Business View Civil Municipal - Sept 2023

54 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 9 Founded in 1998, Southern Veneer Products is one of the leading manufacturers of Southern Yellow Pine plywood, veneer, and wood by products in the southeastern United States.  We serve an array of wholesale distributors across the United States. We are dedicated to providing a quality product that sets the standard for consistent and dependable service. Years of knowledgeable production and engineering expertise are merged with modern manufacturing techniques resulting in a superior product. Continuous improvement of practice and skill along with personal attention to our customers’ satisfaction are our primary goals. We take pride that our products are Made in the USA. For more information, visit: www.southernveneerproducts.com FI TZGERALD, GEORGIA Fitzgerald, says the mayor, “really gets overlooked (despite) what we’ve been able to do in the industrial sector with manufacturing and food production. It’s a hidden gem that reached a height in the late ’60s and early ’70s with recreational vehicle manufacturing and automotive battery manufacturing. As industries do, they kind of ran their course. We took a hit in the downturn of the early 2000s, but we have really come back, thanks to the efforts of a lot of folks.” Holt, also a funeral director and a life insurance agent, adds that the city is now coming back in terms of manufacturing, though it can get overlooked because of its location. That location can be quite pleasant, as the mayor describes a community of many Georgia pines and lots of opportunities for hunting, fishing, and boating. Dunn extols the centrality of Fitzgerald’s location. This, he adds, “allows us to experience most of Georgia in a short drive or most of Georgia to experience us.” Holt notes Fitzgerald’s reputation Dunn also points out that the City is working in partnership with the University of Georgia at Athens (“Go, Dawgs!”). How? It’s the PROPEL program. The acronym stands for “planning rural opportunities for prosperity and economic leadership.”