The Georgia Mentor Protégé Connection is one of the premier mentoring initiatives in the nation. Founded over 20 years ago as the Governor’s Mentor Protégé Program, it was incorporated into the GEF portfolio in 2012. The GMPC pairs eligible Georgia small businesses with corporate mentors in the same business sector or a related industry for a one-year business development partnership. Participants undergo a rigorous assessment to determine what their areas of opportunity are, followed by the establishment of goals for the partnership. There is a yearlong calendar of meetings, training sessions, retreats and one-on-one coaching that can focus on finance, HR, infrastructure, logistics, product offerings or any other mutually beneficial area. GMPC alumni and are among Georgia’s top small businesses, receiving regional and national recognition and prestigious awards, emerging as subject matter experts in their categories, and winning major contracts. The program has graduated hundreds of firms over its 21-year history.