A behind-the-scenes look at how economic development works in metro Atlanta, the role relationships and collaboration play in attracting investment, and how that growth can translate into opportunity for people across the region
When a company announces a new headquarters, manufacturing facility or major investment in Georgia, the headlines usually focus on two things: jobs and investment.
But what happens behind the scenes to bring that investment here? And more importantly, what does economic development mean for the people who already call metro Atlanta home?
Meet Cynthia Gibson Curry, Senior Director, Cleantech External Engagement at the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Cynthia is part of MAC’s Economic Development team, which works alongside state, regional and local partners to help existing companies grow and attract new businesses, jobs and investment to the region.
We sat down with Cynthia to talk about what economic development actually looks like, why she describes herself as a “Sherpa” and how growing Atlanta’s economy can create opportunities for the people who live here.
Cynthia: Economic development is really about building jobs and investment in Atlanta.
In normal terms, that means we recruit companies that want to do business here, help companies that are already here find the resources and support they need to grow and thrive, and connect people across the business community.
A lot of my job is making sure the right people know each other and have the opportunity to work together.
Ambassador Young once compared us to a Sherpa, and I feel like that’s what I am every day. I’m Sherpa-ing people around, introducing them to one another and helping them navigate the region.
Cynthia: We’re a trusted resource for companies evaluating the region. They can come to us and get a lot of what they need in one place.
We work closely with partners like Georgia Power Company and the Georgia Department of Economic Development to get the right people around the table.
We can help them understand the market, find potential sites, look at workforce and industry data and connect with partners and leaders in their industry. We can also introduce them to companies already doing business here so they can hear firsthand what it’s like to operate in Atlanta.
The goal is to help companies make informed decisions — and ultimately bring more jobs and investment to our region.
The Metro Atlanta Chamber provides companies considering a relocation or expansion with services ranging from custom market research and workforce assistance to connections with educational partners, site selection, and community leaders.
Cynthia: Because at the end of the day, economic development is about creating opportunity.
When businesses invest here, they create jobs. When industries grow, they create opportunities for people to build new skills and careers. And when we have a strong business environment, it helps strengthen the community around it.
Qcells North America is a great example. The company made a major solar investment in Dalton, an area with a long history in carpet manufacturing. As that industry changed, Qcells worked with local workforce development organizations on retraining programs that helped workers build skills for new jobs.
That’s the kind of impact we want to see: investment that doesn’t just bring a company to Georgia, but creates new opportunities for the people who are already here.
Cynthia: Cleantech is basically technology that pushes sustainability forward or makes processes more efficient and helps create a more resilient society.
In Georgia, that includes areas like electrification, batteries, solar, hydrogen, and sustainable aviation fuel. And it isn’t just something happening in a lab. These technologies can show up in everyday life.
Think about smart traffic lights that help traffic move more efficiently, so cars spend less time idling. Or solar technology that helps generate power. It’s about using innovation to help communities work better and prepare for the future.
Metro Atlanta’s Cleantech ecosystem now spans e-mobility, solar, hydrogen, and battery innovation, with more than 800 Cleantech firms operating in the region.
Cynthia: We’ve seen tremendous momentum. The state started its Cleantech journey by building the EV ecosystem, and now it has broadened its focus.
Major investments in battery and electric vehicle manufacturing helped accelerate the industry in the state. As more companies arrived, we started attracting other pieces of the ecosystem, battery makers and recyclers, infrastructure companies, suppliers, and other businesses that support electrification.
Now we’re building an increasingly connected ecosystem where companies can have more of their supply chain close by.
That’s good for the companies, but it also means we’re building expertise and creating jobs in industries that will continue to evolve in the years ahead.
Cynthia: Diversity.
We have diversity of industry, diversity of talent, and diversity of workforce. We also have incredible educational institutions and a business community that is willing to work together.
A company coming here isn’t operating on an island. There are potential customers, partners, universities, suppliers, and talent all around them.
That variety gives companies room to grow, and gives people here more options for where they can build their careers.
Cynthia: Our superpower is collaboration.
It’s one of the reasons people are successful here. We help each other out. We thrive in cooperation and a little competition — “coopetition,” we call it.
People sit down at the same table. Companies help other companies understand what they’ve learned, what they’ve done right and wrong, and what avenues they should take.
That’s something special about Atlanta.
Cynthia: I’m a huge fan of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
It’s such an emotional and impactful experience, and it tells an important story about Atlanta’s civil rights history. It’s one of my favorite things about our city.
For Cynthia, the work of economic development ultimately comes back to connections: connecting companies with resources, industries with partners and growth with opportunity.
And while the headlines may be about a new headquarters, facility or investment, the bigger story is what that growth can make possible for the people who call this region home.
