2019 Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce annual report

Friday, November 1, 2019

Inside

Forward Forsyth has a successful 2019 ........................................... 2 South Forsyth Community Improvement District ..................................... 4 Rebranding, new home in the future for Chamber ............................. 5

Chamber Tourism Department hard at work .............................................. 6 Breaking down the numbers .............................................. 7

A look back at 2019 .................................. 8

A special edition for the Chamber of Commerce — Annual Report

From the Chairman Fellow Chamber Members, The Chamber’s mission is to advance positive business growth and community partnerships to promote a superior quality of life for all who live in Forsyth County. As Chairman of the Chamber Board of Directors, I have seen the Chamber Board, its staff and its membership strive to fulfill this mission with some very significant accomplishments in 2019.

From a new home and brand for our Chamber to the launching of Forward Forsyth (a partnership entity connecting business and government entities to focus on Forsyth’s success into the future), I am proud of what our Chamber has accomplished in 2019 and what is in store for the future.

In the following pages you will learn more about the organization’s current accomplishments and our ideas for the future.

I am honored to have the opportunity to serve our community in this capacity, particularly during a time when our Chamber made significant decisions to ensure that Forsyth County continues to thrive in the future. I extend sincere gratitude for your commitment to the Chamber of Commerce and Forsyth County and look forward to our continued collaboration.

Sincerely, Kevin McDonough

economic development

Moving Forsyth Forward The Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 State of the County Luncheon certainly made a bang — or perhaps it was the confetti cannons!

This year’s event, presented by Northside Hospital Forsyth and held on May 8 at the Forsyth Conference Center, began with the State of the County Address by Forsyth County Board of Commissioners Chair Laura Semanson. In preparation, Commissioner Semanson looked back at documents from the 2009 State of the County Address.

She noted the economic tough time the nation as a whole was experiencing then but also the victories that were being celebrated – foundations of Forsyth County’s blessings today.

She noted the realization of those blessings mentioning the high caliber of Forsyth County Schools, the county’s repeat rank as the healthiest county in Georgia, the county’s low crime rates and many other accolades.

The Commissioner then noted the need to continue to move the commu-

nity forward … and economic development as the mechanism to do that.

She spoke on the ways that economic development can benefit residentsthings like shortening commute times by providing residents with job opportunities closer to home and balancing the tax digest to lessen the tax burden on residents.

With economic development the topic at hand, the Commissioner was joined by representatives from the Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors Chair Kevin McDonough), the Development Authority (Chair David Seago), the Board of Education (Chair Kristin Morrissey) and Lanier Technical College (Vice President of IE and Operations Dr. Joanne Tolleson) to discuss the future of economic development in Forsyth County.

The event culminated with the announcement of a new entity: Forward Forsyth. Forward Forsyth is a partnership of the Forsyth County Government, the Chamber of

Commerce, the Development Authority, the Forsyth County School System and Forsyth County’s higher education institutions.

Forward Forsyth serves as the driving force behind Forsyth County’s strategic economic development plan produced in 2018 byTIP Strategies consultants.The plan identified target industries: e-commerce, data services, technology, healthcare and advanced manufacturing, to name a few. It also promoted action items like convention center development, development of commercial product in north Forsyth

County, mixed-use developments, efficient regulatory processes and other items.

“The new partnership is really designed to provide leadership, oversight and guidance to the execution of the economic development plan and to provide all of us an opportunity to communicate and chat with each other a little better,” explained James McCoy. Forward Forsyth was ceremonially “open for business” as these leaders cut a ribbon and confetti rained down on the sold-out audience.

Forsyth Tech Execs Partner with GDOT

FoCo’s Official Business Incubator Opens This summer, Forward Forsyth’s Forsyth Tech Executives group celebrated a major announcement. On June 27th Digital Ignition held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce its designation as a blockchain, artificial intelligence, internet of things and business innovation partner of Forward Forsyth.

Digital Ignition, a co-working launching-pad for innovative companies was also recognized as the official business incubator for North Georgia. Georgia’s Lieutenant Governor, Geoff Duncan, was on-site at the ceremony to share 2 | November 2019

in the excitement. During the ceremony, Duncan commented, “We’re not cutting a ribbon on a facility. We’re cutting a ribbon on a vision.”

In collaboration with the Forsyth Tech Execs, Digital Ignition has added entrepreneurial resources and has reached 100 percent occupancy.

“With its expanded services, Digital Ignition is a tremendous resource for startups and existing companies that are focused on innovation and growth,” commented Scott Evans, Forward Forsyth’s Senior Technology Project Manager.

In its second year, the Forsyth Tech Executives group has completed some major milestones. One of these is scheduled to happen before the end of 2019. Last year Scott Evans, ForsythTech Execs facilitator and SeniorTechnology Project Manager with Forward Forsyth pitched an idea to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). He suggested hosting a technology challenge event in Forsyth County.The area’s high concentration of programmers makes it a perfect spot for such an event.

