporting tankers for decades. These include the KC-135 that will be replaced in the KC-X competition, and the KC-10 fleet. The company also has delivered four KC-767Js to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and is on contract to deliver four KC-767As to the Italian Air Force.

More information on Boeing's NewGen Tanker, including video clips and an interactive tour of the aircraft, is available at www.UnitedStatesTanker.com. For more information on joining the company's efforts, visit www.RealAmericanTankers.com.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space &Security (www.boeing.com/bds) is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense.

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Inland Atlantic Georgia Old National Venture LLC to Break Ground on Old National Marketplace Shopping Center in College Park, Georgia

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Inland Atlantic Georgia Old National Venture LLC, a joint venture between Inland Atlantic Development Corporation, Pointe Development Company and Heritage Creek Development I, LLC, announced November 16 that it has broken ground on Phase I of Old National Marketplace, a premiere shopping center development located in College Park, Georgia. Part of a planned 297,000 project, Phase I will encompass approximately 99,000 square feet and has tenant commitments that currently place occupancy at nearly 90 percent. Major tenants include LA Fitness, Family Dollar and fashion retailers Citi-Trends and It’s Fashion.

“As the climate for commercial real estate in Atlanta continues to improve, retailers have started looking for the next step to develop their pipelines for future growth, and we’ve found they really like what Old National Marketplace has to offer,” said John DiGiovanni, president of Inland Atlantic Development Corporation. “This is a great location in a market with a lot of untapped potential, and we’ve seen a very strong response from retailers that are excited to be a part of this project.”

Site clearing began on November 8 and construction will be complete by October 2011, DiGiovanni said. Additional tenants include Shoe Land and VIP Nails salon, and potential leases with T-Mobile and Anna’s Linens. Leasing is already underway for Phase II, with interest from several major national and local tenants.

“We’ve already seen good response to Phase I of the project,” DiGiovanni said. “Once construction begins, we expect the excitement among retailers to grow and leasing activity to snowball. In terms of new development in the Atlanta area, this is one of the few that’s coming out of the ground.”

Florida-based Pointe Development Company principles, Alan Sakowitz and Maurice Egozi and Atlanta-based Heritage Creek Development I, LLC principle Wayne Kendall are Inland Atlantic Development Corporation’s partners in the joint venture. Construction management of the project will be overseen by Randy Josepher, executive vice president of Inland Atlantic Development.

The principle partners in Inland Atlantic Development Corporation previously created a development pipeline of more than a million square feet for Inland Retail Real Estate Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust that was sold in 2007 for $6.2 billion.

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Gulfstream Expanding Its Savannah Site

/PRNewswire/ -- Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. today announced that it will expand its Savannah facilities through a $500-million, seven-year plan to ensure that the company is well-positioned to meet future demand for business-jet aircraft and support services. The growth is expected to result in 1,000 additional Gulfstream jobs, an increase of more than 15 percent from Gulfstream's current Savannah employment level of approximately 5,500 employees.

"With our own sales trends and market forecasts suggesting an upturn over the next decade, we want to ensure Gulfstream is well-positioned to meet the demand in terms of products and services," said Joe Lombardo, president, Gulfstream. "We are already beginning to see signs of a modest recovery. In the third quarter of 2010, we booked more orders than we had in any quarter since the downturn began in mid-2008. Furthermore, as flying hours have increased, Gulfstream service centers have enjoyed a significant increase in service volume."

"This expansion is necessary to meet the projected increase for new business-jet aircraft and the maintenance that will follow," Lombardo said.

In the presence of state and local dignitaries, including Gov. Sonny Perdue, Gulfstream's Savannah employees learned that the expansion would include building new facilities at the northwest quadrant of the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, renovating several existing facilities on the main campus off Gulfstream Road and expanding office and lab facilities at the Gulfstream Research Development Center in Crossroads Business Park.

During the event, Gov. Perdue said, "Gulfstream is the world standard in business aviation, and we're proud that the company the world looks to for the best business jets is based right here in Georgia." He continued, "The expansion of Gulfstream's facilities will have a major impact on both the state and local economies by creating 1,000 new full-time jobs, not to mention the ripple effects in terms of construction and service workers, as well."

The new positions are expected to include production specialists, engineers, and support technicians.

"The effect this initiative will have is very simple," Lombardo said. "It's jobs for 'G-A.' That means good, high-tech jobs for Georgia. Jobs for Gulfstream Aerospace. And jobs for general aviation, a vital aspect of this nation's industrial base."

First opened in 1967, Gulfstream's Savannah headquarters includes initial-phase manufacturing of five aircraft models: the Gulfstream G650, G550, G500, G450 and G350. The site also includes the largest of the company's five final-phase manufacturing facilities and the largest of Gulfstream's 10 service centers.

