The board of the Piedmont Park Conservancy announced that its president and CEO, Mark Banta, will retire in 2023 upon the selection of his successor and after a period of transition.
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 inLatest News
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff: Building high-speed rail in Georgia can be ‘transformative’
During his talk to the Rotary Club of Atlanta on June 27, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff made a plea for Georgia to revisit the development of high-speed rail to connect Atlanta with cities across the Southeast.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
South River Forest civic engagement work can help bridge divide
The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and the Nature Conservancy publicly kicked off its South River Forest Community Engagement process at a meeting Saturday morning at DeKalb County’s impressive Sugar Creek Golf & Tennis Center off Bouldercrest Road.
Posted inLatest News
IOC awards Pierre de Coubertin medal to George Hirthler
Atlantan George Hirthler, who wrote the bid book that brought the 1996 Summer Olympic Games to Atlanta, today received one of the highest honors given by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – the Pierre de Coubertin Medal – in a ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Posted inLatest News
2022 Beloved Benefit on July 7 to bring the community together
The Beloved Benefit is back. On July 7, the second Beloved Benefit will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The event is one of the most ambitious fund-raisers in Atlanta, and it will feature two headliner performers – Usher and Maroon 5 – as well as other entertainment.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
2026 World Cup an opportunity for Atlanta to shine
There are defining moments in the life of every city. Hosting the Summer Olympic Games was one of them for Atlanta. Hosting the World Cup in 2026 will be another.
Posted inLatest News
UPS to invest nearly $8.75 million in Atlanta nonprofits
During its first-ever UPS Impact Summit on June 20, the UPS Foundation announced three major initiatives to positively impact communities around the world.
Posted inLatest News
Mayor Andre Dickens working with Atlanta Committee for Progress on key issues
In his second “in person” meeting with the Atlanta Committee for Progress as mayor, Andre Dickens thanked the business and civic leaders for their support of the “Moving Atlanta Forward” campaign.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Newell’s Ravi Saligram: Atlanta can be a national role model
By Maria Saporta Sometimes it takes a newcomer’s perspective to see Atlanta’s potential. That’s the case with Ravi Saligram, the CEO of Newell Brands, a Fortune 500 company that brought back its headquarters to Atlanta in 2019 after moving to New Jersey for three years. “If we can’t make Atlanta work in terms of a […]
Posted inLatest News
Two statewide run-off debates feature empty podiums for no-show candidates
The Atlanta Press Club’s Loudermilk-Young Debate Series hosted seven run-off debates June 6 – but two candidates didn’t even bother to show up.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Olympic athlete Edwin Moses on new Morehouse track: ‘Doesn’t it look beautiful?’
A newly restored track at Morehouse College will continue the legacy of legendary Edwin Moses and spotlight the track-and-field program at the historically black college.
Posted inLatest News
1962 Orly crash a pivotal event in Atlanta’s cultural development
Sixty years ago – June 3, 1962 – was a tragic milestone in Atlanta’s history. That’s the day when 106 members of the Atlanta Art Association lost their lives in a plane crash at the Orly Airport in Paris.
Posted inColumns, Maria's Metro
Southern Co.’s annual meeting a model for corporate America
The best corporate annual meeting of the year award goes to the Southern Co. – hands down.
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.
