The Georgia Ports Authority campaign in support of Savannah/Harbor Expansion Project and recognition for Port’s stewardship for the environment launched over long-standing relationships with the GPA.  This reflects our ability to work with authority in creating broad awareness and understanding of the Georgia Ports Authority mission.

A.Brown-Olmstead Associates and Ecological Strategies assisted in a short-term campaign to position the Georgia Ports Authority for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). As the fourth busiest and geographically largest port in our country, the ability to expand over the next twenty years is important to our nation’s economic competitiveness.

The key to this effort was executing the Atlanta Savannah Harbor Business Forum to gain support and recognition for the Port’s significant contribution to the Atlanta economy, framing the need for expansion.

The event held the first week of December, was in partnership with the Metro Atlanta Chamber and its Supply Chain Council, the Georgia Department of Economic Development and its Center of Innovation for Logistics, GeorgiaForward, and the Regional Business Coalition, which represents twenty chambers within the Atlanta region.

Panelists and participants included Mayor Kasim Reed; Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority, Curtiz Foltz; CEO of Home Depot, Frank Blake; President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Chris Clark;  Vice Chairman of AJC International, Eric Joiner; Director of Forecasting Terry Business College, Jeff Humphries; Business Correspondent at WAGA and CEO of What’s Up Interactive, Richard Warner; Chairman of the Georgia Ports Authority Board, Alec Poitevint; Chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission, Tad Leithead; Director of Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development, Dr. Catherine Ross; and President of Metro Atlanta Chamber, Sam Williams.

We secured the Georgia World Congress Center, owned by the state pro-bono due to the importance of the deepening project to the state’s future.

What we did:

• Organized and facilitated planning meetings with partners.
• Created and managed invitation list
• Secured panelists and provided materials
• Created database for invitation lists from:
• Coordinated brainstorming session with team
• Prepared a Q & A document
• Created talking points, outlines, and suggested questions
• Developed format, process, and goals
• Secured location
• Handled all event planning and logistics (set up, etc.)
• Created and distributed invitations (hard copy and email)
• Assisted with media coverage as appropriate, set up, and interviews.
• Confirmed participants and attendees (as follow up is the key to success)
• Created video of testimonials to kickoff event
• Provided onsite event management.
• Provided on event and plan for appropriate next steps and follow
• Created invitation lists from the databases of almost two dozen agencies.