Major Employers
In a global environment where a lot more than the “three R’s” are required, the Washington County School System, one of the county’s largest employers with a staff of over 600 and an annual operating budget of $18.5 million, is setting new standards of quality across the board.
In a global environment where a lot more than the “three R’s” are required, the Washington County School System, one of the county’s largest employers with a staff of over 600 and an annual operating budget of $18.5 million, is setting new standards of quality across the board.
On the other hand, quality in the three L’s—location, labor and leadership—were key factors when the Georgia Department of Transportation sought out the right place to build GDOT’s District Two Headquarters. Washington County filled that bill perfectly, and today, staffed with a knowledgeable and pro-active workforce of over 600, the Washington County facility manages the transportation needs of 27 central Georgia counties, including four of Georgia’s largest 10 counties.
And while Washington County is a great place to teach and has plenty of reach for governmental, education and administrative services, it’s also proven an excellent location to grow a business from the ground up, as evidenced by another of the county’s major employers, Howard Sheppard Inc., a logistical leader in trucking and intermodal transport, serving 48 states with a staff of 500. From his first truckloads in the 1940s when Howard Sheppard earned around $2.40 per load of sand and gravel, the company has expanded to become industry’s preferred provider for transporting kaolin, dry bulk, liquid, packaged and containerized freight, with expanded services in warehousing and transloading, as well as HSI logistics and brokerage.
Other major employers making high quality products from the ground up include global mining leaders such as KaMin Performance Minerals, Thiele Kaolin Company, Imerys Kaolin and Burgess Pigment Company. Washington County’s mining industry brings an $800 million annual impact to our county, even as it eliminates negative impact on the environment with pioneering earth-friendly techniques and policies. That’s in keeping with our resource-rich advantages, including 300,000 acres of timber, and expansive opportunities for agribusiness and agricultural operations like Washington County sod producers who grow gorgeous grasses including the choice sod used in the Super Bowl.
In fact, Washington County is great turf for all kinds of industry and all kinds of businesses. With our resources and our location, labor and leadership we champion our employers, large and small, tackling global challenges with winning results for all.
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