Coffee With Coffey

Coffee with Doug Coffey

Here at the Georgia Experience Center, we're constantly working with our partners to help businesses get ready to move to or expand in our state. How do we do that? By having an awesome team of experts - Learn more about what we're up to during our quick coffee break Q&A sessions. Let's meet Doug! 

What part of town do you live in?

Midtown, in a condo. After our daughters had both gone off to college, my wife and I sold our house in Henry County. We thought we'd have at least 6 months to plan while we had it on the market. It sold within two weeks, furniture and all! We found our condo in one day, and really got to have fun starting over. 

What’s your role at the Georgia Experience Center?

I’m a Business Recruitment Director, meaning I help prospective businesses through the process of finding a new location. I've been with the company for 34 years, seven in economic development. 

Describe economic development in Georgia in two words: 

Growing communities. 

Tell us your favorite part of your job.

I love the fact that we get to bring jobs to the state, and help people be successful. And the people we get to meet and work with, everyone from the prospects, our partners at the state, the local people, the Chamber, and the consultants. We have a community of economic developers that are truly passionate about growing the state and it makes the job even better. 

Favorite place in Georgia to get away to? 

Savannah.  

What about outside Georgia? 

Shanghai, China. 

What was your very first job?   

Running the golf operations at the Milledgeville Country Club. I was assisting a golf pro until he got fired. The management asked me to keep running the program until they hired another pro. Which ended up being three years later. 

What do you love about Georgia? 

A great city life. Most people don’t know how many great restaurants we have. And that Georgia is still green -we haven’t cut all the trees down for concrete. You can be in the mountains in two hours and on the beach in four hours. We have the city life for those who like that and vibrant, rural areas and communities for people that love small towns. Hunting, fishing, golfing, hiking and biking are all easy activities to do in Georgia. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

What’s the best thing on Netflix?  

Stranger Things! Bonus that it's Georgia-filmed. 

What are you most excited about when you come into work?

The people. Our team is such a wide variety of personalities that come together. It's a cohesive group but with unique talents and it really works. 

Go-to karaoke song?

Ramblin' Man by the Allman Brothers.