Georgia Has Added More than 800 Movie Jobs

The movie business has been branching outside of Los Angeles, primarily to Georgia and New York. A new study by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. says the motion-picture industry has lost more than 16,100 jobs in Los Angeles County since the peak year of 2004, and that tax incentives offered by Georgia and other states could be to blame, reports Reuters.

Georgia added nearly 800 jobs in the sector, while New York State added 14,100 during that time, the study said.

Parts of the Hunger Games Trilogy were shot in Atlanta, as is The Walking Dead and many others. Atlanta is also home to major names in television and video production, such as Turner and Beast. 

Sweet News: Flowers Foods May Buy Hostess

Flowers Foods, Inc., based in Thomasville, GA, is considered a likely bidder for Hostess Brands, Inc., which plans to start liquidating itself after another bankruptcy and a strike by union workers, The Wall Street Journal reports. If Flower Foods buys out Hostess, that will save the 442 jobs of those employed by Hostess at their Colombus, GA facility.

Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO), the nation’s second-largest baker, recently renegotiated lending terms that may let it tap additional cash to make a run at Hostess, though Flowers hasn’t stated an intention to do so, the report says. Flowers recently reported its third-quarter profit was up 0.6 percent to $31.2 million. It also recently announced it will buy certain assets and trademark licenses from BBU Inc., a unit of Grupo Bimbo, for an undisclosed sum. Flowers Foods bought Tasty Baking Co. in 2011 and Lepage Bakeries Inc. in 2012.

Get Pampered While You Shop this Black Friday

On Black Friday – a day notorious for long lines and crowded parking lots – eBay is partnering with bliss spa to offer a soothing shopping experience. Georgians can relax and enjoy a FREE mani, pedi or foot massage at bliss (W Atlanta-Midtown--188 14th Street NE location) as they do their holiday shopping via the eBay mobile app on their tablet or smartphone.

 

eBay is taking over the spa so shoppers can “Buy in Bliss” and score hundreds of exclusive deals available only to eBay mobile users.  To book an appointment, visit www.ebay.com/buyinbliss.

                                            

Van Michael Salon Raises $5k for Pink Heals Foundation

The Van Michael Salon, a full-service Aveda salon, recently announced the results of their annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month Fundraiser and partnership with the Pink Heals Foundation. In October, more than 950 clients turned out to participate in the fundraising effort, selecting a premium blow dry style service for a $5 donation to the cause.  The joint efforts of the clients and salon employees raised a total of $5,000 for the benefit of the Pink Heals Foundation.

“We are blown away by the joint effort of our employees and clients, whose participation in this year’s Blow Out To End Breast Cancer has allowed us to more than double our 2011 donation to the Pink Heals Foundation. We are honored to support the organization’s important programming for local breast cancer survivors and are proud that the community has also rallied behind us to back this cause,” said Susan Dykstra, CEO of Van Michael Salon.

Founder and executive director of Pink Heals Foundation, Lisa Vingerling stated, "We are so grateful for our partnership with the amazing team at Van Michael Salon. Their support not only raises funds that will allow for many more young survivors to reclaim their confidence and beauty after cancer, but also raises awareness about our organization. The exposure and funding that have resulted from our partnership will help us to expand in the coming year in membership and programming.”

The Van Michael Salon also donated $15,000 to the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper to support water sanitation and conservation initiatives earlier in the year. Be sure to pay a visit to the Van Michael Salon at one of their five locations in the Atlanta area and support local philanthropy. 

Unpakt Digital Moving Service Now Available Nationwide

Unpakt, a Manhattan-based startup, is now available in 32 major cities across the country including Atlanta, Boston, New York City and the D.C. area. Unpakt is a new service that aims to eliminate uncertainty in the moving experience by putting every resource a customer needs in one place. The company plans to expand its service nationwide by the year's end.

The innovative platform streamlines moving by leveling the playing field for consumers against unscrupulous movers and providing users with a means to inventory their items, compare moving prices and purchase moving services from the comfort of their home. All moving companies are pre-screened by the Unpakt team--licenses, insurance and online user reviews are all taken into consideration before moving companies are accepted for Unpakt membership.

Unpakt also offers users a personalized profile page that they can manage and update, free advertising and customer service.

Whether you're headed into or out of the ATL, make sure you give this new service a try!

Atlanta Ranks High Among Happiest Cities for Young Professionals

(Getty)

The Atlanta Business Journal reported that the city of Atlanta ranks no.7 among the top 20 happiest cities for young professionals in a CareerBliss.com national survey. Atlanta received a score of 3.857. Los Angeles, San Jose and Sunnyvale, California took the top three rankings.

