Chapter 2- The 5 pillars of Augusta's Economy

Chapter 2- The 5 Pillars of Augusta's Economy- Military, Medical, Nuclear, Manufacturing and other

The 1st Pillar- The Medical Sector



What is the Medical Sector?



     (The Medical district of Augusta, Georgia. In between the 2 main roads seen in this photo 25,000 people are employed in health related occupations. This is the largest contributor to the economy of Downtown, indirectly with the massive amount of employees it brings to the perimeter of Downtown bordering Harrisburg)

     The Medical Sector is the strongest pillar of the Economy of Augusta and is our showpiece to the  rest of the nation. It is fertile ground for any medical related business, due to its scale and depth in education/research and medical services provided. Despite being only around 100 acres in size, this sector contributes over $2,000,000,000 to the Economy of Augusta. It is the most "Urban" feeling place in Augusta, being located in-between Downtown, Laney Walker, Harrisburg and Summerville. Knowledge, Capital, Public/Private planning and spatial density have struck a good chord with this engine of Augusta's economy. The mix of factors and variables that drive the Medical Sectors growth should be brought to light and reviewed to move forward in a prepared state, this is a very serious field is Augusta, we cannot drop the ball on this part. 

    The Medical Sector is the "'Wall Street" of Augusta, it is the "HollyWood" of Los Angeles or the "Silicon Valley" for San Jose. The Medical District is already foot forward into the future with its operations and to leverage it further and continue on this path of growth can yield Augusta a tremendous asset. Augusta needs to continue to merge with the Medical Sector, in public and private deals, and do everything possible to facilitate growth. To succeed here and grow in this sector is to ensure the highest possible growth rate for the economy of Augusta. The activity here are Augusta contributions to the advancement of the world and is how, in one sense, Augusta helps the mutual goal of scientific research for curiosity and betterment of mankind.

     To be a patient looking at the Medical Center must be very reassuring, as the sheer presence and visuals of being in a place dedicated to keeping you alive are calming. The fact that to transfer and receive many treatments you do not have to travel far is also reassuring. It is very convenient to be a patient in the Medical Sector. Another often overlooked feature is that many patients find other patients to talk to and to hang around. The patients bond with each other and the peer support received is invaluable. You feel a lot less embarrassed as a patient also in this setting, as there are thousands of patients around you. 

     The range of ailments treated are very divided and the many specialties ensure a level of healthcare unobtainable in many other settings. The moderate size of the Medical sector is in the "Just right" department. It is not so big as to have traffic issues, large impersonal care and a feeling of sternness  It is large enough to have all the conveniences of more expensive machinery to administer care, which has been a large costs for hospitals expansion into very refined sectors of healthcare, such as a machine that only cures a disease found in 1% of the population. 

• Georgia Regents Medical Center (492 registered beds) 
• University Hospital (581 registered beds
• Childrens Hospital of Georgia (149 registered beds)
• Charlie Norwood VA (155 registered beds)
• Trinity Hospital (231 registered beds)
• Select Specialty Hospital (34 registered beds)

     With so many beds in the area, people are rarely turned down and if one is filling up, they can turn patients onto another hospital with vacancies. 

(A Da Vinci robot doing a surgery. This is the kind of services that I am constantly referring to that the Medical district can support and thrive with. These kind of surgeries can draw a major margin on operations for those with wealth and will bring the best surgeons, whom want to work and achieve their full potential in an environment like this with the in-depth tools like this to do his job. Imagine what this machine will be capable of doing in 20 years? Imagine if surgical operations had a breakthrough in technology and surgery prices dropped by 25%. These events would be like an economic boom for the Medical District)

     The education spurs the research and vice versa. The knowledge obtained in the classroom is easily absorbed with the practice of it also being close at hand. The usual spread and facilitation of ideas are magnified with the concentration of peers, students and faculty. The amount of services in the area complements each other, with the workers having an extremely divided task that they can master in entirety. Also the capital equipment and spatial proximity ensure that the most menial and usually unimportant aspects of medical services are perfected. The positive attitude of working in such a delightful setting also keeps employee moral high, thus ensuring every possible aspect of a patients visit being favorable. The connection of the areas medical establishments is a critical driver for their growth and innovation. To be fluid and flexible ensures fast and dynamic reactions to just about anything, leaving very little precious time wasted.

(The College of Dentistry. Completed at over 260,000 square feet and at a cost of $112,000,000, on the site of Gilbert Manor housing projects. This building trains dentists at an affordable tuition for the whole state of Georgia, it brings the best of the best chosen from schools all over the South-East and its academic ranks, quality of student life and tuition make it a choice for many students who later will have high incomes and may chose to stay in Augusta. The building has 316 dental operators, a central sterilization center, dispensary areas, six student, faculty and staff lounges, 15 conference rooms, 10 support labs, and state-of-the-art equipment for students and dental practices, including 83 intra-oral radiography units and six panoramic/cephalometric X-ray machines, all but one with 3-D imaging capability.)

     This knowledge is flowing around the minds of the students and faculty and makes it way to the city itself. Products and businesses that need a certain amount of white collar workers are bolstered, these businesses add value to the atmosphere by contributing to the intellectual atmosphere and "Alpha" is gained, you could say. With so much info flowing around, other unseen areas are opened to growth or pioneering. With so many Doctors in the area, there are more likely scenarios of finding divided area of specialize and in being close to a the market to serve people. If you want to start a private medical research company, the hardest part of picking your location is trying to find a place that already has a large enough labor pool available. Although many students leave Augusta, as they were not born here, after college, they spend time here, adding to the pull of knowledge and the constant brainstorm that is going on in their collective conscious. These students contribute to the intellectual environment, many develop hobbies and lifestyles to this and become attached to the community.

          There are many health related practices around the perimeter that offer services like eye, bone, skin, dental, lungs and other advanced services. With a high cost of healthcare in many parts of the country Augusta has an advantage of having low cost healthcare with top quality service, something rarely achieved in any scenario and should be leveraged to the maximum, if Augusta is to achieve the highest growth possible in terms of GDP, or more micro-concept indicators, like payrolls.

     The Medical District acts  as Augusta's portal into larger and stronger research Institutes/Universities. With the recent merging of "Augusta State University" & "The Medical College of Georgia", There are more chances for partnerships with other Universities due to this increased size, maybe partnering with a smaller university to cover some of the science portions of a dual degree, or to partner with another Medical School to create a new program. These types partnerships will be crucial for complex problems that require a large amount of capital that one entity cannot take on themselves and in delving further down the division of labor spectrum to more particular jobs. 

(This Cancer Research Center is a invaluable tool for researchers and a lot of Universities would like access to it and it research. To cure cancer, will be done in a building like this one day)

     Partnerships, mergers and acquisitions are much easier and plausible if they are in the same city and area already, giving all sides plenty of competition to either, sell to buy themselves. This also will it more likely that any deal involving an entity outside of the Medical Sector will have to move their operations here. The sector also gives investors confidence, as being in the sector highly differentiates a Medical Business. The Medical sector is also, in these ways, Augusta's way to tap into the world of finance, as the sector itself is large enough to work with massive amounts of money. If someone wanted to start a bio-medical research company, the Medical Sector should be high on their list of considerations, there are not to many other places that can offer as much. 

     Augusta cannot compete in chemistry, math, computer sciences or financial services, but it can in medical research with any American city. The Medical Sector should be more and more thought of as Augusta's participant in the competitive world of super entities. We do not have a "Wall Street" culture of corporate efficiency or a "Innovative" feel of silicon Valley, but a Scientifically curious feel of ancient Greek Philosophers. It is the single most important feature of our economy. 

Entities in the Medical Sector

     The Medical Sector can basically be divided into 2 different fields, Education/Research and Hospitals/Advanced Service. 

• Georgia Regents Medical Center (492 registered beds) 
• University Hospital (581 registered beds
• Childrens Hospital of Georgia (149 registered beds)
• Charlie Norwood VA (155 registered beds)
• Trinity Hospital (231 registered beds)
• Select Specialty Hospital (34 registered beds)

     Georgia Regents University is the cornerstone and poster child of the Medical sector. This entity is strong financially, set with growth due to its exposure to growing demand for its exotic services and has ties with pretty much every other entity in the area. Georgia Regents flows the money, through taxes, from the rest of Georgia and is purposely designed to facilitate the medical activities for the state of Georgia, namely Atlanta, whom are multiples the size of Augusta, but still supporting the research here through taxes.

Georgia Regents is the result of a merger between a 4 year undergraduate school and  a Medical School with a heavy research division. The merger was cited for the extremely low rate of graduation form Augusta State University and to combat the rising costs of higher education, by cutting costs through merged activities, for example, nursing programs at both schools. Augusta State University also has an extremely hard time marketing itself and obtaining non-local students. The merger has been one of the hottest political subjects in Augusta for some time.

• Established- 1828, as the Medical Academy of Georgia
• Public/Research university
• Endowment- $121.3 million
• President- Ricardo Azziz
• Academic staff- 1,000+ full-time 
• Admin. staff- 3,500+
• Students- 9,183
• Undergraduates- 6,700
• Postgraduates- 892
• Doctoral students- 1135
• Other students- 520
• Location- Augusta, Georgia, United States
• Campus- Urban
• Former names- Georgia Health Sciences University: Medical Academy of Georgia, Medical Institute of Georgia, Medical College of Georgia. Augusta State University, Augusta Junior College, Augusta College
• Colors- Blue and Gray     
• Mascot- Jaguars

(Ricardo Azziz, the founding president of GRU and a world renowned leader in the field of  reproductive endocrinology, specifically androgen excess disorders. I have met him a couple times, he is always smiling)

     Below are some average jobs that are available in the Medical district, just for Georgia Regents University, Medical College of Georgia. These are highly paid, and highly skilled jobs compared to the median of Augusta wages/salary scales. Jobs such as these are an assets for the people that yield them, but also through the taxes they pay. 

