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ALBANY, GA -- As part of his Georgia Competitiveness Initiative coordinated with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Govenor Nathan deal will launch the first of 12 regional meetings in Dougherty County on Thursday.

The Georgia Competitiveness Initiative focuses on job creation and a statewide economic development strategy.

The effort concentrates on strategic issues in attracting and keeping high-paying jobs in Georgia: infrastructure, innovation, education and workforce development, a friendly business climate, global commerce and government efficiency.

Governor Deal's plan comes at a time, when it seems like 49 other governors from across the country have similar ideas. So the question is will it work?

“He wants to do an assessment of what are strengths are and what our weaknesses are. I think they are the same. In order to be competitive you need to bring jobs,” said Aaron Johnson.

Economist Aaron Johnson says Georgia has a huge advantage on its side; it's a good place to do business.

“It’s actually very attractive. In the sense that we have low costs, low taxes, we have a lot of incentives that we offer to businesses to come here,” said Johnson.

The regional meetings, which are designed to highlight diverse industries across Georgia, will allow members to meet with business leaders to better understand local needs and perspectives.