Chris Clark, President & CEO, Georgia Chamber of Commerce

Chris Clark, president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, talked to Invest: about the many ways in which the chamber is leveraging partnerships with government officials and companies both local and international in order to establish plans for long-term growth for the state of Georgia that will continue to actualize for decades to come.

What has been keeping the Georgia Chamber busy over the past year?

Over the past year, we have launched a new strategic plan called Georgia 2050, which is an economic initiative to review every sector of the economy in order to ensure success 25 years from now. This involves determining the necessary connections as well as building out policies and strategies today. It is imperative to make sure we have the right policies in place to ensure positive change over time. Our entire team has been working on the plan up until it was unveiled in January 2025.

How has Georgia’s business climate evolved over the past 12 months?

We are reviewing the pillars of our economy that will need to be focused on, and through analyzing these pillars, the individual sectors can grow. We are transitioning from a traditionally agricultural economy into one that is led by innovation. To do that, there are five pillars — infrastructure and energy production, regional community strength, workforce with the right skill sets for the future, economic competitiveness and development, and innovation and entrepreneurship. It is important to determine what technological disruption looks like and how we can capitalize on it over the long term, while spurring on the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Georgia’s economy is very diversified in terms of individual sectors — much more so now than even 15 years ago. We have healthcare, technology, advanced manufacturing, aircraft, and logistics, to name only a few, and we believe that you don’t pick winners and losers among industries — we work on the five pillars, and all of those sectors can grow successfully.

With workforce development remaining a top priority, what new initiatives has the chamber launched to bridge labor gaps across key industries?

The biggest is in one of our growth industries: cleantech. We currently have an initiative with J.P. Morgan-Chase to build cleantech pathways for high-school students to know which degrees they need in order to be successful in this industry. 

A second pathway through this endeavor involves bringing disconnected workers, like those who are disabled, have been incarcerated, or are unemployed back into cleantech jobs. This sector has grown around 23% in Georgia over recent years, paying $107,000 on average, and we expect this sector to double or triple in size in the next 20 years.

Can you share updates on the Center for Workforce and Talent Preparedness? How has it progressed in aligning education and industry needs?

We work with the State Department of Education to become more aligned with where today’s jobs are. A bill recently passed allows individual regions and communities to update their critical job skill needs, instead of having a general, statewide list of skills. For example, what Savannah needs may be different than what Atlanta needs. This offers more flexibility, and there are two bills being voted on that will further improve the abilities of our students to obtain the pathways they want and earn the skills and credentials they need.

What are some of the biggest workforce challenges Georgia businesses face today, and what solutions is the chamber advocating for?

There have been massive changes in terms of employability skills, and we will see this continue for decades to come. Previously, traits such as adaptability, communication, punctuality, and basic computer skills were all that was needed. Tomorrow’s workforce will need more skills, stronger credentials, and the ethical grounding to move through an AI workplace. Preparing students for that future is critical and a priority in Georgia. We are trying to help our colleges match skills and close the gap, as well as encouraging high schools to find ways to get more kids the skills they need outside of what is learned in the classroom. To that end, we have an affiliate partner called Flex, which is an entrepreneurial training program for high-school students to become paired with a mentor to start their own business. They then attend Shark Tank competitions at local and state levels to compete for funds to maintain and grow those businesses. Various schools are opening pop-up shops to sell their goods and products downtown. The goal is to provide kids with real-world experience, so that when they graduate with their degrees, they are prepared for the workforce.

How are public-private partnerships shaping Georgia’s future economy, particularly in areas like logistics, technology, and sustainability?

We think about partnerships broadly. Hyundai’s chairman recently took the stage and made the point that their partnership with the state and other businesses exists because 20 years ago, Gov. Sonny Purdue signed an agreement to bring Kia to Georgia. We look at partnerships from a long-term perspective. For example, partnerships with Georgia Tech, Emory, and the CDC are integral. We call this interconnectivity of corporate citizenship, servant leadership, and Georgia companies helping each other grow “the Georgia Way.” It’s in our DNA to work together. The Port of Savannah is the fastest growing port on the East Coast and the third-largest in the country. When the deepening of this port began a decade ago, it began as a partnership with the governor, the mayor of Savannah and the ports and the mayor of Atlanta, because they recognized that the port was the gateway for the logistics industry that impacts the entire state.

What were the key legislative wins for the Georgia Chamber in 2025, and what priorities are you championing for the upcoming session?

The most important effort we worked on in 2025 was trying to improve the civil justice system to lessen frivolous lawsuits in order to bring insurers back into the state and to reduce nuclear verdicts that are hurting Georgia businesses. We are trying to level the playing field with other states that have used our justice system against us in recruitment and retention of projects. The general assembly has now passed two out of five bills to address these big issues. Businesses can go anywhere in the world, and they want a fair and balanced judicial system.

What economic trends and potential challenges do you anticipate shaping Georgia’s business landscape over the next five to 10 years?

Global political instability is a challenge we will continue to navigate. We are a fully integrated global state, and we have more consulates general outside of any other location except New York and Washington, D.C. because so many companies do business here. Making sure we have fair and free trade with open markets, utilization of our ports and airports will be critical.

Technology disruption will also be a major aspect of the future as we try to ensure businesses have the necessary tools to address what is going to be the most disruptive economic period in our history over the next five years. With the advent of AI, many jobs will be lost, though many will also be created. A critical priority will be AI-proofing businesses and staying ahead of technological trends.

What message do you have for businesses looking to invest or expand in Georgia in the coming years?

Georgia remains open for business. Companies from around the world come here — from headquarters to manufacturing, education, healthcare, innovators, creators, and film industry. We want every one of those sectors here and want a fully diversified economy. Our state works around the clock to make that a reality through ensuring we are a good partner and here to meet the needs of those companies.