Did you know that 51% of all restaurants in metro Atlanta’s Gwinnett County are international? The county is a culinary hotspot for foodies seeking everything from Korean barbeque to Indian street food.
The qualities that have produced this vibrant food scene – ethnic diversity, strong population growth, a pro-business climate – also have contributed to Gwinnett County’s emergence as one of metro Atlanta’s most important business hubs.
As the chair of the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID) board of directors, Ackerman & Co.’s Leo Wiener has first-hand experience working on a variety of initiatives aimed at boosting Gwinnett’s ability to attract business. He’s been pleased to witness Gwinnett’s ongoing economic growth – in particular, the county’s success recruiting company headquarters.
Leo, who is President of Ackerman Retail, is featured in a GeorgiaTrend magazine article focused on this very subject. The steady flow of HQ relocations to Gwinnett County in recent years has certainly been impressive and the article notes that this trend shows no sign of abating.
One of the biggest HQ announcements in the past year was Boehringer Ingelheim’s decision to move its North American animal health pharmaceutical headquarters from St. Joseph, Mo., to Duluth.
“Having a multi-billion dollar international company such as Boehringer Ingelheim locate their U.S. headquarters in Gwinnett, and specifically within the Gwinnett Place CID, demonstrates that the area’s strategic location, its strong infrastructure and talent assets are clear benefits to business enterprises as they consider site selection,” Leo told the magazine.
AmerisourceBergen, Level 3 Communications, Crawford & Company, M&I Materials, Trenton Systems and Shuma Sports also have picked Gwinnett for HQ locations.
With major infrastructure improvements planned to accommodate additional economic development and mixed-use projects under way (including a redevelopment of Infinite Energy Center) that will enhance the county’s urban amenities, Gwinnett is clearly primed for more population growth and economic prosperity. As the GeorgiaTrend article summed up, these sorts of projects are “just the thing to attract employees needed to keep the jobs engine humming across this bigger-is-better county.”