With Forward Forsyth’s close partnership with Digital Ignition, an incubator for emerging technology companies, a jointly-hosted event with Forward Forsyth, Digital Ignition and GDOT was a perfect fit.

“An important item in our five-year, strategic economic development plan is to recruit tech companies. What better opportunity to advertise yourself than inviting those kinds of companies to work on a challenge from a state agency. Recognizing that Forsyth County has the talent here to host this event with a state agency puts us on the map, not just within Metro Atlanta but also internationally,” commented Scott Evans.

Companies interested in being a part of this event will utilize emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain and internet of things to interpret GDOT-provided data and develop applications that enhance GDOT systems. The winner of this challenge, called “Talking Traffic Lights,” will receive the opportunity to enter into a contract with GDOT to further develop the winning idea.The value of this contract is estimated at $75,000!

FORWARD

FO R S Y T H

To g e t h e r. S u cce s s .

The Forward Forsyth team has worked on more than 25 economic development projects since the beginning of 2019, contributing to the creation of nearly 600 new local jobs and nearly $87 million in new capital investments. Some notable projects from this year include: • Gant Medical, a manufacturer of innovative and disposable medical products aimed at the medical, dental, assisted living, long-term and home care markets, has located its North American headquarters and manufacturing center in Forsyth County earlier this year. The company secured a 42,000 square foot facility on Shiloh Road in South Forsyth and is expected to create more than 100 jobs in the next five years. Gant Medical products make patient care easier for the medical staff by eliminating several steps from a repetitious daily task list that when multiplied by the number of patients, allows more attention to be given to improving other aspects of patient care. “Gant Medical is a great fit for Forsyth County,” said Robert Long, Forward Forsyth’s Vice President of Economic Development. “We have similarly situated companies nearby, so there is a talent pool of qualified candidates for key positions that will ensure this product’s success.”

• Earlier this year, Encompass Health Corporation announced plans to open a 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Cumming on Sanders Road. The hospital will open in 2020 and will offer comprehensive rehabilitation services and create approximately 90 new local jobs.

• On September 18, Forsyth County welcomed a brand-new mixed-use development. It offers restaurants and retail opportunities, as well as hotels and residential units. Halcyon creates a significant economic impact on Forsyth County and is approximately 135 acres and is located just off of Ga. 400 at McFarland Parkway.

This $370 million development has a healthy mix of restaurants, retail offices and residential accommodations. The Forward Forsyth team worked with many of these entities (including CMX, Cherry Street Brewpub at Halcyon, WeWork and the Embassy Suites hotel) to establish their presence at Halcyon.

One of the most compelling benefits of Halcyon are the commercial opportunities. Developers have offered a whopping 500,000 square feet of retail and office space to tenants. Most of these tenants are unique and local to the area.

The tax revenues from these tenants will help advance many important initiatives throughout Forsyth County. Ultimately, the economic effect of these additional tax revenues is meaningful and will play a role in the future of the community.

• At the press deadline of this report most information on Project Big Bang was still embargoed due to Forward Forsyth’s non-disclosure agreements. This project is currently one of the largest blockchain economic developments in the nation. It will provide an innovative approach to healthcare delivery and create more than 200 new local jobs within Forsyth County’s technology sector.

The tech industry was identified as a specific target industry in Forward Forsyth’s strategic five-year economic development plan.

“One of the stated goals in our five-year strategic economic development plan was to be regarded as a community where companies embracing blockchain and other emerging technologies wanted to locate as they launch into the market. Project Big Bang will bring us that recognition on an international scale,” commented Scott Evans, Forward Forsyth’s Senior Technology Project Manager.

New Faces at Forward Forsyth

Along with its new brand, the Forward Forsyth team grew this year with the creation of a new position that was a recommended portion of the strategic, five-year economic development plan.

Alex Warner joined the Forward Forsyth team on April 1st as the Project Manager for Existing Industry. Existing businesses create approximately 75 to 80 percent of all the new jobs in any community across the country. Alex

focuses on meeting with companies who already have a presence in Forsyth County as well as coordinating programs that will enhance the workforce of the area through the local school system and colleges.

“Existing businesses and their employees are the heartbeat of a community,” commented Alex. “Listening to current employers and learning of their needs in order to retain jobs and investments is extremely important to the economic vitality of Forsyth County.”

November 2019 | 3

community development

Chamber Leads Efforts in Forsyth’s First Community Improvement District The long-awaited South Forsyth Community Improvement District (CID) is now a reality! After securing new local legislation and the few remaining votes needed from commercial property owners, the CID was certified in early June with a Board of Directors elected on June 20th.

