GBJ Staff

Globalizing Gwinnett to accelerate growth

Special Focus:
Protecting and Investing

by Yelena Epova

The Gwinnett Chamber and the Georgia Department of Economic Development are clearly focused on building a very favorable environment for domestic and international small businesses. Whether yours is a U.S. company expanding abroad or an international company looking for a U.S. home, find peer companies that have already taken this approach, build relationships and swap lessons learned about the process of going global.

Following are four global trends affecting small- to medium-sized business decisions.

  1. Global expansion is a recession buffer.
    Geographic diversity and access to new markets or resources helps lower the risks associated with concentration in one economic region. And while every economy has been affected by the most recent downturn, not every economy has been affected at the same point in time, in the same way or in the same industries. For U.S. companies thinking about exporting, consider whether to form a domestic international sales corporation (DISC) to realize potential tax benefits.

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GBJ Staff

FarraTech expands corporate headquarters in Gwinnett

FarraTech President and CEO Maria Mendillo and staff at the celebration of the company's new corporate headquarters in Norcross.

FarraTech, named the 2012 Small Manufacturer of the Year at Partnership Gwinnett’s inaugural Movers and Makers awards ceremony, recently celebrated the expansion of its headquarter operations in Norcross. The company’s decision to remain and expand in Gwinnett speaks to the County’s solid business environment and the opportunities for long-term growth and stability that it offers existing industry.

“Gwinnett provides us with ready and immediate access to our clients – locally, nationally, and internationally,” comments Maria Mendillo, president and CEO of FarraTech. “What consistently separates us from our competition is our remarkable customer service. Our location in Gwinnett and metro Atlanta enables us to provide that quality service.”

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GBJ Staff

Choose the right Internet speed for business

by Michael Baldwin

How do you know if your business has the right Internet speed and network security to support all you do using the Web?

Find the answers by following these tips.

  1. Evaluate current equipment
    To select the right Internet speed and network security, begin with taking inventory of your computers and servers – quantity, type and condition.
  2. Determine utilization

    Pinpoint the ways your company uses the Internet. Speed is important, but your connection must also be powerful enough to handle all that your business does – from sending emails and e-commerce, to accessing cloud applications and more.
  3. Verify scalability
    Invest in your Internet and network security based on your current business structure and future growth objectives. Select a provider that can scale bandwidth easily and quickly to match your growing business needs.

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GBJ Staff

Gwinnett manufacturer expanding, to add jobs

Okabashi Brands, Inc., the largest manufacturer of sandals and flip-flops in the U.S., will expand current Gwinnett-based operations by 150 new jobs. The 27-year-old company currently employs 200 in Buford, and plans to start producing private labels in addition to their existing Okabashi and OKA b. footwear. This announcement represents another successful existing industry expansion in Gwinnett.

“Our location in Gwinnett has given us access not only to great infrastructure, but also to an incredible labor pool in the community and metro Atlanta,” said Brad Laporte, vice president of manufacturing at Okabashi. “Those factors have contributed substantially to the growth and success of Okabashi, further enabling us to produce and manufacture quality shoes right here in Buford, Ga.”

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GBJ Staff

April is National Car Care Month

Making the most out of a tank of gas has both operations managers and individuals looking for creative ways to save pennies.

Eliminate the obvious culprits to get on track. Georgia’s Clean Air Force (GCAF) reminds motorists that reducing gas usage and maintaining your vehicle go hand-in-hand when you follow these simple tips:
1. Check the gas cap
Damaged, loose or missing gas caps allow gas to vaporize into the air. About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads have gas caps that are either damaged, loose, or missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.

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GBJ Staff

GTC certification program earns ENERGY STAR Award

Gwinnett Technical College’s Building Operator Certification® (BOC) program is a 2012 ENERGY STAR Award for Excellence winner for its outstanding contributions in consumer education to promote energy-efficient tools.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC) for its Building Operator Certification program. Gwinnett Tech is the BOC provider for Georgia.

The Building Operator Certification program teaches facilities personnel how to bring HVAC, electric and lighting systems to their most efficient level of operation to promote energy efficiency. The course series consists of classroom training, project assignments to be completed at the participant’s facility, and in-class exams administered at the end of each day of training.

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GBJ Staff

Walton EMC issues fraud alert

If you receive a phone call from a live person demanding immediate payment of your Walton EMC electric bill to avoid disconnection, you’re being scammed.

“We’ve had reports from customer-owners who received fraudulent calls from people posing as Walton EMC employees,” says Sherry Horvieth, manager of the cooperative’s consumer services. “The callers, both male and female, inform consumers their electricity will be disconnected shortly if they don’t provide a credit card number for immediate payment. That’s not how we work.”

Share the following information with others in your company. These clues will tip you off there may be a criminal on the line.

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GBJ Staff

Eastside Medical Center adds cardiac services

Piedmont Heart Institute is partnering with Eastside Medical Center, as the exclusive cardiac services provider, and will begin performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures starting this Spring. PCI (angioplasty) is a common non-surgical procedure used to restore blood flow to blocked arteries of the heart.

“Eastside is pleased to offer this life-saving cardiac procedure to our patients and fulfill a community need that benefits the area’s growing population,” says Kim Ryan, chief executive officer at Eastside Medical Center.

After the State gave Eastside Medical Center approval to provide additional interventional cardiology services, a request for proposals was issued and received from various cardiology groups. Piedmont Heart Institute most clearly exemplified the services and capabilities that Eastside Medical Center required.

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GBJ Staff

Office options bridge gap for businesses

Amenities, such as a fully equipped conference room, are features of CEO Business Centers' premier office packages.

For the small business owner leery of committing to a multi-year lease for office space or in limbo as to how to proceed with space leasing decisions, CEO Business Centers is an optimal interim solution. With virtual office packages and executive office rentals at two premier addresses in Duluth and Peachtree Corners, options range from leasing by the hour, the day, month to month, and on occasion, longer.

“Our clients come in with their briefcases and can immediately be in business,” explains Ruth Strickland, president, CEO Business Centers.

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GBJ Staff

Gwinnett Medical honored for critical care excellence

Many GMC-Duluth nurses (some pictured here) were instrumental in receiving the silver level Beacon Awards for Excellence from The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Gwinnett Medical Center’s (GMC) Intensive Care Units at Duluth and Lawrenceville were recent recipients of silver level Beacon Awards for Excellence from The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN).

This is the first year Gwinnett Medical Center-Duluth has received the Beacon Award. Gwinnett Medical Center-Lawrenceville was previously recognized by the AACN for its commitment to critical care quality improvement in 2007, 2008, and 2009. This association created the award to spotlight units that distinguish themselves by improving every facet of patient care.

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