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Why Nvidia Is Still the Most Investible Stock for 2025/2026 With 94% year over year growth in revenues to a Q4, 2024 record high of $113.26 Billion, it’s hard to understand why investors could doubt the value of Nvidia’s stock. But then, there’s a lot being written about the company and its role in the…
Unlocking Value: 20 Stocks With Strong Earnings Potential In the complex world of investing, the importance of earnings cannot be overstated. While market trends, investor sentiment, political events and market cycles may come and go, earnings remain the bedrock of stock valuation. Companies with strong earnings and revenue growth often stand the test of time,…
Industrial Realty Group, LLC (IRG), one of the country’s largest owners of commercial and industrial properties, announced today that it has recently acquired a 311,325 square foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Dublin, Georgia.
“IRG continues to expand its portfolio in the Central Georgia region, adding to its existing 2.3 million square feet in the market,” said Justin Lichter, Chief Investment Officer of IRG. “We thrive in leasing up industrial projects positioned in strategic manufacturing and logistics corridors and understand that access is key for today’s industrial users.”
Strategically located along I-16 between Savannah and Atlanta, the property offers efficient access to major transportation routes, providing significant reach to important U.S. consumer markets and supporting streamlined goods distribution.
The 30-acre property also includes abundant trailer parking, 15-to-28-foot clear heights, 33 docks, and sufficient power for light manufacturing. The site is proximate to the new $7.6 Billion Hyundai Metaplant and the Port of Savannah.
DeKalb County will end the 2024 fiscal year with a projected $150 million fund balance.
“We have ushered in a new era of financial accountability in DeKalb County as evidenced by eight years of balanced budgets and a growing rainy-day fund,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said.
The county’s fiscal health allowed CEO Thurmond to authorize a $1,500 employee retention incentive bonus for DeKalb’s 6,000 employees last month. This was the fourth year that employees received a retention incentive bonus.
In January 2017, the county faced a $24.7 million structural deficit, which had forced a series of layoffs and service delivery cutbacks.
CEO Thurmond introduced a plan, adopted by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners in February 2017, that ultimately balanced the budget and built a $150 million fund balance, which represents a 78 percent improvement.
“My administration has been committed to fostering the continuous growth and development of our most experienced employees who work hard to make our county a better place to live, work, play and do business,” CEO Thurmond said.
With a mission to bring Help, Hope, Housing, and Healing to families experiencing homelessness for the last 33 years, the team behind Rainbow Village understands that people sometimes need a hand up to overcome obstacles or meet milestones in their individual journeys to self- sufficiency. To that end, in 2020, the Metro Atlanta nonprofit debuted a groundbreaking concept – microgrant awards for which residents and alumni of the transformational program could apply. Throughout the year, its “Better Together” Women’s Giving Circle – made up of a mix of caring individuals, faith partners, and community and corporate leaders – raises funds for families in need that are awarded at a Microgrant Award Ceremony each December. Marking the 5 th Annual Microgrant Awards, this year’s event was held on December 10 at 12 Stone Sugarloaf – resulting in an award total of $25,910.32 to benefit 28 households.
“This is my favorite event of the whole year,” said Melanie Conner, CEO of Rainbow Village. “I get to channel my inner Oprah and give away money to families who not only need it but deeply, deeply appreciate it. What happens here is a blessing to everyone involved, and there is rarely a dry eye in the room. I’m amazed by how this event has grown year after year. We hosted our first event in 2020 via Zoom with an attendance of 15 people. This year, our attendees neared 100. Over the last five years, through the generosity of our Women’s Giving Circle, we have gifted a total of $102,604.32 to families in need.”
Microgrant awards are the result of fundraising efforts by the Women’s Giving Circle, including memberships, sponsorships, grants, donations, and more. At the 5 th Annual Microgrant Awards Ceremony, awards were given in the following categories:
Achieving financial stability by eliminating or reducing debt
Achieving family stability through assistance with vehicle repairs
Bonus for achieving a 700+ credit score
Bonus for residents who have become homeowners
Assistance for the next generation by paying high school senior fees
Rental assistance for a Rainbow Village alum who had incurred an emergency medical expense to prevent them from falling behind on rent
Rental assistance for Rainbow Village alum who was diagnosed with breast cancer while in the program and recently required an emergency hysterectomy to prevent them from falling behind on rent
Through its partnership with Catholic Charities, Rainbow Village was able to assist six additional families with rent in the amount of $10,000 – including the two residents who had incurred medical emergencies.