• Dean, College of Dental Medicine
• Gastroenterology / IBD / Motility Faculty Position
• DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL PHYSICS
• Associate or Assistant Professor
• Assistant Professor for College of Nursing 
• Department Chair & Professor, Pharmacology & Toxicology  
• Associate Professor / Assistant Professor 
• General Counsel 
• Executive Director of Legal Affairs

Medical Services offered from Georgia Regents Health System



(The Medical Sector has a Helipad for the most serious cases and for people who are far away from the hospital. This also can act as an emergency vehicle and is another tool in the Medical Sector, separating them further from other medical service providers. Assets like this are similar to buying new machines for a factory floor, for a manufacturer, or an accountant buying a new laptop, it enables a better job to be done)

Medical Services 

     Adrenal, Allergy-Immunology, Anti-coagulation Clinic, Behavioral Health, Blood Disorders, Bloodless Medicine, Bone Marrow Transplant, Breast Health, Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis, Dental Faculty Practice, Dermatology, Diabetes Care, Dialysis, Digestive Diseases, Ear Nose and Throat, Emergency Services, Endocrinology, Epilepsy, Eye Care, Family Medicine, Gamma Knife, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Gynecology, Heart & Cardiovascular Center, Infectious Diseases, Infertility, Internal Medicine, In vitro Fertilization (IVF), Kidney/Pancreas Transplant, Movement Disorders, Neurology/Neuroscience, Center, Nephrology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Oral Medicine, Orthopaedics, Otolaryngology, Palliative Care, Pain Management, Perinatal, Pituitary Services, Plastic Surgery, Psychiatry, Pulmonology, Radiology (X-ray), Radiation Therapy, Rehabilitation, Reproductive, Respiratory Care, Rheumatology, Robotic-Assisted Surgery, Senior Health, Skull Base Surgery, Sleep Disorders, Spine, Sports Medicine, Stroke, Thyroid/Parathyroid Center, Transplants, Travel Advisory Clinic, Urogynecology, Urology, Weight Loss Center, Women's Health

Pediatric Services

     ADHD, Allergy and Asthma, Arthritis, Cancer, Cleft Lip/Palate, Craniofacial Center, Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes, Ear, Nose and Throat, Emergency Services, Epilepsy, Gastroenterology, Genetics, Heart Services , Hematology, Hemophilia, Infectious Disease, Intensive Care, Juvenile Diabetes, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Kidney, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), Neurology, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Otolaryngology, Pediatric Neuroscience Center, Pediatric Primary Care, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Psychiatry, Pulmonary and Cystic Fibrosis, Radiology, Rehabilitative Services, Rheumatology, Sickle Cell Disease, Sleep Disorders, Sports Medicine, Surgery, Transplants

Surgical Services

     Adrenal Surgery, Bone Marrow Transplant, Cardiovascular Surgery, DaVinci Robotic, Surgery, Dermatology, Head and Neck Surgery, Gamma Knife, Gastroenterology/Digestive Health, General Surgery, Joint Replacement, Kidney and Pancreas Transplant, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Robotic-Assisted Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Spine Surgery, Transplant Surgery, Weight Loss Center/Surgery

Education/Research

     Georgia Regents University is a trailblazer of research. The discoveries in science found here will go on to help the world immensely and trigger other breakthroughs in fields such as Energy, Infrastructure and even politics. From finding cures for cancer to learning how to grow back skin after being severely burned, the research that goes on here advances the long human mission of improving health and well-being. The importance of research and education to these individuals strike a vibe with other citizens, who pick up on the vibe and atmosphere and undoubtedly extends to the smallest aspects of life. 

(These students are in a major that did not even exist almost 25 years ago. In Nuclear Medicine. In nuclear medicine radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs or cellular receptors)

     Knowledge based economies exist off of the rapid firing off of ideas between its member's. It relies on communication, examination and response form thousands of participants steering the yearn ball of knowledge forward, as they go about their individual and extremely specialized tasks. Georgia Regents University acts as a incubator of ideas by housing such innovative and learning people. The naturally curious find their way here, with other investigative people to conquer problems that are much bigger than the individual. The research that goes on and that is advanced here is both an accomplishment of hard working individual and a great environment to work in. Georgia Regents University is very fertile and supportive of this research and gives a serious advantage to housing research and scientists here as opposed to other medical centers, who have not struck the golden mix needed to bake the best economic cake.  

(The worlds best economies have the best human capital, it is more vital than manufacturing, agriculture and gathering minerals. Georgia Regents University is an example of us trading knowledge with the rest of the world for these tangible assets. to capitalize it further would result in both satisfying and extremely high paying work)

     The value created by these citizens are traded among the worlds markets for things like Vacuum cleaners, lumber for houses and other physical items. To specialize and further our commitment and advantage in Medical research, on a entity level, local level and national level will assuredly enable a great amount of consumption in our lifetime and ensure out mutual prosperity through us upholding our side of trades for Medical research. The amount of consumption is limited by material scarcity, but when you "Create" ideas out of thin air and trade them for physical objects you realize the most relative benefits. 

     The modern economy is not built on manufacturing, energy or even financial services. a strong modern economy is in the knowledge capital of the people. Switzerland, Japan, Singapore and other advanced countries all focus on places like the Medical District for their growth and economic value. These places run huge surpluses on these advanced services and this brings enormous amounts of value to the home economy. They add immensely to the value added chain of the nation and any nation who follows will have to retrace these steps, which is easier said than done. 

     Globalization and comparative advantages have made the research conducted here become even more laser focused and precise. Despite not being directly tied to the free market and competition, Georgia Regents University has found where it adds the most value and eliminates those where it is losing its edge. Georgia Regents University understands that it must produce to get grant money and to continue to be at the forefront of tax money received on a State level. The University adapts quickly and makes it decisions, not directly in response to the market, but is remarkably close for such a large and complex entity. Georgia Regents University has found the sweet spot where it has identified its strengths, from peer and self evaluation and focuses their resources there. This is a very hard task, for a private company in the market where you can test the results (Profit) of your decisions, but must be infinitely more complex for a public institute that is reliant on balancing the need for money and the effort of research into unprofitable areas, yet which still may immensely drive the well-being of mankind. These decisions are not easy and the cumulative amount of good decisions over the years have yielded the current goodwill the university has as one of its main differentiating factors to other universities and places of research. 

     Imagine the caliber of student needed to achieve these degrees and the value that they could add to our city.These majors attract those who wish to pursue the most obscure and challenging coursework there is. Medical School is known to be very brutal academically and the learning that goes on here will grow the economy of Augusta for rendering the service and the nation will benefit immensely when these professionals move to under-served areas, where demand is higher. Either way, the students here are the modern version of the students in the "University" in Athens, in my eyes and serve that purpose in the economy of Augusta for those with an incredibly divided area of labor with an immense amount of capital invested in a very particular education. 

     These students are deeply encouraged, by GRU, to pursue undergraduate research. There are many programs that allow research late at night, or with peers outside of class. There is always a sense of feeling welcome to do research and this mutual commitment to learn is kept in check and going by the peers and faculty. It is a contagious sight to see a  student studying and learning and there is absolutely no peer pressure to remain ignorant, as there is in the majority of other universities. The caliber of student and the competence needed to get into Medical School is one reason, but there is definitively something special about GRU.

(The atmosphere of providing healthcare to our fellow citizens and the pursuit of knowledge have found there way from the Hippocratic oath and the "University" in Athens. Georgia Regents exemplifies these 2 principles well)

     Some fields that Georgia Regents is pioneering and leading the world of science in. This is similar in one sense, to the style of car (research) we produce in our factories (labs), for a more tangible example. We are looked at from the particular world of scientists and researchers as leaders in these fields. We can do our best to leverage these advantages in future research and hopefully continue to leave the rest of the world in our path of research. 

     The modern filed of healthcare is faced with increasingly complex issues. The pursuit of medicine for new diseases, the new possibilities of treating conditions due to new discoveries and the continual complexity of 

• Cancer Detection & Treatment 
• Immunology
• Heart Health
• Immunology
• Public Health

Examples of Grants for Research at Georgia Regents University

Kebin Liu- H3K9 Methylation and Pancreatic Cancer Chemoresistance, 6/4/2014 - 5/31/2016
Sponsor: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
Funding: $ 196,947.00

Huidong Shi- Epigenetic regulation of T-cell dysfunction in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 6/1/2014 - 5/31/2016
Sponsor: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
Funding: $ 196,947.00

Wen-Cheng Xiong- Retromer deficiency and Alzheimer's disease pathology, 5/1/2014 - 4/30/2019
Sponsor: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING
Funding: $ 309,209.00

Yukai He- Engineering alpha fetoprotein and glypican-3 to develop hepatoma (HCC) vaccines, 4/1/2014 - 2/28/2019
Sponsor: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
Funding: $ 329,353.00

Leszek Ignatowicz- Role of CD4+T cells in maintenance of intestinal homeostasis, 4/1/2014 - 3/31/2018
Sponsor: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES
Funding: $ 327,882.00

Adviye Ergul- Vascular Injury and Recovery in Diabetic Ischemic Stroke, 2/1/2014 - 1/31/2019
Sponsor: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
Funding: $ 431,218.00

