Forsyth County economic development manager helps court new employers

A business strategy aimed at everyday costs

Forsyth County’s economic development play is no longer just about landing a ribbon-cutting. It is about whether local people can find better jobs closer to home, whether commercial growth can broaden the tax base, and whether the county can keep expanding without making traffic, housing pressure, and household costs worse.

At the center of that effort is Jennifer Mihalcoe, the county’s economic development manager. She joined Forsyth County in August 2025 after more than a decade in business recruitment, expansion, and incentive work, and her job is part problem-solver, part dealmaker, part guide for employers that are trying to figure out how to build or grow here.

What Mihalcoe does all day

Mihalcoe functions as a liaison between businesses and county staff, which makes her the first stop for companies that do not know which department to call or how to move through local requirements. That matters in a county trying to compete for new employers because speed, clarity, and responsiveness can determine whether a company opens in Forsyth or looks elsewhere.

Her day-to-day role is to help turn a business idea into opening day as smoothly as possible. That can mean helping a new company navigate county processes, but it also means removing friction for firms already operating here and trying to expand. The county’s message is clear: economic development is not only about recruiting outsiders, it is also about keeping existing employers from hitting bureaucratic walls when they want to grow.

The sectors Forsyth wants to win

Forsyth is not chasing every kind of development. The county’s five-year strategy focuses on life and biosciences, advanced manufacturing, technology and IT, professional services, and corporate headquarters. Those are the kinds of employers local leaders believe can bring higher-wage jobs and more durable tax-base growth than low-margin, short-term projects.

That choice says a lot about what success looks like. If the strategy works, Forsyth would add employers that pay well, use skilled labor, and generate long-term value for the county’s tax rolls. If it misses, the county could still get growth, but not necessarily the kind that eases pressure on residents’ wallets or improves the daily commute.

Why county leaders think Forsyth has an edge

The county’s pitch rests on a familiar but powerful mix: relatively low taxes, strong schools, parks and natural resources, quality of life, and access to Atlanta and the inland port in Hall County. For companies weighing where to put jobs and capital, those ingredients can be as important as incentives because they help with recruitment and retention.

That access point is especially notable. Forsyth is trying to sell itself as close enough to the Atlanta region to stay connected to major markets, while still offering the kind of suburban and exurban environment many employers use to attract talent. The inland port in Hall County also adds a logistics advantage that can matter to manufacturers and firms that depend on supply-chain efficiency.

What the payoff means for households

Mihalcoe frames the upside in everyday terms, not economic jargon. More local jobs can reduce commuting, which saves time and gas money for workers who otherwise drive out of county each day. A stronger employer base can also spread the tax burden more broadly, which is one of the main reasons county leaders care so much about attracting companies that stay, grow, and hire locally.

That is the pocketbook argument Forsyth is making to residents: business growth should not just add buildings and payrolls, it should make the county easier and cheaper to live in. The test is whether those gains outpace the strain that often comes with growth, including congestion, new infrastructure costs, and the pressure that follows when more employers bid up demand for housing and services.

How the county tries to make growth easier

Forsyth’s approach depends on coordination, not just a single office. The county works alongside the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, the Development Authority, the State of Georgia, and the Board of Commissioners, which means economic development here is a networked process with multiple decision-makers and support systems.

That structure matters because companies do not experience local government as one office at a time. They experience permits, zoning, utilities, incentives, staffing needs, and expansion questions all at once. A county that wants to be seen as pro-business has to make those systems feel connected, and Mihalcoe’s role is meant to be the human bridge between them.

What to watch next

Forsyth’s strategy will be judged less by branding than by results. The meaningful numbers are the ones that tell residents whether the county is adding the right kinds of employers, whether those employers are paying enough to support local households, and whether commercial growth is strengthening the tax base without worsening the daily realities of traffic and housing demand.

If the plan works, residents should see more jobs close to home, more stable county revenue, and less need to leave Forsyth for work. If it does not, the county could still grow on paper while families continue to absorb the costs in longer drives, tighter housing markets, and the sense that prosperity is arriving faster than relief.