Gulfstream announced a $300 million expansion of its Savannah facility in March 2006 and later increased it to $400 million. That expansion was completed in 2009 and included the development of the largest general aviation aircraft maintenance facility in the world; the Nicholas D. Chabraja Manufacturing Facility for the assembly of the ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650; a state-of-the-art, three-bay final phase paint facility; and a 300,000-square-foot Research and Development Center. In addition, Gulfstream met its commitment to hire 1,100 new employees as part of that expansion.

"While Gulfstream's international presence has grown, we are committed to Georgia and Savannah," Lombardo said. "And we certainly appreciate the efforts of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Savannah Economic Development Authority, Chatham County, the city of Savannah and the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in supporting this expansion."

Gulfstream will utilize the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design (LEED) program to implement sustainable design and construction elements into its projects. In choosing contractors and subcontractors for the expansion, Gulfstream will continue its existing policy of providing opportunities to regional small, minority-owned, disadvantaged, veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran businesses.

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MAC Honors Top Supply Chain Performers at Fourth Annual Awards

Supply Chain Professional of the Year, Warren Jones of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; Supply Chain Company of the Year, Servigistics

The Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) awarded the Supply Chain Professional of the Year to Warren Jones, aviation development manager for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and the Supply Chain Company of the Year award to Servigistics during a breakfast at the 2010 Supply Chain Forum on Nov. 15.

"The supply chain industry drives metro Atlanta's economy," said Chris Gaffney, president of Coca-Cola Supply, LLC and chair of MAC's Supply Chain Leadership Council. "We are excited to recognize these great leaders and innovative companies that are located in our region. Metro Atlanta has the nation's fifth-largest concentration of supply chain companies with more than 132,000 jobs."

Atlanta is the business and distribution center of the Southeast, and its global access, innovation and talent create an unparalleled logistics network for companies that demand efficient, predictable and consistent global supply chain operations to accelerate growth.

This is the fourth year for the awards, which were created to recognize outstanding individuals and companies in metro Atlanta whose actions have advanced the state of the supply chain industry and promoted its continued growth. This year's theme was "Supply Chain Outlook - Trends and Issues 2011 and Beyond."

Supply Chain Company of the Year, Servigistics

Servigistics is a privately held company headquartered in Atlanta, with regional headquarters in the UK, Japan, and India, and sales and service professionals around the world.

Over the past two years, Servigistics has experienced unprecedented growth as a company. In 2009, Marlin Equity Partners, known for creating market-leading software solution companies, merged industry leaders Servigistics and Click Commerce's Service Network Solutions (SNS) division. In 2010, Servigistics acquired Kaidara Software.

Today, Servigistics is the only enterprise software solution provider for Service Lifecycle Management (SLM). The company's awarded-winning SLM solutions suite enables market-leading companies across diverse industries to successfully execute and service- led growth strategy that delivers value across the entire global service supply chain.

Recent awards include:

· Named one of the Top 20 Supply Chain Management Software Suppliers (Modern Material Handling's 9th Annual Survey of leading SCM Suppliers)

· Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Company

· Inbound Logistics Top 100 Logistics IT Company

· Deloitte Technology Fast 500

· Atlanta Business Chronicle Pace Setters Award

· Atlanta Metro Chamber Global Impact Award Finalist

Finalists for Supply Chain Company of the Year included Fortna Inc. and Insight Sourcing Group.

Supply Chain Professional of the Year, Warren Jones
Warren Jones is the aviation development manager for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and began his aviation career in 1996 with Martinair Cargo in the sales division. In 1999, he joined Chapman-Freeborn Air Chartering as the sales manager for the Southeast region, and in 2004, Jones joined Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

In addition to his duties at the world's busiest airport, Jones is a part-time professor at Georgia State University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he teaches aviation-focused courses.

Jones is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a concentration in Aerospace Administration, and holds a master's in aviation management from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

Jones was instrumental in Atlanta winning the bid to host The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) International Air Cargo Forum & Exhibition in 2012. And during his tenure Atlanta has been selected by Air Cargo Week as Air Cargo Airport of the Year, for the last two years.

Finalists for Supply Chain Professional of the Year included Rob Doyle, president of Amware Logistics Services; and John A. White III, president of Fortna Inc.

In 2003, the Metro Atlanta Chamber established a logistics cluster economic development initiative, and the Atlanta Logistics Innovation Council to leverage and grow this industry. Since 2003, the Chamber recruited companies that created more than 6,900 supply chain and logistics jobs and established direct air cargo service with China. The initiative won an international best-practice award from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2006 for its strategy to grow this sector. In 2009, as part of our continued evolution, we adopted a new vision, mission and new council name -- The Supply Chain Leadership Council.

The Fifth Annual Supply Chain Forum is hosted by the Supply Chain Leadership Council in partnership with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Atlanta Roundtable. For more information visit http://supplychain.metroatlantachamber.com.
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