There are over 1,400 profiled researchers that publish through Georgia Regents University. The University has over 26,000 SCOPUS publications. The University has 577 grants, usually averaging about $250,000

(David C. Ness- This man has over 150 publications, most of them in Strokes, he is a modern hero and a proper role model for children in our society. The value created by his ideas has greatly repaid his debt to society as a citizen and the more people like this we have the better, we are off)



(Dr. Mark Ebell- Another example of a great citizen that is on the leading edge of his field and driving the Medical World. To put a face on the obscure research that is done by these individuals may help to show their value. The "Poof" of GDP being created happens in people like this mans brains, the literal synapses firing off are like a cash register cha chinging. His field is Family Medicine, but one of his latest works is a publication called "Nut consumption associated with reduced mortality". He has apparently worked in many universities all around America and represents, in that sense, the extreme need to travel for most knowledge based workers)

This is how many publications Georgia Regents has with the respective journal

• Fertility and Sterility- 530
• Journal of Biological Chemistry- 452
• Journal of Immunology- 200
• Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America- 195
• American Journal of Physiology- Heart and Circulatory Physiology 191
• Journal of Dental Research- 187
• Hypertension- 182
• American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology- 175
• PLoS ONE- 171
• American Family Physician- 165
• Journal of Endodontics- 163
• Journal of Periodontology- 160
• Laryngoscope- 156

    With such a vibrant and alive research sector, the education of many students is enhanced greatly. The best and fastest way to learn something is to see the professionals do it themselves. To learn a bunch of charts and data in a classroom is a horrible substitute to the hands on experience and learning that goes on with the research/education mix encouraged by students at Georgia Regents Medical  academic programs. 

     The traditional feel of a university as a center of learning is completed with this proper mix of research and education. This is an important emphasis and extends to many of these students later jobs. The innovation and curiosity that twas implanted in them from being around so much discovery and research leads to plenty of treasures later in their life, for them personally and for their employers. 

Degrees offered

     Masters Degrees- Clinical in Translation Science, Health Science in Clinical Laboratory Science, Health Science in Occupational Therapy, Physician Assistant, Public Health, Allied Health, Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, Bio-statistics, Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Genomic Medicine, Microbiology, Molecular Medicine, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Physiology. Vascular Biology, Medical Illustration, Nursing with a Major in Clinical Nurse Leader, Nursing with a Major in Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing with a Major in Nursing Anesthesia, Nursing with a Major in Nursing, Other, Nursing with a Major in Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Oral Biology.

     Doctorates Degrees- Dental Medicine (Dentist) , Medicine (Physician, M.D), Nursing Practice , Bio-chemistry and Cancer Biology, Bio-statistics, Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Genomic Medicine, Microbiology, Molecular Medicine, Neuroscience, Nursing, Oral Biology and Maxillofacial Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Vascular Biology, Physical Therapy.

     Services offered from University Hospital

     Breast Health Center, Cancer Services, Corporate Wellness/Occupational Health, Diabetes Services, Emergency Services, Health Information Services (Medical Records), Heart & Vascular Services, Heart, Vascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Home Health Services, Hyperbaric Oxygen Unit, Laboratory Services, Mobile Mammography, MRI and Open MRI, Orthopaedics, Palliative Care Unit, Pediatric Services, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Prompt Care and Occupational Medicine Centers, Radiology Services, Rape Crisis & Sexual Assault Services, Respiratory Therapy, Sleep Study Lab, Speech and Hearing Center, Stroke Unit, Surgical Services, University Health Link, Vascular Lab, Volunteer Board, Weight Management/Bariatric Surgery, Women's Services, Work Performance Center, Wound Care

Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center

     Services- Active Duty Rehabilitation Unit, Audiology and Speech Pathology, Chaplain Service, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program, Dental Service and General Practice Residency, Marriage Enrichment Retreats, Mental Health, Minority Veterans Program, Pharmacy, Primary Care, Rehabilitation, Research, Social Work. Specialty Care, Spinal Cord Injury, Transition Services Center

Specialty Services Hospital 

Services- Aggressive ventilator/tracheotomy weaning, Bariatric accommodations, Procedure room , ICU

Trinity Hospital 

     Services- Acute Care for the Elderly Unit, Ambulatory Care, Bariatric Services, Bone Density, Breast Center, Cardiac Services, Cardiopulmonary, Childbirth, Clinical Nutrition, Diabetes Management, Echo Services. Electroencephalography, Emergency Services, Endoscopy, Geropsychiatric Services, Home Care Services, Hospitalist, Joint Replacement, Neonatal ICU, Outpatient Lab, Radiology Services, Rehabilitation, Sleep Lab, Surgical Services, Vascular Services, Women's Health, Wound Healing

Hospitals/medical centers in Augusta

• ARA AUGUSTA LLC Show location (Dialysis Facility, 1000 TELFAIR ST)
• ARA SOUTH AUGUSTA CLINIC Show location (Dialysis Facility, 1649 GORDON HIGHWAY)
• FMC NEW BAILIE Show location (Dialysis Facility, 1717 WALTON WAY)
• FMC OF AUGUSTA INC Show location (Dialysis Facility, 1109 MEDICAL CENTER DRIVE)
• NEPHROLOGY CENTER OF SOUTH AUGUSTA Show location (Dialysis Facility, 1631 GORDON HWY)
• RAI CROSSROADS Show location (Dialysis Facility, 1719 MAGNOLIA WAY)
• RAI DEANS BRIDGE Show location (Dialysis Facility, 2841 DEANS BRIDGE ROAD)
• RAI DIALYSIS SERVICES SOUTH AUGUSTA Show location (Dialysis Facility, 3206 PEACH ORCHARD ROAD)
• WYLDS ROAD DIALYSIS Show location (Dialysis Facility, 1815 WYLDS ROAD)
• TRINITY HOME HEALTH Show location (Home Health Center, 2803 WRIGHTSBORO ROAD SUITE 38)
• WINYAH HOME HEALTH CARE, AN AMEDISYS COMPANY Show location (Home Health Center, 3633 WHEELER ROAD, SUITE 200)
• ALLIANCE HOSPICE, LLC Show location (Hospital, 3685 OLD PETERSBURG ROAD, SUITE 145)
• AUGUSTA VA MEDICAL CENTER Show location (Hospital,Acute Care - Veterans Administration,Government Federal, provides emergency services, 950 15TH STREET)
• CHARTER AUGUSTA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYS Show location (Hospital, 3100 PERIMETER PARKWAY)
• DOCTORS HOSPITAL Show location (Acute Care Hospitals,Proprietary, provides emergency services, 3651 WHEELER ROAD)
• EAST CENTRAL REGIONAL HOSPITAL Show location (Hospital, 3405 MIKE PADGETT HWY)
• GEORGIA REGIONAL HOSPITAL-AUGUSTA Show location (Hospital, PO BOX 327)
• HEARTLAND HOSPICE SERVICES ( AUGUSTA ) Show location (Hospital, 1365 INTERSTATE PARKWAY)
• HOSPICE CARE OF AMERICA Show location (Hospital, 4314 BELAIR FRONTAGE RD, SUITE B)
• MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GA HOSPITALS AND CLINICS Show location (Acute Care Hospitals,Voluntary non-profit - Other, provides emergency services, 1120 15TH STREET)
• REGENCY HOSPICE Show location (Hospital, 2919 PROFESSIONAL PARKWAY, SUITE A)
• SELECT SPECIALTY HOSPITAL - AUGUSTA Show location (Hospital, 3651 WHEELER ROAD/FOURTH FLOOR)
• SEMPERCARE HOSPITAL OF AUGUSTA Show location (Hospital, 1350 WALTON WAY, 7TH FLOOR)
• TRINITY HOSPITAL OF AUGUSTA Show location (Acute Care Hospitals,Proprietary, 2260 WRIGHTSBORO RD)
• UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL Show location (Acute Care Hospitals,Voluntary non-profit - Other, 1350 WALTON WAY)
• VENCARE HOSPICE AUGUSTA Show location (Hospital, 2623 WASHINGTON RD, BLDG E, SUITE 102)
• WALTON REHABILITATION HOSPITAL Show location (Hospital, 1355 INDEPENDENCE DRIVE)
• AMARA HEALTH CARE AND REHAB Show location (Nursing Home, 2021 SCOTT ROAD)
• BLAIR HOUSE Show location (Nursing Home, 2541 MILLEDGEVILLE ROAD)
• GOLDEN LIVINGCENTER - AUGUSTA Show location (Nursing Home, 1600 ANTHONY ROAD)
• GOLDEN LIVINGCENTER - WINDERMERE Show location (Nursing Home, 3618 J DEWEY GRAY CIRCLE)
• KENTWOOD NURSING FACILITY Show location (Nursing Home, 1227 WEST WHEELER PARKWAY)
• PLACE AT AUGUSTA, THE Show location (Nursing Home, 820 STEVENS CREEK R0AD)
• PLACE AT DEAN'S BRIDGE, THE Show location (Nursing Home, 3235 DEAN'S BRIDGE ROAD)
• PLACE AT MARTINEZ, THE Show location (Nursing Home, 409 PLEASANT HOME ROAD)
• STEVENS PARK HEALTH AND REHABILITATION CENTER, LLC Show location (Nursing Home, 820 STEVENS CREEK ROAD)
• UNIHEALTH POST-ACUTE CARE - AUGUSTA Show location (Nursing Home, 2541 MILLEDGEVILLE ROAD)
• UNIHEALTH POST-ACUTE CARE - AUGUSTA HILLS Show location (Nursing Home, 2122 CUMMING ROAD)
• UNIVERSITY HOSP TRANS CARE UNI Show location (Nursing Home, 1350 WALTON WAY)

Gentrification around the Medical Sector

     The value in the knowledge created adds to the economy, but Real Estate is a more visible and local result of these ideas popping up in these scientists heads in these weird looking labs. Their are Students/Faculty who would prefer to live close to the Medical District, but cannot due to a lack of safe housing. The area directly around the Medical Sector is still very "Blighted" and has the public perception of an extremely high crime rate keeps a flood of investment. The amount of public & private combined investment into the area is having its impact, to the South East of the Medical District, in Laney Walker. I think this area is one of the best real estate investments somebody can make, as the land will double in value if the Medical Sector wants it. There are plenty of local small investors who see this and are taking part, unknowingly, but together in anticipating the growth that has already happened.

