Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association

What Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association does

Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association (GAMA), founded in 2011 and headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, is a non-profit trade association that promotes growth, profitability, and workforce development across Georgia's and the broader Southeast automotive and ground transportation industry. GAMA operates as a community platform connecting vehicle manufacturers (including Kia Georgia, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, Rivian, SK Battery America, and Blue Bird), tier 1-3 automotive suppliers, equipment and service providers, educational institutions, and government economic development agencies. The organization serves as an industry forum for networking, best practice sharing, and policy coordination rather than as a technology producer.

GAMA's core offerings include a portfolio of events (the biennial Southern Automotive Conference, quarterly meetings, annual golf tournaments, plant tours, and newer summits such as the Southern Technology & AI Summit and Supply Chain Summit), educational programs (the Automotive Supplier Leadership Academy covering eight leadership competencies, and a webinar-based online learning platform), recognition programs (Supplier of the Year Awards including the Falcon IP Capital Innovation Award), and member benefits (telemedicine, discount programs, Georgia Aquarium access). The organization's underlying technology is limited to a member portal (gama.memberclicks.net), an e-learning platform, and standard social media presence (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram).

GAMA's revenue model is built on two primary streams: annual membership dues structured by company size ($350/year for 1-199 employees, $750/year for 200-499 employees, $1,000/year for 500+ employees and universities) and event sponsorships ranging from $1,500 to $15,000 across meeting, meal, welcome/hospitality, and presenting categories. Distribution is primarily self-serve through the online membership portal, supplemented by direct enterprise engagement at events and channel partnerships with corporate sponsors and state agencies. The organization is member-funded, independently governed by an Advisory Board, and managed by a small executive team led by founder and President & CEO Rick Walker.

Name

Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association

Legal name

Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association, Inc.

Website

https://gama-georgia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 2011 that connects automotive manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, and educational institutions in Georgia and the Southeast through networking events, educational programs, and workforce development initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Alpharetta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from automotive manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, and educational institutions. Dues are tiered based on company size: $350/year for companies with 1-199 employees, $750/year for 200-499 employees, $1,000/year for companies with 500+ employees.
2. Event Sponsorships: Meeting sponsorships ($5,000-$15,000), meal sponsorships ($3,500-$5,000), welcome/hospitality sponsorships ($1,500-$2,500), presenting sponsorships ($5,000-$10,000), and Corporate Partner Level sponsorships provide significant revenue and recognition opportunities for sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GAMA is a non-profit trade association that delivers membership-based services to Georgia's and the Southeastern United States' automotive and ground transportation industry. It provides networking forums (quarterly meetings, plant tours, the Southern Automotive Conference), workforce and leadership education (Automotive Supplier Leadership Academy, live and on-demand webinars, the online learning platform), industry recognition (Supplier of the Year awards including the Falcon IP Capital Innovation Award), and a member benefits package (telemedicine, discounts, identity protection).

Product overview

Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is a non-profit trade association serving the automotive and ground transportation industry in Georgia and the Southeast. GAMA offers a portfolio of membership-based services including educational programs (Automotive Supplier Leadership Academy, webinars), signature events (Southern Automotive Conference, annual summits, golf tournaments), industry awards (Supplier of the Year), publications (EV Street Newsletter), and member benefits programs. The organization functions as a community platform connecting automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers through networking, education, and workforce development initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GAMA Membership Annual tiered membership for automotive manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, educational institutions, and government agencies, providing access to quarterly meetings, networking events, educational programs, member benefits, and the EV Street newsletter.
• Southern Automotive Conference (SAC) Flagship biennial automotive industry conference held in Atlanta that brings together industry professionals for networking, exhibits, keynote presentations, and educational sessions; co-hosted by GAMA.
• Automotive Supplier Leadership Academy (ASLA)

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Georgia Employers' AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing employer resources, HR guidance, and workforce-related support for GAMA members
• Georgia Innovation & Logistics (Georgia Centers of Innovation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner supporting innovation and logistics initiatives for Georgia's automotive industry
• Next Generation ManufacturingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner focused on next-generation manufacturing initiatives and programs
• World Trade Center AtlantaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner supporting international trade and global business connections for automotive manufacturers
• SAE Atlanta / CuriosityLabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting automotive technology innovation and testing through CuriosityLab PTC facility
• Manufacturing Living LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing hands-on manufacturing learning and innovation opportunities
• MEMA (Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint meetings and regional events with MEMA for automotive supplier industry engagement, including annual Joint Georgia Regional Meetings
• Southern Automotive Conference (SAC)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerGAMA co-hosts and supports the flagship Southern Automotive Conference (SAC), held every two years in Atlanta, bringing together automotive industry professionals from across the Southeast
• Southern Automotive Women's Forum (SAWF)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGAMA supports SAWF through annual golf tournament fundraising events at Callaway Gardens, promoting women in the automotive industry
• SEUSKCC (Southeastern United States-Korea Chamber of Commerce)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint meetings on workforce development and international business connections with Korean automotive companies
• Georgia Department of Economic DevelopmentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerState agency partner supporting automotive industry growth, including SEUS-CP Conference and B2B matchmaking events
• Georgia PowercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner and sponsor supporting GAMA events and automotive industry development in Georgia
• UGA College of EngineeringminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing joint meetings and educational programs for automotive industry workforce development
• Kia GeorgiaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlagship member and corporate partner hosting GAMA meetings, plant tours, and events at the West Point, Georgia manufacturing facility
• Georgia AquariumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscount ticket program for GAMA members through special benefits program

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Georgia Chamber of Commerce: Statewide Georgia business association with similar membership dues, event, and advocacy model to GAMA, but covers all industries rather than specializing in automotive manufacturing. Comparable regional trade association operating model.

Direct peers

• MEMA (Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association): National U.S. trade association for motor vehicle and equipment suppliers. GAMA co-hosts regional joint meetings with MEMA and serves an overlapping supplier/manufacturer audience in the Southeast, making MEMA the closest national peer.
• OESA (Original Equipment Suppliers Association): Association representing automotive original equipment suppliers with a focus on supplier-OEM relationships. Highly comparable membership model and supplier-development mission to GAMA, though operating at national scale.
• AASA (Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association): Trade association for aftermarket automotive suppliers with member-funded programs, events, and advocacy. Closely aligned business model with GAMA as a member-supported industry association serving automotive parts and service companies.
• AIAG (Automotive Industry Action Group): Not-for-profit automotive industry association focused on supply chain standards, quality, and best practices. Comparable non-profit, membership-funded model serving automotive manufacturers and suppliers with educational and standards content.

Broad incumbents

• SAE International: Global professional association for mobility and automotive engineering with membership dues, events, and standards work. Much larger and broader in scope than GAMA, but serves overlapping automotive professionals via networking and educational programming.
• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): Largest U.S. manufacturing trade association with a broad industrial membership model including automotive manufacturers. Overlaps with GAMA's advocacy and workforce development mission at a national rather than regional scale.

Others

• Center for Automotive Research (CAR): Non-profit automotive research organization that produces industry research and convenes stakeholders. Thematically adjacent to GAMA as an industry-supporting non-profit, though its primary output is research and analysis rather than trade association services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/GAMACarGuy
• Facebookfacebook.com/GAMAGeorgia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/georgia-automotive-manufacturers-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/gama_georgia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association