Author Archives: Maria Saporta

By Maria Saporta

The Mayor of Midtown has left us.

Larry Steven Collins was the man who knew everybody’s name when they walked in the door at the Sig Samuels drycleaner at the corner of Monroe Drive and Eighth Street.

Collins, 54, passed away on Wednesday, March 16 after two years of fighting ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

It’s hard to describe what a vital community role Sig Samuels and the Collins family have played in Midtown. It has been the unofficial gathering spot and meeting ground for people picking up or dropping off their laundry.

The windows of the historic looking storefront often are plastered with all kinds of community notices and election posters.

By Maria Saporta

Georgia Tech pulled out all the stops when it honored former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn with the inaugural Ivan Allen Prize for Social Courage on Tuesday.

Not only was Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed present to give a talk saying that both former Mayor Allen and Sen. Nunn had served as an inspiration for him.

Then both of Georgia’s U.S. senators — Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss — gave their good wishes to Nunn via a pre-taped video.

And then President Barack Obama appeared on screen thanking Nunn “on a very personal level” for being available when the president sought his advice and vision.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Nunn said in a speech

By Maria Saporta

Morehouse School of Medicine has named Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice as dean and executive vice president effective June 1.

In her new role, Dr. Montgomery Rice will oversee the school’s “academic enterprise and guide the continued advancement of the school’s patient care, research, community health, and education and training programs,” according to a news release.

Montgomery Rice currently is director of the Center for Women’s Health Research and professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Division Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Meharry Medical College in Nashville.

She is a nationally-renowned reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist.

“Dr. Montgomery Rice is a dynamic leader

By Maria Saporta

Egbert Perry made history Tuesday morning.

Perry — founder, chairman and CEO of the Integral Group — became the first African-American to chair Central Atlanta Progress in its 70-year history.

Perry succeeds Taylor Glover, president and CEO of Turner Enterprises, who served a two-year term of the downtown business organization.

“I hope this is a lesson,” Perry said at CAP’s annual breakfast meeting held in the Peter Pan entertainment tent at Pemberton Place. “All I did was miss one nominating committee meeting, and I got a call to serve as chairman.”

Perry then dead-panned, saying that he was

By Maria Saporta

For former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, Monday was a “this is your life” experience.

The setting was the Founder’s Day Allen Prize Symposium presented by Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. Nunn is the first recipient of the Allen Prize, which is named after former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr.

The two-day event began Monday with several sessions based on Nunn’s interests and past experiences — from his days as chairman of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee to his current role as co-chairman and CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative.

A highlight was when Bob Schieffer, CBS News Chief and host of Face the Nation, interviewed Nunn about current events as well as how Washington, D.C. has changed

By Maria Saporta

The crème de la crème came out in force Thursday evening to wish Truett Cathy a happy birthday.

The Chick-fil-A motifs and mascots filled the Woodruff Arts Center as dignitaries and friends came to wish the King of the Chicken Sandwich their best wishes.

“It is certainly a great tribute to Mr. Cathy,” said Gov. Nathan Deal, while attending one of the receptions in the High Museum. “He is a great institution for our state, and it’s an honor to be here.”

During the reception, Coca-Cola executive Sandy Douglas announced a $90,000 check to Cathy’s foundation. Part of the goal for the event was to raise funds for the Truett Cathy Youth & Community Center in West End, about a mile away from when Cathy grew

By Maria Saporta

It soon will be a complete sweep — all of Georgia’s Fortune 500 companies will have at least one woman on their board of directors.

Martin Richenhagen, CEO of the Duluth-based agricultural company — AGCO, told the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta today that he intends to invite a woman to join his board.

The woman is Mallika Srinivasan, CEO of Chennai, India-based TAFE Ltd.

AGCO has owned a 23 percent stake in TAFE (Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd.) in India for several years. Srinivasan is the eldest daughter of industrialist — A. Sivasailam, who passed away in January.

By Maria Saporta

Sometimes it seems as though Georgia is its own worst enemy.

State and regional leaders have proclaimed that Georgia’s top economic development priority is the deepening of the Port of Savannah. They say it is essential to the state’s future to deepen the port and the 33-miles of the river that connects the port with Atlantic Ocean.

Georgia leaders — including Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed — have been lobbying the federal government and the Obama administration for $105 million to help pay for the deepening of the port.

But last month, Georgia got word that the federal government was only allocating $600,000 in pre-construction and planning