About Sandy Springs reporter. (Sandy Springs, GA) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (March 22, 2013)
PERIMETER BUSINESS Domestic Comfort flit mSEmlt 1 it!!ikt?rit! ” ■ * Si ! :|m (MOM UM| Bli'ifIBKffl.lJ.W. 1 iHHiw '/aia>|||iKliiii1ljEwip Made-to-Order Upholstery 1579 Monroe Drive NE • Ansley II Shopping Center • Atlanta, GA 30324 • 404-872-2500 Hours: Monday,Tuesday, Friday, Saturday 10:30 AM-5:30 PM • Sunday 1-5 PM • Closed Wednesdays & Thursdays WISDOM TEETH EXTRACTIONS m * IMPLANTS Present this ad for a free consult and x-ray ~ Valid until 6.3.13 Services: Teeth Extractions Dental Implants General Anesthesia Jaw Reconstructive Surgery Hours: M, Tu, Th: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Wed: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Fri: 8:00 am to Noon Office: 770-393-8500 Lee “Mac” Whitesides DMD, MMSc. Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon 4700 Chamblee-Dunwoody Rd. Suite 400, Dunwoody, GA 30338 www.northsideoralsurgery.net High-tech businesses mean billions of dollars in Georgia Joe Earle At the Perimeter Business Alliance’s March meeting, held at Cox Enterprises headquarters, (from left) Gerard White of Clearwave Corp., David A Spotts ofAutoTrader.com, Tino Mantella of Technology Association of Georgia and David Dabbiere of AirWatch discuss the explosive growth in high-tech industries. By Joe Earle Technology busi nesses have great er economic impact on the state of Geor gia them does Atlan ta's airport, the head of the Technology Association of Geor gia told a group of Perimeter business and government leaders on March 15. "We're no lon ger just peaches, pecans, pine trees, poultry and peanuts," TAG President and Chief Executive Tino Mantella told the 100-plus people attending a luncheon sponsored by the Perimeter Business Alliance. Mantella said technology busi nesses account for about 17 percent of Georgia's gross domestic prod uct, with an economic impact on the state of about $113.1 billion a year. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Interna tional Airport, considered a major driver of the metro area's economy, produces about $68 billion in eco nomic impact, he said. Mantella took part in a panel that included representatives of sever al high-tech companies with oper ations in the Perimeter area. Oth er panelists were: David Dabbiere, chief operating officer of AirWatch, a mobile device security and man agement software company; David A. Spotts, director of facilities and corporate services for AutoTrader. com; and Gerard White, chief exec utive officer of Clearwave Corp., a health care technology company. Panelists said they found metro Atlanta and the Perimeter area to be attractive places for high-tech com panies and their employees. "We think there's no better place than Atlanta right now to build a technology company," Dabbiere said. High-tech companies bring to Georgia employees who are young and well paid, the panelists said. According to Mantella, the aver age salary is about $81,000, twice the average for other jobs. Some local high-tech companies report explosive growth. AirWatch recently announced it was adding hundreds of jobs at its Sandy Springs headquarters. Dab biere said AirWatch has been add ing about 80 employees a month. White said his company wants to attract "the best and brightest" em ployees from across the country. "We are recognized for being a great city to live in," White said. "And the other thing is, when they get here, they rarely leave." One problem high-tech firms face in Georgia, Mantella said, is a lack of venture capital companies with roots in the state. "There's a real need for venture funding in this area," he said. "There are only a handful of venture fund ing [companies]." Georgia companies, he said, col lect only about 1 percent of the venture capital invested in a typi cal year, compared with California, which collects about 52 percent. "We're not getting our fair share of the dollars," he said. Prized car Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead owner Gregory Baranco, center left, received a 1959 Chevy Impala from his wife, Juanita, co owner of the dealership, for his 65th birthday. The model was nearly identical to his first car. 12 | MARCH22—APRIL4,2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
