Writer: Staff Reports
Published August 7, 2021
Johnson City Press
Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, held the official launch of the Electric Mobility and Innovation Alliance, announcing chairs for each of the alliance’s five committees.
Hosted at the Governor’s Mansion, the launch included partners from the private and public sectors who will work on five committees to develop a multistep approach that sets state objectives for supply chain, infrastructure, work force, innovation, and policy/initiatives.
“While Georgia is already supporting the development and diverse assets of the electric mobility industry, the Georgia Electric Mobility and Innovation Alliance’s recommendations will help us continue to make strategic decisions that align with industry needs,” Kemp said. “In a competitive environment, maintaining business-friendly policies will help make sure that Georgians have the greatest opportunities for the jobs of the future.”
The following leaders will chair the five committees: Stuart Countess, COO of Kia Georgia, will chair the Supply Chain committee; Jannine Miller, director of planning for the Georgia Department of Transportation, will chair the Infrastructure committee; Randall “Randy” Hatcher, president of MAU Workforce Solutions, will chair the Workforce committee; State Representative Bruce Williamson will chair the Policy and Initiatives committee; and Cynthia Curry, director of Smart Cities Ecosystem Expansion at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, will chair the Innovation committee.
The Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia will host EMIA’s future committee meetings and integrated research forums. Leaders from the institute were introduced at the launch.
“We are incredibly excited to have this diverse group of experts leading EMIA and supporting the growth of electric mobility in Georgia,” Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said. “The alliance announcement is already garnering attention in the mobility industry, and I want to again thank these partners whose knowledge, experience and ideas will help position Georgia to further develop this ecosystem.”
Kemp announced the formation of the Electric Mobility and Innovation Alliance in July. Building on existing assets, EMIA will offer policy recommendations intended to further enhance the state’s attractiveness to the electric mobility industry and foster innovation in related fields, including drones, autonomous vehicles, connected vehicles, battery technology, and more. In conjunction with the initiative, GDEcD has launched new website assets at georgia.org/mobility.
