Georgia Tech Hosts Business Incubator Kick-Off Meeting

On May 30, 2012, representatives from Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute hosted a kick-off meeting to talk about the feasibility of starting a business incubator in Whitfield County.  At the meeting, Georgia Tech faculty members described different types of business incubators, potential benefits of business incubators, and concerns to be aware of when launching a business incubator.  Georgia Tech then led community leaders in a facilitated discussion about the community’s current resources for entrepreneurs.

                This meeting was the first public step in a Community Readiness Study that Georgia Tech is completing for the Dalton-Whitfield Community.  The need for the study was prioritized last year by Archway’s Diverse, Forward-Thinking Economy work group chaired by Dalton Utilities CEO Don Cope.  The study is made possible by a partnership between the Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority and the University of Georgia Archway Partnership.

                Over the summer, Georgia Tech will continue its work by contacting local entrepreneurs and innovators and discussing their needs and challenges. 

Local participants at the meeting included:

·         Carolyn Coburn – Northwest Georgia Regional Commission

·         Tom Bojo – Georgia Northwestern Technical College

·         Barbara Ward – Dalton-Whitfield Joint Development Authority

·         Celeste Creswell – Miller & Martin (law firm)

·         David Apple – Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute

·         David Aft – Northwest Georgia Community Foundation

·         David Pennington – Mayor, City of Dalton

·         Dustin Coker – Northwest Carpets

·         Mark Buckner – Dalton Utilities

·         Tangela Johnson – North Georgia Center for Educational Excellence

·         Theo Lu – Minor Bell & Neal

·         Veronica French – Dalton Downtown Development Authority

·         Bob Kinard – Kinard Realty

·         Kevin Harris – Arrowstar

·         Linda Blackman – Archway Partnership Executive Committee

·         Don Cope – Dalton Utilities

·         Jim Hawkins – Dalton Public Schools

·         Dixie Kinard – Kinard Realty; Archway Partnership Executive Committee

·         Melissa Lu – University of Georgia Archway Partnership

·         Ginger Mathis – Georgia Northwestern Technical College

·         Dr. John Schwenn – Dalton State College

·         Alex Stall – Dalton Whitfield Joint Development Authority

·         Andrew Carnes – Dalton Whitfield Joint Development Authority

·         Julie Meadows – Northwest Georgia Regional Commission