Articles by Maria Saporta
The death of Cuba’s longtime leader Fidel Castro last week will not impact Delta Air Lines’ plans to inaugurate service from Atlanta to Havana on Dec. 1, according to Ed Bastian, the airline’s CEO.
“Nothing has changed,” said Bastian, who called the Cuban market “fascinating” for the long term. He added the U.S. government is allowing flights into the island before many of the trade restrictions have been lifted, which will make the business model it a bit of a challenge.
Clark Atlanta University has been awarded $432,335 from the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of a $15 million investment by the Economic Development Administration’s Regional Innovation Strategies Program.
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Nov. 18, 2016
The University of Georgia kicked off its $1.2 billion fundraising campaign Nov. 17 at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, using the occasion to announce the largest single gift it has ever received in its history.
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Nov. 18, 2016
In keeping with Atlanta’s tradition, the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium is being built with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The $1.5 billion construction project has contracted with 130 minority-owned and female-owned firms to create the new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United soccer franchise.
When the city became part of the financing plan to build the stadium, the Atlanta City Council stated their desireto have it follow the city’s EqualBusiness Opportunity (EBO) standards. A goal was set at 31 percent minority participation.
The Nov. 8 election produced a major win for MARTA. Nearly 130,000 Atlanta voters, or 71.34 percent, approved a half-penny sales tax to expand MARTA within the city limits.
At the same time, the city voted to increase overall transportation funding by a .4 of a penny sales tax.
This is in addition to the one-cent sales tax that the city of Atlanta has been investing in the MARTA system since 1971 – when Fulton and DeKalb counties also voted in favor of the regional transit system.
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Nov. 11, 2016
The recent ranking of the Philanthropy 400 by the Chronicle of Philanthropy showed little change among the order of Georgia’s major nonprofits.
The largest nonprofit in the state continues to be the Task Force of Global Health, which ranks seventh among all foundations nationally.
The other foundations in the top 25 are the National Christian Foundation (No. 9); the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (No. 16); Habitat for Humanity International (No. 20); and the American Cancer Society (No. 22).
More than 100 brave leaders from metro Atlanta are spending the night outdoors tonight (Nov. 17) as part of the Covenant House Sleep Out to help homeless youth.
Even Gov. Nathan Deal and First Lady Sandra Deal showed up to give support to the nonprofit, which has been providing shelter and support to the homeless youth.
Original Story on WABE by Maria Saporta The Georgia Historical Society unveiled a historic marker at Centennial Olympic Park on Nov. 1 to commemorate the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The marker is between the Olympic Rings Fountain and Marietta Street across Andrew Young International Boulevard from the Metro Atlanta Chamber building. The last sentence on […]
By Maria Saporta The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation released its 12th annual 10 Places in Peril – shining the light on historic treasures that need attention. “We hope the list will continue to bring preservation solutions to Georgia’s imperiled historic resources by highlighting 10 representative sites,” said Mark McDonald, president and CEO of the […]
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Nov. 11, 2016
Women now hold almost 13 percent of the board seats at Georgia’s public companies, a new study by nonprofit group Onboard shows. Of the 952 board seats at Georgia’s public companies, women hold 123, according to the group’s “Women in the Boardroom: 2016 Georgia Public Companies Study”. That’s the highest since the study began 24 years ago.
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Nov. 11, 2016
Virginia Hepner, president and CEO of the Woodruff Arts Center, will retire on May 31, five years after taking the helm of the third largest arts center in the country.
In an exclusive interview with Atlanta Business Chronicle, Hepner said it is the right time for her to leave the cultural institution.
“It’s a 24-7 job the way I choose to do it,” Hepner said, who had signed on for a maximum of a five-year contract. “I really want more flexibility in my life, and I’m blessed to be able to afford that. These jobs are pretty much all consuming.”
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Nov. 4, 2016
It has been a jaw-dropping season for philanthropic giving in Atlanta.
On Nov. 2, the Woodruff Arts Center announced it has raised $110 million for its Transformation Campaign — $10 million more than its goal.
The $110 million includes $25 million to endow 11 chairs for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians, a goal that was reached two years ahead of schedule.
Twenty years ago, actress and activist Jane Fonda and feminist Gloria Steinem kicked off the first annual Numbers Too Big to Ignore – a major fundraiser for the Atlanta Women’s Foundation.
On Thursday, they returned for the 20th anniversary – held only two days after the Presidential election.
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Nov. 4, 2016
The agreement to spend $192.5 million to dramatically renovate Philips Arena likely will lead to the redevelopment of the area between Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Underground Atlanta and Centennial Olympic Park, according to both Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Tony Ressler, the principal owner of the Atlanta Hawks.
The renovation of Philips, announced on Nov. 1, also will include $142.5 million in public financing, a stark difference from the model that built Philips Arena.
Two Atlanta business leaders have launched a new effort – the Atlanta Friendship Initiative – aimed at bridging divides in our community.
The idea is for two people of different races or ethnic backgrounds to agree to become friends. They pledge to see each other once a quarter and bring their families together once a year in fellowship.
Original Story on WABE by Maria Saporta The $192.5 million renovation plan for Philips Arena could also include upgrades to land between Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Underground Atlanta and Centennial Olympic Park. According to this week’s Atlanta Business Chronicle, that includes what some call the “gulch.” The gulch is the property under the Georgia World Congress Center […]
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Oct. 28, 2016
Achieve Atlanta, a nonprofit helping graduating high school seniors attend and stay in college, has received an unsolicited three-year grant of $600,000 from Kaiser Permanente of Georgia.
The grant will enable Achieve Atlanta to add a college counselor in four high schools in distressed areas of Atlanta to help students apply and pay for college.
“We really wanted to focus on areas where there were poor health outcomes,” said Madelyn Adams, director of community benefit for Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. “Better education leads to better health outcomes. Achieve Atlanta was the right place for us to be. I really admire how transparent they are and how they know where they want to go. It really appealed to us.”
Raising more than $10 million over its goal, the Woodruff Arts Center’s Transformation Campaign ended up raising $110 million more than two years ahead of schedule.
The record-breaking campaign ended up receiving a multimillion dollar undisclosed gift from the Coca-Cola Co. to support the renovation of the Alliance Theatre. As a result, the main stage will be named the Coca-Cola Stage at the Alliance Theatre when the renovated venue opens in the fall of 2018.
By Maria Saporta
As published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Oct. 28, 2016
Two top Atlanta business leaders have launched a new initiative aimed at healing strained race relations, with hopes it could spread to other cities.
Bill Nordmark, an Atlanta business consultant and former president of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, and John Grant, executive director of the Celebration Bowl and former CEO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta, have formed the Atlanta Friendship Initiative. The concept is to pair up two people from different racial or ethnic backgrounds and have them become friends. They agree to get together once a quarter, and then once a year to bring their families together in fellowship.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and majority Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler were all smiles Tuesday when they announced that they had reached a $192.5 million deal to revamp Philips Arena.
The 30-year agreement would keep the “Hawks in downtown Atlanta for decades to come,” Reed said at the press conference in his Ceremonial Office at City Hall.
