The SEIDA region surrounds the metropolitan city of Chattanooga and provides an abundance of human, natural and industrial resources. Sitting at the southern end of the Appalachians, the region encompasses north Georgia, southeast Tennessee and southwest North Carolina. Here is a list of the SEIDA region's top employers:

Georgia

Catoosa County
Population
Catoosa County, 62,241
Ringgold, 2,743

Major Employers
Hutcheson Medical Center, 1,400
Shaw Industries, 1,300
Catoosa County Schools, 1,125
Wal-Mart SuperCenter, 450
Candlewick Yarn, 370

Chattooga County
Population
Chattooga County, 26,792
Summerville, 4,754

Major Employers
Mount Vernon Mills, 1,143
Mohawk Industries-Lyerly, 808
Hays State Prison, 435
Mohawk Industries-Summerville, 430
Best Manufacturing, 350

Dade County
Population
Dade County, 16,040
Trenton, 2,131

Major Employers
Dade County Schools, 376
Accellent, 140
Gill Manufacturing, 135
Phelps-Dodge, 95

Fannin County
Population
Fannin County, 22,580
Blue Ridge, 1,118

Major Employers
Fannin County Schools, 455
Fannin County Government, 240
Fannin Regional Hospital, 233
Ingles, 115
Blue Ridge Health Care, 109

Gordon County
Population
Gordon County, 52,044
Calhoun, 13,103

Major Employers
Mohawk Industries, 3,600
Shaw Industries, 1,700
Gordon County Hospital, 600
Mannington Carpets, 592

Murray County
Population
Murray County, 40,664
Chatsworth, 3,887

Major Employers
Mohawk Industries, 3,000
Shaw Industries, 1,673
Beaulieu Carpets, 1,028
Better Backers, 136

Towns County
Population
Towns County, 10,894
Hiawassee, 950

Major Employers
Towns County Government and Schools, 412
Chatuge Regional Hospital and Nursing Home, 256
Brasstown Valley Resort, 240
Blue Ridge Mountain EMC, 158
Young Harris College, 120
Bank of Hiawassee, 105

Union County
Population
Union County, 20,968
Blairsville, 725

Major Employers
Union General Hospital and Nursing Home, 508
United Community Bank, 413
Union County Schools, 300
Union County Government, 200
Blue Ridge Mountain EMC, 145
Home Depot, 127

Walker County
Population
Walker County, 64,554
LaFayette, 6,801

Major Employers
Roper Corp., 1,500
Walker County Schools, 1,500
Hutcheson Medical Center, 1,400
Shaw/SI, Chickamauga, 1,250
Shaw Industries, Lafayette, 460
Blue Bird of North Georgia, 400

Whitfield County
Population
Whitfield County, 92,999
Dalton, 32,140

Major Employers
Shaw Industries, 10,493
Mohawk Industries, 6,015
Beaulieu Group, 2,606
Whitfield County Schools, 1,500
Hamilton Healthcare Systems, 1,075

North Carolina

Cherokee County
Population
Cherokee County, 26,499
Murphy, 1,568

Major Employers
Murphy Medical Center, 737
Cherokee County Schools, 545
Wal-Mart, 433
Moog Components Group, 423
Cherokee County, 386

Clay County
Population
Clay County, 10,238
Hayesville, 297

Major Employers
Clay County Schools, 219
Clay County Government, 142
Clay County Care Center, 109
Coleman Cable, 72
Advanced Digital Cable, 56
Ingles Market, 48

Tennessee

Bledsoe County
Population
Bledsoe County, 13,084
Pikeville, 1,887

Major Employers
State of Tennessee Correctional Facility, 324
Taft Correctional Facility, 300
Hubbard Farms, 125
Eclipse Manufacturing, 62
Erlanger, 50

Bradley County
Population
Bradley County, 93,433
Cleveland, 39,190

Major Employers
Whirlpool Corp. Cleveland Division, 1,200
Peyton’s Southeastern, 900
Mars Snackfood, 800
Duracell, 525
Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, 500

Grundy County
Population
Grundy County, 14,275
Altamont, 1,155

Major Employers
Toyo Seat USA, 150
Bashams, 100
Keneric, 60
Tullahoma Industries, 54
Fire Team Sprinklers, 52
Tag Plastics, 51

Hamilton County
Population
Hamilton County, 330,168
Chattanooga, 169,884

Major Employers
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, 4,801
Hamilton County Schools, 4,296
McKee Foods Corp., 3,795
Erlanger Health System, 3,621
UnumProvident Corp., 2,800
Memorial Health Care System, 2,609

Marion County
Population
Marion County, 28,138
Jasper, 3,118

Major Employers
Marion County Schools, 672
Wal-Mart SuperCenter, 355
Grandview Medical Center, 347
Sequatchie Concrete, 250
Lodge Manufacturing, 233
Rock-Tenn, 226
Variform, 196

McMinn County
Population
McMinn County, 52,131
Athens, 14,128

Major Employers
DENSO Manufacturing, 900
Bowater Newsprint, 750
Johnson Controls, 705
Mayfield Dairy Farms, 375
Waupaca Foundry, 300

Meigs County
Population
Meigs County, 11,657
Decatur, 1,459

Major Employers
Shaw Industries, 322
Polyform Inc., 70
Solomon Corp., 70
Array Manufacturing, 50
Storm Copper Components, 40

Polk County
Population
Polk County, 15,678
Benton, 1,190

Major Employers
Polk County Board of Education, 200
Copper Basin Medical Center, 117
Crystal Geyser, 101
Conasauga Wood Preservers, 57

Rhea County
Population
Rhea County, 30,323
Dayton, 6,659

Major Employers
La-Z-Boy, Tennessee, 1,600
Suburban Manufacturing Co., 450
Robinson Manufacturing Co., 356
Goodman Global Holdings Inc., 213
International Automotive Components, 201
Kayser–Roth Corp., 180

Sequatchie County
Population
Sequatchie County, 13,369
Dunlap, 4,943

Major Employers
Tecumseh Products, 652
Seymour Tubing, 100
Dunlap Industries Inc., 80
C&D Technologies, 80
High Country Archery, 25
Dunlap Stone, 16
Precision Aerodynamics Inc., 15