Georgia’s Economic Outlook, with Dr. Jerry Parrish, Metro Atlanta Chamber (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 809)
In this episode of North Fulton Business Radio, John Ray hosts Dr. Jerry Parrish, Chief Economist at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, who discusses Georgia’s economic outlook. Dr. Parrish details recent trends, including Georgia’s impressive job growth post-COVID, innovations in tech, and significant projects reshaping the Metro Atlanta regions. Challenges he points to include the impact of Hurricane Helene, the Longshoremen’s strike affecting Georgia’s ports, and the lack of adequate workforce housing. Dr. Parrish explores the implications of political uncertainty on business investment as well as discussing the importance of fostering a positive business climate in Georgia.
Note: Subsequent to the recording of this episode, the longshoremen’s strike that began on October 3, 2024, was suspended and work resumed, following a tentative agreement reached between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is recorded and produced by the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
Dr. Jerry Parrish, Chief Economist, Metro Atlanta Chamber
Jerry D. Parrish, Ph.D., is the Chief Economist at the Metro Atlanta Chamber. Dr. Parrish was previously the Director of State and Local Policy Analysis at the Florida Institute of Government at Florida State University. Dr. Parrish was also on the faculty in the Masters of Applied Economics Program at Florida State University for twelve years.
Jerry was previously the Chief Economist and Director of Research for the Florida Chamber Foundation. Prior to that position, Dr. Parrish was the Chief Economist and Director of the Center for Competitive Florida at Florida TaxWatch. Prior to that position, he served as the Associate Director of the Center for Economic Forecasting & Analysis (CEFA) at Florida State University. He has many years of experience in the private sector in management roles at international manufacturing companies.
Jerry earned a B.S. in Agricultural Business and Economics from Auburn University, an M.B.A. from Bellarmine University, an M.S. in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Auburn University.
Metro Atlanta Chamber
The Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) is a privately funded 164-year-old organization representing businesses, colleges and universities, and nonprofits across the 29-county region that makes up the nation’s eighth-largest market.
MAC member companies represent 1+ million employees in the region. Our businesses invest in the work we do to attract and retain business, ensure a business-friendly climate through public policy and market the region as a place to live, work and play.
Website | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X (Twitter)
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Introduction and Welcome to North Fulton Business Radio
01:55 Guest Introduction: Dr. Jerry Parrish
03:39 Economic Overview of Georgia and Georgia’s Economic Outlook
06:26 Impact of Port Strike
10:36 Hurricane Helene’s Economic Impact
13:40 Interest Rates and Election Impact
19:21 Innovation and Tech in Georgia
22:18 New Leadership at Metro Atlanta Chamber
26:35 Closing Remarks and Additional Information
Renasant Bank supports North Fulton Business Radio
Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions, with over $17 billion in assets and more than 180 banking, lending, wealth management, and financial services offices throughout the region. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
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Renasant Bank supports the Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer
Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer (formerly It’s The Journey) is a registered 501c3 non-profit that strives to support Georgia’s breast cancer community by raising funds to support breast health and breast cancer programs throughout the state of Georgia.
GAABC’s mission is to engage with Georgia’s breast cancer community to increase access to care and reduce disparities in cancer outcomes.
Randi Passoff, a breast cancer survivor, founded GAABC in 2002. She created “the kinder and gentler breast cancer walk” based off the Avon 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk. Instead of a 3-day walk of 60 miles over 3 days and sleeping in a tent, the Georgia 2-Day Walk covers 30 miles over 2 days, and participants sleep in a hotel. Most importantly, what’s raised in Georgia stays in Georgia.
Renasant Bank is a major supporter of GAABC, both in corporately donated funds and employee donations and participation in the walk.
To learn more about GAABC and the 2-Day Walk, go to the GAABC Website.
About North Fulton Business Radio and host John Ray
With over 800 shows and having featured over 1,200 guests, North Fulton Business Radio is the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton area, covering business in our community like no one else. We are the undisputed “Voice of Business” in North Fulton!
The show welcomes a wide variety of business, non-profit, and community leaders to get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, their community, and their profession. There’s no discrimination based on company size, and there’s never any “pay to play.” North Fulton Business Radio supports and celebrates business by sharing positive business stories that traditional media ignore. Some media leans left. Some media leans right. We lean business.
John Ray is the host of North Fulton Business Radio. The show is recorded and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, and many others.
The studio address is 275 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009.
John Ray also operates his own business advisory practice. John’s services include advising solopreneurs and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.
John is the national bestselling author of The Generosity Mindset: A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.