The highest honor of the evening – the Barbara Howard High Achiever Award – recognized Shushana, a single mom of three. After moving from Florida to Georgia in search of a better life in 2021, she fell on hard times and had nowhere to go. She found her way to Rainbow Village in 2023 and was accepted into the program. She was working full time at the time of move-in and set the following goals with her Success Coach: to increase her income and credit score, continue her education, obtain permanent housing, and master budgeting. In just a little over a year, she witnessed a 134-point jump in her credit score – making her a member of the 700+ club, received a promotion and significant salary increase at her job, enrolled in Gwinnett Tech to pursue a degree in Psychology, and, in October 2024, she purchased a home.
“Between loans and credit cards, families accumulate debt just to take care of everyday needs like gas and groceries, sometimes to ensure that they have a place to sleep for a night or two at a local hotel,” added Conner. “Many are hardworking, some with two jobs, managing their budget and doing all the things everyone tells them to do, and yet they still find that the struggle is real. Our microgrants are never viewed as a handout but as a hand-up. These microgrants may be used to repair a car that allows a parent to show up to work every day, pay off the last of their credit cards so they can put more in their savings account each month instead of paying off debt, pay tuition at a local college, or to gain a certification that will help their career take off. It’s hard work to get back on your feet after suffering the trauma of homelessness, so this is a night when we can truly celebrate our residents’ dedication to their individual journeys to self-sufficiency.” Conner extended her gratitude to her nonprofit’s 2024 Presenting Sponsor, Northside Hospital, as well as the event’s Aspire Sponsors at VyStar Credit Union – Peachtree Corners and the Upsilon Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She also thanked 12Stonee Church for providing the venue and Steven Dewberry of SRD Photography for serving as the Photography Sponsor. Anyone interested in learning more about the Rainbow Village Women’s Giving Circle is encouraged to visit https://rainbowvillage.org/womens giving-circle/. For more ways to get involved with the Duluth-based nonprofit or make a donation, visit
www.RainbowVillage.org.
On Monday, the Georgia Chamber Foundation and JPMorganChase announced a new partnership to increase access to career opportunities in the clean tech sector. The partnership includes a $350,000 grant awarded to the Georgia Chamber Foundation to address a critical skills need for Georgia’s growing advanced manufacturing sector, which is projected to create 27,000 jobs in the state. Georgia has become a hub for electric vehicles, battery technology, and advanced manufacturing in the climate and energy sectors but needs to ensure the workforce keeps up with the fast-changing economy. The funds will help Clean Tech employers develop and support career pathways for people in underserved communities, helping more people obtain high-quality jobs while strengthening the domestic manufacturing supply chain. This effort aims to build upon and make use of more than $15 billion in existing investments, cementing Georgia as a leader in this space.
Stuart Countess, 2024 Chair of the Georgia Chamber Foundation and CEO of Kia Georgia said:
“Georgia is a hub for advanced manufacturing and clean tech, with the Kia Georgia Plant in West Point leading the way. To continue driving innovation and opportunity in Georgia, we must meet the state’s short-term and long-term workforce needs. The Georgia Chamber Foundation is proud to partner with JPMorganChase to increase career pathways in advanced manufacturing for underrepresented Georgians, which will help us remain the number one state in the country to do business.”
Suganthi Simon, Vice President, Global Philanthropy for JPMorganChase said:
“Georgia’s status as a hub for advanced and climate technology manufacturing is already well established, and the potential for further growth is still substantial. As JPMorganChase continues to grow and expand throughout the state, we want to support greater access to the state’s continued economic and job growth success. It is with that spirit in mind that we have made this commitment to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce to ensure advanced manufacturing employers can help more communities be exposed to and increase access to high-growth jobs and great careers that provide for family sustaining jobs in advanced manufacturing and the clean technologies sector. We are grateful to the Georgia Chamber for building this bridge with employers and communities and look forward to seeing its impact.”
