Trilith Studios Recognized for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Contributions

Atlanta, GA – Tuesday, May 17, 2022 – Today, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce that Fayetteville's very own Trilith Studios, which is a founding member of the Georgia Screen Entertainment Coalition, an affiliate of the Georgia Chamber, has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the 2022 Jeana Stanley Award. The award, named in honor of Hearst Vice President of Finance Jeana Stanley, who passed away in June 2020, recognizes a media company that has made a significant contribution to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace.

The Media Financial Management Association, which was founded in 1961 to provide nationwide professional development for finance executives in the media industry, will present the award to Trilith Studios at the association's annual conference on May 25th. "Trilith Studios" focus on employee development, leading with empathy, and building a diverse culture of inclusivity and accountability really impressed us," said Joseph J. Annotti, President and CEO of Media Financial Management Association. "Under the leadership of Zelda Hyde, Head of Talent Experiences, Trilith Studios is setting a high bar fitting to be recognized by the Jeana Stanley Award."

Stanley joined the corporate finance team of Hearst, a leading global, diversified media, information, and services company, as Vice President in August 2018, where she was responsible for overseeing internal audit and employee benefit functions. Stanley served as Vice President of Finance for Hearst Television for almost eight years, working closely with Hearst Television's corporate leadership and station management to provide operational and accounting expertise. During her time at Hearst, Stanley was a scout for HearstLab, a group of women executives at Hearst that contribute their subject matter expertise and mentor HearstLab portfolio companies. She was also a member of the Media Financial Management Association board of directors and served as its treasurer.

"We are honored to be recognized by our colleagues in media, and to become a part of the legacy of Jeana Stanley's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion," said Zelda Hyde, Head of Talent Experiences for Trilith Studios. "This award serves to further inspire our team toward achieving our goal of becoming a richly diverse and perfectly inclusive place, one that truly benefits from the range of similarities and differences of every individual, and a place that provides fair opportunities for everyone based on their individual needs – an aspiration we know will only be achieved through everyday action combined with constant accountability."

"The team at Trilith continues to set the standard for studio operations not just here in Georgia but globally," said Kelsey Moore, Executive Director of the Georgia Screen Entertainment Coalition. "We're proud to announce this significant award and appreciate their leadership within the coalition."

Trilith Studios is one of the largest purpose-built movie studios in North America with an emphasis on world-class facilities, state-of-the-art technology, and the creation of premium content. It is home to blockbuster films and streaming shows like Avengers: Endgame and WandaVision, and independent shows like Moon & Me. More than just studio facilities, Trilith is a creative hub where makers live, create, and inspire the world with great stories. The Town at Trilith, which sits adjacent to the Studios, is a hand-crafted community tailor-made for storytellers, makers, and entrepreneurs, featuring carefully curated shops and chef-driven restaurants to artfully designed single and multi-family homes surrounded by purposeful placement of greenspace. Trilith also invests in content companies and in the local community with the goal of becoming a diverse and sustainable community of storytellers.

The award will be presented at the Media Finance Focus Annual Conference in Tampa, FL on Wednesday, May 25. Zelda Hyde, Head of Talent Experiences, will be in attendance to accept the award on behalf of Trilith Studios.

Atlanta, GA – Tuesday, May 10, 2022 – Georgia is one of the top filming locations in the world, and in FY2021 hosted a remarkable 366 film and television productions, generating $4 billion in direct spending in the state.

"The Georgia Chamber continues to support the film industry's strong presence in Georgia that began back in the early 1970's and flourishes today," said Chris Clark, President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber. "Unfortunately, recent commercials and efforts by a candidate to politicize economic growth drivers like the film industry are counterproductive to the long-term prosperity of our film-friendly communities. The Georgia Chamber is committed to the lives and livelihoods of the residents of the Peach State and believe that should be the priority for anyone seeking higher office as well. We have benefited from bipartisan support for economic development and specifically for the entertainment industry. No one individual is responsible for this growth. We applaud the work of Governors Perdue, Deal and Kemp, and Speaker Ralston, along with hundreds of Republicans and Democrats that have served in the general assembly over the last 20 years and helped to create this major economic driver for our state."

"Georgia's entertainment infrastructure is a dynamic system involving studios, a talented homegrown workforce, all 159 camera-ready communities and thousands of small businesses that support production statewide. This incredible growth and success of this industry would not have been possible without the bipartisan support from state and local elected officials, as well as support from the communities they serve," said Kelsey Moore, Executive Director of the Georgia Screen Entertainment Coalition, which represents the largest Georgia-based studios, organized labor workforce, and dozens of companies engaged in the film industry. "We are thankful for the collaboration and leadership that has helped to grow the film industry in our state and look forward to the continued prosperity and opportunities it brings to the students, businesses and communities of Georgia."

