We had the pleasure of talking to Anders Hoberg, General Manager at Atlas Copco Industrial Assembly Solutions. A Swedish multinational industrial company that was founded in 1873 manufacturing industrial tools and equipment. In addition, a corporate member of SACC-Georgia. Read the interview here about Anders’ journey at Atlas Copco, their greatest challenges and opportunities with running a global business in the US, the opening of two new offices in Atlanta, and much more! 

Background

I was fortunate enough as a kid to live in many different places and got to experience many different cultures. I was born in Sweden and lived in Sydney, Australia and in Tokyo, Japan. Growing up with an American father and a Swedish mother, I got to learn a lot about the Swedish and American cultures. After graduating from high school in 2015 In Gothenburg, Sweden I moved to Philadelphia to explore my roots in the United States.  In 2016, I accepted a scholarship to play lacrosse at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. I am now a senior finishing up my B.B.A. degree in Management.

What did you do prior to working at SACC Georgia?

Prior to working at the SACC Georgia, I had the opportunity to work for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League as a Financial Accounting intern. I worked alongside the executive staff for a professional sports organization and got to see first-hand how teams manage a budget, promote events, and day to day activities for a sport organization.

What would you like to achieve at the SACC? 

I would like to enhance my knowledge about Swedish and American business operations and would like to help the Georgia office attain its goals and promote the SACC’s presence in Atlanta. In addition, help companies here in the area benefit from the SACC’s services and opportunities.

What do you look forward to the most about being a part of the SACC?

I look forward being able to bring my skills that I have learned throughout my young adult life and bring it to a professional setting where I believe I can excel. Having grown up in a bilingual household, I feel like I can relate and can bring a lot to the table at the chamber of commerce and to businesses in the area. I feel like it will be the first time in a long time where I can showcase my skills from my past and incorporate them into this diverse setting.

Serenbe

While Serenbe has certainly shifted to abide by state and federal guidelines due to COVID-19, life in the community hasn't completely shifted from it's normal path. All restaurants and the Inn have remained open,  Although large gatherings and events have been canceled or postponed, Serenbe are still providing residents and guests a respite from urban life with access to the outdoors and miles of nature with virtual tours, stays at The Inn (including increased interest in extended stay rentals and lots of work from home options), smaller group outdoor kids summer camp, goat yoga, horse trailriding and farm tours. 

Consumers are catching up to emerging trends that have now been accelerated due to the pandemic; such as seeking more space, withdrawal from the urban core, access to nature, work from home and slowing down their fast-paced lifestyles. Serenbe's design, which combines permanently protected greenspace with urban amenities, proves to be extremely resilient as consumers are shifting to this new lifestyle. There is ample acres of land to allow all homes direct access to nature, large front porches and sidewalks for connection to neighbours and businesses, and their organic farm is open for drive thru veggie, all while maintaining social distancing. Residents have been involved with projects such as Still Serenbe, a photographic documentation of the community during COVID-19, as well as "porch connects", where neighbours enjoy each other's company from porch to porch and wave and socialize from the sidewalks. While these times are unprecedented and uncertain, Serenbe is staying resilient and strong through a deep community connection with each other and nature. 

A group of neighbours using one of the pocket parks for a cocktail party to stay connected but abiding by during at home and social distancing

KILPATRICK TOWNSEND

In an effort to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the law firm Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, is part of the Georgia Small Business/Nonprofit COVID-19 Remote Pro Bono Clinic that was recently launched.This project helps small businesses and nonprofits in Georgia handle the impact of COVID-19. Through this project, small businesses and nonprofits can receive free consultation from attorneys from Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton along with a few other Atlanta law firms.

This new pro bono clinic assists small businesses and nonprofits in Georgia with 25 or fewer employees. These organizations can submit their legal questions using an online form located on the Georgia Bar website (see link below also). Pro bono lawyers with legal subject matter expertise in a selected subject matter will then be matched with a small business to offer a free 45-minute telephone or virtual legal consultation on questions related to:

• The CARES Act (federal relief programs)
  

• Commercial leases (amendments, terminations)

• Employment (furloughs, leases, layoffs, etc.)

• Dissolution/bankruptcy/business closure
• Contracts/force majeure
  
•  Insurance
  

Read more

ELANDERS AMERICAS

Certain critical infrastructure industries have a special responsibility in these times to continue operations. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued guidance and lists to support State, Local, and industry partners in identifying the critical infrastructure sectors and the essential workers needed to maintain the services and functions Americans depend on daily.

Elanders Americas supports customers operating in critical infrastructure industries, as designated by the DHS. As part of the supply chain supporting those industries, Elanders Americas will remain operational to provide the products and services necessary for their customers to support critical infrastructure needs.

For more information click HERE

GATC

Gatc LP helps international companies to enter and expand into the U.S. market. Their services include U.S. market entry, full back office operations and infrastructure including warehousing and shared office space in Atlanta. During the COVID-19 crisis, the office has been quite empty, and people have mainly been working from home.

Gatc LP recently asked their employees how they feel about the remote working during the last few weeks. Their experiences were quite contrasting! Most of the respondents were missing face-to-face communication with teammates and clients and were already waiting to get back to the office.

Read more here: https://www.gatclp.com/en/news/remote-working-during-corona-crisis  

ODGERS BERNDTSON

Odgers Berndtson has partnered with U.S Civilian Corps to identify and mobilize healthcare workers in response to the COVID-19 Crisis

​By combining an AI-powered talent search platform with a volunteer-led project management capability, they can rapidly deploy healthcare professionals nationwide to where they’re needed most

The coalition provides healthcare personnel, lessons learned and access to a community of federal and state crisis leaders tackling this pandemic.

Read more here

SINCH

In sectors including travel, healthcare, financial services, and cloud communications, among others, are engaging in transactional and engagement activity. Sinch has powered communications sent by air and travel companies as they make sure their customers are safely returned home and their future booking inquiries settled. 

There have been enormous communications challenges for global healthcare organizations as they reprioritize and reallocate resources in real–time. But some are succeeding. For instance, a national healthcare system sent over 100 million messages in March, providing personalized customer care enabled by Sinch. 

Read more here

IMPROFY

Improfy has modified their ‘small business project’ to help you manage your business through the outbreak of the Coronavirus, pro bono, free-of-charge.

The new features are a re-focused SWOT analysis with consideration of the challenges the Coronavirus could bring your business. The strategy and action plan will guide you on how to get through these hard times. The vision paints a bright future which your firm will reach once the challenge of Covid-19 is over.

Their free analysis and advice will give you the confidence, motivation and power to guide your business effectively through this troubled season.

https://improfy.com/crisis-management/

PROMINATE

Prominate Inc. has been able to pivot and retool their business model thanks to their branding teams and nimble sourcing team in Asia. They are now selling PPE products to their US and global clients as face masks and hand sanitizers along with social distancing will be part of our new abnormal lives.

Prominate has new German and Australian ownership as of late 2019 which have allowed access to additional resources and knowledge base. They have launched Zinc Protect for their loyal and global customer base:

www.zincprotect.com

Prominate is delivering 135,000 disposable face masks to a larger industrial client here in Atlanta in the next 2 weeks so that their service techs can visit clients and so that their staff can go back to their offices.

For more information about PPE products contact: 

Andi.Harrison@prominate.com 

www.Prominate.com