"The Northeast Region continues to be a major job and talent driver for Georgia. I'm excited to add my support to these dynamic communities."
- Andrew Carnes
Email: acarnes@southernco.com
Andrew serves as Georgia Power’s Regional Economic Development manager in the Northeast region. He supports local communities through leadership development, strategic planning, existing industry retention and expansions, and recruitment of new companies considering an expansion or relocation to the area.
Before joining Georgia Power, Andrew was the Vice President of Economic Development for Partnership Gwinnett, one of the largest economic development organizations in the Southeast. In this capacity, he assisted in developing the countywide economic development strategy and oversaw the business recruitment and retention efforts, redevelopment, entrepreneurship, workforce development, international marketing efforts, as well as industry programs and events. Prior to that, he was Executive Director of the Dalton-Whitfield County Joint Development Authority. He is currently a member of the Georgia Economic Developer’s Association (GEDA), the International Economic Development Council and the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC). He served on the GEDA Young Professionals committee and is the past Co-Chair of SEDC’s Young Professionals committee. In 2021, he received DCI’s “40 under 40” award for his work in economic development and was recognized by Georgia Trend Magazine as a Notable Georgian in 2023.
Carnes earned a bachelor’s degree in business economics from Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Georgia and graduated from the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, golf, and spending time with his wife and daughter.
About the Northeast Region
530,000
Available Labor Force
BLS, December 2025
700
Miles of Lake Lanier Coastline
Strategic Location & Connectivity
- Interstate Access: Major roadways, I-85, I-20, I-985 and GA-400, connect Northeast Georgia to Atlanta and South Carolina.
- Rail Connectivity: Both CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads run through the Northeast region.
- Air Access: The Athens-Ben Epps Airport has begun a major runway rehabilitation project on its main runway, Runway 9/27.
Thriving Economy & Workforce
- Skilled Workforce: Home to a skilled workforce of 530,000 with a business community that's stable, supported by strong leadership
- Industry Leaders: The University of Georgia, the region's top private employer, has approximately 37,000 students enrolled and 10,000 faculty and staff.
- Fast Growing: The Gainesville-Hall County Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) is one of the top 50 fastest growing metros in the U.S.
Innovation through Education
- University of Georgia: Consecutively ranks among the top 5 U.S. universities for new products reaching the marketplace.
- Manufacturing Development Center: Partners with small- to medium-sized firms in growing their business and succeeding in the global marketplace.
- University of North Georgia: Home to Georgia’s first MakerBot Innovation Center, which provides students access to 32 unique 3D printing technologies.
Quality of Life
- Lake Life: One of America's favorite lakes, Lake Lanier boasts 700 miles of coastline and over 38,000 acres of fishing, boating, and swimming.
- More than a College Town: Athens, Georgia, a classic southern city with a thriving music scene, a vibrant downtown, award-winning restaurants, and an exciting college culture.
- Views & Vines: Breathtaking mountain roads wind their way around almost 30 beautiful wine vineyards in North Georgia.
