DEKALB COUNTY · 2017-01-05 · 2015 ANNUAL REPORT Decide DeKalb’s role is simple: diversify, grow and expand Atlanta International Airport DeKalb County’s economy. MARTA Train

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DEKALB COUNTY

D E C I D E D E K A L B D E V E L O P M E N T A U T H O R I T Y | A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 5

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Decide DeKalb’s role is simple:

diversify, grow and expand

DeKalb County’s economy.

We will transform DeKalb County by

applying a strategic approach to ignite

business growth – from large industries

to smaller entrepreneurial ventures.

Our purpose is to propel DeKalb County’s

economy forward by leveraging our

remarkable access and logistics; celebrating

our dynamic diversity; and generating

investment in DeKalb’s undeniable assets;

and promote a prosperous and passionate

business community.

DECIDE DEKALB DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT | 1 1

DID YOU KNOW?

MORE THAN HALF OF METRO ATLANTA’S

FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES OPERATE

IN DEKALB COUNTYATLANTA

I-85

400

I-85

I-285

I-75

I-75

I-20

I-20

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

DeKalb Peachtree Airport

MARTA Train Station

DEKALBCOUNTY

ALL ROADS LEAD TO DEKALB

OUR VISION

WE’RE THE PATH TO

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

IN DEKALB COUNTY

DECIDE DEKALB DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT | 3

JIM MONACELLBoard Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel to Decide DeKalb

TYRONE RACHALChair

President of Urban Key Capital Partners

BAOKY VUTreasurer

MIRANDA MCKENZIEBrownfields

Subcommittee Chair

DON BOLIAVice Chair

Principal with Peachtree Government Affairs

KEVIN GOOCHSecretaryPartner at

Alston and Bird LLP

ANDREW GREENBERGExecutive Director of the

Georgia Game Developers Association

OUR BOARD MEMBERS

OUR BOARD

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

2 | DECIDE DEKALB DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT

TYRONE RACHALChair

Traveling to an exciting destination makes the journey worthwhile. It all starts with planning and mapping out the course.

Finding your way becomes more gratifying when expert guidance and the proper tools illuminate your path.

At the Decide DeKalb Development Authority, we offer such complements to businesses and residents who call DeKalb home. And as shown in our 2015 annual report, our efforts truly are on the right path to bringing more economic prosperity to DeKalb County and the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Our strategies to promote DeKalb’s business friendly environment, educated workforce, sophisticated global infrastructure, and vast entertainment magnet are gaining momentum and the attraction is our infrastructure and accessibility to airports, rail transportation, roads, education and talent.

Last year we charted the course. This year we are on the road to success. We would like to help your business flourish in DeKalb County. Please contact our team to learn more.

Tyrone Rachal Chairman of the Board Decide DeKalb

OUR BOARD

RAY GILLEYPresident

ROLANDA DANIEL THOMASVice President of Operations and Business Development

ARABA O. DOWELLVice President of Marketing

and Communications

KARA COOPERSenior Project Manager

SHELBIA JACKSONProject Coordinator

LESIA EVANSOffice Coordinator

TOYASHA VAUGHNProject Coordinator


OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM

OUR STAFF

The Development Authority of DeKalb County was established in 1974. Forty years later, through an intergovernmental agreement with DeKalb County, The Authority became the primary entity for promoting economic development in the County. The Development Authority of DeKalb was rebranded to Decide DeKalb Development Authority. Our new tagline: The Best Decision You Will Ever Make, inspired our new branding campaign. Our new name was just the beginning. In 2015, Ray Gilley was appointed president and a new staff and board of directors was established. As president of Decide DeKalb, Gilley leads a professional staff, working with his board and partners to deliver comprehensive economic development services throughout DeKalb County.

This reinvigorated our business development efforts and better positioned Decide DeKalb as an economic development champion.

WHO WE ARE

Decide DeKalb: The Best Decision

You Will Ever Make.

40.3% OF DEKALB COUNTY RESIDENTS

HAVE BACHELOR DEGREES OR HIGHER*


OUR FOCUS

DEKALB COUNTY’S EGL GENETIC DIAGNOSTICS,

A JOINT VENTURE OF EUROFINS SCIENTIFIC

AND EMORY UNIVERSITY, IS THE ONLY GENETIC

TESTING LABORATORY IN THE STATE.

*2010-14 U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Decide DeKalb focuses on

world-class companies to

ensure a diverse job and salary

composition for DeKalb County. While we welcome all industries, we focus

on retention and recruitment in:

• Advanced Manufacturing

• Construction

• Advanced Manufacturing

• Life Sciences

• Logistics

• Professional and Business Services

• Tourism

OUR TEAM

PROJECT SUCCESSES

WHO WE ARE

PROJECT RESULTSSTRATEGY


78new jobs created

$22Minvested

$143Mproperty value of the 15-story office tower

$6.3Mproperty tax

incentives

1,350the number of employees the

space accommodates

1,200jobs moved from Fulton to DeKalb

$100Min rennovations

5,000 increase in

potential capacity for employees

100new jobs created

$30Minvested

(based on 2015 expansion

project)

COX COMMUNICATIONS SEVEN OAKS: PERIMETER SUMMIT

EUROFINS GENOMICS SOURCE ONE DIRECT

INDUSTRY: Spec BuildingPROJECT: Expansion

INDUSTRY: Media PROJECT: Expansion

INDUSTRY: Life SciencePROJECT: Recruitment

INDUSTRY: TechologyPROJECT: Recruitment

DEKALB COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN

Decide DeKalb created a task force comprised of 200 business stakeholders. Results from the group produced more than 80 recommendations which were used to develop a strategic plan to attract high-wage jobs and industries.


OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

The results of our efforts doubled the number of new jobs and investments announced over the previous year:

TV, film and commercial productions TRIPLED — bringing hundreds of jobs to DeKalb County

ENTERTAINMENT NEW BRANDING

Our new branding, social media and website DECIDEDEKALB.COM

launched

BROWNFIELDS LOAN & GRANTS

• EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program utilized $502,057 to mitigate the former GM Plant of more than 165 acres

• EPA awarded Decide DeKalb a $300K supplemental grant.

• Decide DeKalb provided the City of Lithonia with a $168K sub-grant for a mixed-use development

1,678new jobs

350 jobs retained

$300Mincrease in investments

OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Here’s a snapshot of our 2016 project pipeline:


OUR ROAD AHEAD

projects27

retentions and expansions

8

attractions19 $900M

Approximately

new and retained jobs

6,700Approximately

in investment

The Best Decision You Will Ever Make.

DEKALB COUNTY · 2017-01-05 · 2015 ANNUAL REPORT Decide DeKalb’s role is simple: diversify, grow and expand Atlanta International Airport DeKalb County’s economy. MARTA Train

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