Chris Clark, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber said:
“Business leaders tell us the number one issue for the long-term economic prosperity in Georgia is workforce talent and preparedness. We have so many Georgians who want to work but are disconnected from the workforce. This grant will help provide the connections to Georgians so they can get the jobs they want. We are honored for this opportunity and thank JPMorgan Chase for being a strong corporate citizen and engaging in their community.”
The Georgia Chamber Foundation is the leading research organization for Georgia’s business community. By utilizing data-driven analysis, the Georgia Chamber Foundation creates solutions for Georgia’s most pressing business and economic development needs. One of the Georgia Chamber Foundation’s main areas of work is how to increase talent pipelines in high-demand industries so employers can have the workforce they need.
Daniela Perry, Executive Director of the Georgia Chamber Foundation said:
“Clean tech careers offer high-growth opportunities for Georgians. Creating more on-ramps and streamlined career paths for the Georgians who want to work in clean tech will benefit the entire state. The Georgia Chamber Foundation is proud to partner with JPMorganChase to invest in long-term, strategic workforce solutions that meet employer demand and increase economic mobility for citizens. We thank JPMorganChase for their commitment to Georgia’s sustained, record-breaking economic success.”
Smyrna First Baptist Church has closed on a deal to sell its nine-acre property on Church Street to the City of Smyrna, with plans to develop a new campus on 5.5 acres along Atlanta Road in Smyrna, Georgia. The $15.8 million transaction is part of a sale-leaseback agreement, and Smyrna First Baptist Church will continue to minister in its existing space for two years as construction begins at its new location.
“True to its name, Smyrna First Baptist has always existed to put Smyrna first,” says Dr. Jeff Pennington, the church’s Senior Pastor. “Our church is unapologetically biblical, and as such, it is our deep desire, our calling really, to lead every person who calls Smyrna home into a loving, thriving relationship with Jesus. This decision to move and relocate our campus is not only consistent with our calling, but it was birthed directly from it. We love our Savior and we also love our city. This move brings both of these loves together.”
Smyrna First Baptist Church was founded 138 years ago and currently occupies a 100-year-old stone building at the corner of Church Street and King Street on the city square in downtown Smyrna. Following the sale of its property to the City, the Church will use the funds gained to build its new ministry campus, which is currently in the design phase and will be constructed on Atlanta Road, just a short walk away from its historic downtown location. As advisor to Smyrna First Baptist Church, Jeff Warwick of CCI Real Estate negotiated and structured the sale-leaseback transaction between the Church and the City.
“After years of negotiation on behalf of Smyrna First, we reached a mutually beneficial solution that places both the Church and the City on paths toward long-term success,” said Warwick. “This creative deal unlocked resources that allow the Church to design a modern ministry campus that can serve its congregation for the next 100 years – a generational opportunity that ushers in an exciting new era for Smyrna First and the greater community.”
The City will use the property on Church Street to further develop its downtown neighborhood into a more cohesive, vibrant community with retail, dining, and entertainment offerings. Led by Smyrna’s Downtown Development Authority, its “Downtown the Downtown” campaign lays out a Master Plan to revitalize the newly acquired property. The City will maintain the 1924-era stone building for public use and will also redevelop the former site of the Presbyterian Church, which was already owned by the City.
For more information about the “Downtown the Downtown” campaign, click here. For more information on CCI Real Estate, click here.
Helping Travel Agency Owners Achieve their Real, Actual Potential Have you been passing on success, hugging the status quo like you were on the deck of the Titanic? Today, for most small businesses, it is a mood of caution, trepidation, and fear. Yet, at least in the travel market, sales are booming. We’re about to…
Two-thirds of businesses (62%) cite generative AI as a key driver behind the surge in invoice fraud, according to a new global survey. This increases difficulty in distinguishing between legitimate and fraudulent documents, as attacks grow in volume and sophistication.
Alongside this issue, 90% of organizations lack dedicated fraud prevention teams, forcing accounting staff to juggle fraud management beside their regular responsibilities, often straining resources and increasing vulnerability.
The findings were revealed in invoice automation company Basware’s ‘The Rise in AP Fraud‘ report, conducted by sharedserviceslink. The study surveyed 100 global business leaders and CFOs on the exposure companies have to financial fraud and what protection measures they have in place.
