Agnes Scott names Nicole Stamant as Fuller Callaway Professorial Chair
Agnes Scott College announced that English professor Nicole Stamant has been chosen as The Trust for Fuller Callaway Professorial Chair.
She is the second faculty member to have this honor since 1986.
“I am deeply honored by this recognition and especially thrilled to receive it at such a purposefully inclusive institution as Agnes Scott,” Stamant said.
The Trust was created to encourage the enrichment of academic programs at designated Georgia colleges to help them retain exemplary faculty members.
“Students here know they can share a broad range of perspectives openly and confidently in a supportive environment where they’re encouraged to be their most authentic selves,” Stamant said.
She has been a faculty member since 2011 and chaired the English department during 2018/19 semesters.
— Allison Joyner
Cathleen Richardson joins ag-tech Company Ponix as president and executive director of upcoming nonprofit arm
Last week, minority-owned tech company Ponix appointed Cathleen Richardson president and executive director of its nonprofit arm.
Ponix drives sustainable urban agriculture and community empowerment through its modular climate-smart indoor farming solutions and the Colation for Food Security. This initiative partners with minority farmers backed by a $5 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant.
Richardson has almost 30 years of experience in educational technology and has forged partnerships across K-12 and higher education to promote inclusive, technology-enhanced learning for underserved communities.
“Her expertise in cultivating strategic partnerships and championing equitable solutions will propel our initiatives forward, helping us transform sustainable urban agriculture and strengthen communities,” said Michael Choi, CEO of Ponix.
— Allison Joyner
Atlanta Business League announces 2025 Board of Directors
Last month, the Atlanta Business League held its 2025 Board Installation Ceremony for its new officers for the 2025 to 2026 term.
Andrella Kenner, founder and CEO of CI2 Aviation, is the new Board Chair and announced the objectives she wants to achieve during her term.
Increasing the number of dues-paying members by one-third, hosting sessions between veteran Black business owners and young entrepreneurs, developing financial counseling programs for members, and partnering with banks were some of the objectives Kenner mentioned during her remarks.
She also introduced her goal of raising $30 million for the organization’s capital campaign fund.
“I’m here to work toward partnerships that benefit Black business owners,” Kenner said. “I’m here to help every single member be successful and profitable. But most of all, I think I have been placed in this position so more people can see what happens when you stay in it for the long haul.”
The new officers are:
- Board Chair: Andrella Kenner, founder and chief executive officer, CI2 Aviation Incorporated.
- Chair-Elect: Erick Pinckney, principal of the commercial real estate division, The Integral Group
- Treasurer: Gretchen Fuller, president of Warner Fuller Consulting
- Assistant Treasurer: Michael Smith, partner of assurance services at Ernst & Young
- Secretary: Heather Fatzinger, president and CEO of Full Circle Communications
- Assistant Secretary: Nykita Hurt, manager of diversity programs at HNTB
Tree planting to celebrate Arbor Day in Chamblee
On Fri., Feb. 21, the city of Chamblee will celebrate Arbor Day with a tree planting at City Hall.
An Arbor Day proclamation will be read by city staff.
There are a limited number of trees to plant while supplies last.
Volunteers are needed for this event and are asked to dress appropriately.
— Allison Joyner
Morehouse receives $5 million grant to launch endowed scholarship honoring legacy of Iowa pharmacy owner
Yesterday, Daniel Jorndt, retired CEO of Walgreens, established a $5 million endowment at Morehouse College to honor the memory of his first boss, pharmacist Marion Williams.
The scholarship will help fund the education of financially-struggling students majoring in Business or Technology/STEM.
Jorndt credits his success to Williams for some lessons he learned while working in his pharmacy in Des Moines, Iowa.
“Marion was a remarkable individual who has the ability to bring out the best in people,” Jorndt said. “He was a coalition builder who nurtured future leaders of different races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds and encouraged them to work together to improve the community.”
Morehouse is in the process of its Making Men of Consequence fundraising campaign, which provides support for student scholarships, athletics, faculty research and recruitment, campus improvements, and the expansion of innovative academic programs.
— Allison Joyner
Georgia General Assembly recognizes Morehouse School of Medicine’s 50th anniversary
On Feb. 10, the Georgia General Assembly honored Morehouse School of Medicine (MSS) for its 50th anniversary with resolutions from the state House of Representatives and Senate.
“More than 50 years ago, the members of this legislative body made a decision to invest $1 million into a two-year medical education program that was housed at the time in two trailers on Morehouse College campus,” said Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, President and CEO of MSM. “You believed in MSM before there was one. And I am proud to say that we have provided the state of Georgia with a good return on your investment, producing nearly 1,900 physicians, 60 percent of whom chose to work in our great state.”
The Historically Black medical school is continuing its 50th anniversary with several events throughout the year.
Click here to learn more.
— Allison Joyner
Water Drop Dash 5K returns to the Chattahoochee
The Water Drop Dash 5K is returning to Atlanta for its 13th year on March 22, 2025.
The race, which runs adjacent to the Chattahochee River and is a qualifier for the Atlanta Journal Constitution Peachtree Road Race, is being organized by the Chattahoochee Nature Center and the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District; organizers expect over 800 participants in the run.
The 5K looks to raise awareness about the precious resource of clean, fresh water and the measures people can take to help conserve it or use it efficiently — especially water from the adjacent Chattahoochee River.
“We are so pleased to collaborate yet again with the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District on this event to help increase awareness about the importance of water conservation and the valuable resource the Chattahoochee River plays in the lives of all of us across the region,” said Tamara Kinmon, Senior Director of Special Events, Marketing, and Camp for Chattahoochee Nature Center.
Water Drop Dash will come on the heels of the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense ‘Fix a Leak Week’ from March 17-23, which encourages homeowners to be mindful of any leaks that could waste both precious water and money.
The race will have options to participate in-person or virtually as a ghost runner, and will be followed with a post-race water festival.
— Mark Lannaman
Sustainable Fashion Week and Habitat for Humanity host first Constructed Couture Fashion Competition
Atlanta Sustainable Fashion Week and Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity joined together for a night of creativity and sustainable expression.
The two organizations jointly hosted the Constructed Couture Fashion Competition, where young designers used recycled construction materials to create various outfits and ultimately display them on a runway. The event hoped to raise consciousness about materials in the fashion industry and their ability to be recycled — the driving mission of Atlanta Sustainable Fashion Week.
Eric Mitchell won in the Student Designer category, with Felina Martin winning the Advanced Designer category.
Both organizations expressed their happiness with how the event turned out, and look to repeat this success next year.
— Mark Lannaman
Peach Pass gets website and mobile app upgrades
Out with the old and in with the new: the Peach Pass is getting a new app to start 2025.
The State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) announced a new app to replace the old Peach Pass app in late January; now, that app and its new features are live.
In addition to the new app, the Peach Pass website received upgrades, too, with the goal of a modern look, feel, and ease of account management.
The new Peach Pass GO! comes with the following features:
- Intuitive Peach Pass account management
- Enhanced chat and support features
- Easy-to-use payment and violation management solutions
- Automated verification of qualified Alternative Fuel Vehicles and motorcycle vehicles with a simpler registration process
- Enabling customers to opt in to use their phone’s biometric login features, such as Apple’s facial recognition
The app also comes with a map that has real-time toll rates.
— Mark Lannaman
LuluMa Foundation donates $1 million to Trust for Public Land Chattahoochee RiverLands project
The LuluMa Foundation just made a $1 million donation to the Trust for Public Land (TPL) to advance their work on a planned 100-mile outdoor recreation trail, Chattahoochee RiverLands.
The Chattahoochee Riverlands project’s outdoor recreation trail will stretch across the state like a seatbelt.
“Donations from private organizations such as LuluMa Foundation have been instrumental in Trust for Public Land’s ability to accomplish the transformative work of connecting the residents of 20 cities and 7 counties to the Chattahoochee River,” said George Dusenbury, Georgia State Director at Trust for Public Land in a press release. “We are tremendously grateful to LuluMa Foundation for their generous gift to help us further the reach of the Chattahoochee RiverLands into Atlanta, South Fulton and beyond.”
With the donation, private funding for the project surpassed $23 million, with another $27 million in public funding for it as well.
TPL’s Chattahoochee RiverLands Project has been making steady progress. In December, Discovery Park in Cobb County opened its first section of the overall vision plan and first public access point to the Chatthoochee River in southern Cobb County.
— Mark Lannaman
Town Center Community Alliance Board of Directors welcomes new members and officers
The Town Center Community Alliance Board of Directors recently announced the appointment of one new board member and the election of two new officers during its December board meeting.
Gary Roberts was elected chairman; Shelley Elder, vice chairwoman; and Dr. Tyler Reinagel was welcomed as a new member of the board.
Roberts, president of Great South Metals, has over three decades of experience in the steel industry and enters his new position as chair with an inspiring, forward-thinking leadership style. He joined the board in 2021.
Elder, who will serve as vice chair, has served on the Alliance board since 2021. An attorney at Crane Elder Law Firm, she specializes in estate planning, probate, guardianship, fiduciary representation and real estate. Elder is deeply involved in numerous Cobb County volunteer organizations, including North Cobb Rotary and Cobb County Schools Foundation, dedicating her time to the betterment of the Town Center Community and beyond.
“I am honored to be chosen to lead the Town Center Community Alliance board, working with a highly distinguished group of community leaders to propel our district forward,” said Roberts. “The members of this board work tirelessly to improve the Town Center Community area and I am excited to see all the work we can accomplish together.”
— Derek Prall
Agnes Scott College Names Nicole Stamant as Fuller E. Callaway Professorial Chair
Agnes Scott College announced that Nicole E. Stamant, a professor in the college’s English department, has been selected as a Fuller E. Callaway Professorial Chair, a position supported by The Trust for Fuller E. Callaway Professorial Chairs.
