Author Archives: Maria Saporta

Shareholders are becoming bolder about holding companies accountable.

At both the Southern Co. and Home Depot annual meetings this week, Donald Kirshbaum, an investment officer for Connecticut’s Treasury Office, was one of the shareholders introducing a proposal calling for both companies to put together an “environmental assessment report” for those holding shares.

(Interestingly enough, Home Depot CEO is a director of the Southern Co., but he was unable to attend Wednesday’s meeting at Callaway Gardens because he was preparing for his annual meeting today at the Cobb Galleria.

After three years, the ghost of Robert Nardelli still looms large at Home Depot.

At today’s annual meeting, shareholders never actually mentioned Nardelli by name.

Yet he was referred to by shareholders a half dozen times, mostly as a benchmark of what went wrong during his five years as CEO; and how the company has improved under the leadership of current CEO Frank Blake.

Nardelli, who has been running Chrysler Corp. for the past couple of years, was a controversial figure during his time running the Atlanta-based home improvement company.

It was a friendly and polite crowd that attended the Southern Co.’s annual meeting today in Callaway Gardens.

Even shareholders that had submitted proposals opposed by the company had kind words for Southern’s executives and their willingness to discuss sensitive issues of carbon emmissions, coal plants and climate change.

“We have been discussing these issues with the company for a long time, and we want to acknowledge tremendous progress over the years,” Sister Barbara Aires told CEO David Ratcliffe.

Sister Aires spoke on behalf of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth of

The Georgia Conservancy has shed the word “interim” and named former Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard as its new president.

Howard has served as interim president of the environmental organization since January, following the departure of Jim Stokes, a former partner with Alston & Bird.

In an email to Georgia Conservancy members sent out late Tuesday, Howard stated that the organization “plays a vital role in the conservation of Georgia’s natural resources, and I look forward to the challenge of building a greater network of environmental

It appears that newspaper ink is more potent than partisan politics.

Dining at the Commerce Club today were two newspaper men — one Republican and one Democrat. And one of those newspapermen is running for governor.

DuBose Porter, House minority leader (Democrat) who also is editor Dublin Courier-Herald, was having lunch with John Mellott, the former publisher of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Mellott, a longtime Republican, told me that he is supporting Porter’s run for governor.

Nearly four years ago, I told Frankie Pence I would come meet her in person at her Italian restaurant in Rockmart.

Never did I think it would take me this long to make good on my promise. But I’m so glad I finally made it.

On Saturday, my son, David, and I loaded up our bicycles and headed for Rockmart. We parked near Frankie’s Italian Restaurant, and then headed out for a 16-mile ride — eight miles east and back — along the Silver Comet Trail.

When it comes to cycling in Atlanta, there are few places as delightful as the Silver Comet Trail. There are sections of the trail that are totally surrounded

Now that BIO International is winding down from its week in Atlanta, local leaders are feeling good about how it went.

“I’m just ecstatic,” said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “This BIO convention has exceeded our expectations. It was a very wise use of the state’s money.”

The state of Georgia invested a total of $1.79 million on the BIO conference. Of that, $500,000 went towards bidding on the event with other partners. That number also included the Georgia Pavilion exhibit space, promotional materials, marketing, the welcome

When we emerge out of this recession, this nation will be a changed place, according to Joe Nocera, a business columnist for the New York Times

Nocera spoke Thursday evening as part of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Speaker Series, exploring issues important in today’s society.

Nocera provided his views on the current economic downturn as well as his thoughts on where we’ll succeed and where we’ll fall short.

“The crisis will change behavior,” Nocera said. “If it doesn’t, we are all in trouble.”

A whole new generation that has

The top business groups in the state have started to work more closely together to figure out if there can be consensus on a possible transportation funding bill.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce reached out to the Metro Atlanta Chamber saying it wanted to work on a transportation funding bill that would fit inside the new transportation governance structure for both metro and statewide projects, according to Michael Garrett, chairman of the Georgia Chamber and president/CEO of Georgia Power.

“We feel that it is imperative for the chambers to find a proposal that we can

The Metro Atlanta Chamber is making progress on its “New Economy” initiative, according to Rick Smith, the CEO of Equifax who is the current chair of the organization.

Smith shared that information in a brief interview after today’s Metro Atlanta Chamber’s board meeting.

The New Economy Task Force was established at the beginning to the year to identify the top strategic industries for metro Atlanta’s future economic development. The task force is co-chaired by Southern Co. CEO David Ratcliffe and Regions Bank executive Bill Linginfelter.

The consulting firm of Bain & Co. is

BIO International is not just a big deal for Atlanta and Georgia.

The annual convention of biomedical scientists, researchers and business leaders is critically important for countries around the world that want to be recognized as leaders in the field.

The French ambassador to the United States, Pierre Vimont, held a press conference on Tuesday to spread the message that France is embracing the biomedical industry with tax credits and incentives.

“Forty percent of the drugs produced in Europe are produced in France,” Ambassador Vimont said.

Officials from the state of Georgia held its first press conference today at the all-important BIO International Convention meeting in town this week.

The press conference was held in the crowed Georgia Pavillion on the exhibit floor where Gov. Sonny Perdue announced that Emory University and the Queensland Institute for Medical Research in Australia are teaming up to create the Queensland-U.S. Vaccine Technology Alliance.

The goal is to establish an international research program leading to the development of new human vaccines for infectuous diseases and cancers.

In all the hub-bub of BIO, it is

When it comes to live concerts, it doesn’t get any better than Coldplay.

I’m still energized from Coldplay’s concert at the Lakewood Ampitheater Sunday night — my second Coldplay concert in six months — with its combination of fabulous music, wonderfully artistic touches throughout the show and, of course, the magnetism of lead singer, songwriter, performer Chris Martin.

Martin and the band exemplify the best in rock-‘n’-roll artists. Numerous times during the performance, Martin thanked the audience for spending their money in tough economic times by coming to hear them play. And he wanted to make

Atlanta could be the nexus for a new approach to healthcare — promoting wellness instead of just treating illnesses.

That’s what Dr. Louis Sullivan said during his keynote talk Thursday evening at the 2009 Healthcare Heroes Awards Celebration put on the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

Sullivan is a former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former president of the Morehouse School of Medicine. Currently he is chairman of the National Health Museum, which is planning to build an attraction on a site around Centennial Olympic Park.

Georgia Research Alliance finds itself in a delicate spot when the issue of restricting stem cell research arises at the state legislature.

This past year, a bill restricting research was held in committee, a perfect place for it to stay for those who are responsible for nurturing Georgia’s bioscience industry.

But what if the issue re-emerges next year (as many on the board believe it will)?

Emory University President Jim Wagner brought up that question at

Cousins Properties named Erskine Bowles as its new lead director today, succeeding Billy Payne, who had served a six-year term.

Bowles, president of the University of North Carolina for more than three years, has served on Cousins’ board since 2003. Bowles also served as White House Chief of Staff from 1996 to 1998 in the Clinton administration.

Cousins CEO Tom Bell made the announcement at Cousins Properties Inc. annual meeting today at the One Ninety One Peachtree building.

Bell said that in today’s environment it’s good to “churn it up.,” and that Payne had served two terms as lead director.

When it comes to the economy, it might take five years before the United States finds “the new normal,” U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson told the Atlanta Press Club Monday.

Isakson said he believes we currently are experiencing the economic “trough” right now, and that will continue until Americans start purchasing homes again.

But Isakson said that when the U.S. economy finds the “new normal,” it’s a “good normal,” one that will be healthier for society. It will hark back to the times when people would save their money, pay off their debts and “always have some skin in the game,” he said.