16 finalists are "making their move" to the
Fountain City
COLUMBUS, Ga., July 9, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- In early 2024, more than 7,000 hopeful applicants
from across the country applied be a part of Columbus, Georgia's Remote Worker Talent
Incentive Program in partnership with MakeMyMove. While each
applicant had their own unique and diverse background, they were
all compelled by Columbus'
welcoming community, which inspired the possibility of creating a
life in a city that already feels like home.
Now, Columbus will soon welcome
its first cohort of relocating remote workers to Muscogee County. These new residents will take
advantage of the city's vibrant arts scene and numerous
opportunities designed to help them thrive.
Why It Matters:
- MakeMyMove calculates the addition of 16 remote workers will
add more than $2 million in annual
economic impact for the community through the new residents'
spending and tax contributions.
The Finalists:
- Sixteen adults, with a median age of 34, from across
the United States have accepted
relocation offers and will officially move to the Fountain City
beginning this summer.
- The movers were selected from over 7,000 applications following
the initiative's viral response that made national and
international headlines.
- Members of the cohort will relocate to Columbus from across the U.S., including
cities such as Woodland Hills,
California; Atlanta,
Georgia; Chevy Chase,
Maryland; Freeland,
Michigan; Georgetown,
Texas; and Lutz,
Florida.
- The cohort represents a vast range of backgrounds and careers,
including marketing, cybersecurity, healthcare, packaging design
and volunteer management.
The cohort will have the opportunity to immediately begin
immersing themselves in the community through a cultivated list of
incentives designed to help them get connected. Participants are
invited to coffee with the mayor, annual community connection
outings, including rafting, ziplining and a mixer with
Columbus locals, and to the
Columbus Connectors program – local ambassadors who will share
valuable knowledge to help the cohort get settled and begin making
meaningful connections within the community.
"One of the most rewarding aspects of the Columbus MakeMyMove
process has been the collaborative effort of our entire community
to welcome new talent to Columbus," said Tabetha Getz, executive director of Columbus 2025. "Thanks in part to a very
engaged group of Columbus
residents, our movers will be supported every step of the way
through the Columbus Connectors, which provides them with access to
important community leaders as they transition into life in our
amazing city."
Moving to Meaningful – and Returning Home
"It was the residents of Columbus that made me love the city so much,"
said Althea McBride, senior paid
search manager for Truform Media Group, who is relocating to
Columbus from Woodland Hills, California, through the
program. "Every single person that I met were some of the loveliest
people I've come across in my entire life. It's a city within
which I could see myself building a family."
- Columbus' sense of community
and belonging was a major theme among the finalists.
- Columbus is a connected
community – and that's evidenced by the fact that five of
the 16 movers are former Columbus
residents who expressed a desire to return to the place where
they made lasting memories.
- Now, they'll have the opportunity to create new ones through
the program. Included in the incentive package are one-year
memberships to Fetch Dog Park and the Columbus Aquatics
Center.
Growing Professionally – and Personally
"As an Audiologist, I work fully remotely with an
over-the-counter hearing aid company, and moving to Columbus allows me to create new opportunities
for partnerships and connections with surrounding hospital
systems," said Tori Cancel, a remote audiologist from
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, who
is moving to Columbus. "Knowing
that Columbus offers personal and
professional opportunities makes me elated to have the opportunity
to live here."
Columbus 2025 is committed to
providing resources to help remote workers thrive – one of the
major reasons behind the campaign's sizable response.
- Included in the incentive package is six months
of coworking space at CoWork Columbus, a
first-of-its-kind spot in Columbus
that offers memberships for private offices, dedicated desks and
flex seats.
- For those looking to build a network and make meaningful
connections, Columbus is full of
professional communities – the greatest example being Columbus, Georgia Young Professionals, which
aims to foster an environment where young professionals, ages
21-40, are energized, engaged and empowered to continue the legacy
of leadership, progress and growth that continues to shape the
region.
"Through the incentives, I hope to build a network in
Columbus via the Young
Professionals Program and Greater
Columbus Chamber of Commerce," said Malorie Fecso, who works in international
marketing for Indeed and is relocating to Columbus from Georgetown, Texas. "Like in our community in
Georgetown, my husband and I
stayed active within our neighborhood, so we would love to continue
to do so in Columbus."
A Hub for the Arts
"Columbus is a city where
creativity flourishes in public spaces, studios, and vibrant
community events," said Tye Tavaras, a consultant for Boston
Consulting Group who is moving to Columbus from Atlanta. "For me, moving to Columbus is more than just relocating; it's
about joining a community that clearly demonstrates its commitment
to and appreciation for artistic expression."
- Columbus' thriving arts
community was a major theme in many applicants' stories, and it's
no surprise: the Springer Opera House, the Columbus Symphony
Orchestra and the Rivercenter for the Performing Arts are just a
few examples of the commitment Columbus maintains to its energetic performing
arts community.
- Additionally, the Columbus Museum recently underwent a
$28.5 million renovation and reopened
this year – and Columbus' downtown
features various art galleries and public art murals.
The Columbus MakeMyMove program was piloted as one piece of
Columbus 2025's talent attraction
strategy, with the goal of attracting a small cohort of workers in
2024 and expanding the program in the future. For a full list of
incentives and more information about the application process,
visit Columbus
2025.com/MakeMyMove. Applications for next year's cohort will open
in January 2025. For more information
about all that Columbus has to
offer, visit AmazingColumbusGA.com.
About Columbus 2025
Columbus 2025 is an
economic and community development strategy to create a more
competitive and prosperous Chattahoochee Valley Region. The guiding
principles of the plan are to increase prosperity, reduce poverty
and improve the overall quality of life for a stronger and more
vibrant region for decades to come. For more information, visit:
www.Columbus2025.com.
About MakeMyMove
MakeMyMove is the country's first and only online marketplace
where remote workers can explore the communities that are
incentivizing their relocations. Since launching in December 2020, more than 1,000 remote workers and
their families have found and relocated to new communities.
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SOURCE Columbus 2025