July 28, 2021 - The Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Transportation Alliance (GTA) stand in support of the nearly $1 trillion infrastructure agreement brokered today between a bi-partisan group of United States Senators and President Joe Biden. A strong focus on transportation infrastructure investment is a fundamental component of Georgia’s success as the #1 state in which to do business, and continued transportation infrastructure investment is a critical economic development and job creation issue for our over 47,000 members statewide.

Recent data from the Transportation Road Information Program (America’s Interstate Highway System at 65: Meeting America’s Transportation Needs with a Reliable, Safe & Well-Maintained
National Highway Network) dramatically underscores the critical need for significant
investment in our nation’s highways, bridges, and freight and logistics infrastructure. With one
of the most successful and fastest growing ports in the United States, Georgia is at the
epicenter of that need.

As a result, we also urge Congress to quickly pass a reauthorization of surface transportation
programs, a critical component of the overall infrastructure debate. Highway and public
transportation programs are the only federal infrastructure authorizations set to expire Sept. 30
and cannot wait past the summer work period for continued action.

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Legislators honored for their support and commitment to one of the state’s fastest growing industries

Today the Georgia Screen Entertainment Coalition (GSEC) announced the recipients of its first-ever "Friends of Film" awards program. These awards recognize a bipartisan group of state legislators for their support of legislation and policies important to Georgia’s $8.6B film, television, and digital entertainment industry.

Honorees this year include House Speaker David Ralston, House Representatives Teri Anulewicz, James Beverly, John Carson, Matt Dollar, Chuck Efstration, Brett Harrell, Beth Moore, Terry Rogers, Richard Smith, Calvin Smyre and Ron Stephens. State Senators include Emanuel Jones, Harold Jones, Jeff Mullis, and Nan Orrock.

"Georgia’s film industry pumps billions of dollars into the state’s economy each year, and has created substantial opportunities for thousands of Georgians, their communities and small businesses across the state," said GSEC Executive Director Kelsey Moore. "The continued success of this industry and its considerable impact on Georgia’s economy is made possible by the support and vision of key members of the General Assembly. We are grateful for the leadership of each one of this year’s Friends of Film winners and congratulate them on this recognition for their hard work and unwavering support of Georgia’s film, television and digital entertainment industry."

The 2020 Friends of Film legislators were chosen based on their voting record on industry specific issues, leadership in protecting and advancing the industry and their support of policies and initiatives that recognize Georgia’s film industry as an important economic driver for the state.

Frank Patterson, GSEC Chairman and President & CEO of Pinewood Atlanta Studios, shared, "The entertainment industry brings significant investment into the state, offers a wide range of job opportunities and works in partnership with the state to deliver solid growth in economic development, job creation, workforce training, and technology. We are in the critical next phase of growth for this industry in Georgia, and support from the General Assembly is key to ensuring our state evolves from a production hub to a globally recognized entertainment ecosystem. We applaud and thank this year’s Friends of Film for their leadership and commitment to Georgia and the film industry."

To learn more about GSEC and the 2020 Friends of Film Awards, visit www.gsecoalition.com/Friends.

One year ago, the state's largest and most productive film studios came to the Georgia Chamber with an idea - to develop an industry-focused affiliate to promote and protect the film, television and digital entertainment industry in Georgia. Thus, the Georgia Screen Entertainment Coalition (GSEC) was created.

The Coalition is going strong with over 30 members representing the broad ecosystem of businesses that contribute to Georgia's thriving screen entertainment industry. GSEC has several legislative accomplishments, to name a few: they tracked over 50 bills that had an impact on the screen entertainment industry, fended off a number of bills that sought to alter the tax incentive, as well as worked to support legislation like House Bill 132 where GSEC was instrumental in House passage. The affiliate group also hosted legislators and statewide elected officials including House Speaker David Ralston and Senate President Pro Tempore Butch Miller at a variety of meetings, dinners and studio tours to discuss the legislative priorities of the screen entertainment industry.

GSEC is currently working with the Georgia State University Creative Media Industries Institute on a whitepaper highlighting Georgia's nationally distinctive diverse industry workforce as well as the statewide expansion of the creative economy. Additionally, GSEC is developing a campaign to tell the story of Georgia's screen entertainment industry and the small businesses, communities, workers and students contributing to this rapidly growing sector of Georgia's economy.

Affiliates like GSEC are vital to the Georgia Chamber because it is imperative to advocate for specific groups to help Georgia prosper in the new economy. For more information on GSEC or how to become a member visit www.gsecoaltion.com or contact Kelsey Moore, Executive Director of GSEC, at kmoore@gachamber.com.