Georgia Gov. Deal to Help Launch Alpharetta Technology Commission

Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle will get Gov. Nathan Deal's help in launching the new Alpharetta Technology Commission on Aug. 20.

Belle Isle said during the July 10 City Council work session that all positions on the commission have been filled, except for one kept in reserve for Gwinnett Tech if that college locates its North Fulton campus in Alpharetta.

The Technology Commission will advise the city on economic development policies and how to retain and attract technology companies, Belle Isle said.

"We've always been a technology city, but now we get to say it. We've got over 900 technology companies," the Mayor said. "We need to celebrate it. We need to leverage that."

Belle Isle announced his plans for the Alpharetta Technology Commission shortly after taking office when he gave what is believe to be the city's first in February. He has repeatedly reminded the public that the city has more technology jobs per capita than any other city in the Southeast.

The group is the first organization of its kind in Georgia and is charged with identifying and pursuing key investment opportunities and policy decisions for Alpharetta’s technology companies and its burgeoning technology industry, according to a news release sent out by Assistant City Administrator James Drinkard today, July 13.

The Alpharetta Technology Commission (ATC) will be focused on six core areas:

1. Help lead and advise Alpharetta on the promotion of the City’s brand: “Technology City of the South”;
2. Help implement and attract workforce education opportunities for Alpharetta’s technology companies;
3. Help create an environment to facilitate and support technology company startups in Alpharetta;
4. Identify and explore key technology infrastructure solutions within Alpharetta;
5. Identify opportunities for research and development collaborations; and
6. Advise on the City’s economic development policies to retain and attract technology companies to Alpharetta.

The members fall under three categories:

• Legacy Corporations with at least 250 employees – Amdocs, Hewlett Packard, Infor, McKesson, Microsoft, Red Prairie, Siemens, ThyssenKrupp, Verint and Verizon.
• Emerging Corporations with 100 or fewer employees – Edge Solutions, Jackson Healthcare, Lancope, Pyramid Consulting and Priority Payment Systems.
• Strategic partners – Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center, Georgia Power, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, and the Technology Association of Georgia.