Back Office and Headquarters

Why is the Greater Chattanooga Region a prime location for back office operations and corporate headquarters?

Location, Location, Location

Less than a two-hour drive from metro Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville and Huntsville, the area enjoys easy access to some of the Southeast’s most flourishing markets. The region’s largest airport, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, is home to four major airlines and offers quick connections to major airport hubs as well as one-stop service to Europe and Asia.

World-Class Talent and Training

Companies in the region benefit from a large pool of talent well-versed in various business sectors, including the insurance, finance, technology and logistics industries. The region’s community colleges and 12 accredited higher education institutions offer customized training programs that provide ongoing development to workers in this field, as well as numerous degrees in business, engineering and technology.

Students can earn undergraduate and graduate degrees at the region’s colleges and universities including Covenant College, Lee University, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Southern Adventist University. In addition, the region boasts several programs through community colleges:

Chattanooga State Community College

• Business Administration, Associate’s Degree
• Administrative Professional Technology Concentration, Associate's Degree
• Administrative Office Professional, Technical Diploma

Cleveland State Community College

• Business Administration, Associate’s Degree
• Office Administration, Associate’s Degree
• Accounting, Technical Certificate
• Business and Management, Technical Certificate
• Office Administration, Technical Certificate

Northeast Alabama Community College

• Business, Associate’s Degree
• Business Management and Supervision, Associate’s Degree

The region’s proximity to universities such as Georgia Tech, Emory, Vanderbilt, Middle Tennessee State University, the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and the University of Alabama Huntsville also allows for an expansive approach to recruitment.

Sites and Infrastructure

The Chattanooga region boasts Class A office space in both suburban communities as well as downtown Chattanooga. Our region is also home to the country’s most pervasive fiber optic network, which provides unmatched reliability and a 10-gigabit telecom capacity.

When tech giant Google began making plans to build its first U.S. data center since 2007, it chose a soon-to-be decommissioned coal plant in Jackson County, Alabama as the site.

Bringing 100 percent renewable energy to the 350-acre site, the data center represents a $600 million investment and will bring as many as 100 permanent jobs to the area. The center will be Google’s 14th data center in the world.

Tax Advantages and Incentives

Companies that choose our Chattanooga Region benefit from a well-prepared workforce, advanced utilities and tremendous potential cost savings. Tax abatements allow qualified businesses to substantially reduce their property tax burden, while state training and infrastructure grants are also available. In addition, the region offers reduced utility taxes and job tax credits to reduce corporate liability.

Top Employers in the Industry

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