What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Augusta, Georgia?” As host of The Masters, the first major golf tournament of the season, Augusta is used to this upper-crust affiliation. The Garden City is still humble, though, and it’s home to our second center and more than 120 of our colleagues. We talked to Augusta Development Center Director Dr. Tony Robinson to learn all about it.
Making an impact
Our Augusta Development Center is heavily involved in the local and statewide business communities, through active involvement locally with the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce and Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, and statewide through Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan’s task force: Georgia Innovates/Rural Initiatives. Tony shares, “By serving on this task force, our center gets the chance to help cultivate opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses throughout the state.”
Enjoying their downtime
Wondering how our Augusta colleagues have fun? Look no further than the always popular Nerdlympics competition, where colleagues have invented a number of technology-themed games including Planning Putt Putt and Blocker Resolution and Cup Stacking. Tony says, “Whether you’re on a team or just watching the competition, it’s always fun to see the innovative ideas our colleagues come up with!” Plus, the variety of parks and recreation in Augusta, including the Savannah River, and numerous cultural events like Arts in the Heart of Augusta, the Westobou Festival, and the Greek Festival give everyone the chance to get outside and enjoy the great weather you tend to find Georgia.
Supporting the community
Community engagement is a big part of life at all of our centers, but in Augusta, it’s truly at the heart of everything they do. By working closely with educational partners like Augusta University, USC Aiken, and Augusta Technical College, our colleagues get involved with STEM-related activities like the Augusta University STEAMIFY Competition, where college students have gone on to compete and place in international competitions. Plus, through board leadership and classroom activities, our Augusta colleagues have been involved in technical programming curriculum development, and coaching engagements. To top it all off, the center was recently recognized with a philanthropy award based on the impact of their fundraising efforts for the United Way of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA).
What’s one of Tony’s favorite parts about Augusta? “The diversity of the community and educational opportunities combined with all the great amenities we have, make this city a very special place to live and raise a family.”
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