“Today’s Economy and FDIC Insurance” Seminar at Clayton State University -- Fayette

Heritage Bank, in partnership with Clayton State University, will be presenting a seminar with information on today’s economy and protecting your deposits with FDIC Insurance. There is a tremendous amount of news and interest in the state of today’s financial industry. There is concern for the stability of our banks and their customer’s deposits.

Heritage Bank has arranged for Dr. Nikki Finlay and Dr. Reza Kheirandish, professors of Economics from Clayton State, to present their views on the status of today’s economy. Penny King and Thomas Stokes, experts in the Atlanta FDIC office, will present valuable information on the importance of FDIC insurance. Time will be provided to answer questions. The seminar is free of charge and will be conducted in Fayette County on Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Clayton State University -- Fayette, 1200 Commerce Dr., Ste. 210, Peachtree City. Please RSVP to Barbara Stevens @ Heritage Bank (770) 515-7001.

Heritage Bank is a member of FDIC, The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Heritage Bank, a state chartered commercial bank, has been serving metro Atlanta’s Southern Crescent since 1955. The independent community bank has seven full service offices, features a well-rounded offering of commercial and consumer products, and is an active, involved member of the community it serves. The company’s stock is traded on The Nasdaq Small Cap Market under the symbol “CCFH.” For more information, please call (770) 478-8881 or visit the Heritage Bank website at www.heritagebank.com.

A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.

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Youth University’s Second Session Starts July 7

Clayton State University’s Division of Continuing Education’s popular Youth University’s second, three-week session for 2008 is set to kick off on Monday, July 7 at Clayton State’s newly-renovated location on Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro.

To prepare and inform parents, a Youth University Open House will be held on Tuesday, July 1, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., also at the Jonesboro location, 9157 Tara Blvd.

An exciting alternative to traditional summer day camp, Youth University’s hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with extended morning and evening care available at an additional fee. The second session for 2008 will run from July 7 to July 25 and will be staffed by qualified teachers and counselors with backgrounds in education, recreation, writing, the arts and athletics. The registration fee is $399.

This year’s Youth University offers new theme-based curricula covering the traditional academic components of Language Arts, Science, Social Studies and Math, with a creative bonus in music and dance, drama, and art design. These innovative programs offer students ages seven to 11 a unique learning experience designed to challenge them both academically and creatively to broaden their knowledge of different cultures and experiences.

In Session Two, students will be introduced to pioneers, explorers, Native Americans, and a host of historical figures as they study the great American West. The camp’s comprehensive academic curriculum will cover U.S. Geography, Spanish and French discovery and settling of the American West, the Gold Rush, Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett and other historical pioneers. The end-of-session theatrical production will be of the Wild, Wild West.

For more information, or to register for Youth University, call (678) 466-5050 or go to http://conted.clayton.edu.

Clayton State’s Staff Appreciation a Double Success

The Clayton State University Staff Council expanded the annual Staff Appreciation Day to two days of fun for 2008.

“Both days were filled with laughter and inspiration. We had a very successful turnout for each event,” says Bob Ward, Staff Council chair.

Motivational speaker Mike Robbins spoke with staff on Tuesday, June 3 in Spivey Hall. A left-handed pitcher in the Kansas City Royals’ minor league system from 1995 to 1997, Robbins has been a motivational speaker, author and coach since an injury ended his playing career at age 24.

He spoke passionately with hints of humor on reminding everyone to appreciate the now, to take time appreciate co-workers, family, friends and, most importantly, themselves.

He encouraged everyone to start with these three simple steps: 1) create a daily practice to appreciate yourself; 2) when gathering as family, friends, or co-workers take time to say what you appreciate; and 3) start receiving complements more successfully by just saying thank you sincerely.

On Wednesday, June 4, the staff had a laughter-filled afternoon with a carnival. The staff was treated to games, prizes and lunch. Plenty of sweets including cotton candy, funnel cakes and snow cones fueled the afternoon festivities.

“It’s important that we are all reminded that we are worth the effort for these events; that everyone is worth being shown appreciation,” says Ward.

Clayton State SBDC Schedules Entrepreneur Success Series in Henry County

The Clayton State University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be holding its Entrepreneur Success Series (ESS) in Henry County this summer.

A series of seven classes focusing on the needs of aspiring entrepreneurs and owners of new businesses, ESS will be held at the Henry County Chamber of Commerce, 1709 Highway 20 West, McDonough, Ga., with all sessions running from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on seven successive Wednesday evenings.

