The Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority has identified the professional services industry as a new core target in the development of the greater Valdosta area, following an in-depth analysis of regional businesses and employment.

The Authority also plans to work toward the availability of more broadband Internet service and solar power in Valdosta and surrounding communities. These amenities would help support local industries as well as draw new ones to the greater Valdosta area for the creation of new jobs.

The sub-category of “professional services” joins the target areas of logistics and advanced manufacturing which the Authority has already targeted as an opportunity for growth. This category includes sub-areas such as computer systems design and management, architectural and engineering services, administrative support services and advertising and public relations services.

One of the key goals for the Authority, as well as for economic development as a whole, is to fight unemployment and poverty through the creation of jobs either through the development of existing businesses in the area or the attraction of new ones.

During the 2000-2010 decade, poverty in the

 Valdosta metropolitan area—comprising Lowndes, Eckels, Lanier, Berrian and Brooks counties—rose from 17.9 to 23.5 percent, according to the Authority’s analysis. Child poverty in the metropolitan area rose from 24.4 to 31.9 percent in the same period, while poverty in the U.S. rose from 11.3 to 1.3.

There’s another way to look at this.

While poverty rates increased, unemployment decreased; from the third quarter of 2001 to the third quarter of 2011, employment in the Valdosta metropolitan area by 4.2 percent, outmatching the employment growth rate of .6 percent for the U.S.

“It’s not as grim as it looks,” Executive Director Andrea Schruijer said. “Over the last few years, we haven’t lost as much employment as other areas. While we still lost jobs, we didn’t see as many lost as they did across the country. We still saw a continued amount of growth.”

Historically, the lumber and transportation equipment industries have accounted for this growth, Schruijer said.

As part of presenting Valdosta as an attractive package for prospective industries, the Authority attempts to ready the land set aside for development before beginning the recruitment process. This means investing in infrastructure, including broadband internet.

“It’s not that we don’t have broadband,” Schruijer said. “What we’re looking at is the technology behind the broadband. We have it in certain areas, but in order for us to grow some of these core targets, such as professional services, we need that infrastructure.”

Because the Authority can’t “buy” industries into coming to Valdosta—though it can offer tax abatements—it is necessary to make sure that new businesses have what they will need before ground is even broken, Schruijer said. To this effect, the Authority will “stimulate the conversation” to actively attract more broadband companies to the area.

An investment in solar energy—a plant as well as the manufacturing of parts to build it—could bring jobs to Valdosta as well, Schruijer said.

The Authority is holding a grand opening for Bassford, Miller and Westside business parks Sept. 19. Parcels in these parks will be sold to major industries.

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