Atlanta, GA - Governor Brian P. Kemp today delivered the keynote address at the second annual Governor's Workforce Summit, during which he announced that Georgia has been named the No. 1 state for business for the 11th consecutive year by Area Development magazine. He also provided an update on the state of Georgia MATCH and other state efforts to strengthen workforce development while putting forth the goal of making Georgia the Top State for Talent.

“We are honored to accept the title of ‘Top State for Business’ for an unprecedented 11th year,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “This latest recognition underscores that our pro-business approach to economic development is creating opportunities for Georgians in every corner of the state. I want to thank all those who had a hand in securing this coveted ranking, including our state economic development team and their community partners across the state. To ensure we maintain this historic success, we're continuing our efforts through Georgia MATCH, which has already seen a notable increase in enrollment at both our USG and TCSG institutions, and we saw at today's summit that leaders from across the public and private sector remain engaged in solving our need for more workers.”

No other state has earned the distinction of Top State for Business for so many years. Area Development’s annual poll of approximately 50 leading site consulting firms from across the U.S. considers 14 different factors to make this coveted determination. In addition to overall Top State, Georgia also earned a No. 1 ranking for the 15th year in a row for its nationally recognized workforce development program, Georgia Quick Start.

To ensure that notable strength continues to set Georgia apart for years to come, Governor Kemp hosted the second annual Governor's Workforce Summit this week at the Georgia World Congress Center. Bringing together leaders from business, education, and public policy, the summit is focused on ensuring the alignment of these three key sectors in preparing Georgians for the jobs available to them statewide.

The highlight of last year's summit was the Governor's announcement of Georgia MATCH, the largest direct college admission program in the nation. Georgia MATCH sent a letter to every high school senior in the state letting them know there was a spot for them at Georgia's University System and Technical College System institutions. Following last year's rollout of the program, the Governor announced both systems have seen a preliminary year-over-year increase in enrollment this fall of 9.3% for TCSG and 6.2% for USG. This is in spite of the challenges created by the federal government's mishandling of this year's FAFSA rollout.

“For well over a decade, Georgia has annually maintained top 10 rankings in each survey subcategory, including available workforce, cost of doing business, cooperative and responsive state government, energy availability and costs, logistics and infrastructure, and site readiness programs,” said Dennis Shea, Publisher of Area Development. “Site selectors recognize that Georgia provides the whole package for companies choosing to grow or expand in the state. Congratulations to Governor Kemp, the Georgia Legislature, Commissioner Pat Wilson, and the GDEcD team for maintaining the state’s No. 1 ranking.”

“Georgia does economic development differently than anywhere else. By prioritizing partnerships and investments in infrastructure, education, and workforce development, our approach drives success for businesses and Georgians alike,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Congratulations and thank you to all of the partners who have worked together to achieve opportunities over the last few years that will deliver long-term benefits to Georgia’s communities and industries for decades to come. We are grateful to Governor Kemp, the Georgia General Assembly, and our local communities, and we are excited to continue to work together to deliver new opportunities for an even brighter future for Georgians.” 

This recognition follows Governor Kemp’s announcement that the state sustained another year of economic development momentum in fiscal year 2024. Between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, GDEcD’s Global Commerce team supported 429 facility expansions and new locations totaling more than $20.3 billion in investment, resulting in plans for 26,900 new jobs statewide.

About Area Development 
Founded in 1965, Area Development is considered the leading executive magazine covering corporate site selection and relocation. Editorial coverage provides valuable information pertinent to the factors, key issues, and criteria that affect a successful decision. Area Development is published quarterly and also maintains a website that receives more than one million visitor sessions annually. 

About GDEcD 
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state’s sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts and location for film and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. Visit georgia.org for more information.