The sessions include: Starting a Business (July 30); Marketing Your Small Business (Aug. 6); Setting Up Records (Aug. 13); Small Business Legal Issues (Aug. 20); Tax Tips for the Small Business (Aug. 27); Writing an Effective Business Plan (Sept. 3); and Financing the Business (Sept. 10).

“Planning and knowledge provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace, and this popular series of programs has helped launch hundreds of new businesses,” notes SBDC Business Consultant Donna Kelsick. “This seven-part series includes valuable recommendations, research ideas, and an overview of the important areas of business operation from a practical perspective.”

A certificate of completion is awarded after attending all seven classes. Classes may be taken separately (at a cost of $69 per session) for specific information needs, or individuals can take the complete series for the discounted price of $349.

For more information, or to register on line for the ESS, go to www.business.clayton.edu/sbdc or call (678) 466-5100.

Economic Impact of University System Reaches $11 Billion

An updated report offers confirmation that Georgia’s public university system continues to be one of the state’s key economic engines. Together, the 35 institutions of the University System of Georgia (USG) packed an economic impact totaling $11 billion on the state’s economy during Fiscal Year 2007.

The Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP), an initiative of the Board of Regents' Office of Economic Development, commissioned the Selig Center for Economic Growth in the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business to analyze data collected between July 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007, to calculate the University System’s FY2007 economic impact. This work updates a similar study conducted on FY2004 data that placed the University System’s economic impact at $9.7 billion. The first such study calculated the USG’s impact at $7.7 billion in FY1999.

In addition to the $11 billion in total impact generated by the University System in FY2007, the study determined that Georgia’s public higher education system is responsible for 106,267 full- and part-time jobs – 2.6 percent of all the jobs in the state or about one job in 39. Approximately 42 percent of these positions are on-campus jobs and 58 percent are positions in the private or public sectors that exist because of the presence in the community of USG institutions.

Locally, Clayton State University has an economic impact on its region (the Southern Crescent) of 1,737 jobs. Initial spending in the Southern Crescent generated by the University for FY2007 was just under $120 million and the output impact of the University was just under $184 million.

“All 35 of the University system’s institutions are economic engines in their communities and the state,” said study author Dr. Jeffrey M. Humphreys, director of economic forecasting for the Selig Center. “The benefits they provide permeate both the private and public sectors of the communities that host the campuses. For each job created on a campus, there are 1.4 off-campus jobs that exist off-campus because of spending related to the college or university. These economic impacts demonstrate that continued emphasis on colleges and universities as a pillar of the state’s economy translates into jobs, higher incomes and greater production of goods and services for local households and businesses.”

Humphreys’ report quantifies the economic benefits that the University System of Georgia’s institutions convey to the communities in which they are located. He determined that $7.3 billion (66 percent) of the $11 billion in total economic impact was due to initial spending by USG institutions for salaries and fringe benefits, operating supplies and expenses, and other budgeted expenditures, as well as spending by the students who attended the institutions in FY2007. Re-spending – the multiplier effect of those dollars as they are spent again in the region – accounted for another $3.8 billion (34 percent). Researchers found that, on average, for every dollar of initial spending in a community by a University System institution, an additional 52 cents was generated for the local economy hosting a college or university.

The Selig Center’s research has its limitations – it neither quantifies the many long-term benefits that a higher-education institution imparts to its host community’s economic development nor does it measure intangible benefits, such as cultural opportunities, intellectual stimulation and volunteer work, to local residents. Spending by USG retirees who still live in the host communities and by visitors to USG institutions (such as those attending conferences or athletic events) is not measured, nor are additional sources of income for USG employees, such as consulting work, personal business activities and inheritances.

“Another important aspect of this study is that we have very detailed data across institutions that can be used for a wide range of planning purposes by the Board of Regents and other state and local agencies, as well as the private sector,” said Humphreys.

Seven institutions in the metro Atlanta area – Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Clayton State University, Kennesaw State University, Southern Polytechnic State University, Atlanta Metropolitan College and Georgia Perimeter College – accounted for almost $4.5 billion of the University System’s $11 billion total, and 40,700 jobs.

“This Economic Impact Report continues to be an invaluable study,” said Terry Durden, interim assistant vice chancellor of the University System’s Office of Economic Development. “It conclusively demonstrates that – beyond all the benefits colleges and universities offer communities through a more educated society, cultural opportunities and other activities – our campuses have an ongoing and powerful economic impact on communities large and small.”