East Georgia fast becoming hub for US cybersecurity efforts
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — After many months of planning and development, the Fort Gordon Cyber District in east Georgia is finally official.
The Alliance for Fort Gordon this week announced the launch of a partnership among military, business and civic leaders, The Augusta Chronicle reported.
Community leaders say it will position the Augusta area to best distribute economic benefits expected with the area's growing boom in cybersecurity jobs and businesses.
The Army's Cyber Command is expected to move to Fort Gordon by 2020 from Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Also, the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center - designed to promote modernization in cybersecurity through public-private partnerships - is under construc- tion in downtown Augusta.
The term "Fort Gordon Cyber District" was coined last year to broadly describe the concept of the new partnership, the newspaper reported.
Now, the focus is on fostering what the alliance has called "a unique, welcoming culture" for technology professionals to "live, work, and play."
With the anticipated rise of cyber- related workers coming to the Augusta area, the new r esidents will need homes and apartments, convenient places to work and a variety of options on how to spend their leisure time. Partners in the Cyber District are committing to touting and improving those areas of demand.
"Our team of dedicated professionals has aligned efforts to create a vision for the area that is complete with plans to address education, workforce development, inno-
from vation, entrepreneurship and marketing centered around the development of the local cyber community," said Tom Clark, the alliance's executive director.
"Our official launch marks the beginning of seeing our plans to fruition through streamlined marketing efforts, community involvement, local events and the overall transformation of the cyber economy in the greater Augusta area into the next national innovation hub," Clark said. feeling, he later, acknowledged, always remained.
"I basically live out of my truck," Shepard said in 2011. "I feel more at home in my truck than just about anywhere,
The Cyber District encompasses Richmond, Columbia, Burke, McDuffie and Lincoln counties in Georgia, and Aiken and Edgefield counties in South Carolina. That includes the Army's Cyber Center of Excellence and Augusta University's Cyber Institute.
Fort Gordon, the region's largest employer with its vast communications and cybersecurity training centers, has an annual economic impact of $2.26 billion. which is a sad thing to say. But it's true."
Associated Press Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed to this report.