This is the first CID in Forsyth County and is centered at the interchange of Ga. 400 and McFarland Road (Exit 12). CIDs have emerged as significant centers of influence in the Metro 4 | November 2019

Atlanta region. By utilizing self-imposed tax revenues from commercial businesses within their districts they are dramatically changing their communities in many ways.

From bold new infrastructure improvements to traffic mitigation, private security and the transformation of commercial streets into pedestrian friendly corridors to the creation of new parks, trails and greenspace, CIDs are enhancing the urban and suburban landscape.

Among other things, CIDs leverage private dollars to create public ventures. They return control to stakeholders, improve the quality of life in their districts and dramatically strengthen their tax base. Major corporations have taken notice of the impact of CIDs and have specifically chosen to locate or expand in areas supported by CIDs. For many years the Chamber led the effort to make the South Forsyth CID a reality and 2019 saw its official inception!

chamber news

Building a New Brand In 2018 the Chamber Board of Directors tasked Chamber staff to gather data to determine if it was time for the organization to rebrand. Based on this data, the rapid changes occurring in Forsyth County and the new horizons for our local economy, the Board endorsed a rebranding initiative for 2019. In March the Chamber staff began building the infrastructure for new brand development. A committee of Chamber Board members was formed and they began meeting on a monthly basis.

Initially, this committee developed criteria for the marketing agency selection process and engaged in a great deal of organizational introspection. They went through several exercises to create an encompassing view of the Chamber’s current brand. They completed SWOT analyses and created brand positioning elements. They then moved on to developing an encompassing view of the organization’s aspirational brand by creating a brand positioning statement and a list of brand adoption words.

The brand positioning statement and the brand adoption words were key elements in the research components of this initiative. These items were presented in third-party-led focus groups of Chamber members and in a survey to the Chamber membership. A survey was also sent specifically to the Chamber Board of Directors to gain feedback on particular elements of the rebranding initiative.

In an effort to gain an all-encompassing view of the organization’s current brand, the Chamber also contracted a secret shopper. This individual went through several elements of engagement with the organization. They established membership in the Chamber both in person at the Chamber

office as well as over the phone. They met with members of the Membership Services Staff to learn more about the organization. They called to seek information about relocating to the community. They spent time navigating the organization’s website. They even attended a Chamber event! After engaging in these elements, the secret shopper produced written and verbal reports to Chamber staff.

This report as well as all of the collected data from focus groups and surveys was then presented to the Chamber Rebranding Committee. The committee spent time studying the data and then utilized it as they moved forward in developing the Chamber’s creative brief. The committee worked with a marketing agency in this portion of the process, ultimately coming to a consensus on the visual elements of the Chamber’s brand.

One mantra of the committee emphasized by both the marketing agency and Chamber staff members was that a new brand is more than just a new logo. The new brand should be about determining an ideal perception and then working on individual elements to ensure that the desired perception is what is created in the minds of those who engage with the Chamber. This means having visual elements that carry the organization into the future but also equipping staff to deliver on the brand promise that the organization is making and ensuring staff members have the tools necessary to delivery on that promise.

The committee’s efforts and resulting recommendations were presented to the Chamber Board of Directors at their September Board Meeting. The Chamber Board unanimously voted to accept the three presented recommendations of the Chamber Rebranding Committee. The new Chamber brand is being debuted at the end of 2019 and will carry the organization into 2020 and beyond!

Breaking News on a New Home Since its inception, the Chamber’s mission has centralized around the same idea: to advance positive business growth and community partnerships to promote a superior quality of life in Forsyth County.

The delivery methods of that mission have changed over time and often increased in scope.To continue to serve the growing community in this way, the Chamber has grown and will continue to do so. Along with this growth, we have outgrown our office.

The Chamber purchased the property and moved into the current location in 2000.

It was a great move for the organization. It helped the Chamber to grow financially and programmatically in ways that would have been impossible elsewhere. For the organi-

zation to continue to achieve the membership’s vision and goals for the future, it is imperative that the Chamber’s space facilitate a new way of working and improve the Chamber’s deliverables to its members.

The first step in the process was to sell the current facility.The second step is to construct a custom facility to help serve the membership better and reflect the growing needs of Forsyth County. Chamber staff and stakeholders are excited about the possibilities this opportunity will provide to align the organization’s visual surroundings with the Chamber’s new aspirational brand.

While the community awaits this new home, members and residents can continue to connect with the organization at: P.O. Box 1799, Cumming, GA 30028, 770-887-6461.

November 2019 | 5

TOURISM

FoCo is Being Discovered!

The Chamber’s Tourism Department exists to increase visitor investment in Forsyth County. The capstones of the department’s efforts are the amateur sports market and the film industry.