Fraud is a global $485bn issue
Fraud is becoming increasingly frequent, sophisticated, and damaging for businesses. In 2024, seven out of 10 organizations (68%) reported fraud attempts, with 62%noting these attempts had worsened over the past year.
The financial impact is staggering. Last year, fraudschemes, including bank fraud, resulted in global losses of $485 billion.
Remote work and decentralized operations are seen as key contributors of this surge, as identified by a quarter (25%) of respondents. By weakening internal controls, remote work exposes accounts payable (AP) departments to greater vulnerability, making it harder to prevent fraudulent activities.
At the same time, roughly a quarter of respondents also point to rising transaction volumes (29%) and the expansion of the supplier base (25%) as critical risk factors. With more invoices to process and a larger number of suppliers to manage, AP teams face greater complexity, which increases the likelihood of errors or fraud.
Together, these external threats create a perfect storm of challenges, making it easier for fraudsters to exploit weaknesses in the AP workflow.
GenAI used to create millions of illegitimate invoices
AP departments are on the frontlines of fraud detection, while also managing supplier payments, leaving them overwhelmed by the complexity and growing volume of fraudulent attempts.
Increasingly sophisticated tactics, such as fake invoices, deepfake media, and phishing scams – driven by generative AI – have made attacks more convincing and harder to detect. As a result, two-thirds (62%) of businesses now cite generative AI as a key driver behind the surge in AP fraud.
Tools such as ChatGPT enable the mass creation of communications and fake invoices, increasing risks and delays in resolving legitimate disputes. When handled by multiple disconnected systems, information becomes fragmented, making patterns harder to spot and allowing fraud to slip through undetected.
A high-impact case of AP fraud involved a man from Lithuania, who defrauded Facebook and Google out of more than $120 million by posing as a legitimate supplier. Using fake invoices, he secured $99 million from Facebook and $23 million from Google. The fraud underscored how vendor impersonation and fake invoices can cause massive financial losses without robust AP safeguards, even for large enterprises.
According to the survey, 90% of organizations lack dedicated fraud prevention teams, causing understaffed and under-resourced AP teams to prioritize speed over detailed checks, creating vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, reliance on paper-based processes and inadequate statement reconciliation leaves teams exposed to errors, inefficiencies, and fraudulent activities.
Tom Santacroce Global VP of AP Assurance, commented on the findings:
“Manual processes are inherently slow and prone to errors, making it difficult to match invoices, track approvals, or identify duplicate payments – creating exploitable gaps for fraudsters, who are now using GenAI. For overburdened AP teams, these create the perfect storm of challenges, leading to operational bottlenecks, strained supplier relationships, and lost cash flow.
“Forward-thinking organizations are reimagining fraud, overpayment and risk prevention through AI and automation that protects against increasingly complex financial threats. Remote work has weakened traditional security, requiring secure systems and innovative solutions like decentralized finance and blockchain for transparent vendor transactions. With increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics on the uptick, organizations must prepare for stricter AI and compliance rules. Proactive fraud prevention today not only mitigates risk, but also future-proofs operations against costly penalties.”
How enterprises can combat fraud
AP fraud is one of the most targeted types of fraud for businesses. According to the survey, 28% of organizations cite a lack of AP automation to help tackle fraud. Reliance on manual processes and outdated tools leaves businesses ill-equipped to manage complex, high-volume transactions, creating critical gaps for fraudsters to exploit.
One example of how automation has strengthened AP fraud prevention is KION, a global leader in forklift trucks and warehouse equipment, who were previously vulnerable to fraud risks due to manual invoice processing.
To address these challenges, KION partnered with Basware, shifting to automated AP processes driven by AI that significantly reduced manual errors, minimizing fraud opportunities. With over 90% of its spend now controlled, KION has streamlined its operations, providing better visibility, control, and oversight — ensuring that invoices and payments are accurately validated, reducing the risk of errors or AP fraud.
For the full report, visit: https://www.basware.com/en/resources/the-rise-in-ap-fraud-frequency-sophistication-and-impact
For more information visit www.gachamber.com