The economy of the South has undergone a dramatic shift in the past two decades, away from traditional industries such as textiles and tobacco production. Service-oriented jobs, such as those offered by the tourism industry, and more highly skilled technology jobs now lead the way to economic development in the region. These trends are reflected in many of the initiatives being implemented in states throughout the South.
Our governors continue to implement and manage economic development initiatives that aim to reduce poverty, increase educational readiness, encourage workforce development and create strong economies that rely on competitive market conditions, all the while meeting community needs and developing and maintaining critical infrastructure, such as transportation and technology, which are central to the vitality of the region.
At the federal level, SGA is working to support our governors’ consensus priorities in the following areas:
Regionally, SGA is facilitating projects aimed at “on-the-ground” results in the following areas:
In addition, SGA keeps abreast of Regional Economic Trends to assist member governors analyze and explore economic research gathered by the Federal Reserve System's regional banks.