Recruitment of film productions and amateur sporting tournaments to Forsyth County result in positive economic impacts through hotel taxes, sales taxes on visitor purchases and increased opportunities for local businesses.

The Chamber’s Director of Tourism, Michelle Daniels, created the Film Forsyth initiative, to highlight Forsyth County as a “Camera Ready” community.

The goal of this new initiative is to offer support to the film industry and create a one stop resource for film productions. This includes assistance in location scouting, providing support to film productions who need guidance on securing lodging, permits and introductions to local businesses who support the industry.

The buzz about Film Forsyth is spreading and in 2019, the county hosted eight TV and Motion Picture productions, including the Netflix series Ozark, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, Teenage Bounty Hunters and the CBS series MacGyver.

Additionally, the Forsyth County School System played host for the first time ever to a feature movie. At the time of publication of this report the production is currently filming at Denmark High School.

In the sports market, Michelle’s efforts contributed to recruiting the Georgia Youth Soccer State Cup to Forsyth County, drawing more than 150 teams for a state-wide soccer championship. As a result, Forsyth County will host this state tournament for the foreseeable future.

Michelle also assisted in bringing back the Triple Crown USA Softball Tournament to the community in 2019 after organizers had previously hosted the tournament in Forsyth County in 2018.

This is the first time this organization has hosted a national event in the same location in consecutive years, drawing 170 teams to compete for a national championship.

Triple Crown USA’s attraction to the community is an example of the outstanding facilities and services the Forsyth County Parks and Recreation Department has to offer as well as the increasing amenities the community pro6 | November 2019

vides to the organizers, players and families traveling to the area year after year.

To further elevate Forsyth County’s presence in these target markets, Michelle led an initiative to rebrand the Chamber’s Tourism Department over the course of this year. She researched worldwide tourism brand leaders, surveyed community stakeholders, business owners, and key event planners who had produced large-scale events in the community to gather an assessment of what Forsyth County’s destination identity looked like.

With assistance from the Chamber’s Tourism Advisory Committee, Mayor Troy Brumbalow, representatives from the Forsyth County School System, county commissioners and a marketing firm specializing in destination branding, Michelle used this data to begin a threemonth process to select a new logo, tagline and begin website development.

The last quarter of 2019 will see the launch of the Discover FOCO brand with a full rollout of new marketing elements coming in early 2020! These elements include a stand-alone website dedicated to tourism in Forsyth County, a new and improved visitor guide and a digital media campaign.

Discover FOCO is a new chapter in Forsyth County’s tourism industry and Michelle’s vision for this new brand is becoming a reality. In the next few months residents and visitors will see a full reveal of Discover FOCO as the website receives its finishing touches and the visitor guide is printed and available to access digitally.

In creating resources that are easy to navigate and user friendly, visitors will have access to all the adventure options available while visiting Forsyth County.

This includes showcasing local hospitality-related businesses, a guide highlighting all of the incredible local amenities, a calendar of upcoming events and a blog to featuring restaurants, breweries, shopping and more!

The blog posts will feature a team of local experts contributing their insights on all the adventures Forsyth County has to offer. With all of these resources in the pipeline, 2020 is the year for residents and visitors alike to Discover FOCO!

CHAMBER FINANCIAL REPORT

Primary Revenue Sources

BY THE NUMBERS Chamber Members: 988 RETENTION RATE: 80.25% Chairman’s CABINET Members: 91 Fulltime Staff: 13

Primary Expenditure Services 7.66% 18.81%

Tourism Development

27.15%

Admin Marketing & Events

21.74%

24.64%

Economic Development & Ascend Forsyth Membership Development & Retention

MEMBERSHIP

BY STAFF SIZE 1-25 Employees: 83.93% 26-50 Employees: 7.22% 51-100 Employees: 3.97% 101-200 Employees: 1.93% 201+ Employees: 2.95% November 2019 | 7

YEAR IN REVIEW

The Chamber of Commerce held its annual FOCO Expo Aug. 8 at the Forsyth Conference Center. The event featured more than 80 local vendors and activities for the entire family.

The Chamber partnered with the Forsyth County Schools’ College and Career Development Department and local manufacturers to involve high school students in National Manufacturing Day 2019 on Sept. 25.

The Chamber of Commerce held the inaugural State of the Schools event July 30 at the Alliance Academy for Innovation in Cumming. Local leaders Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Kevin McDonough, Board of Education Chair Kristin Morrissey and Alliance Academy Principal Brandi Cannizzaro spoke to the crowd.

The Chamber partnered with the Forsyth County Schools this spring to host the 2019 Celebration of Excellence, honoring outstanding business partners in educationand announcing Forsyth County’s Teacher of the Year.

8 | November 2019

Jazz in June was held in Northside Hospital Forsyth’s Women’s Center Galleria giving healthcare providers an opportunity to network.