Bostic, Donahue, Womack named as next chairs of Metro Atlanta Chamber
Delta's Ed Bastian passes the chairmanship of the Metro Atlanta Chamber to the Federal Reserve Bank's Raphael Bostic at the Nov. 18 annual meeting (Screenshot)
By Maria Saporta
The Metro Atlanta Chamber announced the line-up of its board leadership through 2024 at its annual meeting Thursday morning.
At the meeting, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian passed the baton to Raphael Bostic, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
The organization also announced that Paul Donahue, chairman and CEO of Genuine Parts Co., will lead the Chamber in 2023, and Chris Womack, chairman, president and CEO of the Georgia Power Co., will become chair in 2024.
“It was an honor to serve the Metro Atlanta Chamber as its 2021 board chair, and I’m thrilled to pass the torch to Raphael Bostic as he continues driving impact for the region,” Bastian said. “Our journey has been a challenging one, but the businesses and the people of metro Atlanta have shown that our resilience, our shared values and our determination have never been stronger.”
Genuine Parts Paul Donahue, slated to chair the Metro Atlanta Chamber in 2023, speaks from his headquarters during annual meeting. (screenshot.)
In 2022, the Chamber will collaborate with Bostic to expand on priorities in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion. During the past year, Bostic served as a key thought partner for the MAC-led ATL Action for Racial Equity (AA4RE) initiative committed to accelerating racial equity by leveraging the size and scale of the metro business community and the power of collective impact. AA4RE is currently analyzing survey data across the 248 companies that signed onto the initiative.
Bostic was also heavily engaged with the RESTORE task force, a diverse group of business leaders which aimed to provide a blueprint for how metro Atlanta and Georgia might accelerate economic recovery following the pandemic. This work aligns with Bostic’s commitment to the concept of “an economy that works for everyone.”
“I am honored to serve as the Chamber’s 2022 Board Chair and have the opportunity to continue advancing the organization’s DEI imperative across our region’s business community,” Bostic said in a release. “From the pandemic to the social reckoning we’ve all experienced, it’s never been more important to honor Atlanta’s powerful civil rights legacy and continue to work towards equity and inclusivity for all.”
Paul Donahue of Genuine Parts began his career in 1978 with Newell Brands, another notable Atlanta brand. He has been involved in the community through the boards of Truist Bank, the Shephard Center Foundation and the Carlyle Fraser Heart Center.
“I look forward to working with the Chamber’s leadership team, in partnership with the executive committee, to accelerate metro Atlanta’s pursuit of being the best region to live, work and play for all,” Donahue said in a release.
Georgia Power’s Chris Womack, slated to chair the Metro Atlanta Chamber in 2024, speaks at the Nov. 18 annual meeting. (screenshot.)
Succeeding Donahue will be Chris Womack of Georgia Power. Womack has an extensive background at Georgia Power and the Southern Co. He also has been the recipient of numerous honors and awards over an impressive career.
“In 2021, the Metro Atlanta Chamber rallied alongside our business community to meaningfully address challenges that impacted every citizen of this region by prioritizing economic recovery, public health, public safety and racial equity,” said Katie Kirkpatrick, Metro Atlanta Chamber’s president and CEO. “Through close collaboration with the innovative and diverse leaders who call Atlanta home, we’re excited to continue this work with our newly appointed board chairs.”
The annual meeting shared how the region has been successful in attracting companies to expand and invest in Atlanta. Additionally, Bastian and Kirkpatrick provided a recap of the Chamber’s accomplishments in positioning the region as a global competitor.
