Jessica Walden, President & CEO, Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce

Just less than two hours south of Atlanta, Macon is positioning itself as the next go-to destination to live, work and thrive in the state of Georgia. The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce has been instrumental in advocating the needs of the region and facilitating resources for the local business community. “One of the things we do best is connection, we are the convener and the connector for businesses,” Jessica Walden, chamber president and CEO, told Focus:.

What are some recent highlights or achievements for the chamber?

The Greater Macon Chamber exists as part of Macon’s collaborative effort to boost economic vitality and create the best place to do business. The highlight is the opportunity to work in a collaborative effort that is making significant progress in Macon.

One of the most exciting indicators of Macon’s momentum is the transformation of the old mall site into a state-of-the-art amphitheater, turning an underused, dying property into a vibrant concert venue that can seat up to 12,000. Downtown Macon is also alive with energy and investment. Last year, we had over $1 billion in industry investment. This isn’t the work of the Chamber, but it’s the spirit of collaboration driving this growth that is one of the biggest wins of the year.

In what ways is the chamber assisting the local business community?

One of our greatest strengths as a Chamber is our ability to connect people. We serve as the convener — bringing businesses, leaders, and resources to the same table — and the connector, making sure those relationships turn into real opportunities for growth.

Our advocacy efforts extend beyond business. We’re helping shape Georgia’s future with the Ocmulgee National Park designation, a project nearly a century in the making, that will spur astronomical economic growth. Our ‘Choose Macon’ and ‘Greater Career Works’ initiatives are built to harness this momentum, connecting people to place and careers that will attract and retain residents and contributors to our workforce.

What makes Macon uniquely positioned for continued growth?

Macon’s central location is one of our biggest strategic assets. We sit at the intersection of the state — in order to get to the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta or the largest seaport in Savannah, you’ve got to come through Macon. But what also has us positioned is our track record of success and readiness to make it happen.

What challenges are most businesses facing?

Workforce remains the biggest challenge for our employers, finding those ready to work and who are matched for the business. Our chamber meeting is head-on with our robust career and pathways digital platform, Greater Career Works, which is used in our school system and available to job-seekers at no cost to the user or the employer.

What industries have seen the biggest growth in the region?

We have two major healthcare systems in the region, and healthcare continues to be a dominant and important industry sector. There is also health education and the innovation that comes with it. Mercer Medicine just announced plans for its new medical school, located at the gateway of our downtown. Additionally, we are a defense community. Our region is home to Robins Air Force Base, which is one of the largest employers in the state of Georgia. It is a military installation specifically working on defense and on the cutting edge of technology. This is why STEM initiatives are important in the region, which help meet the local workforce demands as employers’ needs will continue to change rapidly in the coming years.

Macon remains an education hub, from pre-K to Ph.D. From Mercer’s engineering, law, and medical schools to Central Georgia Technical College’s skills training, we’re producing talent across the spectrum.

What are the chamber’s top priorities in the near future?

Our future priorities are all about people. With increased tourism and visibility, we want to convert visitors into residents and make sure our infrastructure, businesses, and experiences are ready to support that growth.