(The transformation is beautiful and only seen by those with vision. Investors are snatching up small houses like the one on the left, spend almost half the money of constructing a new house and build it themselves. This is a great example of the sweat equity that Augusta is abound in)

      The impact spent on the local economy from the students participating in these degrees are a huge stimulus and can help solve the severe lack of diversity in the Downtown housing market. These students usually spend more than your average 4 year university kid for rent and some travel from far away, making any money they bring to Augusta a net addition to the Augusta economy from outside of it, this is important to especially think of in terms of the Indian and Chinese students/faculty in the area, as they are taking usually being financed, partially, by parents in their native country. Many of these students stay in Augusta after graduation, giving it a further and further refined sector, entrenching Augusta's advantage as a place to run a Medical entity and creating more and more long term value in the Medical Sector.

     The gentrification of the neighboring streets are early signs, but definitively accelerating as they build on one another, of a change in the outer perimeter of the Medical district that will support growth into other districts of Augusta business, such as the strip of Walton Way to the Summer-ville campus. The land south of the medical district once were projects and now is the site of the most expensive building in the University system of Georgia. There is another 500+ resident housing projects further south, Cherry Tree Crossings, that will be renovated for a mixed income development. This will probably be a huge shift of the current population and the massive criminal element of Cherry Tree that is poisonous to business will be shifted elsewhere in Augusta. This is what I think will happen, money usually wins in the end for property and the land is public anyway. It will be a sweep of poor people, in simpler terms, to South Augusta. There is a lot of value to be created by simply moving poor people from one area and moving rich people in. The Medical District is a larger force to appease than the 500+ residents of Cherry Tree, who do not even own the land, and their support from 3rd parties, like churches and special interests for these scenarios. 

     Columbia, Greenville and Savannah are 3 of Augusta's most comparable cities, and they al have examples of gentrification accompanying the downtown area. Greenville being the most extreme example and Columbia being the most complete example. It is both market forces and coordinated plans to move these poor people, through land zoning issues, restrictions on construction of high density, low income housing and by making it as hard as possible to pay your property taxes in the area and making it a legal battle if you fall behind in your taxes. This is without a doubt morally wrong, but it is the reality of what we see today, to not discuss it would be disrespectful for you guys, my readers. The Medical District is the largest player in this, the collective actions of the landlords, new residents and the higher echelon of leadership have, somewhat unknowingly done this. 

2nd Pillar- Military

 

(Top left to right- Dwight D. Eisenhower Hospital, NSA security facility, The top brass of Fort Gordon LaWarren V. Patterson, Signal Corps center, The Signal Corps coat of arms, Fort Gordon Network enterprise Center)

     Fort Gordon is home to the U.S. Army Signal Center, Southeast Regional Medical, Dental and Veterinary Commands, the only remaining Army Dental Laboratory, Army Medical and Dental Residency Programs, Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Joint Strategic Intelligence Operations, Communications and Military Intelligence Tenant Units, U.S. Army Reserve/National Guard Training, U.S.A.F. Air Reserve heavy-drop training and Homeland Security Training.

     Augusta's community is tied to the military through events like "Thunder over Augusta" and "Jimmie Dyess day".  A Portuguese man once told me Augusta is a "Yes Sir, No Sir" city, the affects of the Fort is easy to see in the citizenry. The discipline and order in the military has manifested itself in some ways with many generations coming to Augusta from Fort Gordon, including my Fathers side, coming from West Virginia. Military traditions are often passed down including the work ethic and discipline. 

     This Fort specializes in communications and is the home of the Signal Corps of the army. Communications is one of the most effective and useful fields of modern day technology and warfare. The days of trench fighting and "Boots on the ground" are over and communication soldiers will still contribute effort to future military needs. America is a very well oiled military machine and the proper communication of data and information is the secret sauce that holds plan together and are crucial for computers. The soldiers that work here cannot comment on what they do, in many cases, but they are on the front-line of some cutting edge tech and methods. 

     Fort Gordon is still a physical guardian, being central to 2 nuclear facilities and being in position for the second line of defenses in a coastal invasion in the South-East. Fort Gordon is crucial and necessary to the modern way the military works and should continue to play the role of defending the merchants and consumers as they go about their business, something we rarely think of going about our day. 

     The NSA has a presence at Fort Gordon and the cross training between them, the Signal Corp and other security sensitive MOS's brings many people with high incomes, security clearances and skills to the area. These people are highly intelligent government agents and are participating in very important issues to the modern worldwide stability. To have this in Augusta brings the city into the web of national security and the indirect benefits of that in federal spending. 

(These massive satellite dish's bring in information that Fort Gordon processes)

     We can only speculate what goes on in the NSA building in Fort Gordon, but it has something to do with surveillance and deals with computers. These employees make a lot of money and have safe jobs and add an important feeling to the city, as it is participating in protection of the whole nation itself.

     There are also the regular support military military staff that accompany the usual needs of a Fort. There are Military Police, Chefs, Doctors and Logistics soldiers  The Fort acts as a shuffling of people and brings many from around the world to Augusta, Ga in the random chance scenarios of placement and choice of occupation. These soldiers represent the common man and woman. They may choose to live in the city after being stationed here, or they may visit later on in their life. they may talk positively of Augusta and they may become wealthy and want to invest their money in a city they are familiar with. Nonetheless, Augusta has to bring in citizens for them to be influenced by the city and these soldiers brought in are each a chance for the city to impress a future prospective citizen. The economic benefits of bringing so many people form around the world to a central location is immeasurable  but true, I believe, in the unique knowledge and experience they contribute when put together. 

     There are also a lot of government contractors in the area. A lot of them are translators for the army and have a high security clearance from previous military experience  This is somewhat efficient and I think the low wages that have to be offered to be in Augusta should provide a good way for the military to trim its budget. therefore it may see a boom.

     Augusta also has a spot in American security with the National Security Agencies presence here. With the top secret work going on with nuclear materials and communications the NSA has a lot to do in Augusta. they recently finished a billion dollar structure with over 3,000 full time employees as of now and more to come later. They are involved in top secret work with communications in Europe and the Middle East.

     There is also a Cisco network academy on Fort Gordon that produces soldiers skilled in computer systems to work on the military's gear. There is also a Microsoft academy on Fort Gordon. This brings a very large amount of computer savvy people to Augusta. These additions are a big reason for Augusta having one of the fastest growing tech sectors in 2011 in America. These citizens will be the base for any future tech sector and may attract high security clearance employers, who bring very large salaries and wages. 

     Soldiers/contractors/etc... own and rent mainly in South Augusta and on post. Some own/rent in Martinez, Evans, Grove-town  Harlem and Burke County. The atmosphere the military brings the neighborhoods is respectable and very much a large part of keeping neighborhoods in South Augusta decent. They also provide a direct example for the Augusta citizens to find their way into the army.

• Fort Gordon has 736 transient housing quarters
• Fort Gordon has 900 family housing units (houses), Higher ranks chooses first, but most families are squared away with a house in a month. There are many new units, with 300 being built since May 2007. The houses are handled by a private company. 
• Fort Gordon has contracts with 26 area hotels for soldiers/students to stay in
• The children of Fort Gordon attend public schools and Academy of Richmond County for high school. A very diverse and truly American school. 
• Brenau University, Paine College, Southern Illinois University, Georgia Military College, Troy University, and Central Michigan University offer degree programs on Fort Gordon.
• Fort Gordon also makes many simulated items to use in training soldiers. Using a 3-d printer, Fort Gordon can make unique items to go over and how physically to disarm, store or otherwise handle, this is a small sector of the Fort, at only $2 millions, but is still $2 million worth having, as plain as it may be.

     There are many apartments around Fort Gordon that rely on soldiers living there. Soldiers have consistent cash flow and are reliable to pay the bills, so landlords like to rent to them. They usually are not criminals and can be detrimental to crime, making them specifically attractive to rent to in South Augusta, a hard place to find a consistent pool of people that pay rent and are not burdensome. The construction of new apartments is a blessing to construction and realty companies in the area and Fort Gordon provides the area with hundreds of millions of dollars in this sense alone over its life. 

     The many car dealerships on Gordon highway and Washington Road depend heavily on the car buyers of the Fort. They possess great access to credit with a government job and the stability it offers, and many are new car buyers, the most profitable to serve. The indirect costs of owning a car, such as maintenance and customization's also find themselves into the car shops around the Fort. The businesses learn that they can divide their customers into at least 2 distinct categories, civilians and soldiers and prepare different ways to specifically reach them, such as customizing the finance situation to meet a soldiers bonus check for something or for a deployment date, where the solider may want to trade the car in and wait to get another one, with the credit waiting for him when they gets back.

