Celebrating The Past Year’s Successes
Decide DeKalb’s 2022 Annual Report has been released and as we reflect on the past year, we celebrate the many successes and accomplishments around DeKalb County.
At Decide DeKalb, we believe in the importance of building prosperous communities that provide opportunities for all. That’s why we’re committed to nourishing the community through opportunities and partnerships that foster growth, equity and innovation.
Decide DeKalb was established as the economic development arm of DeKalb County to build an environment favorable to the recruitment, retention and expansion of businesses in DeKalb County.
We understand that by supporting and investing in the community, we can create a brighter future for everyone. Whether it’s through providing job training and employment opportunities, supporting small businesses, or partnering with community organizations, we’re dedicated to making a positive impact in the places where we live and work.
We’re grateful for the support of our team and partners who’ve all played a crucial role in the success and dedication that unites the community.
From groundbreakings and grand openings to increasing the workforce, 2022 was a milestone year. Here are a few of the big wins we’re celebrating from 2022:
- Decide DeKalb, as a crucial ally of the DeKalb County government spurred more than $800 million in new investment. This is more than twice as much as what was invested the year before, igniting the flames of development into a stable economic prosperity with the prospect of further expansion.
- DeKalb County had significant job growth over the past year, creating or preserving more than 7,000 jobs. A number of major expansions and new opportunities brought new employment opportunities to the area, including:
- PepsiCo North America expanded its presence in Tucker with a $260 million facility expansion that created 136 new manufacturing jobs.
- Prudential Overall Supply expanded in Tucker bringing 100 new jobs.
- Roadmaster Drivers School, which provides DeKalb County residents an opportunity to begin a new career path, produced 400 graduates last year.
- The DeKalb Entertainment Commission worked to support the film and entertainment industry through expansions like Shadowbox Studios which is a $380 million investment that is expected to bring 2,400 new jobs jobs on site as it adds 1.2 million square feet of available space.
- The approval of the Market Square Tax Allocation District for the North DeKalb Mall and nearby area was a major accomplishment.
The Decide DeKalb team is a dynamic group of people who are enthusiastic about the development and revitalization of DeKalb County. Meet our team that is leading to our success:
- Decide DeKalb President Dorian DeBarr leads the way, inspiring the team. Georgia Trend selected him as one of the state’s 500 Most Influential Leaders.
- The Economic Development Team is led by Randi Mason, VP of Economic Development, and the team has helped launch new projects that will promise years of growth in DeKalb County, including Geoffrey Loften who developed and oversaw programs that created equitable economic environments in underserved areas of DeKalb County, Sunny Anderson Senior Business Attraction Manager and Joshua Williams Business Relations Specialist, who facilitated a pop-up business incubator, a one-stop stop to answer your small business questions and needs.
- The Business Retention and Expansion Manager for Decide DeKalb, Katrina Young, got right to work after joining the company less than a year ago. The Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) team set a connection goal with 72 firms for 2022, but Katrina surpassed it in October.
- The DeKalb Entertainment Commission, led by Director Shelbia Jackson, had a momentous year supporting the film and entertainment industry while also working to educate students on career opportunities in the industry.
- The marketing team of Terra Washington, VP of Marketing and Communications and Marketing Manager Laura Ramos worked tirelessly to develop and implement strategies to promote Decide DeKalb, launching many new campaigns with the goal of increasing brand awareness and the growth of DeKalb County.
Looking ahead, DeKalb County is poised for more success, with a strong foundation in place to support the county’s growth and development.
We believe that by working together, we can build stronger, more vibrant communities for all.
If you want to be part of the “Decide DeKalb Difference” to Ignite & Unite behind this incredible community, please email us at [email protected].
Stay up to date on Decide Dekalb’s social media: