Let’s travel back in time to 1996 when an influential group of business and civic leaders developed a strategy to feed Atlanta’s economic momentum following the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. An initiative to develop a strategy to solidify the city’s economic base was led by Roberto Goizueta, then the CEO of Coca-Cola Co., working with […]
Author Archives: Maria Saporta
Maria Saporta, executive editor, is a longtime Atlanta business, civic and urban affairs journalist with a deep knowledge of our city, our region and state. From 2008 to 2020, she wrote weekly columns and news stories for the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Prior to that, she spent 27 years with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, becoming its business columnist in 1991. Maria received her Master’s degree in urban studies from Georgia State and her Bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University. Maria was born in Atlanta to European parents and has two young adult children. She launched SaportaReport in February 2009.
Posted inMaria's Metro
MARTA’s new CEO will set the tone of the transit agency’s future
Three finalists for the top MARTA job were announced Aug. 10, including Jonathan Hunt, who has been serving as the interim CEO for more than a year. The other two finalists are Cleveland Ferguson III of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and Leroy Jones of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Whoever is named CEO on […]
Posted inLatest News
MARTA board announces three finalists for CEO position
After interviewing the three finalists for MARTA’s top job, the agency’s board announced the contenders: The move represents a major step forward in the search to name a new CEO, a process that has been underway (with a couple of starts and stops) for about a year. The three finalists were interviewed in a closed […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
Atlanta’s tree canopy hits new low
The City of Atlanta set a goal in 2023 to have a tree canopy of 50 percent. At the time, the Atlanta City Council said the city’s tree canopy “is a well-recognized integral part of the City’s identity, as the city is frequently described as the ‘City in the Forest.’” It went on to cite a 2018 […]
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The late Ted Turner to receive Lifetime Achievement Award on Nov. 5
The 40th anniversary of National Philanthropy Day will take place Nov. 5 at the Georgia Aquarium to celebrate individuals and organizations for their generosity, leadership and volunteerism. The Greater of Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals is hosting the luncheon with Delta Air Lines as its presenting sponsor. The luncheon will present a […]
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Atlanta Community Foundation names Virginia Hepner interim head
As it searches for a new permanent president and CEO, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta has tapped veteran leader Virginia Hepner to serve as its interim executive. Hepner was introduced as the interim at a meeting of Community Foundation staff members on Tuesday morning. “We are thrilled to have Virginia in as interim,” said […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
Developer Jim Irwin is creating a city within a city
One could call Jim Irwin an accidental developer. Today, at the young age of 47, Irwin is one of the most respected developers in Atlanta because of his commitment to creating spaces and places where people want to visit, live and work. A motto for Irwin: “Let’s build a city I’d want to live in.” […]
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Atlanta Dogwood Festival to return in 2027
After years of teetering on the edge of survival, the leaders of the Atlanta Dogwood Festival announced the event will return April 9 to April 11 in Piedmont Park. The dates were announced on the festival’s website Thursday morning. “We think it’s a great tradition,” said David Shutley, the festival’s board chair. “The response we got from […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
A personal reflection: My parents to me: ‘We are citizens of the world’
As the city was celebrating the FIFA World Cup finale at the Showcase Atlanta celebration at Piedmont Park on July 19, Mayor Andre Dickens paid tribute to when Atlanta held the opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games exactly 30 years earlier — to the day and almost the actual minute. “Today’s a special […]
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Frank Fernandez will be next CEO of the Reinvestment Fund
After announcing his upcoming departure from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Frank Fernandez will be heading to Philadelphia to become president and CEO of the Reinvestment Fund. “I am deeply honored to join Reinvestment Fund as its next president and CEO,” Fernandez said in a release on Monday. “I look forward to leading and […]
Posted inSections
Georgia Trust for Local News acquires two key newspapers
The Macon Telegraph and the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer have entered into a “landmark transaction” with the Georgia Trust for Local News. Through the Georgia Trust, both legendary newspapers will be under local control and under a nonprofit umbrella. The Georgia Trust is a subsidiary of the National Trust for Local News, a nonprofit that acquires, stabilizes […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
World Cup spotlights downtown and Atlanta’s global flavor
So far, so great! After speaking with more than a dozen civic leaders, the consensus has been unanimous. Atlanta has shined brightly during the past month of hosting the FIFA World Cup. That includes MARTA, Centennial Olympic Park and Fan Fest, the streets and sidewalks, the attractions and the people. “It’s been a fun atmosphere,” […]
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Covenant House Georgia names Kara Stimpson as its new CEO
The board of Covenant House Georgia announced it has selected Kara Stimpson to serve as its new executive starting Aug. 24. Stimpson was the unanimous choice of the search committee after an extensive national effort evaluating nonprofit leaders. Most recently, Stimpson has served as CEO of Helping People Succeed, a Florida nonprofit that provides early […]
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Frank Fernandez leaving Atlanta’s Community Foundation
The president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Frank Fernandez, announced Wednesday afternoon that he’s stepping down from his role after six years. “After six wonderful years, I have accepted a new professional role that will take me beyond Atlanta,” Fernandez wrote in an email to stakeholders. “Serving this organization and this […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
Charlotte’s Sherri Chisholm: ‘We were a victim of our own success’
Once again Atlanta can look to Charlotte, N.C. for insights into improving the region’s economic mobility ranking. But the recent decision to sunset Leading on Opportunity, the organization that spearheaded Charlotte’s economic mobility efforts, may come as a surprise. Sherri Chisholm, executive director of Leading on Opportunity since 2020, shared her thoughts in a candid […]
Posted inColumns
At 250, American democracy is in turmoil
As we’re about to turn 250 years old, let’s ask ourselves: Can a divided nation celebrate a united birthday? The United States will turn 250 years old on Saturday, reinforcing its place as the world’s longest-living republic with a constitution. It’s a time to pause and reflect on where we’ve been, where we are and […]
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Henrique Braun tells Rotary Atlanta is part of Coca-Cola’s DNA
The new CEO of the Coca-Cola Co., Henrique Braun, used the platform of the Rotary Club of Atlanta on June 22 to reinforce the powerful connection between the city and the beverage company. Braun let Rotarians know the first Coca-Cola was poured 140 years ago just a few blocks away from the Loudermilk Center Downtown […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
Atlanta gains ground as a city for bicycles
PeopleForBikes gave the City of Atlanta a score of 33 in its 2026 ratings, released on June 17. This is up from just 23 in 2020. The Boulder, Co.-based organization also declared Atlanta as one of the eight cities to watch. An adage applies to the latest ranking: “What gets measured gets improved.” Time and time again, we’ve seen how […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
Mayor Andre Dickens: ‘This is a special moment for us’
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens is turning 52 on June 17, and he is taking stock of everything he’s experiencing leading up to his birthday. After the quarterly meeting of the Atlanta Committee for Progress (ACP) at the headquarters building of Invesco on Friday, June 12, Mayor Dickens sat down for an exclusive interview with SaportaReport, […]
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Breman’s Leslie Gordon stepping down as executive director
Longtime Atlanta arts and cultural leader Leslie Gordon will be leaving her full-time role with the Breman Museum & Cultural Center on July 31. Gordon has been executive director of the Breman since February 2019, navigating the cultural institution through the COVID pandemic and a major rebranding. “This decision comes with a great deal of […]
