Rich Johnson, Executive Director, North Fulton Economic Alliance
The North Fulton Economic Alliance was created to unite the six distinct cities of North Fulton to develop a regional brand and amplify their collective strengths in economic development, talent and workforce readiness, and quality of life across the country and globally. “What was really lacking was that cohesive voice for the region in its entirety,” Rich Johnson, NFEA Executive Director, told Focus:. “We created this to bring focus and alignment — one place where the region could intentionally build a unified and compelling brand.”
What were the conditions that prompted the formal launch of the North Fulton Economic Alliance?
It has been something that’s been in the works for a couple of years, with the chamber and chamber leadership identifying the need for North Fulton as a region, encompassing six cities, to come together and to work together. Each of these cities does such amazing things. They each have such unique qualities. They’re doing just fantastic concerning recruiting new companies, for businesses that are expanding, for opportunities for education and for workforce development. So many great things are going on in each of these communities. What was really lacking was that cohesive voice for the region in its entirety. We created this to bring focus and alignment — one place where the region could intentionally build a unified and compelling brand where we could highlight these cities and all the great things that they’re doing.
Each of our six cities brings distinct strengths, but together they create an opportunity-rich region that deserves national and global recognition as a place where businesses thrive.
It’s a great place to raise a family, and has some of the top-performing schools in the state. With so many assets right here in North Fulton, we knew we had to focus on creating that unique overarching brand, bringing everybody together, being that sounding board for the community, and then helping to pool the resources that each city has to tell our story.
What is the main goal of the organization?
In addition to branding and marketing North Fulton, we’re also focused on developing the region’s talent pipeline. North Fulton is one of the most highly educated regions in the country, but ensuring our companies have the workforce to succeed tomorrow is critical. The state has built powerful workforce resources through partners like the Technical College System of Georgia, the University System of Georgia, and local schools — our role is to bring those pieces together around employer demand. One of the things that we’ve seen early on is that a lot of companies don’t even know these programs exist, that these opportunities exist. Georgia offers a deep bench of workforce programs — our job is to connect employers to those resources in a streamlined, strategic way. We want to make sure that the businesses here understand that and know that.
What are some of the challenges that you see in the region today?
One challenge is the workforce. That’s just a reflection of how things like AI are impacting businesses and what that’s going to do down the road. We want to make sure that our folks are skilled and have the tools to meet the need. Right now, North Fulton has an amazing workforce. It’s highly educated. But if we stop here, I think you’re going to look a couple of years down the road and find yourself in a gap.
Just like many places in Atlanta, another big challenge is that infrastructure, transportation, and access to the region are obviously really important. Georgia 400 is the biggest corridor that runs right through the heart of North Fulton County. Through GDOT and others, there is work on the express lanes that are going to start here soon. Eventually, the MARTA rapid bus transit lanes will be coming through here. The 400 project is expected to be completed by 2031, which seems like a long time away. But if you wait until 2031 to start it, it’s even later. We need to invest now in the future of the region, invest now in the infrastructure of the region, because without it, I think you could find yourself crippled.
What are the main assets or differentiators that set the region apart?
When we look at North Fulton, it really is the intangibles. It is that each of our cities is so different and so distinct that there is something for everyone. That’s what makes North Fulton so great. It’s that ability to have something for everyone, and our ability to work together and make it as seamless as possible. When a new company is looking here or someone is trying to expand here, they know that they’re in North Fulton. They’re going to get leadership that is invested in their success and in the growth of their community.
It speaks volumes when somebody comes here and it’s not a painful process. It’s as streamlined as it can be.
We want to put our best foot forward and showcase what makes this place so great, and do it in a way that’s simple and easy for folks who want to move here. But I think when they get here, they’re going to find more than the right infrastructure and connectivity — they’ll find a high quality of life and a community they’d be proud to call home, where growth is just the beginning of their success.
How do you envision the Alliance evolving over the next five years?
We want to be a trusted partner at the end of the day.
We want to help build a brand that tells North Fulton’s story, about what makes this place so great, and that when people think about North Fulton, there’s a very clear image, a very clear brand that resonates with them.
I think that there’s really nothing but great things ahead for us. I’m looking forward to being a part of it and being the team that will help drive it forward.
