Conference Coverage: Keynote The Honorable Gov. Nathan Deal

The Honorable Governor Nathan Deal, Governor of Georgia for the past eight years, welcomed attendees and exhibitors to MODEX 2018 and the Georgia Logistics Summit with a callout to everyone in the room: "That progress, in large part, is due to many of you!" 

The progress he referenced was an achievement proudly shared by Pat Wilson, commissioner at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, just prior to introducing Gov. Deal to the stage. "For the fifth year in a row, Georgia is the number 1 state to do business," according to a ranking by Site Selection. 

The governor wasn’t just sharing praise without an understanding of the industry. Based on the examples and actions he relayed that have been taken by Georgia over the past few years, the state takes the material handling industry very seriously – and is taking measures to ensure it grows. On the transportation side, he talked about the need to have easy access to your base, via airports, ports, rails and rivers, and gave some examples related to the deepening at the Port of Savannah and the expansion at the Mason Mega Rail Terminal. At the port, "We are conscious of the fact that for every dollar we invest we get $5.5 back on that." And, the rail project will increase capacity at the port by 100 percent and "expand the number of working tracks from 8 to 18." He also addressed the transportation initiative in Georgia. 

On the financial side, he addressed the tax structure in Georgia and the recently cut tax rates, both personal and corporate, and how that can make a big difference in terms of the cost of doing business. 

He also discussed the cyber security steps the state is taking at the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center, as well as the U.S. Army’s establishment of its Cyber Command in nearby Fort Gordon and the National Security Association’s involvement and plans in Georgia.

The key to Georgia's success?  "We don’t just focus on one thing," said Gov. Deal.