     The cost of housing in Augusta is vastly cheaper than the national average, around 25% less, and soldiers who rent off-post will find one of the bets deals they will have in their housing experiences in their life by renting or buying a house in Augusta. The housing stock of Augusta has truly affected the capital flows from Fort Gordon. As the fort grows in use, the veins of subdivisions and edge cities grow into stronger stalks. The sprawl of new development around the border of Fort Gordon show the reliance on the Fort, as the backbone, to many businesses in the area. The area may not be able to support a consumer base without the solider payroll circulating, but without the high traffic spots that the Fort creates, there would not even be the location itself to work out of. The existence of the current economic activity from Fort Gordon has shifted the physical design of the city to service this area that money protrudes from. 

(Dwight D. Eisenhower center, this hospital is the premier medical facility for the military in the South-East. The CSRA itself has over 50,000 veterans to service in these facilities and that number is expected to grow rapidly as many retire. Georgia is a very military intense state itself, with Fort Benning, Stewart and Gordon being three sizable places to serve medically. People are flown in from around America to get a special surgeon to work on their ailment, or for a certain treatment that requires a huge machine that is not feasible in smaller healthcare centers. It is important to know that this hospital is not driven, at all, by the free market and the expenditures are covered by the government. With cuts in government spending we will see services cut, or the pressure to cut. There is another medical center that makes up Augusta's most important asset, the Medical District. I imagine many doctors with combat experience come from this hospital to a public one in Augusta, bringing great skills across the fields, and many newly trained doctors from Georgia Regents University go here looking to lead a military/medical career path)

     The military medical needs of the entire South-East are sent here for specialties that only Augusta can compete in. The medical sector of the city has helped to lure this in and this aspect of Augusta being a medical logistic position will bring future expansions as a medical capital of the South-East and the place of choice to take care of large organizations like the military, needing massive amounts of healthcare. Fort Gordon contracts some of its medical services out to the many hospitals and clinics in Augusta, usually to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. 

     Fort Gordon also works with the Department of Homeland Security and researchers at Georgia Regents University on Radiation, Medicine and other medical aspects to natural and man-made disasters. The models for emergency plans are drawn up at Fort Gordon as far as how to fix the medical complexities that arise in an act of war, terrorist attack or other unconventional ways of getting a disease, sick or injured. The CDC being in Atlanta and the heavy medical presence of immune system doctors in the area also contribute to the medical culture on and off post. 

(The role models of the military and their impact on a community is strong. There are many problems and shortfalls that Augustinian kids must face that some military discipline and a non-parent mentor could help them with. Even to Adults, military members can give guidance an seem to be prone to community service in this sense. To copy this on a larger scale seems to be a huge advantage in the social fabric of the city that is so crucial to the economic well being of its citizens)

(The Fort does more than its share to add to the culture of the community with  this band and other extracurricular activities of the soldiers. Most of these activities are somewhat foreign to Augusta and contribute greatly to adding diversity to the populaces knowledge of others way)

(A museum dedicated to the Signal corps and what they have done on Fort Gordon)

     The solider population is also crucial for the areas college and universities. With the Medical College of Georgia being here, many attend the university, though usually not the MD or DMD programs, and earn some medical education in the university and gain real life experience in their day occupation at the Fort. Younger soldiers can start their first college experience at Georgia Regents and gain a liberal arts education or attend Augusta Technical College and gain practical knowledge for the future. Wither way, soldiers consume a lot of education and our universities recognize this directly by having large and prepared ROTC offices. The Summer-ville campus of Georgia Regents University actually started off as an arsenal, and many of the military remnants remain, including a Fort, showing how important the military has been, directly and indirectly in Augusta's educational institutes. 

Average Daily On-Post Population

Military- 15,123
Civilian- 6,989
On-Post Family Members- 2,435
Total- 24,547

(Figures do not include more than 44,800 others served by Fort Gordon, such as military retirees and off-post family members)

Buildings and Structures- 1,419
Square Footage- 9,250,9000 square feet
Acreage- 56,506 acres
Total estimated economic impact- $1.38 billion

Some apartments within 4 miles of Fort Gordon (An example of where a solider could live)

     Below are some examples of apartment complexes that have a large solider population. these places cater almost specifically to soldiers and were built with Fort Gordon in mind. The surrounding business is supportive and indicative of what a solider spends his paycheck on and overall meet the demand for affordable housing that plagues many of the lower rank soldiers in cities with high housing costs on a rigid pay scale.

Avalon
Distance- 2.87 miles
Price- $635-765
Beds- 1-2

Champion Pines
Distance- 3.02 miles
Price- $585
Beds- 1-2

Pinnacle Place
Distance- 3.4 miles
Price- $559-750
Beds- 1-3

Vintage Creek apartments
Distance- 3.44 miles
Price- From $545
Beds- 1-2

Woodlake Club
Distance- 3.44 miles
Price- $554-822
Beds- 1-4

Wylds Wood
Distance- 3.7 miles
Price- From $565
Beds- 2

Sanctuary Apartments
Distance- 3.7 miles
Price- $530-735
Beds- 1-2

A sample of the kind of jobs offered at Fort Gordon

• Logistics Management Analyst, Lockheed Martin Corporation
• Processing, Exploitation & Desemination Site Leader, Northrop Grumman
• PED Systems Engineer, Northrop Grumman
• Warehouse Manager, National Guard
• SCA Engineering Tech 6, AppLabs
• Logistician, Journeyman, ManTech International Corporation
• Processing, Exploitation & Desemination Site Leader, Northrop Grumman

(Fort Gordon also participates in the National Guards Youth Challenge, a program for high school dropouts in a quasi-military setting. The discipline and orderliness instilled is crucial to many fatherless Georgians and the military men that run it are truly good role models, necessary for a proper way of life. This brings in some money, but is much more measurable in shaping up the youth of the state of Georgia. It also gives an excellent opportunity for community service in teaching the kids a military work ethic. I went to Youth Challenge, Fort Stewart, Class 29, Bravo-4 and it is still the most amazing and life changing event till this day, in my life)

     There is a public organization that is determined to save Fort Gordon, sparked by a possible base closure in the mid 2000's. The CSRA alliance for Fort Gordon is a community effort of Augustinians to keep the Fort open and as many dollars flowing to it as possible. Here is a list of member's, current as of 2010, so its already outdated in 2013, but the same people usually champion this purpose and are dealing with Fort Gordon, with or without this group.

CSRA Alliance for Fort Gordon, Inc., Board Members (23 August 2010)

• Mr. Ron Thigpen, Chairman - Executive VP, Georgia Bank and Trust
• Mr. Duncan Johnson, Vice Chairman - President, Johnson Motor Company
• Mr. H. Monty Osteen, Secretary/Treasurer - retired
• COL(R) Thom Tuckey, Executive Director
• Mr. Braye Boardman - President, Beacon Blue LLC
• Mr. Paul Brewer - General Sales Manager, WFXG Fox-54
• Honorable Deke Copenhaver - Mayor of Augusta
• Mr. Ron Cross - Chairman, Columbia County Board of Commissioners
• Mr. Andy Crosson - Director, CSRA Regional Commission
• Mr. George Duehring - Owner, Zaxby's Restaurants
• Mr. Terry Elam - President, Augusta Technical College
• Mr. J. Truitt Eavenson - Region Vice President, Georgia Power
• Mr. Dan Fowler - Vice President of Energy Services, Jefferson Energy Cooperative.
• Mr. Bryan Ginn - Assistant to the President for External Affairs, Medical College of Georgia
• Ms. Colette Hughes - Vice President/General Manager, Automatic Data Processing
• Honorable Lark Jones - Mayor, North Augusta
• Mr. E.G. Meybohm - President, Meybohm Realtors
• Mr. Stan Shepherd - Regional Director, AT&T
• Rep. Barbara Sims - GA Representative, District 119

Advisory Board Members

• Ms. Nancy Bobbitt - Field Representative for Senator Johnny Isakson
• CSM(R) Jim Hussey - District Director for Senator Saxby Chambliss
• Mr. Matthew Kleinsorge - Staff Assistant for Representative John Barrow
• Ms. Sue Parr - President/CEO, Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce
• Mr. Troy Post - Executive Director, Development Authority of Columbia County
• Mr. Walter Sprouse - Executive Director, Development Authority of Richmond County
• Ms. Tammy Shepherd - President/CEO, Columbia County Chamber of Commerce
• Mr. Brian Tucker - President, North Augusta Chamber of Commerce
• Mr. Reagan Williams - Field Representative for Representative Paul Broun

3rd pillar- Nuclear

Plant Voglte

(The two towers above and the accompanying structures represent the cold era way of making nuclear energy. Voglte is well positioned away from population centers and )

     Above is two reactors at Plant Vogtle in Burke County right below Augusta, Georgia. This plant is owned by Georgia Power (45.7%), Oglethorpe Power Corporation (30%), Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (22.7%) and Dalton Utilities (1.6%). Vogtle produces electricity through nuclear processes. The two smokestacks above produce around 2400 MW of power when both online. This is one of the only nuclear plants in the world that is seeking to expand, after many were abandoned with the 3/11 incident in Japan and the Fukushima disaster. With the political environment in many countries rendering nuclear energy with a taboo, the CSRA proves to be a positive place for nuclear energy politically. The local community of Augusta is generally very supportive of any growth at Vogtle. They see the direct employment it provides and if they are a business person in Burke County and Southern Richmond County, they may derive up to 25% of their revenue from this entities payroll, namely landlords and restaurant owners. The local populace is much less concerned with environmental issues compared with French, German and Japanese citizens. 

