The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce held it’s annual Business Expo in Alpharetta on Friday and drew a near record crowd of nearly 2,000 local business people. The event was buttressed by over 100 exhibitors who gathered to network and provide the attendees with insight into the features and benefits of their respective products and services.

The real headline of gathering was the number of executives and entrepreneurs who said that ours was the most vibrant and energetic event of its kind they had participated in some time.

So with the overall economic outlook so bleak, where is North Fulton’s upbeat and “can-do” attitude about the near future coming from?

One thing: its people. We have been blessed in North Fulton with having attracted some of the best talent in the country. Even in the teeth of this recessionary downturn, many of the Northside’s business owners and corporate executives have found a way to not only survive –but to thrive. It’s a true testament to the internal fortitude and sheer determination North Fulton brethren.

JAN JONES KICKS OFF THE BIG DAY

House Speaker Pro-Tem Jan Jones kicked off the day by headlining the Expo’s breakfast. Jones, speaking candidly to about 200, said the General Assembly has agreed to sanction an independent “Tax Policy Committee,” led by former governor and one time U.S Senator Zell Miller, to search for ways to overhaul the state’s tax code. “We want this watermark committee to approach their objective like we were starting the state from scratch,” she commented. Jones says the current Georgia tax code is outdated and uncompetitive. “We need a fresh look and potentially a new start,” she maintained, afterwards.

But Jones’s conclusion to her remarks may have captured the essence of the now burgeoning North Fulton business attitude. “We need to take care of today,” she proclaimed, “while preparing for tomorrow.”

Isn’t that the truth?