Putnam Development Authority
Putnam Development Authority is a Putnam County, Georgia-funded economic development organization that provides free site selection, incentive packaging, regulatory navigation, and workforce training services to businesses locating or expanding in Eatonton-Putnam County.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersEatonton, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Putnam Development Authority does
Putnam Development Authority is a non-profit, government-affiliated economic development organization headquartered at 117 Putnam Drive, Eatonton, Georgia. Founded in 1968 and led by Economic Development Director Terry Schwindler under Chairman Bill Sharp, the Authority is funded by Putnam County to develop, promote, and expand industry and trade within the county. Its core function is business attraction and expansion support: a Business Attraction team provides site selection identification, comprehensive incentive package development, application management, regulatory navigation, and labor market analysis to companies considering locating or expanding in Eatonton-Putnam County, delivered free of charge to those businesses.
The Authority's value proposition rests on a stack of location-based incentives and designations rather than proprietary technology. These include HUBZone and Opportunity Zone status, the 2024 Entrepreneurial Friendly Community designation from the State of Georgia, job tax credits of up to $3,500 per job created, a 7% sales tax exemption on manufacturing machinery and equipment, a 100% inventory tax exemption, and access to the Georgia Quick Start workforce training program — described as the top-ranked program in the United States — through partnerships with Central Georgia Technical College and Georgia Department of Labor. Supporting infrastructure includes the 150-acre Rock Eagle Technology Park, regional collaboration via the 11-county Middle Georgia Economic Alliance, and a labor pool drawn from the broader middle Georgia area of more than 67,000 workers.
The Authority has no revenue model in the conventional sense: it generates no fees from the businesses it serves, holds no funding rounds, and operates as a publicly funded entity. Its strategic activities are expressed through tenant recruitment wins (e.g., Legacy Housing's 2015 acquisition of the former Horton Homes facility representing a $20 million investment and 200–300 projected jobs; Interfor's lumber operations; Vizitech USA's 3D holographic imaging firm serving 500+ schools; the March 2025 Tytan Pictures lease/purchase of the old city prison), recurring partnerships with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, OneGeorgia Authority, and Georgia Centers of Innovation, and ongoing workforce development programming through Putnam County Charter School System's approximately 2,700 students and Central Georgia Technical College.
Putnam Development Authority firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Putnam Development Authority
- Legal name
- Putnam Development Authority
- Website
- https://putnamdevelopmentauthority.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Putnam Development Authority is a Putnam County, Georgia-funded economic development organization that provides free site selection, incentive packaging, regulatory navigation, and workforce training services to businesses locating or expanding in Eatonton-Putnam County.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Putnam Development Authority industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development Services
- NAICS
- Administration of Economic Programs (9261)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- State/Provincial Labor, Employment Standards & Workforce Development Administration (BPAIABAN)
Keywords
Where Putnam Development Authority is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Eatonton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Putnam Development Authority business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Economic Development Services: Funded by Putnam County to develop, promote, and expand industry and trade within Putnam County. Services are provided free of charge to businesses considering locating or expanding in the area.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Putnam Development Authority product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Putnam Development Authority provides no-cost site selection, business attraction, incentive analysis, and workforce development services to companies considering locating or expanding in Eatonton and Putnam County, Georgia. The organization develops comprehensive incentive packages, manages incentive applications, navigates regulatory requirements, and conducts labor market analysis on behalf of prospective employers. Services are funded by Putnam County government and delivered through a Business Attraction team in partnership with state agencies and regional education partners.
Product overview
Putnam Development Authority is an economic development organization that provides site selection assistance, business attraction, incentive analysis, and workforce development services to companies considering locating or expanding in Eatonton and Putnam County, Georgia. The organization does not offer a unified product platform but instead provides advisory and support services including site selection identification, incentive analysis, labor market analysis, and coordination of regional partner information. Services are delivered directly to businesses rather than through a software product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Site Selection Assistance Comprehensive support services provided by the Business Attraction team to help companies properly evaluate and select sites in Eatonton and Putnam County, including site visits, available buildings and sites identification, and tailored recommendations. Targeted at companies considering relocating or expanding in the area.
- Business Incentives & Financial Tools Incentive analysis, package development, and application management for companies investing in Putnam County, including job tax credits up to $3,500 per job, 7% sales tax exemption on manufacturing equipment, 100% inventory tax exemption, and access to OneGeorgia Authority loan guarantees. Targeted at prospective and expanding employers.
- Labor Market & Workforce Analysis Labor market analysis and workforce intelligence covering the 67,775+ employee middle Georgia labor pool, including access to Georgia Quick Start customized training and coordination with the Georgia Department of Labor for hiring, job fairs, and screening. Targeted at companies evaluating workforce availability and training needs.
- Business Permitting & Regulatory Navigation Coordination with local regulatory authorities to manage business permitting requirements and regulatory navigation for companies establishing or expanding operations in Putnam County. Targeted at prospective and expanding employers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Job tax credits up to $3,500 per job created
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Putnam Development Authority
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Putnam Development Authority technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Putnam Development Authority partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Middle Georgia Economic Allianceminor11-county regional collaboration established to showcase competitive position and enhance economic development opportunities in Middle Georgia.