(2 of these are being prepared for construction at Plant Vogtle. These represent the vast amount of research and improvement from the Japanese, French, Russian, Iranian and other incidents of nuclear power plants that occurred since the finishing of the 2 older reactors. This affects the economy of Augusta by of course, bringing in nuclear physicists and the such, but in a geographical way connecting us to Japan. The company that is selling the USA, UK, Canada, German and South Korean energy companies these reactors is owned and operated by Toshiba, a Japanese company that leads the world in building and actually making the components of the nuclear process. This reflects the heaviest and most specialized of exchange in the modern world. The workshops of Japan have the technology and capacity to construct these complex entities and the CSRA has the land and labor for it. Trade between Augusta and Japan has enabled each country to do what they do best and to make some power)

     The construction of Plant Vogtle is large enough of itself to be a impact on the economy of Augusta. 14 billion dollars (about 9 Billion of it is from a federal loan is being spent to build the two proposed cooling towers that increase capacity to produce energy). Most of the construction workers are from Augusta and the skills they bring will make sure the labor force has plenty of skilled carpenters and related trades. For every nuclear scientist that will be employed there will be much more tradesman who assist in the plant. The large slice of blue collar labor available in South Augusta and Burke County provide the necessary labor for such expansion. 

This is a sampling of some jobs offered at Plant Vogtle

• I&C - Nuclear Planning & Scheduling Specialist, Southern Company
• Civil Field Engineer - Vogtle, Shaw Group
• Nuclear Licensing Engineer, Plant Vogtle 3 & 4, Southern Company
• Sr. Electrical Field Engineer - Vogtle, Shaw Group
• Senior Director - Vogtle Nuclear Construction Project, Shaw Group
• Electrical Engineer - Plant Vogtle Units 3&4, Southern Company
• Digital I&C Engineer - Plant Vogtle 3&4, Southern Company
• Fire Protection Engineer - Plant Vogtle 1&2, Southern Company
• Project Manager- Schedule Compliance (Vogtle), WestingHouse Corp.
• Material Requisition Specialist / Planner-Jones/Vogtle, System One
• Air Operated Valve (AOV) Engineer - Plant Vogtle 1&2, Southern Company

Savannah River Site

      Savannah River Site employs over 10,000 people in a range of activities that span the income and skill spectrum. There are scientists here for some of the worlds most advanced research, many have connections with MIT, Georgia Tech, University of Chicago  Harvard, Yale Princeton  Cali-Berkeley and other elite schools. The site was originally a plant that made some components of atomic weapons, but now they convert some of those weapons into nuclear material for energy purposes and store nuclear waste.  The site incorporated an entire town and is geographically safely positioned away from centers of large population. The site itself is 310 square miles. Future uses includes hosting research reactors, a reactor park for power generation, and other possible uses.

                           

     When the 2008-09 stimulus came around the Savannah River Site Nuclear Facility was the largest single recipient of stimulus dollars. The massive interjection from the Federal level was welcomed, but the spin down leaves a problem, a good problem in some senses, but still a problem of more people entering the workforce when the stimulus was supposed to improve the scenario. The stimulus was very secular and non-lasting, although the activities were needed, the dollars would have been in better use with the tax-payer. That being said, Augusta is poised to get "its fair share" of future stimulus dollars for future cleaning and waste removal projects, there are not many nuclear sites to split the funds up between and the public demand for action can be overwhelming in this subject, elected officials have a high incentive to bring what they can to this entity, through lobbying and through constituents demands. One of the unseen parts of operating a nuclear power plant is the burden of regulations and compliance. The Savannah River Site is a place talked of in Washington DC and to them, it may be a place on a piece of paper, but here the expansion  or contraction of Vogtle is of the utmost importance to the economy. There is plenty of money to be gathered for "representation" in DC, Atlanta and wherever else people decide what goes on in Augusta, Georgia. Vogtle should, at least, be a hassle to cut from and find some resistance from lobbyists and politicians themselves.

     The Savannah River Site also has one of 12 national laboratories, a distinction of leading research in an area for national purposes. The areas served at this national laboratory include, environmental remediation, technologies for the hydrogen economy, handling of hazardous materials, a field demonstration site for testing and evaluating environmental cleanup technologies, and laboratories for ultra-sensitive measurement and analysis of radioactive materials. and technologies for prevention of nuclear proliferation. There are over 900 employees and the budget for the laboratory is 210 million.

(The pictures above are a nuclear facility that manufactures components to nuclear processes such as MOX (mixed oxide fuel), stores nuclear materials and conducts nuclear research)

     Augusta Technical College has a program that works closely with the government to provide nuclear facilities with the entry level labor needed. STEM funding is also helping to fund Georgia Regents University in crucial areas that will start a ripple by introducing students to science, but most of the scientists who end up working at SRS or Vogtle will come from outside the CSRA, Georgia and America itself. 

     Georgia Regents University is building its nuclear research departments and will soon undoubtedly tap into the power of the labor force of the advanced research going on at these facilities. One thing Augusta could improve in is improving the Sync between the Universities, Fort Gordon and the nuclear facilities research. All together they could save some taxpayer money by having some students/soldiers at SRS or Plant Vogtle. The paperwork would be immense and safety issues are at hand though and the decision is made on that, not necessarily economics. I do trust these organizations to collaborate as much as possible, as their human capital is rare and benefits off of collaboration between sectors and purposes. 

(This is a machine that has been used to test commercial heavy water reactors. It is being decommissioned and serves as a good example of what SRS does. They are dealing a lot with the transition to future nuclear technology by disposing of the past)

(This is "Tizzy", a robot designed and built specifically by the Savannah River Remediation section of SRS for tank waste removal)

     The expertise and division of skill needed for the jobs necessary in operations of a nuclear plant are very highly paid and contribute a lot to the diversity of labor in the economy. Not every city has 2 nuclear facilities in there vicinity and with such large a payroll. The contribution these people make to the academic atmosphere is valuable, as there are many opportunities for people interested in science to find others who share that interest. The examples they can have on Augustan citizens through being role models or connections into the industry themselves. Many whole families work at SRS and Plant Vogtle.

Manufacturing

(A list of some of the brands that's products are manufactured or who's operations have presence in the Augusta area)

(Club car manufacturers its golf carts in Augusta. The golf industry plays directly off the Masters tournament and that makes a huge selling point in the brand licensing intense field of golf. Augusta has been good t them and they have done so also, being heavily involved in community service (I do not know of a specific charity they fulfill, but they are always sponsors for public Augusta events and the people that work here seem to enjoy the treatment they receive from working at the company)

(The Bridge-stone Tire Plant, Grantiville, South Carolina)

     The Bridge-stone tire plant is being constructed in Graniteville, South Carolina and is large enough to send serious ripples into the Augusta economy. This is the largest tire plant in the world and is set to expand even further. They make passengers now and will soon start making tires targeted at the mining industry, which is slowly hitting a wall with the Canadian and Australian economies experiencing capital problems in the past few months. These kinds of plants compete, in location, with cities like Charlotte, Savannah, Nashville, Bowling Green or Richmond. The Augusta region outshone these due to tax breaks and by being on the lowest side for cost, in both labor, utilities and in construction.

(On the right, The Starbucks factory under construction and on the left, the products they will be making, some instant powder coffee. This is kind of ironic for Starbucks, as I associate them with fresh and high quality coffee and not microwave coffee, but I imagine these little packets may have a hefty margin for the convenience and serving size factor)

     Starbucks is also coming to Augusta. They will manufacture the ready to drink coffee packets, a high profit margin item for Starbucks. This is a rare scenario of a company headquartered about as far from Augusta as possible and still be on the Continental American States. This shows that Augusta picks up on the radar of many companies that we may not be aware of, it is not always the heavy industry that will appear. 

     The plant costs about $172,000,000 and will employ 140 people when opening in 2014. This plant will represent the absolute modern edge in manufacturing technology and the automation that is promised should be a scenario similar to the first tenants on the Augusta Canal, making textiles, having machines that baffled the modern populace. I imagine walking into this Starbucks facility will invoke the same bewilderment and fascination. It is much easier to relate to manufacturing, in understanding it, due to it being a physical product. It instills pride to work in manufacturing and see your final product. The efficiency and value created from this place is an inspiration for the global competitors in manufacturing to upgrade and keep their facilities strong, as ones in Augusta, Georgia have many advantages that outshine the heavily competitive South-East and the declining manufacturing of the rest of the regions in America. This is an example of "participating in the world economy", as these products will be consumed & shipped worldwide. 

     The plant uses about 100 acres in the "Augusta Corporate Park", a bunch of cleared land and infrastructure (such as utilities connections and regulatory approval is much easier on such publicly prepared land). This is the first tenant of the park that has been in the possible plans of many large manufacturers. The reasons cited, by a Star Bucks representative are- workforce availability, transportation access, logistics and technology base, quality of life and support from local and state leaders.