Stamant becomes the second Agnes Scott faculty member to be so honored. Richard D. Parry, Fuller E. Callaway Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, earned the same distinction in 1986.
“I’m deeply honored by this recognition and especially thrilled to receive it at such a purposefully inclusive institution as Agnes Scott,” said Stamant. “Students here know they can share a broad range of perspectives openly and confidently, in a supportive environment where they’re encouraged to be their most authentic selves. It’s a privilege to be part of this faculty and to contribute to the academic experience of so many brilliant young minds.”
“Throughout her tenure here, Dr. Stamant has become known for her exceptional leadership and commitment to her students,” said Leocadia I. Zak, president of Agnes Scott College. “Under her tutelage, students learn the value of excellence while discovering the power of self-expression. She is a prolific scholar, a gifted mentor and a valuable citizen of our campus community.”
— Derek Prall
Bobby Jones Golf Course named Jemsek National Course of the Year
The Bobby Jones Golf Course recently accepted the 2025 Jemsek National Course of the Year award at the recent National Golf Course Owners Association’s (NGCOA) conference in Orlando, Fla.
On hand to accept the award were Bobby Jones Golf Course Foundation President Marty Elgison, Bobby Jones Links Founding Partners Steve Willy and Whitney Crouse, along with the course’s General Manager Joshua Deal and Head Golf Professional Kayla Jones.
The NGCOA’s Golf Business Conference was the prelude to the annual PGA Show in Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, which saw more than 33,000 attendees and more than 1,000 exhibitors.
— Derek Prall
The Little Shop of Stories Children’s Book Festival announces dates
The Little Shop of Stories Children’s Book Festival, formerly known as the Decatur Children’s Book Festival, will take place May 2 to 4.
The festival will be held outdoors on the Decatur Square alongside the Decatur Arts Festival and in partnership with the City of Decatur, Decatur Arts Alliance, Decatur Downtown Development Authority, Decatur Tourist Bureau, Georgia Center for the Book, and Lenz Marketing.
“We are excited to share our festival footprint with the Decatur Arts Festival this year and think our new location will bring fans of kid and YA lit out to celebrate the power of books and reading,” said Diane Capriola, co-owner of Little Shop of Stories. “We believe that children’s books are works of art so we can’t think of a better way to share that sentiment than to partner with the Decatur Arts Festival!”
The festival will feature a diverse group of new and popular children’s and YA authors, graphic novelists and illustrators. Additionally, it will include a Friday Keynote and Saturday and Sunday parades, as well as author visits to local schools.
— Derek Prall
Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy’s Party for the Park to Honor President Jimmy Carter with Hightower Award
The Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy (CNPC) will honor the late President Jimmy Carter with the Hightower Award at its annual Party for the Park fundraiser on March 25, 2025. This signature event, supporting the preservation and enjoyment of Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), will be held for the first time at Ivy Hall in Roswell Mill, overlooking Vickery Creek, a treasured part of the national park system that Carter himself helped establish.
A lifelong advocate for environmental conservation, President Carter signed the legislation creating Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area as a unit of the National Park Service on August 15, 1978. His enduring commitment to public lands and environmental stewardship has left a profound impact on Georgia and beyond. The Hightower Award, named in honor of longtime CRNRA Park Ranger Jerry Hightower, recognizes those whose efforts and dedication have had a lasting and positive impact on the CRNRA and its community.
“President Jimmy Carter’s vision and leadership were instrumental in the creation of CRNRA,” said CNPC Board President Peter Coffman. “His dedication to conservation and public lands has left an incredible legacy, not just for our park here in Georgia, but across the country. It is a great honor to recognize him with the Hightower Award and to celebrate the impact he has had on preserving the places we cherish.”
— Derek Prall
Coat Drive extended through February
Lenox Square and Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities (ARMHC) have extended their winter coat drive benefiting children visiting ARMHC’s Care Mobile through February.
Shoppers can donate new coats of all sizes in bins with designated ARMHC and Lenox Square logos near the escalators by American Eagle on the Mall Level and inside the Mall Management Office located on the Market Level near the Dining Pavilion, now through Feb. 28.
“This partnership with ARMHC’s Care Mobile affords Lenox Square the opportunity to contribute to an important cause. We certainly appreciate the opportunity to provide the instrumental resources that create stronger, healthier children,” said Lenox Square’s General Manager Robin Suggs. “By fostering meaningful relationships with local organizations such as the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities, we believe we can support and empower families while giving back to our community.”
— Derek Prall
KSU names renowned visual artist as dean of College of the Arts
Kennesaw State University has named renowned visual artist Jawshing Arthur Liou as dean of the Robert S. Geer Family College of the Arts, effective July 1, 2025.
Liou, who was named dean following a national search, is currently the Herman B. Wells Endowed Professor at the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture and Design at Indiana University, Bloomington.
In his role as dean, Liou will serve as the chief academic officer for the Geer College and set its strategic, operational, and financial directions, while providing leadership for its approximately 1,920 undergraduate and graduate students and nearly 300 faculty and staff.
— Derek Prall
