As the Georgia Chamber of Commerce enters a new year, one theme is on its mind – how to make sure Georgia maintains its standing (10 years running) as the best state for business.
In 2024, the business leader at the helm of that task is Pedro Cherry, president and CEO of Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas (subsidiaries of the Southern Co.). Cherry succeeds Neil Pruitt Jr., chairman and CEO of PruittHealth, as Georgia Chamber’s chair.
The transition of leadership is occurring at the Chamber’s annual Eggs & Issues breakfast on Jan. 10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the first time the sold-out event is taking place at that location. Featured speakers will be Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, House Speaker Jon Burns and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
“The Georgia Chamber’s priorities and Southern Co. and Atlanta Gas Light are the same — to make sure Georgia remains the No. 1 place to do business,” Cherry said in a recent interview. “We want to make sure prosperity is there for everybody.”
Southern Co.’s motto is to be a citizen wherever it serves. Cherry said the priorities of the Georgia Chamber are perfectly aligned with the Southern Co.
“It’s a natural partnership,” Cherry said. “We are successful only if the communities we serve are successful. We are making Georgia a great place to live and continuing to make sure Georgia remains the best place to do business. I think this Chamber is the greatest Chamber in America.”
In order to help Georgia maintain its standing, the Chamber is focused on three areas — talent and workforce development, infrastructure for the future and competitiveness.
“We are about to roll out the next generation of workforce training for the jobs of the future,” Cherry said. “We need everybody to be successful and prosperous.”
Chris Clark, who has been president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber since 2010, said the organization has unveiled its “New Georgia Economy” report titled “The War for Talent.” The goal is to try to train Georgia’s students and workforce for the jobs in highest demand.
None is greater than the healthcare space, an area Pruitt knows well. He became CEO of PruittHeath in 2002 when he was only 27. His father, the founder of the company, died in a car accident in 2003.
“We currently have more than 40,000 openings in healthcare in the state, and that’s projected to grow to 100,000 openings by 2030,” Pruitt said in an interview. “Here at PruittHealth, we have 3,000 open positions and 13,000 employees. We should have 16,000.”
For Pruitt, who also serves on the Georgia Board of Regents, believes the only way to solve the issue of workforce training is through public-private partnerships, and he believes the Georgia Chamber plays a pivotal role in building those relationships.
The Georgia Chamber has partnerships with most of the local Chambers of commerce across the state. People who join local Chambers affiliated with the Georgia Chamber become members of the statewide organization.
“It is a record year for membership — we have over 50,000 members,” Clark said, adding that the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Atlanta Black Chambers also are affiliate members. The Georgia Chamber, which has an office in Tifton and one in Brunswick as of 2023, also offers insurance plans to members (as well as 401K plans). “We now insure 50,000 lives in Georgia.”
The Georgia Chamber also is announcing that Ed Elkins, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Norfolk Southern Corp., is becoming vice chair, which means he will lead the organization in 2025. Norfolk Southern is one of Georgia’s newest Fortune 500 companies.
In addition to Cherry, Pruitt and Elkins, the other members of the executive committee include Stuart Countess, president and CEO of KIA Georgia (who will chair the Georgia Chamber in 2026); Kevin Perry, president and CEO of the Georgia Beverage Association; Stephanie Kindregan, vice president of external affairs for the UnitedHealth Group; Dan Krause, senior vice president of State Farm Insurance; Leonte Benton, president of T. Dallas Smith & Co.; and Scott Steiner, president and CEO of Phoebe Putney Health System.
Given that it’s an election year, the 2024 legislative session could be especially important. The new redistricting maps have just been approved, which could change the make-up of the legislature and a few congressional seats as well as the Public Service Commission.
Several issues will be front and center this year, given the election. They include Medicaid expansion and tax incentives for major industries like film as well as encoraging electric vehicles. The Georgia Chamber also will be looking at tort reform measures, initiatives to increase affordable housing as well as workforce development programs.
When asked about Medicaid expansion, Pruitt was careful in his response.
“Speaking for myself and not the Georgia Chamber, I hope there’s a thoughtful approach to Medicaid expansion,” Pruitt said. “I think there are creative ideas on both sides of the aisle on how to expand Medicaid. We just need to figure out how to compromise.”
Pruitt also is a strong supporter of tax incentives, which are under scrutiny by some members of the legislature.
“Our tax incentives have really brought jobs to Georgia — film industry, electric vehicles,” Pruitt said. “We are creating jobs. I believe that’s why we have such a huge surplus.”
Clark also voiced support for tax incentives, which he believes will survive the session.
“Now is not the time for wholesale change,” Clark said about incentives. “It’s a high priority, but it’s not a big worry.”
Clark also welcomed the strengthening of the relationship between the City of Atlanta, the Atlanta region and Georgia leaders. That’s apparent with the invitation to have Mayor Dickens speak at Eggs & Issues, which he has done every year since he took office in 2022.
“Andre has been fantastic,” Clark said. “It’s a very broad relationship. We have a mayor of Atlanta who cares about the whole state. He understands that Atlanta is successful when Georgia is successful, and that Georgia is successful when Atlanta is successful.”
Another major issue — championed by Cherry — is equity and economic opportunity.
Cherry, 52, was born and raised in Windsor in Bertie County, the poorest of the 100 counties in North Carolina.
“I grew up with a very humble background,” Cherry said. “I was the youngest of five. Neither of my parents went to college, but all my siblings went to college. We were a close-knit family living in a close-knit community. We had love but not a lot of material things. My mom cleaned houses for a living. My father cut trees for a living.”
Cherry, a high school athlete, ended up playing football and running track for Auburn University. Upon graduation, Cherry joined the Southern Co. in 1997 and moved to Atlanta. As his career evolved with Southern and its subsidiaries, Cherry became more involved with the Georgia Chamber.
“I’ve been involved with the Chamber for as long as I can remember,” said Cherry, who has been part of the executive committee for the last several years.
But Cherry has not forgotten his roots and how he was able to transform his life from poverty to the C suite thanks to education and opportunity.
“That’s why I’m passionate about helping others,” Cherry said. “Not everybody gets chances. Everybody needs to have equal opportunity to achieve.”
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