(International Flavor and Fragrance has a small facility in Augusta. The products end up in other stages of the manufacturing process, in items like perfumes and in laundry detergents)

(Rock-wood Pigments is currently building a facility in Augusta, above is not the Augusta facility, but another Rock-wood facility that will resemble the one in Augusta. It will cost about $115,000,000 and will have between 80-100 employees when it starts off)

(US battery has a medium sized operation going on Tobacco Road. It makes deep cycle batteries)

 (Fiamm technologies, in Waynesboro, about 20 miles South of Augusta. They make backup batteries for very important electronic equipment among other kinds at its Waynesboro facility)

     (GI industries makes massive pumps for world customer in Thomson, a close by town. The pumps are quite large and are used to transport "Slurry" a mix of solids and liquids that usually clogs up other pumps. The Canadian oil sands have heavy demand for this type of machinery and the facility has seen sales double since 2002. The size of these pumps are astounding, the largest can pump an Olympic pool of water in 2.8  seconds.  They plan on doubling in size to meet the increased demand. GIW industries has about 350 employees at the Grove-town facility, and 100 more around the world. The pumps have been used for copper, iron and other metal extraction and has been used to create islands in the Middle Easts luxury real estate market. The test facility for these pumps also exists in Grove-town, it is the largest of its kind in the world)

(Augusta Machine and Welding is a medium sized weld shop that essential eases other industry by providing specific welding needs and large industry size welding done)

(Morgan Thermal Ceramics makes insulation products that go into many numerous other products that require a flame retardant material for manufacturing)

(United Brokerage Company incorporated makes boxes in Augusta, that are used for shipping other products)

(DSM Chemicals has a presence in Augusta)

(Cytec has operation across the river in Beech Island. They make material for other manufacturers. This is not the facility, it is the closest picture I could get of what it looks like)

• US floor has a presence in North Augusta. They are hardhearted in the small own of Dalton, Georgia. 
• Eastern Machine and Manufacturing has a presence in Central Augusta. They make machines and service them that are involved in other manufacturing steps.
• Armour Metals makes metal roofing and siding customized to size and order. They are a very small manufacturers and represent the majority of small manufacturers, whom must add service and sometimes retail to stay competitive.
• Milsco Manufacturing has a presence in Thomson and makes seats for other manufacturers. Namely John Deere, Club Car and Caterpillar.

The 5th pillar- Other

(ADP, a respected global corporation has set up shop in Suburban Augusta and has enabled the labor force to have a truly world class employer option that will be crucial for raising the median wage in the region. Although buildings like these hire less people than the factory counterparts they are usually followed by higher income jobs that emerge in a service sector economy. Buildings like this do, however, represent modern day efficiency, something that is good enough to sell in any country and to uphold many standards. Corporations like this can work wonders for the economy of Augusta, as this example represents the largest single leap forward in the areas finance sector, outside of its local deposit banks. The skills learned here will enable unfathomable trickle down companies that need experience and commitment in this field. As always, the first step was the hardest, and to bring in more IT/finance corporations is to step further and further into the economy of the 2010's)



(Costco came to Augusta, Georgia, on its stronger consumption base, on the West side of the city. The announcement is large when compared to the other box retailers like Wal Mart and Kroger, having built several retail locations in the area in the past 10 years also. The diversification of places to shop and prices presented to the consumer is a benefit for both the merchants and the consumer in this area. A lot of growth in Augusta can simply come from businesses like Costco deciding to close a regional gap location like Augusta. The appeal of growth in America attracts the most basic of investments like this into the city)

Georgia Bank and Trust



(The brand for Georgia Bank & Trust, simple and concise. There is nothing special needed for the conservative classical banking)



(Banking is doing well and Georgia Bank & Trust has shown promising growth, with many anecdotal experiences of good customer experience on a personal and second hand experience and a conservative lending standard, Georgia Bank and Trust has grown, slowly but surely, the secret formula to a solid bank)



(The old school look of the Downtown Branch attracts many past the bland and plain design of modern construction. The intricate woodwork and constant decor is indicative of European designs and is appeasing to the Augusta citizen, who does not see such designs daily)

     A good way to see the health and vitality of activities economy is to look at the big local banks in the area. If there is good commerce in the city then there should be banks to represent the vast circulation of capital between people. The facilitation of banks are crucial for the diverse needs of consumer banking that enable consumption, and commercial banking to enable that consumption to be met. Georgia Bank and Trust does well to patrol the flow of transactions in an average Augusta day and they are in best position to benefit off of future growth due to their painstakingly slow growth of branches.

     Georgia Bank and Trust has a relationship across the citizenry that is valuable and will take a lot of marketing, effective operations and sheer fortune to overtake them in market share. Being at the top, they are in a better position for partnering with others on financing a project and for being one of few who will lend heavily. Georgia Bank and Trust has all of its incentives and profits locally, so they have a very concise strategy of simply, "What is best for Augusta and the CSRA is good for us".  

(Daniel Blanton, The CEO and President of Georgia Bank and Trust. A true American and Augustinian  story of a bank teller to CEO story and a strong figure in the Augusta community handling over $1,700,000,000 in assets. I even forgive him for going to Clemson, arch rival to the UGA bulldawgs)

     Georgia Bank & Trust is the healthiest financial institution in the area and is the best representative to the world, of what goes on in Augusta. This is a true local bank, it does not gamble with deposit money on derivatives and on commodity speculation like most of the big banks do, or smaller ones due through subsidiaries and "shadow" fronts. Georgia Bank and Trust is simple enough to understand and they will not be involved with a "Lehman Brothers" type scenario, even in the most viscous derivative bear market. In a bank run scenario where even the FDIC fails and the FED cannot print money fast enough to meet liquidity demands and facilitate an easing of the credit markets, Georgia Bank and Trust will be able to retrieve assets for withdrawal fast. The safety of bank assets may be unthinkable and irrelevant to some, but is more and more likely with the banking crisis of Cyprus and the "Bail in" strategy of seizing depositors account has shown it is possible in a Western country. The perception of safety and complete control of the economy by the Government should not be given the shadow of a doubt and that alone makes small banks like Georgia Bank and Trust attractive to park some money. We have not had to think about the safety of a local bank much since the 1930's, but with the repealing of the stipulation of separation of services of banking, the safety and activities of your bank is the most appealing competitive factor in any "Wealth Preservation" based depositors.

 

     By being concentrated on one region Georgia Bank & Trust can keep a close and more customized eye on the economy here than the larger players. They have insider knowledge from relationships built from deposits being created from locals. As people are drawn into the convenient locations, the are cross sold to and use more and more advanced services as their wealth accumulates, through gains, or transfers. This bank did not get involved to heavy in the mortgage mess of the 2000's and was lucky that Augusta did not participate in the run-up as much as other cities.

     Many of the to brass has worked together for a long time and most of them are lifetime banking professionals. The bank undoubtedly has lower turnover than larger banks and longevity is a good thing for a bank, as the banker has more incentive to make good loans on behalf of the company and not his bonus. Their life with the bank and life at home begin to merge through the close tie between employees/friends and the banking community. This bank is the culmination of many years of practice and many of the same people are there to steer the boat. 

     Specific businesses that come looking for a business loan will find many well prepared and knowledgeable bankers to talk to and work with. There will be help and facilitation on having a bank account, referring to other services and everything else that a financial firm can do to ensure the mutual success of the investor and the one receiving the investment. 

     The modest diversity in services has given the bank an area of growth in the cyclical sector of investing. The more people that keep large cash deposit bank accounts and use wealth management services means more profit for almost the same work. The costs in keeping a deposit right now is high in the baking industry, about $250 an account a year, although these numbers seem to be quite exaggerated, as banks have very different cost structures and regulatory compliance. 

(A 10 year chart of the Stock price of SBFC, the holding company for Georgia Bank and trust. Georgia Bank and Trust is the only bank and entity owned by the company and it is due to the banking regulations)

Georgia Bank and Trusts offices and Deposits

Main Office, Augusta Georgia- $668,199,000 

Martinez Office, Martinez Georgia- $141,375,000

Evans Office, Evans Georgia- $123,126,000

Pine Log Road Office, Aiken South Carolina- $86,137,000 

Medical Center Office, Augusta Georgia- $80,398,000

Fury's Ferry Office, Martinez Georgia- $78,080,000 

Southside Office, Augusta Georgia- $75,302,000 

Cotton Exchange Office,Augusta Georgia- $54,796,000 

North Augusta Office, North Augusta South Carolina $42,962,000

Laurens Street Office, Aiken South Carolina $33,986,000

Evans Express Office, Evans Georgia- $25,976,000

Washington Road Office, Augusta Georgia- $25,026,000 

Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Georgia Bank & Trust Company of Augusta, which provides a range of financial services to individuals, small to medium sized businesses, and professionals in the Richmond and Columbia Counties of Georgia, and Aiken County, South Carolina. It offers various deposit products, including noninterest-bearing demand deposits, interest checking accounts, money management accounts, savings accounts, NOW accounts, and time deposits. The company’s lending products comprise residential and commercial real estate loans, construction and development loans, commercial and consumer loans, and home equity loans. It also provides wealth management, trust, retail investment, and mortgage services. The company operates nine full service branches in Augusta, Martinez, and Evans, Georgia; and three full service branches in North Augusta and Aiken, South Carolina under the name Southern Bank & Trust, as well as one limited service loan production office in Athens, Georgia. Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation was founded in 1989 and is based in Augusta, Georgia.

(Georgia Bank and Trust, presents a $1,500 donation to Augusta Technical College. The check will be used to provide scholarships to sixteen students that are preparing for the GED)

     All of the regulations that have bee passing affecting the financial sector have largely fallen on smaller banks and non-diversified entities. It is harder to compete with the amount of regulation being fied and making the cost of operation tougher in the smaller banks. With Dodd- Frank Act in stipulating terms in mortgages  the bread and butter of Georgia Bank and Trusts, and BASEL dictating the capital levels, there are burdens that are heavier for an entity with such small deposits. These laws are being crafted for larger banks, and not with the cost structure of small banks in mind. An example of this being a burden is the fact that Georgia Bank & Trust does not have a whoelc compliance division like many of the Charlotte, New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Atlanta banks do. The Augusta area probably does not even 20 people competent in the banking regulation, in the CSRA, that understand this regulation. Bankers and management are stressed and focused on other issues. The regulation are truly seen as a hassle for this local bank. The larger banks are usually taken care of laws and the smaller ones cannot afford to compete with them in "lobbying" to write laws. This shows an area where Augusta is not participating and is, indirectly, being taxed in. The regulations cause a transfer of wealth away from the bankers desk at these branch offices to the larger banks in the regional, national and international banks. 