- Georgia Department of Economic DevelopmentcoreState agency partnership for business attraction, workforce solutions, and export assistance. Provides connection to state-level incentives, Quick Start training program, and economic development resources.
- Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC)coreWorkforce development partnership providing quality academic and technical education, customized business training, and dual enrollment programs. CGTC has 100% passing rates on national certification exams and 95% workforce placement success.
- Georgia Quick StartcoreNumber-one workforce training program in the country providing free customized training for companies investing in Georgia, including pre-employment assessment, customized training, and leadership development.
- Tri-County EMCminorElectric cooperative providing solar program (ourSolar) and completed 1 MW solar project with 4,200 panels generating 2 million kWh/year.
- Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL)coreProvides hiring assistance including job posting, application screening, interview space, job fairs, and workforce solutions for businesses.
- Georgia Centers of InnovationminorProvides connections to university and technical college applied research, commercialization resources, technology connections, matching grant funds, and industry networks for strategic industries.
- Georgia College & State UniversityminorUniversity partnership providing access to higher education resources; located 21 miles from Eatonton in Milledgeville.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Putnam Development Authority competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority: Industrial development authority for Bibb County, also in middle Georgia and overlapping Putnam's labor shed. Performs the same industrial recruitment, incentive structuring, and bond financing functions as the Putnam Development Authority.
- Gwinnett County Economic Development: County-level economic development program in metro Atlanta delivering incentive negotiation, workforce development, and site selection. Direct functional peer despite operating in a much larger market.
- Savannah Economic Development Authority: County-level economic development authority in coastal Georgia that performs the same core function as Putnam: business attraction, site selection, incentive packaging, and workforce coordination for its jurisdiction. Comparable mandate and service mix make it the closest direct peer.
- Rome-Floyd County Development Authority: Northwest Georgia county development authority with the same industrial recruitment, incentive, and site-selection charter as Putnam. Comparable rural-Georgia county context and target industry mix.
- Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority: South Georgia county industrial authority executing business attraction, industrial park leasing, and incentive packaging. Mirrors Putnam's rural-county mandate and service mix.
- Development Authority of Fulton County: County-level development authority performing business recruitment, incentive negotiation, and site selection in metro Atlanta. Operates the same statutory authority structure as Putnam and competes for the same pool of relocating companies.
- Cobb Economic Development (Cobb County): County-level economic development office in metro Atlanta delivering site selection, workforce development, and incentive support. Direct functional peer to Putnam, though operating in a larger and more urban market.
- Augusta Economic Development Authority: Development authority for Richmond County, Georgia performing site selection, incentive structuring, and industrial recruitment. Comparable legal authority, comparable service portfolio, comparable Georgia context.
Broad incumbents
- Georgia Department of Economic Development: State-level economic development agency that partners with Putnam (along with all other county authorities) on business attraction, Quick Start training, and export assistance. Functions as the umbrella state actor over Putnam's local efforts.
Regional players
- Middle Georgia Regional Commission: Regional planning and economic development coordinating body covering 11 middle-Georgia counties including Putnam. Co-funds regional positioning efforts with Putnam and competes/cooperates across the same geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Putnam Development Authority social profiles
Digital presencePutnam Development Authority financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Putnam Development Authority leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Putnam Development Authority funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Putnam Development Authority M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Putnam Development Authority
What does Putnam Development Authority do?
Putnam Development Authority provides no-cost site selection, business attraction, incentive analysis, and workforce development services to companies considering locating or expanding in Eatonton and Putnam County, Georgia. The organization develops comprehensive incentive packages, manages incentive applications, navigates regulatory requirements, and conducts labor market analysis on behalf of prospective employers. Services are funded by Putnam County government and delivered through a Business Attraction team in partnership with state agencies and regional education partners.
Is Putnam Development Authority a public or private company?
Putnam Development Authority is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Putnam Development Authority founded?
Putnam Development Authority was founded in 1968. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Putnam Development Authority based?
Putnam Development Authority is headquartered in Eatonton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Putnam Development Authority make money?
One revenue line is on record: economic Development Services.
Who are Putnam Development Authority's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority, Gwinnett County Economic Development, Savannah Economic Development Authority, Rome-Floyd County Development Authority, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, Development Authority of Fulton County, Cobb Economic Development (Cobb County) and Augusta Economic Development Authority. Georgia Department of Economic Development is listed as a broad incumbent. Middle Georgia Regional Commission is listed as a regional player.
Does Putnam Development Authority have an API?
No public API is recorded for Putnam Development Authority.
What industry is Putnam Development Authority in?
Putnam Development Authority's product category is Economic Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIABAN, State/Provincial Labor, Employment Standards & Workforce Development Administration. Its NAICS code is 9261 and its SIC code is 7361.