The best corporate annual meeting of the year award goes to the Southern Co. – hands down.
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 inColumns, Maria's Metro
Atlanta leaders committed to fulfilling promise of rail on the BeltLine
Key Atlanta leaders remain fully committed to building rail on the Atlanta BeltLine.
Posted inLatest News
The YWCA of Greater Atlanta salutes stunned CEO Sharmen Gowens
At the YWCA’s Salute to Achievement awards on May 18, a surprise grand finale tribute was given to Sharmen Gowens, CEO of the YWCA of Greater Atlanta.
Posted inLatest News
Bernie Marcus says new $135 milIion Israeli blood bank will save lives
Philanthropist Bernie Marcus, in a telephone interview, said countless lives will be saved by a state-of-the-art blood bank in Israel in a $135 million project led by the Atlanta-based Marcus Foundation.
Posted inLatest News
For its 70th year celebration, Tull Foundation makes $700,000 gift to Achieve Atlanta
The Atlanta-based Tull Charitable Foundation wanted to do something special to celebrate its 70th anniversary.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Metro Atlanta is riding the wrong bus into the future
We are in a moment in time when we can transform our region with a world-class transit network thanks in large part to the $1.3 trillion federal infrastructure investment.
Posted inLatest News
Founder Marc Adler on Macquarium’s sale to Synoptek: ‘It’s a great marriage’
Macquarium announced on Thursday that it has been sold to Irvine, Ca.-based Synoptek, a business and technology consulting firm. Macquarium will become the Southeast office for Synoptek, focusing on digital customer experiences.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Austin LINK trip with Mayor Andre Dickens is a hopeful sign for region
AUSTIN – A spirit of optimism enveloped the 2022 LINK trip as 120 Atlanta Regional leaders traveled to the capital city of Texas from May 4 to May 7.
Posted inLatest News
Atlantan invited to White House for Cinco de Mayo event
AUSTIN – The invitation arrived on Wednesday afternoon, shortly after the LINK delegation of 120 Atlanta leaders had arrived in the capital city of Texas.
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LINK 2022 — fast-growing Austin experiencing growth pains
AUSTIN – “Welcome to the Wild, Wild West!” That was the opening comment from Cynthia Long, chair of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization in Austin (the equivalent to the Atlanta Regional Commission) to a group of about 120 metro Atlanta leaders visiting Austin for the three-day 2022 LINK trip.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Helene Gayle is looking ‘to bring Spelman to the world and the world to Spelman’
As the next president of Spelman College, Helene Gayle is boomeranging back to Atlanta – her on-again, off-again home for decades.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Metro Atlanta leaders headed to Austin on 2022 LINK trip
Metro Atlanta leaders are heading to Austin for the annual LINK trip on May 4 – only six months after going to Chicago to learn how other cities are coping with the same issues as we are.
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Covenant House Georgia unveils new apartments for homeless youth
The Covenant House Georgia will be able to serve more homeless youth thanks to a successful capital campaign that raised $10.l million – $400,000 more than the initial goal.
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Leadership Atlanta’s 2023 class to feature leaders in education
On the eve of its closing weekend retreat for the Class of 2022, Leadership Atlanta on Friday announced the 86 members of the Class of 2023.
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U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff: Atlanta BeltLine Southside trail getting $5 million boost
Slowly, but surely, the Atlanta BeltLine is securing the necessary funds to complete the Southside Trail – which will connect the Eastside Trail with the Westside Trail.
Posted inColumns
Family visit weaves views of greenspace, civil rights and hospitality
Sometimes having a fresh set of eyes on where you live helps you better appreciate what works and what’s lacking. For me, those fresh set of eyes belonged to my sister, Elena Saporta; and my niece, Lily Consuelo Saporta Tagiuri, who came to spend the better part of a week visiting Atlanta and Georgia.
Posted inColumns
Atlanta Dogwood Festival’s Brian Hill: ‘A real chance we won’t make it’
The Atlanta Dogwood Festival has welcomed Spring in the city for 86 years. But its future is in jeopardy after two years of the disruptive COVID pandemic and rising costs.
Posted inColumns
Atlanta developer David Allman making a difference in Nicaragua
When Atlanta real estate developer David Allman turned 50, he pulled back from the day-to-day of his business to explore ways he could improve the lives of the world’s most impoverished.
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Andre Dickens at the State of the City: ‘My vision is moving Atlanta forward together’
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens bubbled over with energy Monday morning as he repeatedly chanted messages of unity and a city moving forward to tackle the big issues of safety, early childhood education, affordable housing, investment in infrastructure as well as parks, greenspace and sidewalks.
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Buckhead Coalition pays tribute to the late Sam Massell at annual meeting
The spirit of Sam Massell was alive and well at Wednesday’s annual meeting of the Buckhead Coalition.