The Metro Atlanta Chamber also says that Atlanta is a premier city for business professionals and their families, with almost 5.3 million people and over 145,000 businesses. The city boasts a low cost of living and many opportunities for personal and family growth.

CareerBliss ranked the cities based on 38,000 employee reviews from 2011 to 2012. The reviews scored 10 major factors that affect workplace happiness such as relationship with the supervisor and co-workers, work-life balance, growth opportunities, work environment, job resources, compensation, job autonomy, daily tasks, company reputation, and company culture. The website defines a young professional as an employee with less than 10 years of experience in a full-time position.

Leaders in GA Healthcare Join Forces

Piedmont Healthcare and WellStar Health Systems, leaders in the metro-Atlanta healthcare market, have announced a partnership to create the Georgia Health Collaborative. A first of its kind in the state, this new Collaborative will establish services and initiatives focusing on the development of innovative healthcare delivery models, economically aligned physician relationships and the creation of service line cost savings.

The formation of the Collaborative, which comes on the heels of other recently announced collaborations across the country, allows Piedmont and WellStar to share intellectual knowledge concerning clinical care and seek cost reductions through economies of scale.

The two not-for-profit health systems will remain independent but, through the Collaborative, serve a primary service area population of more than three million across north Georgia. With a combined 2,393 hospital beds, 10 hospitals, seven urgent care centers and more than 700 physicians in the Piedmont Physicians Group, Piedmont Heart Institute, and the WellStar Medical Group, the Collaborative will redefine the delivery of healthcare services in metro-Atlanta.

"We believe that the future of healthcare in America is through organizations working together and partnering and not through owning and controlling," said Reynold J. Jennings, president and CEO of WellStar. "We want to bring the best in healthcare delivery together to share best practices and create innovations that will improve healthcare for all Americans while reducing costs."

Construction Resources Donates over $7,500 to Homes for Our Troops

As reported by the Atlanta Real Estate Forum last week, Construction Resources, Inc, proudly announced that they raised $7,793 in donations for the Homes for Our Troops charity during the Counters for a Cause Clearance Sales event that took place October 12 and 13. This sales event was the largest and most profitable of its kind in Atlanta

“To see so many people come out to help us raise money for American heroes was really amazing,” said Sonny Hires, Partner at Construction Resources. “We want to thank everyone who made Counters for a Cause a success, and made room in our Slab Gallery for new inventory! We are looking forward to providing even more quality materials in our expanded, newly renovated, 30,000 square foot Design Center that’s due to be completed in December.”

Part of the Artisan Group's national "yard sale" to aid wounded veterans, items featured were anywhere from 15 to 70 percent off. These nationwide events donate funds and materials for the construction and modification of homes that will allow mobility-impaired veterans to live in comfort and convenience. Construction Resources more than doubled the amount raised in 2011. 

Morrison Company to Implement Wellness Platform Nationally

Atlanta-based food service company, Morrison, announced this week that it will implement a new, comprehensive wellness platform throughout of the whole of its business. The company plans to make hospital meals healthier than they've ever been and encourage change in the healthcare industry, a move that will affect over 550 hospitals and integrated healthcare systems nationwide. 

The company will implement firm standards for nutrition labeling  food preparation, healthy food marketing and healthy beverage offerings. It has also released its new menu, which includes a 44 percent reduction in sodium and a 33 percent reduction in calories. In addition, Morrison will eliminate high-impulse snack foods near cash registers, use whole grain or legume-based pastas and offer whole grains as an alternative to rice.

Morrison also plans to use in-hospital events such as cooking demonstrations, seasonal tables and even on-site Famer's Markets to enhance the wellness environment.

"This is a massive undertaking," says Peggy O'Neill, vice president nutrition and wellness, "and while much of it is in the works already, full implementation will be completed by mid-2014." 

Morrison is the nation's only food service company that is dedicated to providing food and dining services to the healthcare industry.

An Amazing Week for Atlanta Real Estate and Employment

This week, the Atlanta Real Estate Forum has been posting all kinds of great news for prospective homebuyers and homeowners in Atlanta and metro Atlanta. First, the most recent figures on the Atlanta real estate market are in--according to Metrostudy the Atlanta housing market is actually experiencing more demand for housing than supply can keep up with, a truly staggering change from recent years.

Because employment figures tend to go hand-and-hand with housing figures, the news sweetens. Metrostudy also reported that Atlanta's employment figures from the past 27 consecutive months have continued to rise.

Along with the demand for new homes and an increase in buyer demand, the home remodeling market is also going strong. Mark Richardson, a Fellow with Harvard’s Remodeling Futures group, says that remodeling in the United States generates about $300 billion dollars per year--more than public works projects, retail clothing sales and commercial construction combined.