     Georgia bank & Trust is also very limited in what it can do depending on what the Federal Reserve is doing. With rates being quite volatile lately, loans may not be originating as they should and now that rates are rising, more loans may be profitable and be made. This may force Georgia Bank & Trust to do things that may take into factors  thing that have nothing to do with Augusta, like if the Federal Reserve is going to taper back its Quantitative Easing or not. 

     Being a strictly local bank, with most of its loans in Richmond and Columbia County, the bank has a lot of risk in lack of diversity in geographic sources of revenue. If the CSRA is struck with a downturn caused by a national trend that touches an industry that Augusta is in tune with or in a secular event, like the closure of one of the pillars of Augusta's economy then Georgia Bank and Trusts will suffer greatly. There will be no other areas to make up and share the losses. The losses will be felt at every single branch and the pull of capital will be felt from the whole area. On another note, if the CSRA does good and benefits, Georgia Bank And Trust will benefit so. If the area is not growing in wages, housing starts, population and deposits, then Georgia Bank and Trust is not growing. 

     Georgia Bank and Trust is a bank that represents Augusta. The need for cyber-security is needed, but not to the tune that is present in the larger banks and the safety fo the banks data infrastructure is comparable for like financial institutions. The safety and confidentiality associated with smaller banks is a good selling point for expanding deposits. 

     The kind of loans that Georgia Bank and Trust does

• Acquisition Development and Construction (“ADC”) – CSRA- This is a loan to build a house or development and sell it to pay back the financing. this is somewhat safe because the money is gotten fast and the house can be seized for collateral.
• Commercial Real Estate – Non owner occupied- This is more dangerous because it is dependent on the tenants, whether apartment or other businesses and their cash flow. 
• Commercial Real Estate – Owner occupied- Usually one tenant and safer
• 1-4 Family- This is your typical family mortgage to buy a house. 
• Consumer- This is to buy a car, RV, recreational products and equipment

     Georgia Bank and trust has a majority market share for its deposits in Columbia County (about 20% of the population in Columbia County has a deposit account with Georgia Bank and Trust. They have a 28% market share of Richmond County, but fall behind Well Fargo, who has a strong presence in Augusta from the acquisition of Wachovia in 2008.

Other banks with presence in the CSRA

• Wells Fargo- 15+ branches
• Georgia Bank & Trust Company of Augusta- local headquarters, 12 total offices
• Bank of America- 10+ branches
• Sun-Trust Bank- 10+ branches
• Regions Bank- 10+ branches
• Queens-borough National Bank & Trust Company- 7 branches
• First Bank of Georgia- 6 branches
• Fifth Third Bank- 5 branches

The Cleveland Group

(This group looks pretty happy in all of their pictures, they have a good reputation among the people I have talked to about them and their building is quite nice. The Cleveland Group provides the basic accounting services, but an added one of technology consulting. This is a growing service as automation, computer codes and digital exchanges replicate the operations of all the businesses around us. The Cleveland Group helps companies make their first steps into the robotic era, as many are going from absolutely no computer presence in operations and plenty of "low hanging fruit" appears in the Augusta area for improvements through the most basic technological upgrades. They are obviously about a 14 person crew)

(Rhodes Financial Services is a financial firm in Evans, Georgia. They are what I call, a financial firm for the masses. They help the most basic of financial functions in an individuals life get accomplished. This is an umbrella firm that, I imagine, tries to cross sale it services to create "Alpha" instead of being specialized and optimized to one branch of financial services. The company has a strong presence through its tax preparation arm in and around the CSRA and the mortgage division works with many of the new homes in Evans/Martinez. This firm is one of the leaders in Columbia County and will grow with that areas general need of the basic financial services to survive. Firms like this represent some of the most boring growth in the industry, but they have a solid foundation for future growth and should not be considered in the same boat as marketers, lawyers, stockbrokers and other extremely cyclical sectors of financial services. This is a truly retail firm that helps many consumers cross the next step up, past their local bank or credit union into a firm that is personal, locally managed and able to craft more unique situations for citizens of the CSRA)

Types of mortgages offered- Fixed, FHA, VA, Refinancing, Jumbo, Cash Out, Adjustable Rate

Types of insurance-Auto & Home, Property & Casualty, Life Insurance, Health Plans, Business Owners, Annuities, Long Term

Cherry Berkaert

Fuller & Frost Associates

(Fuller & Frost, a 32 year old accounting firm with about 15 employees. The largest shareholders, from left- to- right, R. Thomas Full CPA, G. Rabun Frost, CPA, CBM, W. Chirsitian Etterlee, CPA They are located in the Sun-trust building, Suite 950)

(Bedingfield, McCutcheon & Perry, an 11 employee accounting firm. Founded in 1943 and currently at 828 Greene Street. These size firms represent the street level of accounting and have the opportunity to add tremendous value to a small business that is only lacking a professional hand, a hop through a stringent legal matters, or simply not able to see the macro trends and matters that affect their business, but is unforeseen due to their point of view at the receiving end of the matters. This office is among some truly historical architecture on the 800 block of Greene)

(Hull Barret Attorneys, a 30 attorney law firm located in the Sun-trust building. This firm is a true general law firm  practicing in a wide range of areas and perfectly fitted to take care of those customers whos needs are very diverse. Firms like this will be crucial for the larger steps up into larger operations and expanded markets. You must build a legal framework to build a large company and this company is perfect for getting that framework built)

(Bettis Rainsford, the owner and founder of Rainsford Development Corporation, an Edgefield, SC, About 15 miles out of Augusta. A native historian and educated at Edge-field Public Schools, Harvard and University of South Carolina Law School, Bettis represents the CSRA's contribution to the world, we are a small part of the Earth and for citizens like this to go to Harvard or USC Law school and come back to the CSRA is crucial for bringing both the technical skills of a field, but also the work ethic and the extremely competitive aspects of learning with some of the best students and professors on Earth. Rainsfords company is a crucial landowner in the CSRA, owning the Sun-trust Building and the Lamar building, he has made many investments into Downtown property and is a crucial factor in the revitalization of its office space. This guy is basically a Southern version of Donald Trump. Despite the size of the company, Rainsford has stayed in Edgefield, SC and Mr. Rainsford participates in the local chamber of commerce)

Morris Communications

     Morris Communications is a media company with newspapers, magazines, outdoor advertising, radio broadcasting, book publishing and distribution, visitor publications and online services. The companies main business is newspapers, they own the largest daily newspaper in the CSRA by far and have consolidated well with an online transition. I heard from an Augusta businessman that the company was in dire circumstances in 2007-08 and had to desperately get financing to stay afloat. The cheapening of interest rates by the Federal Reserve and the US government was taken advantage of. The debt was used in the right areas and the company slimmed down to reflect the "snap" in industry standards. The debt was paid off and now the company is one of the few newspaper holders that seems to have made the step into the high margins of online advertising. They are transitioning right now and their content is adjusting appropriately, and the advertising of Augusta is slowly moving to there website. The digital screen you may be reading this report on represents the new market billboards of the past 5000 years. The move is a bumpy one and has tore many newspapers apart. The Augusta Chronicle is the Souths oldest newspaper, established in 1785. This is one more chapter in its history as the premier paper of our city and its population. 

Morris owns the following newspapers

• Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Georgia 
• Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville
• Topeka Capital-Journal in Topeka, Kansas
• Amarillo Globe-News in Amarillo, Texas
• Lubbock Avalanche-Journal in Lubbock, Texas
• Athens Banner-Herald in Athens, Georgia
• Savannah Morning News in Savannah, Georgia
• Bluffton Today in Bluffton, South Carolina
•  The People-Sentinel in Barnwell, South Carolina

(From books about a trip out of radical Islam to outdoor cooking to a woman's path to became a Maasai warrior. Morris Communication publishes and distributes a wide variety of genres)

(One of the favorite magazines that are published locally, the Augusta Magazine is a lot like this report in going in depth on more issues about the economy of Augusta and provides very high quality reporting of the Augusta area. It is crucial, from my view, to read this to stay in the know for the Economy of Augusta. This is a favorite and one of the only publications that seems to find its way into the hands of the Masters tournament tourists. To draw these tourists eyes to issues in Augusta is some of the best advertising we get as a city. This is Augusta's publication for the world to see and is probably the first step that many find out about our city, beyond the usual connotations)

CSRA Customer Service Centers

• SITEL, Augusta , 900 employees
• Automatic Data Processing, Augusta, 624 employees
• T-Mobile, Augusta, 500 employees
• UPS Customhouse, Aiken, 497 employees
• Knology, Augusta, 329 employees
• Teleperformance, Augusta, 320 employees
• Electrolux Home Products, Augusta, 311 employees
• Medac, Incorporated, Augusta, 300 employees
• Palmetto GBA , Augusta 291, employees
• SCANA Energy, Aiken, employees 265
• AT&T Customer Service, Augusta, 230 employees
• Delta Air Lines, Augusta, 205 employees
• Sears Commercial, Augusta, 200 employees
• Comcast, Augusta, 150 employees
• Convergent ER Solutions, Augusta, 150  employees
• Security Federal, Aiken, 43 employees
• AT&T Georgia Relay Services, Augusta, 30 employees
• Greenfield Industries, Evans, 15 employees