BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV.
Cobb Chamber goes to bat for its small
businesses, keeps on rolling during pandemic
FACTBOOK 2021 63
By Aleks Gilbert
agilbert@mdjonline.com
The Cobb Chamber of Commerce was riding
high at the beginning of 2020. It had just rebranded
itself, debuting a new logo and renewed commitment
to the county’s small businesses. It had
just moved into a new office beside the stadium
of the Atlanta Braves, with sweeping, 360-degree
views of the county.
Then the coronavirus hit. To hear chamber
President and CEO Sharon Mason tell it, the
organization has never been more important,
pressing lawmakers for more state and federal
assistance for businesses while leading recovery
seminars back home, helping businesses navigate
the uncertain waters of a pandemic.
And though the county’s business community
has taken a beating this year, the chamber has
kept on rolling, snagging a record number of
economic development projects, new members
and fundraising. All of this, Mason said, shows
there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Q: Could you give us a rundown of the last
year for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce?
What were the highs? What were the lows?
A: So our focus has been on economic recovery
for this entire community from day one. And
knowing how hard this affected especially small
businesses — and that’s a major portion of the businesses
in our community — we focused on helping
them through it in many ways, including advocacy
(and) support resources. … We formed an economic
recovery task force that we’ve been focusing on
short-term (and) long-term solutions. And through
that group, we had 10 business recovery webinars.
We brought in experts to help with what was the
latest, most timely information. We had over 3,000
business leaders attend those and get a lot of great
information from it to help with resources they’ve
needed. And we’ve also been providing resources
through our one-stop COVID-19 website page that
has all the latest information.
We also worked with public health on reopening
guidelines to help businesses with how to do that
safely and in the right way. And then more recently,
and especially after we surveyed and found that
financial assistance is the greatest need for companies
to survive and not have to permanently close
their doors. We’ve been advocating for financial
assistance at all levels, but especially the federal level
with each round of the stimulus and (we’re) very
thankful for our congressional delegation for what’s
been passed, so far, we’re still pushing for his next
round, especially help those who need it the most.
And then locally with the county receiving $132
million with the CARES Act funding, we proposed
for a major portion of that to go to small business
grants and greatly appreciate the county stepping up
to provide $50 million of their CARES Act funding
for grants for small businesses, which is one of the
largest, if not the largest, I’ve heard of, for a county to
do so and it’s making a big difference already. … and
then we continue to, with economic development
because of how we’ve got upfront in telling our story
in an impactful way, we’ve actually seeing more
companies that are considering Cobb County right
now than we ever have before, which to me that is a
light at the end of the tunnel for this crisis. It shows,
you know, our future and how we’ve worked so
hard to have the type of environment and business
climate for companies of all sizes, all types to thrive.
And it does speak to our future growth and the
types of companies that we’re bringing in and we’re
seeing, such as headquarters, technology, biotech,
new distribution, those are some more that are going
to diversify our industries for Cobb even more.
Q: Before the pandemic came, what were
some big things that happened as far as the
chamber is concerned?
A: Last year, we prepared for a move after being
in our building 35 years and it served us well for 35
years, but it was definitely time for us to move our
headquarters. And so we moved to the 10th floor,
1100 Circle 75 Parkway, where you immediately
walk out and you see the stadium, Truist Park. You
also see as far as Kennesaw Mountain, all over Cobb
County, all the many great businesses that make us
who we are as a community, all the way to downtown
Midtown and the airport. So we can really tell
our story in a much more effective way by being
able to showcase our community. But also we’re able
to collaborate and have the right kind of environment
and experience for those we bring in. Right
now 6 feet apart is a different type of experience,
but we have been working on phasing in what that
in-person environment looks like and I’m leading
the community for reopening safely. But our move
was a big moment for us and major momentum
with that and then our rebrand. Our rebrand shows
the double C’s with an open seat at the table to show
a welcoming environment for new companies, new
members, the collaboration for all of us working
together for the greater good of this community.
We’ve also started a lot of new initiatives that are
going to help us for our future growth. One of them
that we launched last year was our workforce target
Industry Council. … And actually, this year, is our
five-year strategic planning process for workforce.
And so we’re focusing on how do we work together
even more with K through 12, higher education
and the businesses that especially have the greatest
need for skills gap and skills training and working
on our future for Cobb and so already we’re seeing
the schools they’re opening their college and career
academies, Cobb’s opening their Cobb Innovation
and Technology Academy, Marietta just opened
their college and career academy and we’re seeing
even more universities adding degree programs
that are needed for jobs that will be available. And
then we’ve also launched several new councils that
will help us focus on international business, help us
focus on transportation, mobility, even more. Help
us focus and deepen our focus for Team Dobbins
has been a longtime focus for us that we’ve elevated
that even more over the last year.
Q: The chamber hasn’t been shy about urging
the General Assembly to pass hate crimes legislation
earlier this year. ... Why did the the Cobb
chamber think that it was important to take a
stand on these issues?
A: So we think it’s critically important, especially
the hate crime bill to show that hate and discrimination
have no place in Georgia. And we made that
very clear. Through this bill, it was much needed.
We were one of only four states that didn’t have it
in place, and especially after recent events coming
to light, this made it even more clear that this
needed to take place, and that we show this entire
community and across the nation, hate has no place
here. And so we did take a very big stand on that.
We joined with Georgia Chamber, Metro (Atlanta)
Chamber, many businesses around our community
and really appreciate all the companies and all
the individuals that stepped up to make that same
statement and that this did have bipartisan support
from our legislators locally and from (Georgia
House) Speaker (David) Ralston and Lt. Gov. (Geoff
Duncan), and then Gov. (Brian) Kemp, signing that,
it was a major moment that was needed for Georgia.
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