Deal touts Georgia ranking as No. 4 for business

State also received high marks from U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Gov. Nathan Deal this week announced that CNBC ranked Georgia as the fourth-best place for business in the cable business network’s annual listing of the top states for business released. The 2011 ranking is a six-place jump from the state’s previous 10th-place ranking.

“This 2011 fourth-best ranking is a significant accomplishment for our state and will undoubtedly go a long way in helping us to tell Georgia’s business story in our country and in strategic markets around the world,” Deal said. “We want businesses to know that Georgia is well equipped to help them compete and succeed. Business is a top priority in Georgia, and we are committed to making every effort to ensure we remain a top environment for business.”

The 2011 ranking represents the first time Georgia broke into the top five in four years. CNBC attributed Georgia’s success to its second-place infrastructure and transportation ranking and its fourth-place workforce ranking. States are scored in 10 categories and then ranked based on their overall score. CNBC also cited Georgia’s transportation and logistics system, including the world’s busiest airport, bustling ports and high-quality roads, as score boosters. The network also took note of the Georgia’s promising workforce, describing the labor pool as large and growing.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also released its Enterprising States report this week, which ranked Georgia first in entrepreneurial activity among other top-10 category rankings. The Chamber’s report recognizes state-level efforts to create jobs and encourage economic growth. The state’s most notable gain was its six-spot move to ninth for exports. This gain also earned Georgia a sixth-place ranking for growth in share of national exports. Georgia was also ranked in the top 10 for categories such as high school advanced placement intensity, business birth rate, job placement efficiency and higher education efficiency.

“These national recognitions help to validate the work we are doing to aggressively market Georgia as one of the best places nationwide for business,” said Chris Cummiskey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Beyond being regarded as the business capital of the Southeast, we want businesses here and abroad to know that we offer the most comprehensive and competitive resources in areas that are most important to the business community. Whether it is a small business or a major corporation, business is welcomed and supported in Georgia.”