Why Do Business in Columbus?

Chamber CEO breaks down the reasons why this West Georgia city is the ideal place for business.

By Kevin Litwin on January 22, 2024

Jeff Adkins

Jerald Mitchell has been involved in the business world and economic development for several years, and today he serves as president and CEO of the Greater Columbus Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

Mitchell chats with Livability about recruiting more business to Columbus, a city that isn’t as well-known as it should be, even though its nearly 203,000 residents make Columbus the second-largest city in Georgia.

What target industries would you say Columbus is primed for?
We are fortunate to already have a diverse economy, with many companies that have paid dividends for our community and surrounding areas for many years. One industry that we are well positioned to strengthen is defense, with Fort Moore being a huge economic driver in the Columbus region. Besides active personnel, thousands of military members from Fort Moore transition to the civilian workforce annually, and most remain in the Columbus region.

Is there a specific emerging defense industry sector you want Columbus to pursue?
Yes, robotics. The commander at Fort Moore [Major General Curtis A. Buzzard] has been named the U.S. Army proponent for robotics, which means that all Army curriculums and decisions regarding robots will be made here at Fort Moore in Columbus. This will involve all sorts of military research and development, and already in place within our city are robotics programs in the K-12 Muscogee County Public Schools and at Columbus Technical College and Columbus State University.

Any other target industries that are ideal for Columbus?
Columbus has been traditionally strong in the aerospace sector, led by McCauley Propeller Systems, as well as Pratt & Whitney, whose recent expansion resulted in $206 million in private investment and 400 good-paying jobs. Another thriving sector in Columbus is fintech (financial technology), thanks to the presence of long-time successful companies like Aflac, TSYS and Synovus.

Columbus has a history of fostering innovation – from startup companies to big-name brands like Coca-Cola, Aflac, Synovus and TSYS. What is keeping the spirit of innovation alive today?
There is something special about Columbus that caused these giants not only to start here, but survive and thrive. This is a place with an innovative culture and spirit, and Columbus is a community not afraid to take chances. A recent innovation success story is Mercer University School of Medicine, which has established a Columbus campus to educate 240 doctor of medicine students at a time. The School of Medicine’s presence will attract more research and development opportunities to Columbus, and additional companies will want to support what the campus is all about.

What value propositions do you think Columbus offers for businesses looking to relocate or grow their presence?
Our city has good available land assets, including Muscogee Technology Park that has fiber-ready infrastructure and several sites ready for vertical development. A good location and speed-to-market is the name of the game for companies these days, and Columbus is consistently upgrading our airport, rail and road infrastructure.

In your experience, is there anything new businesses are surprised about when they set up shop in Columbus?
Perhaps new businesses haven’t heard too much about Columbus, which is something we are working on with projects like this Livability magazine. Some new businesses think we’re smaller than we actually are and have less amenities to support a vibrant lifestyle, but that’s just not true. Once people come to Columbus, they are surprised at the vitality, affordability, the success of our four-year institution and how big an economic driver Fort Moore is to our community.

Columbus is home to many major companies that have been in the area for over 100 years. What do you think keeps them here?
Our local government and chamber provide great support for companies and their growth, and there is a stable workforce here. We also have an ideal Southeast location that offers convenient access to other markets and customers. In addition, a good quality of life is available to company employees, with Columbus home to 50 parks, arts and culture, recreation centers, senior centers and a large Peachtree Mall.

What are examples of ways that Columbus is working to attract a strong workforce?
Columbus State University and Columbus Technical College are excellent schools that have great relationships with local companies looking to hire top talent. Also, the Greater Columbus region draws from a large labor market pool of 250,000 people from 20 surrounding counties in both Georgia and Alabama.