The Membership Golf Tournament sponsored by Aflac is set for May 11. It is the area's best tournament according to past participants' comments.

The tournament sells out each year, so if you are planning on participating as a Tee Sponsor or having team, sign up now. There are only three Tee Sponsorships available.

Sponsors and players have found the tournament to be a great way to market their businesses and their products out on the relaxing atmosphere of the golf courses. Business relationships are developed on the 18-hole course at Maple Ridge Golf Course. Sign up today by clicking on golf ball link.

FedEx Ground broke ground for new Columbus facility

Fed Ex Ground and community leaders broke ground on their site near Muscogee Technology Park located at 7701 Chattsworth Road, Midland, GA. The new 55,656 square-foot terminal will be more than double the size of the existing company location.

Over a five-year period, the new FedEx Ground facility will add more than 50 local jobs for a total workforce of approximately 114 employees and independent contractors. The new FedEx Ground facility represents a $5,000,000 capital investment and is part of the company's nationwide network expansion plan launched in September 2002. The investment calls for the addition of nine new hubs as well as the relocation or expansion of more than 300 pickup and delivery terminals.

Fed Ex Ground distribution facility is under construction and scheduled to open in August of this year.

In addition to this facility, FedEx Ground has 21 facilities in Georgia with a total workforce of more than 2.200 local employees and independent contractors.

FedEx Ground has a network of more than 500 distribution hubs and local pickup-and-delivery terminals throughout the United States and Canada. FedEx Ground reported annual revenue of $5.30 billion in fiscal year 2006.

Blaze Recycling & Metals announces new location in Phenix City, AL

Craig Blase, vice president of marketing, announced that Blaze Recycling & Metals will locate on more than 31 acres at 309 State Dock Road in Phenix City investing $15 million in the facility and equipment and creating 100 new jobs at full production.

"Today is an exciting day for our family business," said Blase. "This will be our fifth operation and our second auto shredding facility. The shredding machine is an amazing piece of equipment. It totally shreds a car in 60 seconds and separates the material for recycling. We are the only fully integrated scrap metal processor in the state of Georgia. Blaze Recycling has the internal equipment and technology to process 100% of our daily purchased metal. Once processed, our material is furnace-ready and shipped all around the world, resulting in the highest possible market price for our customers."

Blaze Recycling & Metals started in 1990 in Norcross, GA in the retail scrap business. Currently Norcross serves as their corporate headquarters and processing facility. They expanded to include a shredding plant in Lawrenceville, GA and recycling facilities in Gainesville and Griffin, GA.

Blaze Recycling shreds more than 20,000 tons per month of obsolete cars, trucks, appliances, and sheet metal into recyclable commodities.

"I would like to thank our team in Phenix City and the Valley Partnership for making this announcement possible," said Phenix City Mayor Jeff Hardin. "Our teamwork is bringing success to our region. I would also like to recognize the assistance provided by the Alabama Development Office, Alabama Power and Norfolk Southern. We all know that city, county and state lines do not make a difference to the employees of a company. We know employees will come from our region to fill these jobs and make this company successful."

The Valley Partnership is a regional economic development effort consisting of the cities of Phenix City, AL and West Point and Manchester, GA and the Georgia counties of Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Talbot and Taylor. The mission of the Valley Partnership is to enhance the development and promotion of commerce, trade, industry and employment opportunities for the public good and to promote the general welfare of the region.

AlaTrade Foods locates in Phenix Industrial Park

Davis Lee, owner and CEO, AlaTrade Foods, LLC, announced that AlaTrade's newest plant would be located in Phenix City, AL at a news conference at the Phenix City-Russell County Chamber of Commerce March 6. The project will create 500 jobs with an $11 million payroll and $15 million in the new facility and processing equipment.

"We are going to build an 85,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in the Phenix Industrial Park," said Lee. "AlaTrade will be investing $15 million in the new facility and processing equipment. We will be creating 500 jobs with an $11 million payroll when we are at full production."

AlaTrade Foods, LLC is located in Guntersville, AL. AlaTrade is a further processor of fresh poultry for a major U.S. protein company. AlaTrade currently operates three plants in north Alabama, employing more than 1,700 employees.

"We are excited AlaTrade has decided to locate in our region," said Mayor Jeff Hardin, Phenix City, AL. "This announcement means more jobs for our region helping to diversify our economy. Today's announcement is a victory for Phenix City and the Valley Partnership. Our teamwork helped to make the difference."

According to Lee, the close proximity to its supply source from South Georgia made the location attractive. Great cooperation from the city officials of Phenix City, the Chambers of Commerce from Phenix City and Columbus and the Valley Partnership plus the available workforce helped to solidify the decision. Another important factor was the availability of property in the industrial park with full utility services: water, sewer and electricity.

The Valley Partnership is a regional economic development effort consisting of the cities of Phenix City, Alabama and West Point and Manchester, Georgia and the Georgia counties of Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Muscogee, Talbot and Taylor. The mission of the Valley Partnership is to enhance the development and promotion of commerce, trade, industry and employment opportunities for the public good and to promote the general welfare of the region.

Technology has the potential to positively impact communities. The AT&T Foundation-the philanthropic arm of AT&T Inc.-is now accepting applications for the 2007 AT&T Excelerator competitive technology grant program.

This multi-million dollar grant program is designed to help nonprofit organizations integrate technology into their operations and community outreach. In 2007, the AT&T Excelerator program will award $9 million in competitive grants to help local nonprofit organizations increase their effectiveness and ability to improve lives.

AT&T Excelerator addresses a wide variety of community needs in four main program areas: Education, Community Development, Health and Human Services, and Arts and Culture. In 2006, grants helped more than 480 organizations across the country to build innovative projects through technology to strengthen local communities.

Since its inception in 2002, the AT&T Excelerator program has provided more than 2,500 technology grants totaling more than $47.8 million to a diverse range of nonprofits. Technology projects expand an organization's capacity to serve its communities through improvements such as high-speed Internet access, online volunteer recruiting, e-fundraising and staff technology training.

Interested groups can visit www.att.com/foundation to download a copy of the 2007 AT&T Excelerator grant application. The deadline for completing the grant applications is 5 p.m. on May 4, 2007. If you would like assistance on the application process, please contact Terry D. Smith, Regional Manager-External Affairs, AT&T Georgia at 706-653-5225 or 478-741-7865 or terry.d.smith@att.com.

Georgia Tech's Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC) helped Georgia companies secure more than $1 billion in government contracts in 2006, besting its previous record by more than $350 million. According to the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency which sponsors the center, that translates to 20,023 jobs created or saved in Georgia.

"Since this program was initiated by Congress in 1985, GTPAC's clients have been awarded $3.9 billion in government contracts," said Zack Osborne, GTPAC program director. "This program helps Georgia companies acquire some of the federal, state and local government projects to bolster jobs and secure more competition and better products for federal agencies."

GTPAC - part of the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute - provides no-cost assistance with government procurement to any company licensed to do business in Georgia. Last year, GTPAC conducted seminars in Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Carrollton, Columbus, Gainesville, Rockmart, Savannah and Warner Robins. The center assists companies with all aspects of federal, state and local government procurement processes, including solicitation analysis, proposal preparation, pre- and post-award counseling, and quality and accounting systems. Procurement counselors also analyze whether or not the company has the potential for government procurement.

For more information please contact the Columbus GTPAC office at 3100 Gentian Blvd, Columbus, GA 31907, 706-569-2688 or visit http://develop.edi.gatech.edu/Default.aspx?
alias=develop.edi.gatech.edu/gtpac